Incorruptible, for it is not of the east; unchangeable, for it is not of the west.
بی ز تغییری که لا شرقیة ** بی ز تبدیلی که لا غربیة
How was the sun (ever) dumbfounded by a mote? How was the candle (ever) made senseless by a moth?3790
آفتاب از ذره کی مدهوش شد ** شمع از پروانه کی بیهوش شد
The body of Ahmad was liable to that (corruption): know that this corruption belongs (only) to the body,
جسم احمد را تعلق بد بدآن ** این تغیر آن تن باشد بدان
Such as sickness and sleep and pain; the spirit is untouched by these affections and wholly detached (from them).
هم‌چو رنجوری و هم‌چون خواب و درد ** جان ازین اوصاف باشد پاک و فرد
Indeed I cannot describe the spirit, and if I describe it, quaking would fall upon this (world of) phenomenal existence and spatiality.
خود نتانم ور بگويم وصف جان ** زلزله افتد در اين كون و مكان
If its fox (the body) was perturbed for a moment, belike the lion-spirit was then asleep.
روبهش گر یک دمی آشفته بود ** شیر جان مانا که آن دم خفته بود
That lion which is immune from sleep was (apparently) asleep: lo, a complaisant terrible lion!3795
خفته بود آن شیر کز خوابست پاک ** اینت شیر نرمسار سهمناک
The lion feigns to be asleep so (well) that those curs think he is quite dead;
خفته سازد شیر خود را آنچنان ** که تمامش مرده دانند این سگان
Else, who in the world would dare to rob a poor man (even) of a grain of turpeth mineral?
ورنه در عالم کرا زهره بدی ** که ربودی از ضعیفی تربدی
The foam (body) of Ahmad was torn (powerfully affected) by that sight (of Gabriel), (but) his sea (spirit) surged up (displayed itself in action) for love of the foam.
کف احمد زان نظر مخدوش گشت ** بحر او از مهر کف پرجوش گشت
The moon (the spirit of Ahmad) is entirely a bounteous light-diffusing hand: if the moon have no hand (with which to bestow light), let it have none!
مه همه کفست معطی نورپاش ** ماه را گر کف نباشد گو مباش
If Ahmad should display that glorious pinion (his spiritual nature), Gabriel would remain dumbfounded unto everlasting.3800
احمد ار بگشاید آن پر جلیل ** تا ابد بیهوش ماند جبرئیل
When Ahmad passed beyond the Lote-tree (on the boundary of Paradise) and his (Gabriel's) place of watch and station and farthest limit,
چون گذشت احمد ز سدره و مرصدش ** وز مقام جبرئیل و از حدش
He said to him (Gabriel), “Hark, fly after me.” He (Gabriel) said, “Go, go; I am not thy companion (any farther).”
گفت او را هین بپر اندر پیم ** گفت رو رو من حریف تو نیم
He answered him, saying, “Come, O destroyer of veils: I have not yet advanced to my zenith.”
باز گفت او را بیا ای پرده‌سوز ** من باوج خود نرفتستم هنوز
He replied, “O my illustrious friend, if I take one flight beyond this limit, my wings will be consumed.”
گفت بیرون زین حد ای خوش‌فر من ** گر زنم پری بسوزد پر من
This tale of the elect losing their senses in (contemplation of) the most elect is (naught but) amazement on amazement.3805
حیرت اندر حیرت آمد این قصص ** بیهشی خاصگان اندر اخص
Here all (other) unconsciousnesses are (a mere) play. How long will you keep possession of your soul? for it is (a case of) abandoning your soul.
بیهشیها جمله اینجا بازیست ** چند جان داری که جان پردازیست
O “Gabriel,” though you are noble and revered, you are not the moth nor the candle either.
جبرئیلا گر شریفی و عزیز ** تو نه‌ای پروانه و نه شمع نیز
When the candle calls at the moment of illumination, the soul of the moth does not shrink from burning.
شمع چون دعوت کند وقت فروز ** جان پروانه نپرهیزد ز سوز
Bury this topsy-turvy discourse: make the lion contrariously the prey of the onager.
این حدیث منقلب را گور کن ** شیر را برعکس صید گور کن
Stop up thy word-sweating water-skin, do not open the bag of thy reckless talk.3810
بند کن مشک سخن‌شاشیت را ** وا مکن انبان قلماشیت را
He whose (intellectual and spiritual) parts have not passed beyond the earth— this is absurd and reckless talk in his view.
آنک بر نگذشت اجزاش از زمین ** پیش او معکوس و قلماشیست این
Do not resist them, O my beloved; deal gently with them, O stranger lodging in their home.
لا تخالفهم حبیبی دارهم ** یا غریبا نازلا فی دارهم
Give (them) what they wish and desire, and satisfy them, O emigrant dwelling in their land.
اعط ما شائوا وراموا وارضهم ** یا ظعینا ساکنا فی‌ارضهم
Till (the hour of) coming to the king and to sweet delight, O man of Rayy be on good terms with the man of Merv.
