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4
1649-1698

  • 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

  • Moses said, “Magic too is a bewildering thing: how shall I act?—for this people have no discernment.” 1670
  • گفت موسی سحر هم حیران‌کنیست ** چون کنم کین خلق را تمییز نیست

  • God said, “I will produce discernment, I will make the undiscerning mind able to perceive (the truth).
  • گفت حق تمییز را پیدا کنم ** عقل بی‌تمییز را بینا کنم

  • Howbeit they (the magicians) have raised up foam, like the sea, thou, O Moses, wilt prevail: fear not!”
  • گرچه چون دریا برآوردند کف ** موسیا تو غالب آیی لا تخف

  • Magic was glorious in its own time: when the rod became a dragon, those (magic arts) were disgraced.
  • بود اندر عهده خود سحر افتخار ** چون عصا شد مار آنها گشت عار

  • Every one pretends to excellence and elegance: the stone of Death is the touchstone for (these) elegances.
  • هر کسی را دعوی حسن و نمک ** سنگ مرگ آمد نمکها را محک

  • Magic is gone and the miracle of Moses is past: as regards both, the bowl has fallen from the roof of (their) being. 1675
  • سحر رفت و معجزه‌ی موسی گذشت ** هر دو را از بام بود افتاد طشت

  • What has the noise of the bowl of magic left behind but execration? What has the noise of the bowl of religion left behind but sublimity?
  • بانگ طشت سحر جز لعنت چه ماند ** بانگ طشت دین به جز رفعت چه ماند

  • Since the touchstone has become hidden from man and woman, O adulterated coin, come now into line (with the genuine coin) and brag!
  • چون محک پنهان شدست از مرد و زن ** در صف آ ای قلب و اکنون لاف زن

  • ’Tis the time for thee to brag. Since the touchstone is absent, they will pass thee in honour from hand to hand.
  • وقت لافستت محک چون غایبست ** می‌برندت از عزیزی دست دست

  • The adulterated coin is ever saying to me arrogantly, “O pure gold, how am I inferior to thee?”
  • قلب می‌گوید ز نخوت هر دمم ** ای زر خالص من از تو کی کمم

  • The gold says, “Yes, O fellow-servant; but the touchstone is coming: be prepared.” 1680
  • زر همی‌گوید بلی ای خواجه‌تاش ** لیک می‌آید محک آماده باش

  • The death of the body is a (welcome) gift to the adepts of the mystery: what damage is (done by) the scissors to pure gold?
  • مرگ تن هدیه‌ست بر اصحاب راز ** زر خالص را چه نقصانست گاز

  • If the adulterated coin had seen the end in regard to itself, it would have become at first the black (thing) which it became in the end.
  • قلب اگر در خویش آخربین بدی ** آن سیه که آخر شد او اول شدی

  • Since (in that case) it would have become black at first, in confrontation (with the genuine coin) it would have been far from duplicity and damnation.
  • چون شدی اول سیه اندر لقا ** دور بودی از نفاق و از شقا

  • It would have sought the elixir of (Divine) grace; its reason would have prevailed over its hypocrisy.
  • کیمیای فضل را طالب بدی ** عقل او بر زرق او غالب بدی

  • Since it would have become broken-hearted on account of its (evil) state, it would have seen before it Him who mends them that are broken. 1685
  • چون شکسته‌دل شدی از حال خویش ** جابر اشکستگان دیدی به پیش

  • (When) it saw the end and became broken (contrite), it was at once bandaged by the Bone-setter.
  • عاقبت را دید و او اشکسته شد ** از شکسته‌بند در دم بسته شد

  • The (Divine) grace impelled the pieces of copper towards the elixir; the gilt (coin) remained deprived of (Divine) bounty.
  • فضل مسها را سوی اکسیر راند ** آن زراندود از کرم محروم ماند

  • O gilt one, do not make pretensions: recognise that thy purchaser will not (always) remain so blind.
  • ای زراندوده مکن دعوی ببین ** که نماند مشتریت اعمی چنین

  • The light of the place of congregation (at the Last Judgement) will cause their (the purchasers') eyes to see and will expose thy blindfolding (of them).
  • نور محشر چشمشان بینا کند ** چشم بندی ترا رسوا کند

  • Look at those who have seen the end: they are the amazement of souls and the envy of the eye. 1690
  • بنگر آنها را که آخر دیده‌اند ** حسرت جانها و رشک دیده‌اند

  • Look at those who have seen (only) the present: their inmost self is corrupt; they are radically decapitated (cut off from the Truth).
  • بنگر آنها را که حالی دیده‌اند ** سر فاسد ز اصل سر ببریده‌اند

  • To the seer of the present, who is in ignorance and doubt, both the true dawn and the false dawn are one (and the same).
  • پیش حالی‌بین که در جهلست و شک ** صبح صادق صبح کاذب هر دو یک

  • The false dawn has given a hundred thousand caravans to the wind of destruction, O youth.
  • صبح کاذب صد هزاران کاروان ** داد بر باد هلاکت ای جوان

  • There is no genuine money that has not a deceptive counterfeit: alas for the soul that does not possess the touchstone and scissors!
  • نیست نقدی کش غلط‌انداز نیست ** وای آن جان کش محک و گاز نیست

  • Warning the pretender to shun pretension and enjoining him to follow (the true guide).
  • زجر مدعی از دعوی و امر کردن او را به متابعت

  • Bú Musaylim said, “I myself am Ahmad (Mohammed): I have cunningly confounded the religion of Ahmad.” 1695
  • بو مسیلم گفت خود من احمدم ** دین احمد را به فن برهم زدم

  • Say to Bú Musaylim, “Do not behave with insolence: be not deluded by the beginning, regard the end.
  • بو مسیلم را بگو کم کن بطر ** غره‌ی اول مشو آخر نگر

  • Do not act thus as a guide from (with the motive of) greed for amassing (wealth and power): follow behind, in order that the Candle (the true guide) may go in front (of thee).”
  • این قلاوزی مکن از حرص جمع ** پس‌روی کن تا رود در پیش شمع

  • The Candle, like the moon, shows (clearly) the (traveller's) destination, and whether in this direction there is the grain (of spiritual welfare) or the place for the snare (of perdition).
  • شمع مقصد را نماید هم‌چو ماه ** کین طرف دانه‌ست یا خود دامگاه