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
نقش‌بندانند در جو فلک ** کارسازانند بهر لی و لک
If thou dost not see the musky-bosomed people, behold this touch (laid upon thee), O night-blind (purblind) one.
گر نبینی خلق مشکین جیب را ** بنگر ای شب‌کور این آسیب را
At every moment the touch is (laid) upon thy apprehension: behold the plants ever springing up anew from thy earth!
هر دم آسیبست بر ادراک تو ** نبت نو نو رسته بین از خاک تو
Of this (sort) was Ibráhím son of Adham, who beheld in sleep, without veil, the unfolding of the spiritual Hindustán.
زین بد ابراهیم ادهم دیده خواب ** بسط هندستان دل را بی‌حجاب
(Therefore), of necessity, he burst the (worldly) chains asunder and dashed his kingdom to pieces and disappeared.
لاجرم زنجیرها را بر درید ** مملکت بر هم زد و شد ناپدید
The sign of beholding Hindustán is that he (who beholds it) starts up from sleep and becomes mad.3080
آن نشان دید هندستان بود ** که جهد از خواب و دیوانه شود
He will scatter dust upon (worldly) plans and will burst the links of the chains (that bind him),
می‌فشاند خاک بر تدبیرها ** می‌دراند حلقه‌ی زنجیرها
Even as the Prophet said of the (Divine) light, that the sign thereof in (men's) breasts
آنچنان که گفت پیغامبر ز نور ** که نشانش آن بود اندر صدور
Is that he (who hath the light) withdraws from the abode of delusion and also turns back from the abode of joy.
که تجافی آرد از دار الغرور ** هم انابت آرد از دار السرور
For the exposition of this hadíth of Mustafá (Mohammed), hearken to a tale, O sincere friend.
بهر شرح این حدیث مصطفی ** داستانی بشنو ای یار صفا
Story of the prince to whom the true kingdom displayed itself, (so that the realities of) "on the Day when a man shall flee from his brother and his mother and his father" became the object of his immediate experience; (and he saw that) the kingdom of this earth-heap of the childish (is like the game) called "castle-taking," (in which) the child that gains the victory mounts upon the earth-heap and says boastfully, "The castle belongs to me," while the other children envy him; for (to play with) earth is the pastime of boys. When the prince was delivered from the bondage of colours, he said, "I say that these coloured pieces of earth (earthly gauds) are just the same vile earth; I do not call them gold and satin and brocade: I have been delivered from this brocade (aksún) and have gone to that which is simple (yaksún)." (God hath said), "And We bestowed wisdom upon him whilst he was yet a boy"; it needeth not the passing of (many) years for (any one to receive) the guidance of God: none speaks of the capacity to receive in (connexion with) the Power of Be, and it is.
حکایت آن پادشاه‌زاده کی پادشاهی حقیقی بوی روی نمود یوم یفرالمرء من اخیه و امه و ابیه نقد وقت او شد پادشاهی این خاک توده‌ی کودک طبعان کی قلعه گیری نام کنند آن کودک کی چیره آید بر سر خاک توده برآید و لاف زندگی قلعه مراست کودکان دیگر بر وی رشک برند کی التراب ربیع الصبیان آن پادشاه‌زاده چو از قید رنگها برست گفت من این خاکهای رنگین را همان خاک دون می‌گویم زر و اطلس و اکسون نمی‌گویم من ازین اکسون رستم یکسون رفتم و آتیناه الحکم صبیا ارشاد حق را مرور سالها حاجت نیست در قدرت کن فیکون هیچ کس سخن قابلیت نگوید
A certain king had a young son, adorned with excellence within and without.3085
پادشاهی داشت یک برنا پسر ** باطن و ظاهر مزین از هنر
He dreamed that suddenly that son died: the pure (pleasure) of the world was changed, for the king, to dregs.
خواب دید او کان پسر ناگه بمرد ** صافی عالم بر آن شه گشت درد
His water-skin (eye) was dried up by the heat of the fire (of anguish), for because of the glow of the fire his tears remained not.
خشک شد از تاب آتش مشک او ** که نماند از تف آتش اشک او
The king became so full of smoke and grief that sighs were finding no way (of entrance) into him.
آنچنان پر شد ز دود و درد شاه ** که نمی‌یابید در وی راه آه
He was about to die, his body became inert; (but) his life had been left (for completion): the king awoke.
خواست مردن قالبش بی‌کار شد ** عمر مانده بود شه بیدار شد
From awaking, there came to him a joy which he had not experienced in (all) his life;3090
شادیی آمد ز بیداریش پیش ** که ندیده بود اندر عمر خویش
For (now) from joy likewise he was about to perish: this spirit and body is mightily shackled with the collar (of death).
که ز شادی خواست هم فانی شدن ** بس مطوق آمد این جان و بدن
This lamp dies from (is extinguished by) the breath of sorrow, and it also dies from the breath of joy. Here, look you, is a pleasant jest!
از دم غم می‌بمیرد این چراغ ** وز دم شادی بمیرد اینت لاغ
He (Man) is living between these two deaths: this (being) that resembles one shackled with a collar is an occasion for laughter.
در میان این دو مرگ او زنده است ** این مطوق شکل جای خنده است
The king said to himself, “In consequence of the Lord's causation such a sorrow as that was the cause of joy.”
شاه با خود گفت شادی را سبب ** آنچنان غم بود از تسبیب رب
Oh, wonderful (that) the same thing from one aspect (is) death and from another aspect a quickening with life and a provision!3095
ای عجب یک چیز از یک روی مرگ ** وان ز یک روی دگر احیا و برگ