These shells are not in one grade: in one (of them) is the pearl and in another the (worthless) bead.
این صدفها نیست در یک مرتبه ** در یکی درست و در دیگر شبه
It is necessary to make manifest (the difference between) this good and evil, just as (it is necessary) to make manifest (distinguish) the wheat from the straw.
واجبست اظهار این نیک و تباه ** هم‌چنانک اظهار گندمها ز کاه
(The creation of) these creatures of the world is for the purpose of manifestation, to the end that the treasure of (Divine) providences may not remain hidden.
بهر اظهارست این خلق جهان ** تا نماند گنج حکمتها نهان
He (God) said, “I was a hidden treasure”: hearken! Do not let thy (spiritual) substance be lost: become manifest!
Explaining that the animal spirit and the particular (discursive) reason and the imagination and the fancy may be compared to buttermilk, while the spirit, which is everlasting, is hidden in this buttermilk, like the butter.
بیان آنک روح حیوانی و عقل جز وی و وهم و خیال بر مثال دوغند و روح کی باقیست درین دوغ هم‌چون روغن پنهانست
Thy true substance is concealed in falsehood, like the taste of butter in the taste of buttermilk.3030
جوهر صدقت خفی شد در دروغ ** هم‌چو طعم روغن اندر طعم دوغ
Thy falsehood is this perishable body; thy truth is that lordly spirit.
آن دروغت این تن فانی بود ** راستت آن جان ربانی بود
(During many) years this buttermilk, (which is) the body, is visible and manifest, (while) the butter, (which is) the spirit, is perishing and naughted within it,
سالها این دوغ تن پیدا و فاش ** روغن جان اندرو فانی و لاش
Till God send a messenger (prophet), a (chosen) servant, a shaker of the buttermilk in the churn,
تا فرستد حق رسولی بنده‌ای ** دوغ را در خمره جنباننده‌ای
That he may shake (it) with method and skill, to the end that I may know that (my true) ego was hidden;
تا بجنباند به هنجار و به فن ** تا بدانم من که پنهان بود من
Or (till) the speech of a (chosen) servant, which is part is part of (the speech of) him (the prophet), enter into the ear of him who is seeking inspiration.3035
یا کلام بنده‌ای کان جزو اوست ** در رود در گوش او کو وحی جوست
The true believer's ear is retaining our inspiration: such an ear is closely linked to the caller (the perfect saint)—
اذن مومن وحی ما را واعیست ** آنچنان گوشی قرین داعیست
Just as (for example) the infant's ear is filled with its mother's words, (and then) it (the infant) begins to speak articulately;
هم‌چنانک گوش طفل از گفت مام ** پر شود ناطق شود او درکلام
And if the infant have not a right (rightly-hearing) ear, it does not hear its mother's words and becomes a mute.
ور نباشد طفل را گوش رشد ** گفت مادر نشنود گنگی شود
Every one born deaf has always been dumb: (only) that one who heard (speech) from his mother became a speaker.
دایما هر کر اصلی گنگ بود ** ناطق آنکس شد که از مادر شنود
Know that the deaf ear and the dumb man are the result of a certain defect; for it (the deaf ear) is not capable of (hearing) words and being taught.3040
دانک گوش کر و گنگ از آفتیست ** که پذیرای دم و تعلیم نیست
The (only) one that possessed speech without being taught is God, whose attributes are separated (exempt) from infirmities,
آنک بی‌تعلیم بد ناطق خداست ** که صفات او ز علتها جداست
Or one like Adam whom God instructed without the screen (mediation) of mother and nurse and necessaries,
یا چو آدم کرده تلقینش خدا ** بی‌حجاب مادر و دایه و ازا
Or the Messiah (Christ) who, through being taught by the Loving (God), at his birth came speaking into the world,
یا مسیحی که به تعلیم ودود ** در ولادت ناطق آمد در وجود
For the purpose of repelling the suspicion as to his birth (and proving) that he was not born of fornication and wickedness.
از برای دفع تهمت در ولاد ** که نزادست از زنا و از فساد
A (great) shaking was required in the effort that the buttermilk might render back that butter from its (inmost) heart.3045
جنبشی بایست اندر اجتهاد ** تا که دوغ آن روغن از دل باز داد
The butter in the buttermilk is (invisible) like non-existence; the buttermilk has raised its banner (has become manifest) in existence.
روغن اندر دوغ باشد چون عدم ** دوغ در هستی برآورده علم
That which seems to you to be (really) existent is (mere) skin, while that which seems to have perished—that (in reality) is the root.
The buttermilk has not (yet) taken (the form of) butter and is old: lay it (in store) and do not squander it till you pick out (the butter from it).
دوغ روغن ناگرفتست و کهن ** تا بنگزینی بنه خرجش مکن
Hark, turn it knowingly from hand to hand (side to side), that it may reveal that which it has hidden;
هین بگردانش به دانش دست دست ** تا نماید آنچ پنهان کرده است
For this perishable (body) is a proof of the everlasting (spirit): the maundering of the intoxicated is a proof of (the existence of) the Cupbearer.3050
زآنک این فانی دلیل باقیست ** لابه‌ی مستان دلیل ساقیست
Another parable on the same subject.
