This deliberation is for the purpose of teaching you that you must seek (God) slowly without (any) break.
این تانی از پی تعلیم تست ** که طلب آهسته باید بی سکست
A little rivulet which is moving continually does not become defiled or grow fetid.
جو یکی کوچک که دایم می‌رود ** نه نجس گردد نه گنده می‌شود
From this deliberation are born felicity and joy: this deliberation is the egg, fortune is like the birds (hatched from the egg).
زین تانی زاید اقبال و سرور ** این تانی بیضه دولت چون طیور
How should the bird resemble the egg, O obstinate one, though it is produced from the egg?
مرغ کی ماند به بیضه‌ای عنید ** گرچه از بیضه همی آید پدید
Wait till your limbs, like eggs, hatch birds ultimately (at the Resurrection)!3510
باش تا اجزای تو چون بیضه‌ها ** مرغها زایند اندر انتها
Though the serpent's egg resembles the sparrow's egg in (outward) likeness, the distance (between them) is far.
بیضه‌ی مار ارچه ماند در شبه ** بیضه گنجشک را دورست ره
Again, though the seed of the quince resembles the seed of the apple, recognise the differences, O honoured (sir).
دانه‌ی آبی به دانه سیب نیز ** گرچه ماند فرقها دان ای عزیز
Leaves are of the same colour to look at, (but) fruits, every one, are of a diverse sort.
برگها هم‌رنگ باشد در نظر ** میوه‌ها هر یک بود نوعی دگر
The leaves, (namely) the bodies, are similar, but every soul lives with a (different) produce (which it yields).
برگهای جسمها ماننده‌اند ** لیک هر جانی بریعی زنده‌اند
In the bazaar the people go (about their business) all alike, (but) one is in glee and another sorrowful.3515
خلق در بازار یکسان می‌روند ** آن یکی در ذوق و دیگر دردمند
Even so in death: we go all alike, (but) half of us are losers and (the other) half are (fortunate as) emperors.
همچنان در مرگ یکسان می‌رویم ** نیم در خسران و نیمی خسرویم
How Bilál, may God be well-pleased with him, died rejoicing.
وفات یافتن بلال رضی الله عنه با شادی
When Bilál from weakness became (thin) as the new-moon, the hue of death fell upon Bilál's face.
چون بلال از ضعف شد همچون هلال ** رنگ مرگ افتاد بر روی بلال
His wife saw him (in this state) and cried, “Oh, sorrow!” Then Bilál said to her, “Nay, nay! (Say), ‘Oh, joy!’
جفت او دیدش بگفتا وا حرب ** پس بلالش گفت نه نه وا طرب
Until now I have been in sorrow from living: how shouldst thou know how delightful death is, and what it is (in reality)?”
تا کنون اندر حرب بودم ز زیست ** تو چه دانی مرگ چون عیشست و چیست
He was saying this, and at the very moment of saying it his countenance was blooming with narcissi, rose-leaves, and red anemones.3520
این همی گفت و رخش در عین گفت ** نرگس و گلبرگ و لاله می‌شکفت
The glow of his face and his eye full of radiance were giving testimony to (the truth of) his words.
تاب رو و چشم پر انوار او ** می گواهی داد بر گفتار او
Every black-hearted one was regarding him as black (and despising him); (but) why is the man (pupil) of the eye black?
هر سیه دل می سیه دیدی ورا ** مردم دیده سیاه آمد چرا
The man (spiritually) blind is black-faced, (but) the Man of the (inward) eye (the Seer) is the mirror for the Moon.
مردم نادیده باشد رو سیاه ** مردم دیده بود مرآت ماه
Who in the world, indeed, sees the man of your (inward) eye except the Man of piercing sight?
خود کی بیند مردم دیده‌ی ترا ** در جهان جز مردم دیده‌فزا
Since none but the Man of the eye beheld it, who, then, but he attained to (knowledge of) its (essential) colour?3525
چون به غیر مردم دیده‌ش ندید ** پس به غیر او کی در رنگش رسید
Therefore all except him (the Seer) are imitators (without immediate knowledge) in regard to the attributes of the sublime man of the eye.
پس جز او جمله مقلد آمدند ** در صفات مردم دیده بلند
His (Bilál's) wife said to him, “(This is) the parting, O man of goodly qualities.” “Nay, nay,” said he, “’tis the union, the union (with God).”
گفت جفتش الفراق ای خوش‌خصال ** گفت نه نه الوصالست الوصال
The wife said, “To-night thou wilt go to a strange country, thou wilt become absent from thy family and kindred.”
گفت جفت امشب غریبی می‌روی ** از تبار و خویش غایب می‌شوی
“Nay, nay,” he replied; “contrariwise, to-night in sooth from a strange country my spirit is coming home.”
گفت نه نه بلک امشب جان من ** می‌رسد خود از غریبی در وطن
She said, “Where shall we behold thy face?” He answered, “In God's chosen circle.”3530
گفت رویت را کجا بینیم ما ** گفت اندر حلقه‌ی خاص خدا
His chosen circle adjoins you, if you look upward, not downward.
حلقه‌ی خاصش به تو پیوسته است ** گر نظر بالا کنی نه سوی پست
In that circle the Light from the Lord of created beings is gleaming like the bezel in the circle (of the seal-ring).
