The superiority of men to women, O time-server, is because man is more regardful of the end.1620
فضل مردان بر زن ای حالی‌پرست ** زان بود که مرد پایان بین‌ترست
The man who is crooked in respect of seeing the end, he, like a woman, is inferior to those acquainted with the end.
مرد کاندر عاقبت‌بینی خمست ** او ز اهل عاقبت چون زن کمست
From the World are coming two cries in opposition (to each other): (bethink thyself) for which (of them) thou art adapted.
از جهان دو بانگ می‌آید به ضد ** تا کدامین را تو باشی مستعد
Its one cry is the (means of) quickening the devout with (spiritual) life; and its other cry is the (means of) cajoling the graceless.
آن یکی بانگش نشور اتقیا ** وان یکی بانگش فریب اشقیا
(The World says), “I am the thorn-blossom, O sweet cherisher (of love for me): the flower will drop and I shall remain a (mere) thorn-bough.”
من شکوفه‌ی خارم ای خوش گرمدار ** گل بریزد من بمانم شاخ خار
The cry of its (the World's) blossom is, “Here is the flower-seller!” The cry of its thorn is, “Do not strive (to advance) towards me.”1625
بانگ اشکوفه‌ش که اینک گل‌فروش ** بانگ خار او که سوی ما مکوش
(If) thou hast accepted (responded to) this (alluring cry), thou art left (unmoved) by the other, for a lover is deaf to the contrary of the object loved (by him).
این پذیرفتی بماندی زان دگر ** که محب از ضد محبوبست کر
The one cry is this, “Here am I, ready”; the other cry is, “Look upon my latter end.
آن یکی بانگ این که اینک حاضرم ** بانگ دیگر بنگر اندر آخرم
My readiness is like guile and ambush: behold the image of the end in the mirror of the beginning.”
حاضری‌ام هست چون مکر و کمین ** نقش آخر ز آینه‌ی اول ببین
When thou hast gone into one of these two sacks, thou hast become contrary and unsuitable to the other.
چون یکی زین دو جوال اندر شدی ** آن دگر را ضد و نا درخور شدی
Oh, happy is he who, from the first, heard that which the intelligences and the (spiritual) ears of (holy) men have heard.1630
ای خنک آنکو ز اول آن شنید ** کش عقول و مسمع مردان شنید
(If) it (the World) has found the house (the heart) empty and taken abode (there), all else appears to him (the owner of the house) perverted or wonderful (extraordinary).
خانه خالی یافت و جا را او گرفت ** غیر آنش کژ نماید یا شگفت
(So with) the new pot that has drawn to itself some urine: water cannot detach that filth (from it).
کوزه‌ی نو کو به خود بولی کشید ** آن خبث را آب نتواند برید
Everything in the world draws something (to itself): infidelity (draws) the infidel and righteousness him who is guided aright.
در جهان هر چیز چیزی می‌کشد ** کفر کافر را و مرشد را رشد
There is both the amber and the magnet (lodestone): whether thou art iron or straw thou wilt come to the hook (thou wilt be attracted).
کهربا هم هست و مقناطیس هست ** تا تو آهن یا کهی آیی بشست
The magnet carries thee off if thou art iron; and if thou art straw, thou wilt be in contact with the amber.1635
برد مقناطیست ار تو آهنی ** ور کهی بر کهربا بر می‌تنی
When any one is not associated with the good, he inevitably becomes a neighbour to the wicked.
آن یکی چون نیست با اخیار یار ** لاجرم شد پهلوی فجار جار
Moses is very despicable in the eyes of the Egyptian; Hámán is exceedingly accursed in the eyes of the Israelite.
هست موسی پیش قبطی بس ذمیم ** هست هامان پیش سبطی بس رجیم
The spirit of Hámán has drawn the Egyptian (to itself); the spirit of Moses has sought the Israelite.
جان هامان جاذب قبطی شده ** جان موسی طالب سبطی شده
The belly of the ass draws straw (to itself) at the (moment of) indrawing (deglutition); the belly of Adam (Man) is an attractor of wheat-broth.
معده‌ی خر که کشد در اجتذاب ** معده‌ی آدم جذوب گندم آب
If, on account of the darkness (of ignorance), thou dost not recognise a person (so as to discern his real nature), look at him whom he has made his imam (leader);1640
گر تو نشناسی کسی را از ظلام ** بنگر او را کوش سازیدست امام
Explaining that the gnostic hath a nutriment (consisting) of the Light of God, for (the Prophet said), "I pass the night with my Lord: He giveth me meat and drink"; and "Hunger is God's food whereby He revives the bodies of the siddíqs," that is, "in hunger God's food reaches (them)."
بیان آنک عارف را غذاییست از نور حق کی ابیت عند ربی یطعمنی و یسقینی و قوله الجوع طعام الله یحیی به ابدان الصدیقین ای فی الجوع یصل طعام‌الله
For every foal goes after its dam, so that thereby (the fact of) its being a congener becomes apparent.
زانک هر کره پی مادر رود ** تا بدان جنسیتش پیدا شود
The human creature's milk comes from the breast (the upper half); the milk of the ass comes from the under-half.
آدمی را شیر از سینه رسد ** شیر خر از نیم زیرینه رسد
’Tis the Justice of the Dispenser, ’tis an act of (just) dispensation: the wonder is this, that (in the Divine dispensation) there is neither compulsion nor injustice.