مثال دیگر هم درین معنی
The gambols of the lion on the banner are indicative of winds concealed (from view).
هست بازیهای آن شیر علم ** مخبری از بادهای مکتتم
If there were not the movement of those winds, how would the dead lion leap into the air?
گر نبودی جنبش آن بادها ** شیر مرده کی بجستی در هوا
By that (means) you know whether the wind is the east-wind or the westwind: this (movement of the lion) is the explanation of that occult matter.
زان شناسی باد را گر آن صباست ** یا دبورست این بیان آن خفاست
This body is like the lion on the banner: thought is causing it to move continually.
این بدن مانند آن شیر علم ** فکر می‌جنباند او را دم به دم
The thought that comes from the east is (as) the (refreshing) east-wind, and that which (comes) from the west is (as) the west-wind fraught with pestilence.3055
فکر کان از مشرق آید آن صباست ** وآنک از مغرب دبور با وباست
The east of this wind of thought is different; the west of this wind of thought is from Yonder side.
مشرق این باد فکرت دیگرست ** مغرب این باد فکرت زان سرست
The moon is inanimate, and its east is inanimate: the heart's east is the soul of the soul of Soul.
مه جمادست و بود شرقش جماد ** جان جان جان بود شرق فاد
The east of that Sun which illumines the inward part—the sun of day is (only) the husk and reflexion thereof;
شرق خورشیدی که شد باطن‌فروز ** قشر و عکس آن بود خورشید روز
For when the body is dead (and) without the (vital) flame, neither day nor night appears to it;
زآنک چون مرده بود تن بی‌لهب ** پیش او نه روز بنماید نه شب
But though it (the flame) be not (there), (yet) when this (spiritual Sun) is (present) in perfection, it (the Sun) maintains itself intact without night and day,3060
ور نباشد آن چو این باشد تمام ** بی‌شب و بی روز دارد انتظام
Just as the eye, without moon and sun, sees moon and sun in dream.
هم‌چنانک چشم می‌بیند به خواب ** بی‌مه و خورشید ماه و آفتاب
Since our sleep is the brother of death, O such and such, know (the difference of) that brother from this brother.
نوم ما چون شد اخ الموت ای فلان ** زین برادر آن برادر را بدان
And if they tell thee that that is the branch (derivative) of this, do not hear (believe) it, O follower of authority, without (having) certain knowledge.
ور بگویندت که هست آن فرع این ** مشنو آن را ای مقلد بی‌یقین
During sleep thy spirit is beholding the representation of a state (of things) which thou wilt not behold, whilst thou art awake, in twenty years,
می‌بیند خواب جانت وصف حال ** که به بیداری نبینی بیست سال
And thou art running, for (whole) lifetimes, to the sagacious (spiritual) kings in quest of the interpretation thereof,3065
در پی تعبیر آن تو عمرها ** می‌دوی سوی شهان با دها
Saying, “Tell (me), what is the interpretation of that dream?” To call such a mystery a “branch” is currishness.
که بگو آن خواب را تعبیر چیست ** فرع گفتن این چنین سر را سگیست
This is the sleep of the vulgar; but truly the sleep of the elect is the root of (their) privilege and election.
خواب عامست این و خود خواب خواص ** باشد اصل اجتبا و اختصاص
There must needs be the elephant, in order that, when he sleeps supinely, he may dream of the land of Hindustán.
پیل باید تا چو خسپد او ستان ** خواب بیند خطه‌ی هندوستان
The ass does not dream of Hindustán at all: the ass has never journeyed from Hindustán to a foreign country.
خر نبیند هیچ هندستان به خواب ** خر ز هندستان نکردست اغتراب
There is need of the elephant-like and very robust spirit, that in sleep it may be able to go speedily to Hindustán.3070
جان هم‌چون پیل باید نیک زفت ** تا به خواب او هند داند رفت تفت
Because of desire the elephant remembers Hindustán; then by night that remembrance of his takes form.
ذکر هندستان کند پیل از طلب ** پس مصور گردد آن ذکرش به شب
(The worship commanded in the text) Remember ye Allah is not a (devotional) work (that is within the reach) of every rascal; (the command) Return thou is not (a fetter) on the foot of every reprobate.
اذکروا الله کار هر اوباش نیست ** ارجعی بر پای هر قلاش نیست
But still do not thou despair, be an elephant; and if thou art not an elephant, be in quest of transmutation.
لیک تو آیس مشو هم پیل باش ** ور نه پیلی در پی تبدیل باش
Behold the alchemists of Heaven; hear at every moment the sound (of the words that come) from the (spiritual) makers of the philosophers' stone.
کیمیاسازان گردون را ببین ** بشنو از میناگران هر دم طنین
They are designers in the celestial atmosphere; they are workers for me and thee.3075