Any one who (disobediently) draws back from the rank of (the true) religion will go into the rank that is behind.
هر کسی کو از صف دین سرکشست ** می‌رود سوی صفی کان واپسست
Do not make little of the (Divine) Word ta‘álaw (come ye): this Word is an exceedingly great elixir.2025
تو ز گفتار تعالوا کم مکن ** کیمیای بس شگرفست این سخن
If a copper (a base person) turn away in repugnance from your saying (this Word), by no means withhold the elixir from him.
گر مسی گردد ز گفتارت نفیر ** کیمیا را هیچ از وی وام گیر
If his magician-like soul has bound (cast a spell upon) him at the present time, (yet) your saying will profit him in his latter end.
این زمان گر بست نفس ساحرش ** گفت تو سودش کند در آخرش
O slave (of God), say, Come ye, say, Come ye: take heed, for verily God inviteth unto the (Abode of) Peace.
قل تعالوا قل تعالوا ای غلام ** هین که ان الله یدعوا للسلام
Then come back, sire, from egoism and headship: seek a leader, do not desire leadership.
خواجه باز آ از منی و از سری ** سروری جو کم طلب کن سروری
How an objector objected to the Prophet's—on whom be peace— appointing the man of Hudhayl to be commander.
اعتراض کردن معترضی بر رسول علیه‌السلام بر امیر کردن آن هذیلی
When the Prophet appointed a leader from (the tribe of) Hudhayl for the army whose troops were Divinely aided,2030
چون پیمبر سروری کرد از هذیل ** از برای لشکر منصور خیل
An insolent fellow, through envy, could not endure (to keep silence): he raised objection and opposition.
بوالفضولی از حسد طاقت نداشت ** اعتراض و لانسلم بر فراشت
Behold humankind, how dark (unenlightened) they are, and how they are perishing in (desire for) a perishable piece of goods.
خلق را بنگر که چون ظلمانی‌اند ** در متاع فانیی چون فانی‌اند
On account of pride they all are in separation (from God), dead to the spirit, living in deception.
از تکبر جمله اندر تفرقه ** مرده از جان زنده‌اند از مخرقه
’Tis wonderful that the spirit is in prison, and then (all that time) the key of the prison is in its hand!
این عجب که جان به زندان اندرست ** وانگهی مفتاح زندانش به دست
That youth (the spirit) is plunged in dung from head to foot, (whilst) the flowing river is (almost) touching his skirt!2035
پای تا سر غرق سرگین آن جوان ** می‌زند بر دامنش جوی روان
(He is) always moving restlessly from side to side beside the place of repose and the couch where he might recline!
دایما پهلو به پهلو بی‌قرار ** پهلوی آرامگاه و پشت‌دار
The (Divine) light is hidden, and search is the evidence (of its existence), for the heart (spirit) does not seek shelter in vain.
نور پنهانست و جست و جو گواه ** کز گزافه دل نمی‌جوید پناه
If this world's prison had no refuge, neither would there be any feeling of aversion nor would the heart seek release.
گر نبودی حبس دنیا را مناص ** نه بدی وحشت نه دل جستی خلاص
Thy aversion is dragging thee along, like a custodian, saying, “O man astray, seek the path of righteousness.”
وحشتت هم‌چون موکل می‌کشد ** که بجو ای ضال منهاج رشد
The path is there, but it is hidden in a secret place: its discovery is in pawn to (involves) seeking in vain (before it can be found).2040
هست منهاج و نهان در مکمنست ** یافتش رهن گزافه جستنست
Separation is secretly in quest of union: in this seeker do thou discern the face of the sought.
تفرقه‌جویان جمع اندر کمین ** تو درین طالب رخ مطلوب بین
The dead (trees and plants) of the orchard spring up from the root, saying, “Perceive the Giver of life!”
مردگان باغ برجسته ز بن ** کان دهنده‌ی زندگی را فهم کن
How should the eyes of these prisoners (of the world) be always (fixed) on (what lies) beyond, if there were no bringer of the good news (of deliverance)?
چشم این زندانیان هر دم به در ** کی بدی گر نیستی کس مژده‌ور
How should there be a hundred thousand befouled ones seeking water, if there were no water in the river?
صد هزار آلودگان آب‌جو ** کی بدندی گر نبودی آب جو
(If) there is no rest for thy side upon the earth, (yet) know that there is a coverlet and mattress at home.2045
بر زمین پهلوت را آرام نیست ** دان که در خانه لحاف و بستریست
Without (there being) a resting-place there would not be the restless (seeker); without (there being) that which takes away the headache of intoxication, there would not be this headache.
بی‌مقرگاهی نباشد بی‌قرار ** بی‌خمار اشکن نباشد این خمار
He (the objector) said, “Nay, nay, O Messenger of God, do not appoint any but an old Shaykh to be chief of the army.
گفت نه نه یا رسول الله مکن ** سرور لشکر مگر شیخ کهن
O Messenger of God, (even) if the youth is lion-born (heroic), may none but an old man be head of the army!
