Does any intelligent man let a precious pearl fall into the midst of a privy full of ordure?
هیچ عاقل افکند در ثمین ** در میان مستراحی پر چمین
Inasmuch as a sagacious and attentive man will nowise send wheat to a straw-barn,
زانک گندم را حکیم آگهی ** هیچ نفرستد به انبار کهی
If a novice has made trial of the Shaykh who is the (spiritual) leader and guide, he is an ass.
شیخ را که پیشوا و رهبرست ** گر مریدی امتحان کرد او خرست
If you make trial of him in the way of religion, you will be tried (by tribulation), O man without faith.375
امتحانش گر کنی در راه دین ** هم تو گردی ممتحن ای بی‌یقین
Your audacity and ignorance will become naked and exposed to view: how should he be made naked by that scrutiny?
جرات و جهلت شود عریان و فاش ** او برهنه کی شود زان افتتاش
If the mote come and weigh the mountain, its scales will be shattered by the mountain, O youth;
گر بیاید ذره سنجد کوه را ** بر درد زان که ترازوش ای فتی
For he (the novice) applies the scales of his own judgement and puts the man of God in the scales;
کز قیاس خود ترازو می‌تند ** مرد حق را در ترازو می‌کند
(But) since he (the Shaykh) is not contained by the scales of intellect, consequently he shatters the scales of intellect.
چون نگنجد او به میزان خرد ** پس ترازوی خرد را بر درد
Know that to make trial (of him) is like exercising authority over him: do not seek to exercise authority over such a (spiritual) king.380
امتحان هم‌چون تصرف دان درو ** تو تصرف بر چنان شاهی مجو
What authority should the pictures (phenomenal forms) desire to exercise over such an Artist for the purpose of testing Him?
چه تصرف کرد خواهد نقشها ** بر چنان نقاش بهر ابتلا
If it (the picture) has known and experienced any trial, is it not the case that the Artist brought that (trial) upon it?
امتحانی گر بدانست و بدید ** نی که هم نقاش آن بر وی کشید
Indeed, this form that He fashioned—what is it worth in comparison with the forms which are in His knowledge?
چه قدر باشد خود این صورت که بست ** پیش صورتها که در علم ویست
When the temptation to make this trial has come to you, know that ill fortune has come and smitten your neck.
وسوسه‌ی این امتحان چون آمدت ** بخت بد دان کمد و گردن زدت
When you feel such a temptation, at once, at once turn unto God and begin the prostration (in prayer).385
چون چنین وسواس دیدی زود زود ** با خدا گرد و در آ اندر سجود
Make the place of prostration wet with flowing tears and say, “O God, do Thou deliver me from this doubt!”
سجده گه را تر کن از اشک روان ** کای خدا تو وا رهانم زین گمان
At the time when it is your object to make trial (of God), the mosque, namely, your religion, becomes filled with kharrúb (carob).
آن زمان کت امتحان مطلوب شد ** مسجد دین تو پر خروب شد
Story of the Farther Mosque and the carob and how, before (the reign of) Solomon, on whom be peace, David, on whom be peace, resolved on building that Mosque.
قصه‌ی مسجد اقصی و خروب و عزم کردن داود علیه‌السلام پیش از سلیمان علیه‌السلام بر بنای آن مسجد
When David's resolve that he would build the Farther Mosque with stone came to sore straits,
چون درآمد عزم داودی به تنگ ** که بسازد مسجد اقصی به سنگ
God made a Revelation to him, saying, “Proclaim the abandonment of this (enterprise), for (the building of) this place will not be achieved by thy hand.
وحی کردش حق که ترک این بخوان ** که ز دستت برنیاید این مکان
’Tis not in Our fore-ordainment that thou shouldst raise this Farther Mosque, O chosen one.”390
نیست در تقدیر ما آنک تو این ** مسجد اقصی بر آری ای گزین
He said, “O Knower of the secret, what is my crime, that Thou forbiddest me to construct the Mosque?”
گفت جرمم چیست ای دانای راز ** که مرا گویی که مسجد را مساز
He (God) said, “Without (committing) a crime, thou hast wrought much bloodshed: thou hast taken upon thy neck (art responsible for) the blood of (many) persons who have suffered injustice;
گفت بی‌جرمی تو خونها کرده‌ای ** خون مظلومان بگردن برده‌ای
For from (hearing) thy voice a countless multitude gave up the ghost and fell a prey to it (thy voice).
که ز آواز تو خلقی بی‌شمار ** جان بدادند و شدند آن را شکار
Much blood has gone to the score of (is chargeable to) thy voice, to thy beautiful soul-ravishing song.”
خون بسی رفتست بر آواز تو ** بر صدای خوب جان‌پرداز تو
He (David) said, “I was overpowered by Thee, drunken with Thee: my hand (power) was tied up by Thy hand.395
گفت مغلوب تو بودم مست تو ** دست من بر بسته بود از دست تو
Was not every one that was overpowered by the King the object of (His) mercy? Was not he (excused on the ground that) ‘The overpowered is like the non-existent’?”
نه که هر مغلوب شه مرحوم بود ** نه که المغلوب کالمعدوم بود
He (God) said, “This overpowered man is that non-existent one who is only relatively non-existent. Have sure faith!
گفت این مغلوب معدومیست کو ** جز به نسبت نیست معدوم ایقنوا
Such a non-existent one who hath gone from himself (become selfless) is the best of beings, and the great (one among them).
