That which is a beggar of sensuality—call it imagination: imagination is the counterfeit of the sterling gold of the rational faculties.
وهم خوانش آنک شهوت را گداست ** وهم قلب نقد زر عقلهاست
Without a touchstone, imagination and reason are not clearly distinguished: quickly bring both to the touchstone.
بی‌محک پیدا نگردد وهم و عقل ** هر دو را سوی محک کن زود نقل
The Qur’án and the (spiritual) state of the Prophets are this touchstone: they, like a touchstone, say to the counterfeit coin, “Come,
این محک قرآن و حال انبیا ** چون منحک مر قلب را گوید بیا
That by contact with me thou mayst see thyself (and know) that thou art not worthy of my higher and lower (degrees of spirituality).”2305
تا ببینی خویش را ز آسیب من ** که نه‌ای اهل فراز و شیب من
If a saw make Reason (to be severed into) two halves, it (Reason) will be smiling like gold in the fire.
عقل را گر اره‌ای سازد دو نیم ** هم‌چو زر باشد در آتش او بسیم
Imagination belongs to Pharaoh, the world-incendiary; Reason to Moses, the spirit-enkindler.
وهم مر فرعون عالم‌سوز را ** عقل مر موسی به جان افروز را
Moses went on the way of non-existence (self-negation): Pharaoh said to him, “Tell (me), who art thou?”
رفت موسی بر طریق نیستی ** گفت فرعونش بگو تو کیستی
He said, “I am Reason, the messenger of the Almighty: I am the proof of God, I am the protection against error.”
گفت من عقلم رسول ذوالجلال ** حجةالله‌ام امانم از ضلال
“Nay,” said he, “hush, cease from (this ecstatic) outcry: tell (me) thy ancient lineage and name.”2310
گفت نی خامش رها کن های هو ** نسبت و نام قدیمت را بگو
“My lineage,” he said, “(is derived) from His dust-pit; my original name is ‘the meanest of His slaves.’
گفت که نسبت مر از خاکدانش ** نام اصلم کمترین بندگانش
I am the slave-born (slave) of that unique Lord—born of the (womb and) loins of slaves female and male.
بنده‌زاده‌ی آن خداوند وحید ** زاده از پشت جواری و عبید
My original lineage (is derived) from earth and water and clay: God gave unto water and clay a soul and heart.
نسبت اصلم ز خاک و آب و گل ** آب و گل را داد یزدان جان و دل
To earth also will return this earthen body of mine; to earth thou likewise wilt return, O terrible one.
مرجع این جسم خاکم هم به خاک ** مرجع تو هم به خاک ای سهمناک
Our origin and the origin of all the proud is from a piece of earth, and (there are) a hundred signs thereof;2315
اصل ما و اصل جمله سرکشان ** هست از خاکی و آن را صد نشان
For thy body receives support (sustenance) from the earth, and from earthly nutriment thy neck is wrapped in folds (of flesh).
که مدد از خاک می‌گیرد تنت ** از غذایی خاک پیچد گردنت
When the spirit departs, it (the body) will again become earth in the dreaded and horrible grave.
چون رود جان می‌شود او باز خاک ** اندر آن گور مخوف سهمناک
Both thou and we and all who resemble thee will become earth, and thy power will remain no more.”
هم تو و هم ما و هم اشباه تو ** خاک گردند و نماند جاه تو
He (Pharaoh) said, “Thou hast a name other than this lineage: truly that name is more proper for thee—
گفت غیر این نسب نامیت هست ** مر ترا آن نام خود اولیترست
‘Slave of Pharaoh and slave of his slaves,’ (a slave) whose body and soul were first nurtured by him (Pharaoh),2320
بنده‌ی فرعون و بنده‌ی بندگانش ** که ازو پرورد اول جسم و جانش
A hostile, insolent and unrighteous slave, who fled from this country on account of an ill-omened deed.
بنده‌ی یاغی طاغی ظلوم ** زین وطن بگریخته از فعل شوم
Thou art a murderer and treacherous and ungrateful: from just these qualities, forsooth, form a judgement (as to the rest).
خونی و غداری و حق‌ناشناس ** هم برین اوصاف خود می‌کن قیاس
(Thou art) in exile, despised and poor and threadbare, since thou didst not acknowledge gratitude and obligation to me.”
در غریبی خوار و درویش و خلق ** که ندانستی سپاس ما و حق
He (Moses) said, “Far be it that any other person should be a partner in Lordship with that King.
گفت حاشا که بود با آن ملیک ** در خداوندی کسی دیگر شریک
(He is) One: He hath no associate in Kingship; His slaves have no master but Him.2325
واحد اندر ملک او را یار نی ** بندگانش را جز او سالار نی
His creatures have no other owner: does any one claim partnership with Him except one that is doomed to perish?
نیست خلقش را دگر کس مالکی ** شرکتش دعوی کند جز هالکی
He hath made the design, He is my Designer; if another lay claim (to it), he is a seeker of iniquity.