یا رسول الله جوان ار شیرزاد ** غیر مرد پیر سر لشکر مباد
Thou too hast said, and thy word is (a true) witness, ‘The leader must be old, must be old.’
هم تو گفتستی و گفت تو گوا ** پیر باید پیر باید پیشوا
O Messenger of God, look on this army, (in which) there are so many elders and (persons) superior to him.”2050
یا رسول‌الله درین لشکر نگر ** هست چندین پیر و از وی پیشتر
Do not regard the yellow leaves of this tree, (but) pick its ripe apples.
زین درخت آن برگ زردش را مبین ** سیبهای پخته‌ی او را بچین
How, in sooth, are its yellow leaves void (of worth)? This is the sign of maturity and perfection.
برگهای زرد او خود کی تهیست ** این نشان پختگی و کاملیست
The yellow leaf of the (elder's) beard and his white hair bring tidings of joy on account of his mature intelligence.
برگ زرد ریش و آن موی سپید ** بهر عقل پخته می‌آرد نوید
The newly-arrived green-coloured leaves signify that this fruit is unripe.
برگهای نو رسیده‌ی سبزفام ** شد نشان آنک آن میوه‌ست خام
The provision of leaflessness (spiritual poverty) is the sign of being a gnostic; the yellowness of gold is the (cause of the) money-changer's ruddiness of face (cheerful countenance).2055
برگ بی‌برگی نشان عارفیست ** زردی زر سرخ رویی صارفیست
If he that (still) is rosy-cheeked has fresh down (on his face), (yet) he has just begun to learn writing in the school of knowledge.
آنک او گل عارضست ار نو خطست ** او به مکتب گاه مخبر نوخطست
The letters of his handwriting are very crooked (misshapen): he is a cripple in respect of intelligence, though his body moves with agility.
حرفهای خط او کژمژ بود ** مزمن عقلست اگر تن می‌دود
Although an old man's feet are deprived of rapid movement, his intelligence has gotten two wings and has sped to the zenith.
پای پیر از سرعت ار چه باز ماند ** یافت عقل او دو پر بر اوج راند
If you wish for an example (of this), look at Ja‘far: God gave him wings instead of hands and feet.
گر مثل خواهی به جعفر در نگر ** داد حق بر جای دست و پاش پر
Cease from (speaking of) gold (pallor), for this topic is recondite: this heart of mine has become agitated like quicksilver.2060
بگذر از زر کین سخت شد محتجب ** هم‌چو سیماب این دلم شد مضطرب
From within me a hundred sweet-breathing silent ones put their hands on their lips, signifying, “It is enough.”
ز اندرونم صدخموش خوش‌نفس ** دست بر لب می‌زند یعنی که بس
Silence is the sea, and speech is like the river. The sea is seeking thee: do not seek the river.
خامشی بحرست و گفتن هم‌چو جو ** بحر می‌جوید ترا جو را مجو
Do not turn thy head away from the indications given by the sea: conclude (the subject)—and God best knoweth the right course.
از اشارتهای دریا سر متاب ** ختم کن والله اعلم بالصواب
That irreverent (objector) made no pause in the words (which he poured forth) in this fashion from those cold (insipid) lips (of his) in the presence of the Prophet.
هم‌چنین پیوسته کرد آن بی‌ادب ** پیش پیغامبر سخن زان سرد لب
Words were assisting (did not fail) him, (but) he was ignorant that hearsay (traditional knowledge) is mere babble in the presence of sight (immediate vision).2065
دست می‌دادش سخن او بی‌خبر ** که خبر هرزه بود پیش نظر
Indeed, these matters of hearsay are (only) a substitute for sight: they are not for him who is present, (but) for him who is absent.
این خبرها از نظر خود نایبست ** بهر حاضر نیست بهر غایبست
Whoever has been caused to attain unto sight, before him these matters of hearsay are idle.
هر که او اندر نظر موصول شد ** این خبرها پیش او معزول شد
When you have sat down beside your beloved, after this banish the dallálas (the old women who act as go-betweens).
چونک با معشوق گشتی همنشین ** دفع کن دلالگان را بعد ازین
When any one has passed beyond childhood and has become a man, the letter and the dallála become irksome to him.
هر که از طفلی گذشت و مرد شد ** نامه و دلاله بر وی سرد شد
He reads letters, (but only) for the purpose of teaching (others); he utters words, (but only) for the purpose of making (others) understand.2070
نامه خواند از پی تعلیم را ** حرف گوید از پی تفهیم را
’Tis wrong to speak by hearsay in the presence of those who see (who are endowed with vision), for it is a proof of our heedlessness and deficiency.
پیش بینایان خبر گفتن خطاست ** کان دلیل غفلت و نقصان ماست
In the presence of the seer silence is to your advantage: on this account came (from God) the allocution, Be ye silent.
پیش بینا شد خموشی نفع تو ** بهر این آمد خطاب انصتوا
If he (the seer) bid you speak, speak gladly, but say little and do not draw out (your words) to length;