Oh, there is many a black beard and the man (its owner) old (in wisdom); oh, there is many a white beard with a heart (black) as pitch.
ای بسا ریش سیاه و مردت پیر ** ای بسا ریش سپید و دل چو قیر
Often have I tested his understanding: that youth has shown (the ripe experience of) age in (handling) affairs.
عقل او را آزمودم بارها ** کرد پیری آن جوان در کارها
O son, the (really) old is the old in understanding: ‘tis not whiteness of the hair in the beard and on the head.
پیر پیر عقل باشد ای پسر ** نه سپیدی موی اندر ریش و سر
How should he (any old man) be older than Iblís? When he lacks understanding, he is good-for-naught.
از بلیس او پیرتر خود کی بود ** چونک عقلش نیست او لاشی بود
Suppose he is a child: (what matter) when he hath the (life-giving) breath of Jesus (and) is purged of vainglory and vain desire?2165
طفل گیرش چون بود عیسی نفس ** پاک باشد از غرور و از هوس
That whiteness of hair is a proof of maturity to the bandaged eye that hath little penetration.
آن سپیدی مو دلیل پختگیست ** پیش چشم بسته کش کوته‌تگیست
Since the blind imitator recognises nothing but (an external) proof, he continually seeks the way (to the truth) in the (out ward) sign.
آن مقلد چون نداند جز دلیل ** در علامت جوید او دایم سبیل
For his sake we have said, ‘When you wish to plan (anything), choose an elder (to advise you).’
بهر او گفتیم که تدبیر را ** چونک خواهی کرد بگزین پیر را
He who has escaped from the purdah of blind imitation sees by the light of God that which (really) is.
آنک او از پرده‌ی تقلید جست ** او به نور حق ببیند آنچ هست
Without proof and without exposition the pure Light cleaves its (the object’s) skin and enters into the middle (the core).2170
نور پاکش بی‌دلیل و بی‌بیان ** پوست بشکافد در آید در میان
To one who regards (only) the appearance, what is (the difference between) the adulterated and genuine coin? How should he know what is in the date-basket?
پیش ظاهربین چه قلب و چه سره ** او چه داند چیست اندر قوصره
Oh, there is much gold made black with smoke, that it may be saved from (falling into) the hands of every envious thief.
ای بسا زر سیه کرده بدود ** تا رهد از دست هر دزدی حسود
Oh, there is much copper gilded with gold, that he (the counterfeiter) may sell it to (those of) small understanding.
ای بسا مس زر اندوده به زر ** تا فروشد آن به عقل مختصر
We, who see the inward (reality) of the whole world, see the heart and look not on the outward form.”
ما که باطن‌بین جمله‌ی کشوریم ** دل ببینیم و به ظاهر ننگریم
The cadis who are concerned with the outward form (the letter of the law) give judgement according to outward appearances.2175
قاضیانی که به ظاهر می‌تنند ** حکم بر اشکال ظاهر می‌کنند
When he (the suspected person) has uttered the profession of the Faith and has shown some (formal sign of) true belief, at once these people (the cadis) pronounce him a true believer.
چون شهادت گفت و ایمانی نمود ** حکم او مومن کنند این قوم زود
There is many a hypocrite who has taken refuge in this out ward form and has shed the blood of a hundred true believers in secret.
بس منافق کاندرین ظاهر گریخت ** خون صد مومن به پنهانی بریخت
Endeavour to become old in intelligence and religion, that you may become, like the Universal Intelligence, a seer of the in ward (reality).
جهد کن تا پیر عقل و دین شوی ** تا چو عقل کل تو باطن‌بین شوی
When the beauteous Intelligence unveiled its face (revealed itself) from non-existence, He (God) gave it a robe of honour and a thousand names.
از عدم چون عقل زیبا رو گشاد ** خلعتش داد و هزارش نام داد
Of those sweet-breathing names the least is this, that it (the Intelligence) is not in need of any one.2180
کمترین زان نامهای خوش‌نفس ** این که نبود هیچ او محتاج کس
If the Intelligence display its face in visible form, day will be dark beside its light;
گر به صورت وا نماید عقل رو ** تیره باشد روز پیش نور او
And if the shape of foolishness become visible, beside it the darkness of night will be radiant,
ور مثال احمقی پیدا شود ** ظلمت شب پیش او روشن بود
For it is darker and more murky than night; but the miserable bat is a buyer (seeker) of darkness.
کو ز شب مظلم‌تر و تاری‌ترست ** لیک خفاش شقی ظلمت‌خرست
Little by little accustom yourself to the daylight, else you will remain a bat deprived of splendour.
اندک اندک خوی کن با نور روز ** ورنه خفاشی بمانی بیفروز
He (the bat-like person) is the lover of every place where there is difficulty and perplexing doubt, and the enemy of every place where there is the lamp of (spiritual) felicity2185
عاشق هر جا شکال و مشکلیست ** دشمن هر جا چراغ مقبلیست
His heart seeks the darkness of perplexity in order that his acquirements may seem greater (than they are),
ظلمت اشکال زان جوید دلش ** تا که افزون‌تر نماید حاصلش
So that he may preoccupy you with that difficult question and make you oblivious of his own evil nature.