این چنین معدوم کو از خویش رفت ** بهترین هستها افتاد و زفت
He hath passed away (faná) in relation to (the passing away of his attributes in) the Divine attributes, (but) in passing away (from selfhood) he really hath the life everlasting (baqá).
او به نسبت با صفات حق فناست ** در حقیقت در فنا او را بقاست
All spirits are under his governance; all bodies too are in his control.400
جمله‌ی ارواح در تدبیر اوست ** جمله‌ی اشباح هم در تیر اوست
He that is overpowered (overwhelmed) in Our grace is not compelled; nay, he is one who freely chooses devotion (to Us).”
In sooth the end of free-will is that his free-will should be lost here.
منتهای اختیار آنست خود ** که اختیارش گردد اینجا مفتقد
The free agent would feel no savour (spiritual delight) if at last he did not become entirely purged of egoism.
اختیاری را نبودی چاشنی ** گر نگشتی آخر او محو از منی
If there is delicious food and drink in the world, (yet) his pleasure (in them) is (only) a branch of (derived from) the extinction of (worldly) pleasure.
در جهان گر لقمه و گر شربتست ** لذت او فرع محو لذتست
Although he was unaffected by (worldly) pleasures, (yet) he was a man of (spiritual) pleasure and became the recipient of (that) pleasure.405
گرچه از لذات بی‌تاثیر شد ** لذتی بود او و لذت‌گیر شد
Explanation of "Verily, the Faithful are brothers, and the ‘ulamá (divines) are as one soul"; in particular, the oneness of David, Solomon, and all the other prophets, on whom be peace: if you disbelieve in one of them, (your) faith in any prophet will not be perfect; and this is the sign of (their) oneness, that if you destroy a single one of those thousands of houses, all the rest will be destroyed, and not a single wall will be left standing; for "We make no distinction between any of them (the prophets)." Indication is sufficient for him that hath intelligence: this goes even beyond indication.
شرح انما المؤمنون اخوة والعلماء کنفس واحدة خاصه اتحاد داود و سلیمان و سایر انبیا علیهم‌السلام کی اگر یکی ازیشان را منکر شوی ایمان به هیچ نبی درست نباشد و این علامت اتحادست کی یک خانه از هزاران خانه ویران کنی آن همه ویران شود و یک دیوار قایم نماند کی لانفرق بین احد منهم و العاقل یکفیه الاشارة این خود از اشارت گذشت
(God said to David), “Although it will not be accomplished by thy labour and strength, yet the Mosque will be erected by thy son.
گرچه بر ناید به جهد و زور تو ** لیک مسجد را برآرد پور تو
His deed is thy deed, O man of wisdom: know that between the Faithful is an ancient union.”
کرده‌ی او کرده‌ی تست ای حکیم ** مومنان را اتصالی دان قدیم
The Faithful are numerous, but the Faith is one: their bodies are numerous, but their soul is one.
مومنان معدود لیک ایمان یکی ** جسمشان معدود لیکن جان یکی
Besides the understanding and soul which is in the ox and the ass, Man has another intelligence and soul;
غیرفهم و جان که در گاو و خرست ** آدمی را عقل و جانی دیگرست
Again, in the owner of that (Divine) breath there is a soul other than the human soul and intelligence.410
باز غیرجان و عقل آدمی ** هست جانی در ولی آن دمی
The animal soul does not possess oneness: seek not thou this oneness from the airy (vital) spirit.
جان حیوانی ندارد اتحاد ** تو مجو این اتحاد از روح باد
If this one eat bread, that one is not filled; and if this one bear a load, that one does not become laden;
گر خورد این نان نگردد سیر آن ** ور کشد بار این نگردد او گران
Nay, but this one rejoices at the death of that one, and dies of envy when he sees that one's prosperity.
بلک این شادی کند از مرگ او ** از حسد میرد چو بیند برگ او
The souls of wolves and dogs are separate, every one; the souls of the Lions of God are united.
جان گرگان و سگان هر یک جداست ** متحد جانهای شیران خداست
I have spoken of their souls nominally (formally) in the plural, for that single soul is a hundred in relation to the body,415
جمع گفتم جانهاشان من به اسم ** کان یکی جان صد بود نسبت به جسم
Just as the single light of the sun in heaven is a hundred in relation to the house-courts (on which it shines),
هم‌چو آن یک نور خورشید سما ** صد بود نسبت بصحن خانه‌ها
But when you remove the wall, all the lights (falling) on them are one.
لیک یک باشد همه انوارشان ** چونک برگیری تو دیوار از میان
When the (bodily) houses have no foundation remaining, the Faithful remain one soul.
چون نماند خانه‌ها را قاعده ** مومنان مانند نفس واحده
Differences and difficulties arise from this saying, because this is not a (complete) similitude: it is (only) a comparison.
فرق و اشکالات آید زین مقال ** زانک نبود مثل این باشد مثال
Endless are the differences between the corporeal figure of a lion and the figure of a courageous son of man;420
فرقها بی‌حد بود از شخص شیر ** تا به شخص آدمی‌زاد دلیر
But at the moment of (making) the comparison consider, O thou who hast good insight, their oneness in respect of hazarding their lives;
لیک در وقت مثال ای خوش‌نظر ** اتحاد از روی جانبازی نگر