First he came into the clime (world) of inorganic things, and from the state of inorganic things he passed into the vegetable state.
آمده اول به اقلیم جماد ** وز جمادی در نباتی اوفتاد
(Many) years he lived in the vegetable state and did not remember the inorganic state because of the opposition (between them);
سالها اندر نباتی عمر کرد ** وز جمادی یاد ناورد از نبرد
And when he passed from the vegetable into the animal state, the vegetable state was not remembered by him at all,
وز نباتی چون به حیوانی فتاد ** نامدش حال نباتی هیچ یاد
Save only for the inclination which he has towards that (state), especially in the season of spring and sweet herbs—3640
جز همین میلی که دارد سوی آن ** خاصه در وقت بهار و ضیمران
Like the inclination of babes towards their mothers: it (the babe) does not know the secret of its desire for being suckled;
هم‌چو میل کودکان با مادران ** سر میل خود نداند در لبان
(Or) like the excessive inclination of every novice towards the noble spiritual Elder, whose fortune is young (and flourishing).
هم‌چو میل مفرط هر نو مرید ** سوی آن پیر جوانبخت مجید
The particular intelligence of this (disciple) is derived from that Universal Intelligence: the motion of this shadow is derived from that Rose-bough.
جزو عقل این از آن عقل کلست ** جنبش این سایه زان شاخ گلست
His (the disciple's) shadow disappears at last in him (the Master); then he knows the secret of his inclination and search and seeking.
سایه‌اش فانی شود آخر درو ** پس بداند سر میل و جست و جو
How should the shadow of the other's (the disciple's) bough move, O fortunate one, if this Tree move not?3645
سایه‌ی شاخ دگر ای نیکبخت ** کی بجنبد گر نجنبد این درخت
Again, the Creator, whom thou knowest, was leading him (Man) from the animal (state) towards humanity.
باز از حیوان سوی انسانیش ** می‌کشید آن خالقی که دانیش
Thus did he advance from clime to clime (from one world of being to another), till he has now become intelligent and wise and mighty.
هم‌چنین اقلیم تا اقلیم رفت ** تا شد اکنون عاقل و دانا و زفت
He hath no remembrance of his former intelligences (souls); from this (human) intelligence also there is a migration to be made by him,
عقلهای اولینش یاد نیست ** هم ازین عقلش تحول کردنیست
That he may escape from this intelligence full of greed and self-seeking and may behold a hundred thousand intelligences most marvellous.
تا رهد زین عقل پر حرص و طلب ** صد هزاران عقل بیند بوالعجب
Though he fell asleep and became oblivious of the past, how should they leave him in that self-forgetfulness?3650
گر چو خفته گشت و شد ناسی ز پیش ** کی گذارندش در آن نسیان خویش
From that sleep they will bring him back again to wakefulness, that he may mock at his (present) state,
باز از آن خوابش به بیداری کشند ** که کند بر حالت خود ریش‌خند
Saying, “What was that sorrow I was suffering in my sleep? How did I forget the states of truth (the real experiences)?
که چه غم بود آنک می‌خوردم به خواب ** چون فراموشم شد احوال صواب
How did not I know that that sorrow and disease is the effect of sleep and is illusion and phantasy?”
چون ندانستم که آن غم و اعتلال ** فعل خوابست و فریبست و خیال
Even so this world, which is the sleeper's dream: the sleeper fancies that it is really enduring,
هم‌چنان دنیا که حلم نایمست ** خفته پندارد که این خود دایمست
Till on a sudden there shall rise the dawn of Death and he shall be delivered from the darkness of opinion and falsehood.3655
تا بر آید ناگهان صبح اجل ** وا رهد از ظلمت ظن و دغل
(Then) laughter at those sorrows of his will take possession of him when he sees his permanent abode and dwelling-place.
خنده‌اش گیرد از آن غمهای خویش ** چون ببیند مستقر و جای خویش
Everything good or evil that thou seest in thy sleep will be made manifest, one by one, on the Day of the (Last) Congregation.
هر چه تو در خواب بینی نیک و بد ** روز محشر یک به یک پیدا شود
That which thou didst in this sleep in the (present) world will become evident to thee at the time of awaking.
آنچ کردی اندرین خواب جهان ** گرددت هنگام بیداری عیان
Take care not to imagine that this (which thou hast done) is (only) an evil action committed in this (state of) sleep and that there is no interpretation (thereof) for thee.
تا نپنداری که این بد کردنیست ** اندرین خواب و ترا تعبیر نیست
Nay, this laughter (of thine) will be tears and moans on the Day of interpretation, O oppressor of the captive!3660
بلک این خنده بود گریه و زفیر ** روز تعبیر ای ستمگر بر اسیر
Know that in the hour of thy awakening thy tears and grief and sorrow and lamentation will turn to joy.
گریه و درد و غم و زاری خود ** شادمانی دان به بیداری خود
O thou that hast torn the coat of (many) Josephs, thou wilt arise from this heavy slumber (in the form of) a wolf.
