The intellect, (typified by) the master’s son, is left destitute, (while) the fleshly soul, (typified by) the murderer, has become a master and leader.2510
خواجهزادهی عقل مانده بینوا ** نفس خونی خواجه گشت و پیشوا
Do you know what is the daily bread (won) without toil? It is the food of spirits and the daily bread of the prophet.
روزی بیرنج میدانی که چیست ** قوت ارواحست و ارزاق نبیست
But it depends upon sacrificing the cow: know (that) the (spiritual) treasure (is found) in (sacrifice of) the cow, O you who dig in (holes and) corners!
لیک موقوفست بر قربان گاو ** گنج اندر گاو دان ای کنجکاو
Yesternight I ate something; otherwise, I would have given the reins entirely into the hand of your understanding’.
دوش چیزی خوردهام ور نه تمام ** دادمی در دست فهم تو زمام
(The words), ‘ yesternight I ate something,” are an idle tale: whatsoever comes (to pass) is from the secret chamber (of Divine Destiny).
دوش چیزی خوردهام افسانه است ** هرچه میآید ز پنهان خانه است
Wherefore have we fixed our eyes on (secondary) causes, if we have learned from those with beauteous eyes how to glance amorously?2515
چشم بر اسباب از چه دوختیم ** گر ز خوشچشمان کرشم آموختیم
Over the (secondary) causes there are other (primary) causes: do not look at the (secondary) cause; let thy gaze fall on that (primary cause).
هست بر اسباب اسبابی دگر ** در سبب منگر در آن افکن نظر
The prophets came in order to cut (the cords of secondary) causes: they flung their miracles at Saturn (in the Seventh Heaven).
انبیا در قطع اسباب آمدند ** معجزات خویش بر کیوان زدند
Without cause (means) they clove the sea asunder; without sowing they found heaps of corn.
بیسبب مر بحر را بشکافتند ** بی زراعت چاش گندم یافتند
Sand, too, was turned into flour by their work; goat’s hair became silk as it was pulled (from the hide).
ریگها هم آرد شد از سعیشان ** پشم بز ابریشم آمد کشکشان
The whole of the Qur’án consists in (is concerned with) the cutting off of (secondary) causes: (its theme is) the glory of the poor (prophet or saint) and the destruction of (those like) Abú Lahab.2520
جمله قرآن هست در قطع سبب ** عز درویش و هلاک بولهب
A swift drops two or three pebbles and shatters the mighty host of Abyssinia:
مرغ بابیلی دو سه سنگ افکند ** لشکر زفت حبش را بشکند
The pebble of a bird that flies aloft lays low the elephant, riddled with holes (wounds).
پیل را سوراخ سوراخ افکند ** سنگ مرغی کو به بالا پر زند
(God said), “Inflict (a blow with) the tail of the killed cow upon the murdered man, in order that at the same moment he may come to life (again) in the winding-sheet,
دم گاو کشته بر مقتول زن ** تا شود زنده همان دم در کفن
(And that) he whose throat was cut may spring up from his place and seek (vengeance for) his blood from the shedder of his blood
حلقببریده جهد از جای خویش ** خون خود جوید ز خونپالای خویش
In like manner, from the beginning of the Qur’án to the end, ‘tis (wholly concerned with) the abandonment of (secondary) causes and means. And (now) farewell (to this subject).2525
همچنین ز آغاز قرآن تا تمام ** رفض اسبابست و علت والسلام
The explanation (of the mystery) thereof is not (given) by the meddlesome intellect: do service (to God), in order that it may become clear to you.
کشف این نه از عقل کارافزا شود ** بندگی کن تا ترا پیداشود
The philosopher is in bondage to things perceived by the intellect; (but) the ‘pure (saint) is he that rides as a prince on the Intellect of intellect
بند معقولات آمد فلسفی ** شهسوار عقل عقل آمد صفی
The Intellect of intellect is your kernel, (while) your intellect is (only) the husk: the belly of animals is ever seeking husks.
He that seeks the kernel has a hundred loathings for the husk: to the goodly (saints) the kernel (alone) is lawful, lawful.
مغزجوی از پوست دارد صد ملال ** مغز نغزان را حلال آمد حلال
When the intellect, (which is) the husk, offers a hundred evidences, how should the Universal Intellect take a step with out having (intuitive) certainty?2530
چونک قشر عقل صد برهان دهد ** عقل کل کی گام بی ایقان نهد
The intellect makes books entirely black (with writing); the Intellect of intellect keeps the horizons (the whole universe) filled (with light) from the Moon (of Reality).
عقل دفترها کند یکسر سیاه ** عقل عقل آفاق دارد پر ز ماه
It is free from blackness and whiteness: the light of its moon rises (and shines) upon heart and soul.
از سیاهی و سپیدی فارغست ** نور ماهش بر دل و جان بازغست
If this black and white’ has gotten (any) power (value), ‘tis from the Night of Power that shone forth like a star.