تا ترا مشغول آن مشکل کند ** وز نهاد زشت خود غافل کند
The marks of the wholly intelligent and the half-intelligent and the whole man and the half-man and the deluded worthless wretch doomed to perdition.
علامت عاقل تمام و نیم‌عاقل و مرد تمام و نیم‌مرد و علامت شقی مغرور لاشی
The intelligent man is he who hath the lamp: he is the guide and leader of the caravan.
عاقل آن باشد که او با مشعله‌ست ** او دلیل و پیشوای قافله‌ست
That leader is one who goes after his own light: that selfless traveller is the follower of himself.
پیرو نور خودست آن پیش‌رو ** تابع خویشست آن بی‌خویش‌رو
He is the one that puts faith in himself; and do ye too put faith in the light on which his soul has browsed.2190
مومن خویشست و ایمان آورید ** هم بدان نوری که جانش زو چرید
The other, who is the half-intelligent, deems an (entirely) intelligent person to be his eye,
دیگری که نیم‌عاقل آمد او ** عاقلی را دیده‌ی خود داند او
And has clutched him as the blind man clutches the guide, so that through him he has become seeing and active and illustrious.
دست در وی زد چو کور اندر دلیل ** تا بدو بینا شد و چست و جلیل
But (as for) the ass who had not a single barley-corn's weight of intelligence, who possessed no intelligence himself and forsook the intelligent (guide),
وآن خری کز عقل جوسنگی نداشت ** خود نبودش عقل و عاقل را گذاشت
(Who) knows neither much nor little of the way (and yet) disdains to go behind the guide,
ره نداند نه کثیر و نه قلیل ** ننگش آید آمدن خلف دلیل
He is journeying in a long wilderness, now limping in despair and now (advancing) at a run.2195
He hath neither a candle, that he should make it his leader, nor half a candle, that he should beg a light.
شمع نه تا پیشوای خود کند ** نیم شمعی نه که نوری کد کند
He hath neither (perfect) intelligence, that he should breathe the breath of the living, nor hath he a half-intelligence, that he should make himself dead.
نیست عقلش تا دم زنده زند ** نیم‌عقلی نه که خود مرده کند
He (the half-intelligent one) becomes wholly dead in (devotion to) the man of (perfect) intelligence, that he may ascend from his own low place to the (lofty) roof.
مرده‌ی آن عاقل آید او تمام ** تا برآید از نشیب خود به بام
(If) you have not perfect intelligence, make yourself dead under the protection of an intelligent man whose words are living.
عقل کامل نیست خود را مرده کن ** در پناه عاقلی زنده‌سخن
He (the man devoid of intelligence) is not living, that he should breathe in accord with (a) Jesus, nor is he dead, that he should become a channel for the (life-giving) breath of (a) Jesus.2200
زنده نی تا همدم عیسی بود ** مرده نی تا دمگه عیسی شود
His blind spirit is stepping in every direction: it will not escape in the end, but it is leaping up.
جان کورش گام هر سو می‌نهد ** عاقبت نجهد ولی بر می‌جهد
Story of the lake and the fishermen and the three fishes, one intelligent and one half intelligent and the third deluded, foolish, heedless and good-for-naught; and the end of all three.
قصه‌ی آن آبگیر و صیادان و آن سه ماهی یکی عاقل و یکی نیم عاقل وان دگر مغرور و ابله مغفل لاشی و عاقبت هر سه
This, O obstinate man, is the story of the lake in which there were three great fishes.
قصه‌ی آن آبگیرست ای عنود ** که درو سه ماهی اشگرف بود
You will have read it in Kalíla, but that is (only) the husk of the story, while this is the spiritual kernel.
در کلیله خوانده باشی لیک آن ** قشر قصه باشد و این مغز جان
Some fishermen passed beside the lake and saw that concealed (prey).
چند صیادی سوی آن آبگیر ** برگذشتند و بدیدند آن ضمیر
Then they hastened to bring the net: the fishes noticed and became aware (of their intention).2205
پس شتابیدند تا دام آورند ** ماهیان واقف شدند و هوشمند
The intelligent one resolved to journey, resolved to make the difficult unwelcome journey.
آنک عاقل بود عزم راه کرد ** عزم راه مشکل ناخواه کرد
He said, “I will not consult these (others), for assuredly they will make me weak (deficient) in power (to fulfil my purpose).
گفت با اینها ندارم مشورت ** که یقین سستم کنند از مقدرت
Love of their native place and abode holds sway over their souls: their indolence and ignorance will strike on (affect) me.”
مهر زاد و بوم بر جانشان تند ** کاهلی و جهلشان بر من زند
For consultation, some goodly and (spiritually) living person is required, that he may make thee living; and where is that living one (to be found)?
مشورت را زنده‌ای باید نکو ** که ترا زنده کند وان زنده کو
O traveller, take counsel with a traveller, for a woman's counsel will keep thy foot lame.2210
ای مسافر با مسافر رای زن ** زانک پایت لنگ دارد رای زن