What of the hand? It (the sword) rends off even its (the tongue's) head—the head that from ignorance puts forth many a head (of pride and self-conceit).
دست چه بود خود سرش را بر کند ** آن سری کز جهل سرها می‌کند
I have said this to you, speaking hypothetically; otherwise, indeed, how far is its hand from being able to do that!510
این به تقدیر سخن گفتم ترا ** ورنه خود دستش کجا و آن کجا
Materterae si testiculi essent, ea avunculus esset: this is hypothetical—“if there were.” [(If) in regard to a maternal aunt there were testicles, she would would be a maternal uncle: this is hypothetical—“if there were.”]
خاله را خایه بدی خالو شدی ** این به تقدیر آمدست ار او بدی
(If) I say that between the tongue and the eye that is free from doubt there is a hundred thousand years' (journey), ’tis little (in comparison with the reality).
از زبان تا چشم کو پاک از شکست ** صد هزاران ساله گویم اندکست
Now come, do not despair! When God wills, light arrives from heaven in a single moment.
هین مشو نومید نور از آسمان ** حق چو خواهد می‌رسد در یک زمان
At every instant His power causes a hundred influences from the stars to reach the (subterranean) mines.
صد اثر در کانها از اختران ** می‌رساند قدرتش در هر زمان
The star (planet) of heaven deletes the darkness; the star of God is fixed in His Attributes.515
اختر گردون ظلم را ناسخست ** اختر حق در صفاتش راسخست
O thou that seekest help, the celestial sphere, (at a distance) of five hundred years' journey, is in effect nigh unto the earth.
چرخ پانصد ساله راه ای مستعین ** در اثر نزدیک آمد با زمین
’Tis (a journey of) three thousand five hundred years to Saturn; (yet) his special property acts incessantly (upon the earth).
سه هزاران سال و پانصد تا زحل ** دم بدم خاصیتش آرد عمل
He (God) rolls it up like a shadow at the return (of the sun): in the sun's presence what is (what avails) the length of the shadow?
در همش آرد چو سایه در ایاب ** طول سایه چیست پیش آفتاب
And from the pure star like souls replenishment is ever coming to the stars of heaven.
وز نفوس پاک اختروش مدد ** سوی اخترهای گردون می‌رسد
The outward (aspect) of those stars is our ruler, (but) our inward (essence) has become the ruler of the sky.520
ظاهر آن اختران قوام ما ** باطن ما گشته قوام سما
Explaining that (while) philosophers say that Man is the microcosm, theosophists say that Man is the macrocosm, the reason being that philosophy is confined to the phenomenal form of Man, whereas theosophy is connected with the essential truth of his true nature.
در بیان آنک حکما گویند آدمی عالم صغریست و حکمای اللهی گویند آدمی عالم کبریست زیرا آن علم حکما بر صورت آدمی مقصور بود و علم این حکما در حقیقت حقیقت آدمی موصول بود
Therefore in form thou art the microcosm, therefore in reality thou art the macrocosm.
پس به صورت عالم اصغر توی ** پس به معنی عالم اکبر توی
Externally the branch is the origin of the fruit; intrinsically the branch came into existence for the sake of the fruit.
ظاهر آن شاخ اصل میوه است ** باطنا بهر ثمر شد شاخ هست
If there had not been desire and hope of the fruit, how should the gardener have planted the root of the tree?
گر نبودی میل و اومید ثمر ** کی نشاندی باغبان بیخ شجر
Therefore in reality the tree was born of the fruit, (even) if in appearance it (the fruit) was generated by the tree.
پس به معنی آن شجر از میوه زاد ** گر به صورت از شجر بودش ولاد
Hence Mustafá (Mohammed) said, “Adam and the (other) prophets are (following) behind me under (my) banner.”525
مصطفی زین گفت که آدم و انبیا ** خلف من باشند در زیر لوا
For this reason that master of (all) sorts of knowledge has uttered the allegorical saying, “We are the last and the foremost.”
بهر این فرموده است آن ذو فنون ** رمز نحن اخرون السابقون
(That is to say), “If in appearance I am born of Adam, in reality I am the forefather of (every) forefather,
گر بصورت من ز آدم زاده‌ام ** من به معنی جد جد افتاده‌ام
Since the worship of the angels was (rendered) to him for my sake, and he ascended to the Seventh Heaven on my account.
کز برای من بدش سجده‌ی ملک ** وز پی من رفت بر هفتم فلک
Therefore in reality the Father (Adam) was born of me, therefore in reality the tree was born of the fruit.”
پس ز من زایید در معنی پدر ** پس ز میوه زاد در معنی شجر
The thought (idea), which is first, comes last into actuality, in particular the thought that is eternal.530
اول فکر آخر آمد در عمل ** خاصه فکری کو بود وصف ازل
To sum up, in a single moment the caravan is going from Heaven and coming here.
