Therefore silence is best: it gives peace to it ( to that spirit); therefore ( I ought to follow the adage) “Silence is the answer to fools.”
پس خموشی به دهد او را ثبوت ** پس جواب احمقان آمد سکوت
This I know, but intoxication of the body is opening my mouth without volition on my part,
این همی‌دانم ولی مستی تن ** می‌گشاید بی‌مراد من دهن
Just as in sneezing and yawning this mouth becomes open without your willing it.
آنچنان که از عطسه و از خامیاز ** این دهان گردد بناخواه تو باز
Commentary on the Tradition, "Verily, I ask pardon of God seventy times every day."
تفسیر این حدیث کی ائنی لاستغفر الله فی کل یوم سبعین مرة
Like the Prophet, I repent seventy times daily of speaking and giving out (mysteries);3300
هم‌چو پیغامبر ز گفتن وز نثار ** توبه آرم روز من هفتاد بار
But that intoxication becomes a breaker of (vows of) penitence: this intoxication of the body causes oblivion and tears the robe (of penitence).
لیک آن مستی شود توبه‌شکن ** منسی است این مستی تن جامه کن
The (Divine) purpose of making manifest the (things of) long ago (the eternal things) cast an intoxication upon the knower of the mystery,
حکمت اظهار تاریخ دراز ** مستیی انداخت در دانای راز
(So that) with such drum and banner (conspicuousness) the hidden mystery has become water gushing from (the fountain of) “the Pen is dry.”
راز پنهان با چنین طبل و علم ** آب جوشان گشته از جف القلم
The infinite Mercy is flowing continually: ye are asleep to the perception thereof, O men!
رحمت بی‌حد روانه هر زمان ** خفته‌اید از درک آن ای مردمان
The sleeper's garment drinks water from the river, (while) the sleeper is seeking the mirage in his dream.3305
جامه‌ی خفته خورد از جوی آب ** خفته اندر خواب جویای سراب
He keeps running (to and fro), saying, “Yonder there is hope of water”: by this (false) thought he has barred the way against himself.
می‌رود که آنجای بوی آب هست ** زین تفکر راه را بر خویش بست
Because he said “yonder” he became far from here (from the place where the water is): (through resting) in a vain imagination he was banished from a reality.
زانک آنجا گفت زینجا دور شد ** بر خیالی از حقی مهجور شد
They (the worldly) are far-seeing (for their selfish ends) and very fast asleep spiritually: take some mercy upon them, O travellers on the Way!
دوربینانند و بس خفته‌روان ** رحمتی آریدشان ای ره‌روان
I never saw thirst (eager desire) induce sleep: (only) the thirst of the unintelligent induces sleep.
من ندیدم تشنگی خواب آورد ** خواب آرد تشنگی بی‌خرد
The (true) intelligence, indeed, is that which was fed by God, not the intelligence that was bestowed by (the planet) Mercury.3310
خود خرد آنست کو از حق چرید ** نه خرد کان را عطارد آورید
Explaining that the particular (discursive) intellect does not see beyond the grave and, as regards all the rest, is subject to the authority of the saints and prophets.
بیان آنک عقل جزوی تا بگور بیش نبیند در باقی مقلد اولیا و انبیاست
The foresight of this intellect extends (only) to the grave, while that of the spiritual man is till the blast of the trumpet (of Resurrection).
پیش‌بینی این خرد تا گور بود ** وآن صاحب دل به نفخ صور بود
This intellect does not pass beyond a grave and sepulchre, and this (intellectual) foot does not tread the arena of marvels.
این خرد از گور و خاکی نگذرد ** وین قدم عرصه‌ی عجایب نسپرد
Go, become quit of this foot and this intellect: seek the eye appertaining to the invisible (the inward eye) and enjoy (contemplation).
زین قدم وین عقل رو بیزار شو ** چشم غیبی جوی و برخوردار شو
How should one subservient to a preceptor and in pupilage to a book find, like Moses, light from (his own) bosom?
هم‌چو موسی نور کی یابد ز جیب ** سخره‌ی استاد و شاگردان کتاب
From this (scholastic) study and this intellect comes naught but vertigo; therefore leave this study and adopt (in its stead) expectation.3315
زین نظر وین عقل ناید جز دوار ** پس نظر بگذار و بگزین انتظار
Do not seek (spiritual) eminence from disputation: for him who is expectant (of Divine inspiration) listening is better than speaking.
از سخن‌گویی مجویید ارتفاع ** منتظر را به ز گفتن استماع
The office of teaching is a sort of sensual desire: every sensual fancy is an idol (source of polytheism) in the Way.
منصب تعلیم نوع شهوتست ** هر خیال شهوتی در ره بتست
If every busybody had found the track (had attained) to His grace, how should God have sent so many prophets?
گر بفضلش پی ببردی هر فضول ** کی فرستادی خدا چندین رسول
The particular intellect is like the lightning and the flash: how is it possible to go to Wakhsh in a flash?