عدل قسامست و قسمت کردنیست ** این عجب که جبر نی و ظلم نیست
Were there compulsion, how would there be repentance? Were there injustice, how would there be protection?
جبر بودی کی پشیمانی بدی ** ظلم بودی کی نگهبانی بدی
The day is ended: the lesson will be to-morrow: how should the day (of this life) contain our mystery?1645
روز آخر شد سبق فردا بود ** راز ما را روز کی گنجا بود
O thou who hast put firm confidence in the breath (vain words) and flattery of a scoundrel,
ای بکرده اعتماد واثقی ** بر دم و بر چاپلوس فاسقی
Thou hast raised up a tent of bubbles: in the end (thou wilt find that) that tent has exceedingly weak ropes.
قبه‌ای بر ساختستی از حباب ** آخر آن خیمه‌ست بس واهی‌طناب
Hypocrisy is like lightning, and in its gleam the travellers cannot see the way.
زرق چون برقست و اندر نور آن ** راه نتوانند دیدن ره‌روان
This world and its people are good-for-nothing: both are unanimous in respect of (their) faithlessness.
این جهان و اهل او بی‌حاصل‌اند ** هر دو اندر بی‌وفایی یکدل‌اند
The son of the world (the worldling) is faithless like the world: though he turn the face towards thee, that face is (really) the nape (back).1650
زاده‌ی دنیا چو دنیا بی‌وفاست ** گرچه رو آرد به تو آن رو قفاست
The people of that (other) world, like that world, on account of (their) probity continue for ever in (observance of their) covenant and promise.
اهل آن عالم چو آن عالم ز بر ** تا ابد در عهد و پیمان مستمر
When, in sooth, did two prophets oppose each other? When did they wrest (their) evidential miracles (spiritual powers and privileges) from one another?
خود دو پیغمبر به هم کی ضد شدند ** معجزات از همدگر کی بستدند
How should the fruit of that world become stale? Intellectual joy does not turn into sorrows.
کی شود پژمرده میوه‌ی آن جهان ** شادی عقلی نگردد اندهان
The fleshly soul is unplighted (bound by no covenant); for that reason it ought to be killed: it is base, and base is the spot to which its desires are directed.
نفس بی‌عهدست زان رو کشتنیست ** او دنی و قبله‌گاه او دنیست
This assembly (the world) is well-adapted for fleshly souls: the grave and shroud are suitable to the dead.1655
نفسها را لایقست این انجمن ** مرده را درخور بود گور و کفن
Although the fleshly soul is sagacious and acute, its qibla (objective) is this world, (therefore) regard it as dead.
نفس اگر چه زیرکست و خرده‌دان ** قبله‌اش دنیاست او را مرده دان
(But when) the water of God's inspiration has reached this dead (soul), the living (soul) comes into view (rises) from the tomb of a corpse.
آب وحی حق بدین مرده رسید ** شد ز خاک مرده‌ای زنده پدید
Until inspiration comes, do not thou (meanwhile) be duped by that rouge (vanity) of “May his life be long!”
تا نیاید وحش تو غره مباش ** تو بدان گلگونه‌ی طال بقاش
Seek the applause and renown that does not die away, the splendour of the sun that does not sink.
بانگ و صیتی جو که آن خامل نشد ** تاب خورشیدی که آن آفل نشد
Those abstruse sciences and disputations are (like) the people of Pharaoh: Death is like the water of the Nile.1660
آن هنرهای دقیق و قال و قیل ** قوم فرعون‌اند اجل چون آب نیل
Although their brilliance and pomp and show and enchantment drag the people along by the scruff of the neck,
رونق و طاق و طرنب و سحرشان ** گرچه خلقان را کشد گردن کشان
Know that all (that) is (like) the enchantments of the magicians; know that Death is (like) the rod (of Moses) which became a dragon.
سحرهای ساحران دان جمله را ** مرگ چوبی دان که آن گشت اژدها
It made one mouthful of all (their) sorceries. There was a world filled with night: the dawn devoured it.
جادویها را همه یک لقمه کرد ** یک جهان پر شب بد آن را صبح خورد
The light is not made greater and more by that (act of) devouring; nay, it is just the same as it has (always) been before.
نور از آن خوردن نشد افزون و بیش ** بل همان سانست کو بودست پیش
It is increased in respect of the effect (which it has produced), but not in respect of its essence: the essence hath (suffers) no increase or diminution.1665
در اثر افزون شد و در ذات نی ** ذات را افزونی و آفات نی
God was not increased by (His) bringing the world into existence: that which He was not formerly He has not become now;
حق ز ایجاد جهان افزون نشد ** آنچ اول آن نبود اکنون نشد
But the effect (phenomenal being) was increased by (His) bringing created things into existence: there is (a great) difference between these two increases.
لیک افزون گشت اثر ز ایجاد خلق ** در میان این دو افزونیست فرق
The increase of the effect is His manifestation, in order that His attributes and action may be made visible.
هست افزونی اثر اظهار او ** تا پدید آید صفات و کار او
The increase of any (so-called) essence is a proof that it (the essence) is originated and subject to causes.
هست افزونی هر ذاتی دلیل ** کو بود حادث به علتها علیل
Commentary on "Moses conceived a fear in his heart: We said, ‘Fear not, verily thou wilt be the superior.’"
تفسیر اوجس فی نفسه خیفة موسی قلنا لا تخف انک انت الا علی