اندر آن حلقه ز رب العالمین ** نور می‌تابد چو در حلقه نگین
“Alas,” she said, “this house has been ruined.” “Look on the moon,” said he, “do not look on the cloud.
گفت ویران گشت این خانه دریغ ** گفت اندر مه نگر منگر به میغ
He has ruined it in order that He may make it more flourishing: my kinsfolk were numerous and the house was (too) small.
کرد ویران تا کند معمورتر ** قومم انبه بود و خانه مختصر
The (Divine) wisdom in ruining the body by death.
حکمت ویران شدن تن به مرگ
Formerly, like Adam, I was imprisoned in grief; now East and West are filled with my spirit's progeny.3535
من چو آدم بودم اول حبس کرب ** پر شد اکنون نسل جانم شرق و غرب
I was a beggar in this dungeon-like house; (now) I have become a king: a palace is needed for a king.”
من گدا بودم درین خانه چو چاه ** شاه گشتم قصر باید بهر شاه
Truly, palaces are the place for (spiritual) kings to take their pleasure in; for him that is (spiritually) dead a grave is a sufficient house and dwelling.
قصرها خود مر شهان را مانسست ** مرده را خانه و مکان گوری بسست
To the prophets this world seemed narrow: like kings, they went into (the world of) spacelessness.
انبیا را تنگ آمد این جهان ** چون شهان رفتند اندر لامکان
To the (spiritually) dead this world appears splendid: its external (aspect) is large, but in reality it is narrow.
مردگان را این جهان بنمود فر ** ظاهرش زفت و به معنی تنگ بر
If it were not narrow, for what reason is this lamentation? Why has every one become (more) doubled (bowed with affliction) the more he lived in it?3540
گر نبودی تنگ این افغان ز چیست ** چون دو تا شد هر که در وی بیش زیست
When during the time of sleep the spirit is freed (from this world), behold how it rejoices in that place (to which it goes)!
در زمان خواب چون آزاد شد ** زان مکان بنگر که جان چون شاد شد
The wicked man is (then) delivered from the wickedness of his nature, the prisoner escapes from thoughts of confinement.
ظالم از ظلم طبیعت باز رست ** مرد زندانی ز فکر حبس جست
This very wide earth and heaven becomes exceedingly narrow at the time of lying down (to sleep).
این زمین و آسمان بس فراخ ** سخت تنگ آمد به هنگام مناخ
It (the world) is an eye-bandage (a spell that blinds the eye): (it is) wide (in appearance), and (in reality) mighty narrow: its laughter is weeping, its glory is entirely shame.
جسم بند آمد فراخ وسخت تنگ ** خنده‌ی او گریه فخرش جمله ننگ
Comparison of this world, which is wide in appearance and narrow in reality, (to a bathroom), and comparison (of the next world) to sleep, which is the (means of) release from this narrowness.
تشبیه دنیا کی بظاهر فراخست و بمعنی تنگ و تشبیه خواب کی خلاص است ازین تنگی
(This world is) like a bath-room which is very hot, (so that) you are distressed and your soul is melted (with anguish).3545
همچو گرمابه که تفسیده بود ** تنگ آیی جانت پخسیده شود
Although the bath-room is broad and long, your soul is distressed and fatigued by the heat.
گرچه گرمابه عریضست و طویل ** زان تبش تنگ آیدت جان و کلیل
Your heart does not expand (you feel no relief) till you come out: what advantage, then, is the spaciousness of the room to you?
تا برون نایی بنگشاید دلت ** پس چه سود آمد فراخی منزلت
Or (it is) as though you should put on tight shoes, O misguided one, and go into a wide desert.
یا که کفش تنگ پوشی ای غوی ** در بیابان فراخی می‌روی
The spaciousness of the desert becomes narrow (distressing); that desert and plain becomes a prison to you.
آن فراخی بیابان تنگ گشت ** بر تو زندان آمد آن صحرا و دشت
Whoever sees you from afar says, “He blooms like a fresh anemone (he is cheerful and happy) in that desert”;3550
هر که دید او مر ترا از دور گفت ** کو در آن صحرا چو لاله تر شکفت
He does not know that you, like the wicked, are outwardly in the rose-garden, (while) your soul is in lamentation.
او نداند که تو همچون ظالمان ** از برون در گلشنی جان در فغان
Your sleep is to put those shoes off, for (then) your soul is free from the body for a while.
خواب تو آن کفش بیرون کردنست ** که زمانی جانت آزاد از تنست
To the saints, O reader, sleep is a kingdom, as (it was to) the Men of the Cave in this world.
اولیا را خواب ملکست ای فلان ** همچو آن اصحاب کهف اندر جهان
They (sleep and) dream, and no (physical) sleep is there; they go into nonexistence, and no (material) door (is there).
خواب می‌بینند و آنجا خواب نه ** در عدم در می‌روند و باب نه
“(The body is) a narrow house, and the soul within is cramped: He (God) ruined it in order that He might make a royal palace.3555
خانه‌ی تنگ و درون جان چنگ‌لوک ** کرد ویران تا کند قصر ملوک