Without food and sleep it would not live half a moment; nor even with food and sleep does it live either.
بی‌خور و بی‌خواب نزید نیم دم ** با خور و با خواب نزید نیز هم
Without wick and oil it has no duration, and with wick and oil it is also faithless (transient),
بی‌فتیل و روغنش نبود بقا ** با فتیل و روغن او هم بی‌وفا
Inasmuch as its light, (being) related to (secondary) causes, is seeking death: how should it live when bright day is the death of it?430
زانک نور علتی‌اش مرگ‌جوست ** چون زید که روز روشن مرگ اوست
Likewise all the human senses are impermanent, because they are naught in the presence of the Day of Resurrection.
جمله حسهای بشر هم بی‌بقاست ** زانک پیش نور روز حشر لاست
The light of the senses and spirits of our fathers is not wholly perishable and naught, like the grass;
نور حس و جان بابایان ما ** نیست کلی فانی و لا چون گیا
But, like the stars and moonbeams, they all vanish in the radiance of the Sun.
لیک مانند ستاره و ماهتاب ** جمله محوند از شعاع آفتاب
’Tis just as the smart and pain of the flea's bite disappears when the snake comes in to you (and bites you).
آنچنان که سوز و درد زخم کیک ** محو گردد چون در آید مار الیک
’Tis just as the naked man jumped into the water, that in the water he might escape from the sting of the hornets:435
آنچنان که عور اندر آب جست ** تا در آب از زخم زنبوران برست
The hornets circle above (him), and when he puts out his head they do not spare him.
می‌کند زنبور بر بالا طواف ** چون بر آرد سر ندارندش معاف
The water is recollection (dhikr) of God, and the hornet is the remembrance, during this time, of such-and-such a woman or such-and-such a man.
آب ذکر حق و زنبور این زمان ** هست یاد آن فلانه وان فلان
Swallow (hold) your breath in the water of recollection and show fortitude, that you may be freed from the old thought and temptation.
دم بخور در آب ذکر و صبر کن ** تا رهی از فکر و وسواس کهن
After that, you yourself will assume the nature of that pure water entirely from head to foot.
بعد از آن تو طبع آن آب صفا ** خود بگیری جملگی سر تا به پا
As the noxious hornet flees from the water, so will it be afraid of (approaching) you.440
آنچنان که از آب آن زنبور شر ** می‌گریزد از تو هم گیرد حذر
After that, be far from the water, if you wish; for in your inmost soul you are of the same nature as the water, O fellow-servant.
بعد از آن خواهی تو دور از آب باش ** که بسر هم‌طبع آبی خواجه‌تاش
Those persons, then, who have passed from the world are not naught (nonexistent), but they are steeped in the (Divine) Attributes.
بس کسانی کز جهان بگذشته‌اند ** لا نیند و در صفات آغشته‌اند
All their attributes are (absorbed) in the Attributes of God, even as the star is (left) without trace in the presence of the sun.
در صفات حق صفات جمله‌شان ** هم‌چو اختر پیش آن خور بی‌نشان
If you demand a citation from the Qur’án, O recalcitrant, recite all of them shall be brought into Our presence.
گر ز قرآن نقل خواهی ای حرون ** خوان جمیع هم لدینا محضرون
(The person denoted by the word) muhdarún (brought into the presence) is not non-existent (ma‘dúm). Consider (this) well, that you may gain certain knowledge of the everlasting life (baqá) of the spirits.445
محضرون معدوم نبود نیک بین ** تا بقای روحها دانی یقین
The spirit debarred from everlasting life is exceedingly tormented; the spirit united (with God) in everlasting life is free from (every) barrier.
روح محجوب از بقا بس در عذاب ** روح واصل در بقا پاک از حجاب
I have told you the purpose of this lamp of animal sense-perception. Beware of seeking to become one (with it in spirit).
زین چراغ حس حیوان المراد ** گفتمت هان تا نجویی اتحاد
Make your spirit, O such-and-such, to be united speedily with the holy spirits of the Travellers (on the mystic Way).
روح خود را متصل کن ای فلان ** زود با ارواح قدس سالکان
Your hundred lamps, then, whether they die (are extinguished) or whether they stand (and burn), are separate (from each other) and are not single.
صد چراغت ار مرند ار بیستند ** پس جدا اند و یگانه نیستند
On that account these companions of ours are all at war, (but) no one (ever) heard of war amongst the prophets,450
زان همه جنگند این اصحاب ما ** جنگ کس نشنید اندر انبیا
Because the light of the prophets was the Sun, (while) the light of our senses is lamp and candle and smoke.
زانک نور انبیا خورشید بود ** نور حس ما چراغ و شمع و دود
One (of these lamps) dies, one lasts till daybreak; one is dim, another bright.
یک بمیرد یک بماند تا به روز ** یک بود پژمرده دیگر با فروز
The animal soul is (kept) alive by nutriment; however good or bad its state may be, it dies all the same.
جان حیوانی بود حی از غذا ** هم بمیرد او بهر نیک و بذی
If this lamp dies and is extinguished, (yet) how should the neighbour's house become dark?
گر بمیرد این چراغ و طی شود ** خانه‌ی همسایه مظلم کی شود
Inasmuch as without this (lamp) the light in that house is still maintained, hence (it follows that) the lamp of sense-perception is different in every house.455
نور آن خانه چو بی این هم به پاست ** پس چراغ حس هر خانه جداست
This is a parable of the animal soul, not a parable of the divine soul.
این مثال جان حیوانی بود ** نه مثال جان ربانی بود
Again, when the moon is born from the Hindú, Night, a light falls upon every window.
باز از هندوی شب چون ماه زاد ** در سر هر روزنی نوری فتاد
Count the light of those hundred houses as one, for the light of this (house) does not remain (in existence) without (the light of) the other.
نور آن صد خانه را تو یک شمر ** که نماند نور این بی آن دگر
So long as the sun is shining on the horizon, its light is a guest in every house;
تا بود خورشید تابان بر افق ** هست در هر خانه نور او قنق
Again, when the spiritual Sun sets, the light in all the houses disappears.460
باز چون خورشید جان آفل شود ** نور جمله خانه‌ها زایل شود
This is (only) a parable of the Light, not a (complete) similitude; for you (it is) a true guide, for the enemy (of the Light) a highwayman.
این مثال نور آمد مثل نی ** مر ترا هادی عدو را ره‌زنی
That evil-natured person resembles the spider: he weaves stinking veils (cobwebs).
بر مثال عنکبوت آن زشت‌خو ** پرده‌های گنده را بر بافد او
Of his own gossamer he made a veil over the Light: he made the eye of his apprehension blind.
از لعاب خویش پرده‌ی نور کرد ** دیده‌ی ادراک خود را کور کرد
If one takes hold of a horse's neck, he gains advantage; and if he takes hold of its leg, he receives a kick.