ای دریده پوستین یوسفان ** گرگ بر خیزی ازین خواب گران
Thy (evil) dispositions, one by one, having become wolves will tear thy limbs in wrath.
گشته گرگان یک به یک خوهای تو ** می‌درانند از غضب اعضای تو
According to (the law of) retaliation, the blood (shed by thee) will not sleep (remain unavenged) after thy death: do not say, “I shall die and obtain release.”
خون نخسپد بعد مرگت در قصاص ** تو مگو که مردم و یابم خلاص
This immediate retaliation (which is exacted in the present world) is (only) a makeshift: in comparison with the blow of that (future) retaliation this is a (mere) play.3665
این قصاص نقد حیلت‌سازیست ** پیش زخم آن قصاص این بازیست
God hath called the present world a play because this penalty is a play in comparison with that penalty.
زین لعب خواندست دنیا را خدا ** کین جزا لعبست پیش آن جزا
This penalty is a means of allaying war and civil strife: that one is like a castration, while this one resembles a circumcision.
این جزا تسکین جنگ و فتنه‌ایست ** آن چو اخصا است و این چون ختنه‌ایست
Explaining that the people of Hell are hungry and make lamentable entreaty to God, saying, "Cause our portions to be fat and let the provender reach us quickly, for we can endure no more."
بیان آنک خلق دوزخ گرسنگانند و نالانند به حق کی روزیهای ما را فربه گردان و زود زاد به ما رسان کی ما را صبر نماند
This discourse hath no end. (God said), “Hark, O Moses, let those asses go to the grass,
این سخن پایان ندارد موسیا ** هین رها کن آن خران را در گیا
That they may all be fattened by that goodly fodder. Hark, (let them in), for We have wrathful wolves.
تا همه زان خوش علف فربه شوند ** هین که گرگانند ما را خشم‌مند
We surely know the plaintive cry of Our wolves: We make these asses a means of livelihood for them.3670
ناله‌ی گرگان خود را موقنیم ** این خران را طعمه‌ی ایشان کنیم
The gracious alchemy breathed from thy lips wished to make these asses human.
این خران را کیمیای خوش دمی ** از لب تو خواست کردن آدمی
Much kindness and favour didst thou show in calling them (to God), (but) ’twas not the fortune and provision allotted to those asses.
تو بسی کردی به دعوت لطف و جود ** آن خران را طالع و روزی نبود
Therefore let the quilt of bounty cover them, that the slumber of forgetfulness may overtake them speedily,
پس فرو پوشان لحاف نعمتی ** تا بردشان زود خواب غفلتی
So that, when this troop (of asses) shall start up from suchlike slumber, the candle will have been extinguished and the cup-bearer will have gone.
تا چو بجهند از چنین خواب این رده ** شمع مرده باشد و ساقی شده
Their rebellious disobedience kept thee in a (great) perplexity: therefore they shall suffer in retribution a (great) sorrow,3675
داشت طغیانشان ترا در حیرتی ** پس بنوشند از جزا هم حسرتی
To the end that Our justice may step forth and bestow in retribution what is appropriate to every evil-doer;
تا که عدل ما قدم بیرون نهد ** در جزا هر زشت را درخور دهد
For the King, whom they were not seeing openly, was (always) with them secretly in their lives.”
که آن شهی که می‌ندیدندیش فاش ** بود با ایشان نهان اندر معاش
Inasmuch as the intellect is with thee, overseeing thy body, and though this perception of thine is unable to apprehend it,
چون خرد با تست مشرف بر تنت ** گر چه زو قاصر بود این دیدنت
(Yet) its perception, O such and such, is not unable to apprehend thy motion and rest when it tries,
نیست قاصر دیدن او ای فلان ** از سکون و جنبشت در امتحان
What wonder if the Creator of that intellect too is with thee? How art thou not conceding (the truth of that)?3680
چه عجب گر خالق آن عقل نیز ** با تو باشد چون نه‌ای تو مستجیز
He (some one) pays no heed to his intellect and embarks on evil; afterwards his intellect rebukes him.
از خرد غافل شود بر بد تند ** بعد آن عقلش ملامت می‌کند
You forgot your intellect, your intellect did not (forget you), since that act of rebuke is the result of its presence (attention).
تو شدی غافل ز عقلت عقل نی ** کز حضورستش ملامت کردنی
If it had not been present (attentive) and had been heedless, how should it have slapped you in rebuke?
گر نبودی حاضر و غافل بدی ** در ملامت کی ترا سیلی زدی
And if your carnal soul had not been inattentive to it, how should your madness and heat have acted thus?
ور ازو غافل نبودی نفس تو ** کی چنان کردی جنون و تفس تو
Hence you and your intellect are like the astrolabe: by this means you may know the nearness of the Sun of existence.3685
پس تو و عقلت چو اصطرلاب بود ** زین بدانی قرب خورشید وجود
Your intellect is indescribably near to you: it is neither to the left nor to the right nor behind nor in front.
قرب بی‌چونست عقلت را به تو ** نیست چپ و راست و پس یا پیش رو