عقل جزوی هم‌چو برقست و درخش ** در درخشی کی توان شد سوی وخش
The light of the lightning is not for guidance on the way; nay, it is a command to the cloud to weep.3320
نیست نور برق بهر رهبری ** بلک امریست ابر را که می‌گری
The lightning of our intellect is for the sake of weeping, to the end that nonexistence may weep in longing for (real) existence.
برق عقل ما برای گریه است ** تا بگرید نیستی در شوق هست
The child's intellect said, “Attend school”; but it cannot learn by itself.
عقل کودک گفت بر کتاب تن ** لیک نتواند به خود آموختن
The sick man's intellect leads him to the physician; but his intellect is not successful in curing him.
عقل رنجور آردش سوی طبیب ** لیک نبود در دوا عقلش مصیب
Mark, the devils were going heavenward and listening to the secrets on high
نک شیاطین سوی گردون می‌شدند ** گوش بر اسرار بالا می‌زدند
And carrying away a little of those secrets, till the shooting stars quickly drove them from heaven,3325
می‌ربودند اندکی زان رازها ** تا شهب می‌راندشان زود از سما
Saying, “Begone! A prophet is come there (on the earth): from him will be obtained whatsoever ye crave.
که روید آنجا رسولی آمدست ** هر چه می‌خواهید زو آید به دست
If ye are seeking priceless pearls, enter the houses by their doors.
گر همی‌جویید در بی‌بها ** ادخلوا الابیات من ابوابها
Keep knocking that door-ring and stand at the door: there is no way for you in the direction of the vault of heaven.
می‌زن آن حلقه‌ی در و بر باب بیست ** از سوی بام فلکتان راه نیست
Ye need not take this long road: We have bestowed on an earthly one the secrets of the mystery.
نیست حاجتتان بدین راه دراز ** خاکیی را داده‌ایم اسرار راز
Come to him, if ye are not disloyal; be made sugar-cane by him, though ye are (empty) reeds.”3330
پیش او آیید اگر خاین نیید ** نیشکر گردید ازو گرچه نیید
That Guide will cause verdure to grow from thy earth: he is not inferior to the hoof of the horse of Gabriel.
سبزه رویاند ز خاکت آن دلیل ** نیست کم از سم اسپ جبرئیل
Thou wilt be made verdure, thou wilt be made fresh anew, if thou become the dust of the horse of a Gabriel—
The life-giving verdure which Sámirí put into the (golden) calf, so that it became endowed with the (vital) essence.
سبزه‌ی جان‌بخش که آن را سامری ** کرد در گوساله تا شد گوهری
From that verdure it took life and bellowed—such a bellowing as confounded the foe.
جان گرفت و بانگ زد زان سبزه او ** آنچنان بانگی که شد فتنه‌ی عدو
If ye come loyally to the possessors of the mystery, ye will be freed from the hood, like a falcon—3335
گر امین آیید سوی اهل راز ** وا رهید از سر کله مانند باز
The hood that binds eye and ear, whereby the falcon is (made) wretched and abject.
سر کلاه چشم‌بند گوش‌بند ** که ازو بازست مسکین و نژند
The hood is (placed as) a blind on the eyes of falcons because its (the falcon's) whole desire is for its own kind.
زان کله مر چشم بازان را سدست ** که همه میلش سوی جنس خودست
When it has been severed from its kind, it associates with the king: the falconer unveils its eye.
چون برید از جنس با شه گشت یار ** بر گشاید چشم او را بازدار
God drove the devils from His place of watch, (He drove) the particular intellect from its autonomy,
راند دیوان را حق از مرصاد خویش ** عقل جزوی را ز استبداد خویش
Saying, “Do not domineer: thou art not autonomous; nay, thou art the pupil of the heart and predisposed (to learn from it).3340
که سری کم کن نه‌ای تو مستبد ** بلک شاگرد دلی و مستعد
Go to the heart, go, for thou art a part of the heart: take heed, for thou art a slave of the just King.”
رو بر دل رو که تو جزو دلی ** هین که بنده‌ی پادشاه عادلی
To be His slave is better than being a sovereign, for “I am better” is the word of Satan.
بندگی او به از سلطانیست ** که انا خیر دم شیطانیست
Do thou see the distinction and pick out (choose by preference), O prisoner, the slavery of Adam from the pride of Iblís.
فرق بین و برگزین تو ای حبیس ** بندگی آدم از کبر بلیس
He who is the Sun of the Way uttered the saying, “Good (túbá) betide every one whose carnal soul is abased!”
گفت آنک هست خورشید ره او ** حرف طوبی هر که ذلت نفسه
Behold the shade of Túbá (the tree in Paradise) and sleep well; lay thy head in the shade and sleep without lifting thy head (haughtily).3345
سایه‌ی طوبی ببین وخوش بخسپ ** سر بنه در سایه بی‌سرکش بخسپ
The shade of (one) “whose carnal soul is abased” is a pleasant place for reclining: it is a (good) sleeping-place for him that is predisposed to that (spiritual) purity.