تا رسیدن در شه و در ناز خوش ** رازیا با مرغزی می‌ساز خویش
O “Moses,” in presence of the Pharaoh of the time you must speak softly with mild words.3815
موسیا در پیش فرعون زمن ** نرم باید گفت قولا لینا
If you put water into boiling oil, you will destroy (both) the trivet and the kettle.
آب اگر در روغن جوشان کنی ** دیگدان و دیگ را ویران کنی
Speak softly, but do not speak aught except the truth: do not offer temptation in your mildness of address.
نرم گو لیکن مگو غیر صواب ** وسوسه مفروش در لین الخطاب
The time of afternoon is come: cut short the discourse, O thou whose expression (of the hidden truth) makes (the people of) the age acquainted (with reality).
وقت عصر آمد سخن کوتاه کن ** ای که عصرت عصر را آگاه کن
Do thou tell the clay-eater that sugar is better: do not show injurious softness, do not give him clay.
گو تو مر گل‌خواره را که قند به ** نرمی فاسد مکن طینش مده
Speech would be a spiritual garden to the soul, if it were independent of letters and sounds.3820
نطق جان را روضه‌ی جانیستی ** گر ز حرف و صوت مستغنیستی
Oh, there is many a one in whom this donkey's head amidst the sugar plantation has fixed a thorn!
این سر خر در میان قندزار ** ای بسا کس را که بنهادست خار
He, (seeing it) from afar, supposed that it (the sugar-plantation) is just that (donkey's head), nothing more; (so) he was retiring, like a ram vanquished in fight.
ظن ببرد از دور کان آنست و بس ** چون قج مغلوب وا می‌رفت پس
Know for sure that the (literal) form (of speech) is (like) that donkey's head in the vineyard and highest Paradise of the spiritual reality.
صورت حرف آن سر خر دان یقین ** در رز معنی و فردوس برین
O Ziyá’u ’l-Haqq Husámu’ddín, bring this donkey's head into that melon-field,
ای ضیاء الحق حسام الدین در آر ** این سر خر را در آن بطیخ‌زار
In order that, when the donkey's head has died to (has passed beyond) the skinning-place, that kitchen may bestow on it another growth (a spiritual regeneration).3825
تا سر خر چون بمرد از مسلخه ** نشو دیگر بخشدش آن مطبخه
Hark, the shaping (of the poem) is from me, and the spirit (of it) from thee; nay, (I spoke) in error: truly both this and that are from thee.
هین ز ما صورت‌گری و جان ز تو ** نه غلط هم این خود و هم آن ز تو
Thou art glorified in Heaven, O conspicuous Sun: be thou also glorified on earth unto everlasting,
بر فلک محمودی ای خورشید فاش ** بر زمین هم تا ابد محمود باش
That the inhabitant of the earth may become one in heart and one in aim and one in nature with the sublime celestial.
تا زمینی با سمایی بلند ** یک‌دل و یک‌قبله و یک‌خو شوند
(Then) separation and polytheism and duality will disappear: in real existence there is (only) unity.
تفرقه برخیزد و شرک و دوی ** وحدتست اندر وجود معنوی
When my spirit (fully) recognises thy spirit, they (both) remember their being one in the past,3830
چون شناسد جان من جان ترا ** یاد آرند اتحاد ماجری
And on the earth become (as) Moses and Aaron, sweetly mingled like milk and honey.
موسی و هارون شوند اندر زمین ** مختلط خوش هم‌چو شیر و انگبین
When it (my spirit) recognises (thy spirit) a little and (then) denies (it), its denial becomes a veil covering (the truth).
چون شناسد اندک و منکر شود ** منکری‌اش پرده‌ی ساتر شود
Many a one who recognised (part of the truth) averted his face: that Moon was angered by his ingratitude.
پس شناسایی بگردانید رو ** خشم کرد آن مه ز ناشکری او
Hence the evil spirit became unable to recognise the spirit of the Prophet and turned on its heel.
زین سبب جان نبی را جان بد ** ناشناسا گشت و پشت پای زد
You have read all this: read (the Súra beginning with the words) Lam yakun, that you may know the obstinacy of that old infidel.3835
این همه خواندی فرو خوان لم یکن ** تا بدانی لج این گبر کهن
Ere the (bodily) form of Ahmad (Mohammed) displayed its glory, the description of him (in the Pentateuch and the Gospel) was a phylactery for every infidel.
پیش از آنک نقش احمد فر نمود ** نعت او هر گبر را تعویذ بود
“There is some one like this” (they said): “(let us wait) till he shall appear”; and their hearts were throbbing at the imagination of (seeing) his face.
کین چنین کس هست تا آید پدید ** از خیال روش دلشان می‌طپید
They were prostrating themselves (in prayer), crying, “O Lord of mankind, wilt Thou bring him before our eyes as quickly as may be?”
سجده می‌کردند کای رب بشر ** در عیان آریش هر چه زودتر