نقش او کردست و نقاش من اوست ** غیر اگر دعوی کند او ظلم‌جوست
Thou canst not fashion my eyebrow: how canst thou know my soul?
تو نتوانی ابروی من ساختن ** چون توانی جان من بشناختن
Nay, ’tis thou who art the traitor and the insolent one, for thou claimest duality with God.
بلک آن غدار و آن طاغی توی ** که کنی با حق دعوی دوی
If I inadvertently killed a ruffian, I killed (him) neither for self's sake nor in sport.2330
گر بکشتم من عوانی را به سهو ** نه برای نفس کشتم نه به لهو
I struck (him) a blow with my fist, and he suddenly fell: one who really had no soul gave up a soul.
من زدم مشتی و ناگاه اوفتاد ** آنک جانش خود نبد جانی بداد
I killed a cur: thou the children of him who was sent (by God)—hundreds of thousands of innocent and harmless babes—
من سگی کشتم تو مرسل‌زادگان ** صدهزاران طفل بی‌جرم و زیان
Hast killed, and their blood is on thy neck: consider what shall come upon thee because of this blood-drinking of thine.
کشته‌ای و خونشان در گردنت ** تا چه آید بر تو زین خون خوردنت
Thou hast killed the progeny of Jacob—those sought after in hope of slaying me.
کشته‌ای ذریت یعقوب را ** بر امید قتل من مطلوب را
In despite of thee God Himself chose me out: that (plot) which thy soul was concocting was overthrown.”2335
کوری تو حق مرا خود برگزید ** سرنگون شد آنچ نفست می‌پزید
He (Pharaoh) said, “Let these things be without any doubt (grant that all this is true): is it (the gratitude) due to me and to the bread and salt (which thou hast eaten)
گفت اینها را بهل بی‌هیچ شک ** این بود حق من و نان و نمک
That thou shouldst treat me with contumely in the presence of the assembled people and make the bright day dark to my heart?”
که مرا پیش حشر خواری کنی ** روز روشن بر دلم تاری کنی
He (Moses) said, “The contumely of the Resurrection is more grievous, (which thou wilt suffer) if thou do not pay regard to me in good and evil.
گفت خواری قیامت صعب‌تر ** گر نداری پاس من در خیر و شر
Thou canst not bear the bite of a flea: how wilt thou taste (endure) the bite of a snake?
زخم کیکی را نمی‌توانی کشید ** زخم ماری را تو چون خواهی چشید
In appearance I am ruining thy work, but (in reality) I am making a thorn into a rose-garden.2340
ظاهرا کار تو ویران می‌کنم ** لیک خاری را گلستان می‌کنم
Explaining that cultivation consists in devastation and composure in distraction and wholeness in brokenness and success in failure and existence in non-existence; and thus (with) the rest of the contraries and pairs.
بیان آنک عمارت در ویرانیست و جمعیت در پراکندگیست و درستی در شکست‌گیست و مراد در بی‌مرادیست و وجود در عدم است و علی هذا بقیة الاضداد والازواج
A certain man came and was cleaving the soil: a fool cried out and could not control himself,
آن یکی آمد زمین را می‌شکافت ** ابلهی فریاد کرد و بر نتافت
Saying, ‘Wherefore are you ruining this soil and cleaving and scattering it?’
کین زمین را از چه ویران می‌کنی ** می‌شکافی و پریشان می‌کنی
‘O fool,’ said he, ‘begone, do not interfere with me: recognise (the difference of) cultivation from devastation.
گفت ای ابله برو و بر من مران ** تو عمارت از خرابی باز دان
How should this (soil) become a rose-garden or cornfield till this soil becomes ugly and ruined?
کی شود گلزار و گندم‌زار این ** تا نگردد زشت و ویران این زمین
How should it become orchards and crops and leaves and fruit till its arrangement is turned upside down?’2345
کی شود بستان و کشت و برگ و بر ** تا نگردد نظم او زیر و زبر
Till you pierce the purulent ulcer with a lancet, how will it become well and how will you become healthy?
تا بنشکافی به نشتر ریش چغز ** کی شود نیکو و کی گردید نغز
Till he (the physician) cleanse your (corrupt) humours with medicine, how will the indisposition be removed? How will a cure be effected?
تا نشوید خلطهاات از دوا ** کی رود شورش کجا آید شفا
When a tailor cuts (the cloth for) a garment piece by piece, will any one strike that expert tailor,
پاره پاره کرده درزی جامه را ** کس زند آن درزی علامه را
Saying, ‘Why have you torn this choice satin? What can I do with a torn (garment)?’
که چرا این اطلس بگزیده را ** بردریدی چه کنم بدریده را
Whenever they (the builders) put an old building in good repair, do not they first ruin the old one?2350
هر بنای کهنه که آبادان کنند ** نه که اول کهنه را ویران کنند
Likewise the carpenter, the iron-smith and the butcher—with them (too) there is destruction before restorations.
هم‌چنین نجار و حداد و قصاب ** هستشان پیش از عمارتها خراب