این سیاه و این سپید ار قدر یافت ** زان شب قدرست کاختروار تافت
The value of scrip and purse is (derived) from the gold: with out the gold, scrip and purse are docked
قیمت همیان و کیسه از زرست ** بی ز زر همیان و کیسه ابترست
Even as the worth of the body is (derived) from the soul, (so) the worth of the soul is (derived) from the radiance of the Soul of souls.2535
همچنانک قدر تن از جان بود ** قدر جان از پرتو جانان بود
If the soul were now alive without (that) radiance, would He (God) ever have called the infidels “dead”
گر بدی جان زنده بی پرتو کنون ** هیچ گفتی کافران را میتون
Come, speak (O my soul)! for the Logos is digging a channel to the end that some water may reach a generation after us.
هین بگو که ناطقه جو میکند ** تا به قرنی بعد ما آبی رسد
Although (in) every generation there is one who brings the word (of God), yet the sayings of them that have gone before are helpful
گرچه هر قرنی سخنآری بود ** لیک گفت سالفان یاری بود
Is it not (the case) that the Pentateuch and the Gospel and the Psalms have borne witness to the truth of theQur’an, O thankful one?
نه که هم توریت و انجیل و زبور ** شد گواه صدق قرآن ای شکور
Seek a (spiritual) livelihood (won) without toil and without reckoning, so that Gabriel may bring you apples from Paradise;2540
روزی بیرنج جو و بیحساب ** کز بهشتت آورد جبریل سیب
Nay, (that there may come to you) a livelihood from the Lord of Paradise, without headache (trouble) on the part of the gardener and without the toil of sowing.
بلک رزقی از خداوند بهشت ** بیصداع باغبان بی رنج کشت
Inasmuch as in that (spiritual) bread the benefit of (conferred by) the bread is His (God’s) gift, He gives you that benefit (directly), without making the husk a means (of imparting it to you).
زانک نفع نان در آن نان داد اوست ** بدهدت آن نفع بی توسیط پوست
The savour is hidden; the outward form of the bread is (visible) like a table-cloth: the bread that is without table-cloth is a portion (reserved) for the saint.
ذوق پنهان نقش نان چون سفرهایست ** نان بی سفره ولی را بهرهایست
How will you, notwithstanding (all your) endeavour and search, gain the spiritual livelihood except through ‘the justice of the Shaykh who is your David?
رزق جانی کی بری با سعی و جست ** جز به عدل شیخ کو داود تست
‘When the fleshly soul sees your steps (joined) with (those of) the Shaykh, willy-nilly it becomes submissive to you.2545
نفس چون با شیخ بیند کام تو ** از بن دندان شود او رام تو
Then (and then only) did the owner of the cow become sub missive, when he was made aware of the (inspired) words of David.
صاحب آن گاو رام آنگاه شد ** کز دم داود او آگاه شد
The intellect, in chase (of spiritual truth), prevails over your currish fleshly soul (only) at the time when the Shaykh is its helper.
عقل گاهی غالب آید در شکار ** برسگ نفست که باشد شیخ یار
The fleshly soul is a dragon with hundredfold strength and cunning: the face of the Shaykh is the emerald that plucks out its eye
نفس اژدرهاست با صد زور و فن ** روی شیخ او را زمرد دیده کن
If you wish the owner of the cows to be abased, goad him in that direction as (you would goad) asses, O contumacious man!
گر تو صاحب گاو را خواهی زبون ** چون خران سیخش کن آن سو ای حرون
When he approaches him (the saint) who is nigh unto God, his tongue, a hundred ells long, is shortened.2550
چون به نزدیک ولی الله شود ** آن زبان صد گزش کوته شود
(He hath) a hundred tongues, and each tongue of him (hath) a hundred languages: his fraud and guile come not into (the bounds of) description.
صد زبان و هر زبانش صد لغت ** زرق و دستانش نیاید در صفت
The claimant for the cow, the fleshly soul, is eloquent and brings forward hundreds of thousands of unsound pleas.
مدعی گاو نفس آمد فصیح ** صد هزاران حجت آرد ناصحیح
He deceives (all in) the city except the king: he cannot waylay the sagacious king.
شهر را بفریبد الا شاه را ** ره نتاند زد شه آگاه را
The fleshly soul hath glorification of God (on its tongue), and the Qur’án in its right hand; (but) in its sleeve (it hath) dagger and sword.
نفس را تسبیح و مصحف در یمین ** خنجر و شمشیر اندر آستین
Do not believe its Qur’án and hypocritical ostentation, do not make yourself its confidant and comrade;2555
مصحف و سالوس او باور مکن ** خویش با او همسر و همسر مکن
(For) it will take you to the tank to perform the ritual ablution, and will cast you to the bottom thereof.
سوی حوضت آورد بهر وضو ** واندر اندازد ترا در قعر او
The intellect is luminous and a seeker of good: how (then) does the dark fleshly soul prevail over it?
عقل نورانی و نیکو طالبست ** نفس ظلمانی برو چون غالبست
(It prevails) because it is at home, (while) your intellect is a stranger: the dog at his own door is (like) a terrible lion.
زانک او در خانه عقل تو غریب ** بر در خود سگ بود شیر مهیب
Wait till the lions go (back) to the jungle and these blind dogs’ will believe (in them) there.
باش تا شیران سوی بیشه روند ** وین سگان کور آنجا بگروند