حاصل اندر یک زمان از آسمان ** می‌رود می‌آید ایدر کاروان
This way is not long for this caravan: how should the desert show itself formidable to him who has been granted success (by God)?
نیست بر این کاروان این ره دراز ** کی مفازه زفت آید با مفاز
The heart (spirit) is faring to the Ka‘ba at every moment, and through (Divine) bounty the body assumes the nature of the heart.
دل به کعبه می‌رود در هر زمان ** جسم طبع دل بگیرد ز امتنان
This longness and shortness appertains to the body: where God is, what is “long” and “short”?
این دراز و کوتهی مر جسم راست ** چه دراز و کوته آنجا که خداست
When God has transmuted the body, He makes its faring to be without league or mile.535
چون خدا مر جسم را تبدیل کرد ** رفتنش بی‌فرسخ و بی‌میل کرد
There are a hundred hopes at this (present) time. Step (forward), O youth, like a (true) lover and relinquish (idle) disputation.
صد امیدست این زمان بردار گام ** عاشقانه ای فتی خل الکلام
Albeit thou art closing thine eyelids, thou art asleep in the ship and voyaging (in safety).
گرچه پله‌ی چشم بر هم می‌زنی ** در سفینه خفته‌ای ره می‌کنی
Exposition of the Hadíth, "The parable of my community is the parable of the Ship (Ark) of Noah: whoso shall cleave to it is saved, and whoso shall hold back from it is drowned."
تفسیر این حدیث کی مثل امتی کمثل سفینة نوح من تمسک بها نجا و من تخلف عنها غرق
On this account the Prophet said, “I am as the Ship (Ark) in the Flood of Time.
بهر این فرمود پیغامبر که من ** هم‌چو کشتی‌ام به طوفان زمن
I and my Companions are as the Ship of Noah: whoso clings (to us) will gain (spiritual) graces.”
ما و اصحابم چو آن کشتی نوح ** هر که دست اندر زند یابد فتوح
When you are with the Shaykh you are far removed from wickedness: day and night you are a traveller and in a ship.540
چونک با شیخی تو دور از زشتیی ** روز و شب سیاری و در کشتیی
You are under the protection of a life-giving spirit: you are asleep in the ship, you are going on the way.
در پناه جان جان‌بخشی توی ** کشتی اندر خفته‌ای ره می‌روی
Do not break with the prophet of your days: do not rely on your own skill and footsteps.
مسکل از پیغامبر ایام خویش ** تکیه کم کن بر فن و بر کام خویش
Lion though you are, you are self-conceited and in error and contemptible when you go on the way without a guide.
گرچه شیری چون روی ره بی‌دلیل ** خویش‌بین و در ضلالی و ذلیل
Beware! Do not fly but with the wings of the Shaykh, that you may see (receive) the aid of the armies of the Shaykh.
هین مپر الا که با پرهای شیخ ** تا ببینی عون و لشکرهای شیخ
At one time the wave of his mercy is your pinion, at another moment the fire of his wrath is your carrier.545
یک زمانی موج لطفش بال تست ** آتش قهرش دمی حمال تست
Do not reckon his wrath to be the contrary of his mercy: behold the oneness of both (these qualities) in the effect.
قهر او را ضد لطفش کم شمر ** اتحاد هر دو بین اندر اثر
At one time he will make you green like the earth, at another time he will make you full of wind, and big.
یک زمان چون خاک سبزت می‌کند ** یک زمان پر باد و گبزت می‌کند
He gives the quality of inorganic things to the body of the knower (of God), in order that gay roses and eglantines may grow on it;
جسم عارف را دهد وصف جماد ** تا برو روید گل و نسرین شاد
But he (the Shaykh) alone sees (them), none sees but he: Paradise yields no scent but to the purified brain.
لیک او بیند نبیند غیر او ** جز به مغز پاک ندهد خلد بو
Empty your brain of disbelief in the Friend, that it may feel sweet odours from the rose-garden of the Friend;550
مغز را خالی کن از انکار یار ** تا که ریحان یابد از گلزار یار
So that you may feel the scent of Paradise from my Friend, as Mohammed the scent of the Merciful (God) from Yemen.
تا بیابی بوی خلد از یار من ** چون محمد بوی رحمن از یمن
If you stand in the rank of those who make the (spiritual) ascension, not-being (self-naughtedness) will bear you aloft, like Buráq.
در صف معراجیان گر بیستی ** چون براقت بر کشاند نیستی
’Tis not like the ascension of a piece of earth (an earthly being) to the moon; nay, but like the ascension of a cane to sugar.
نه چو معراج زمینی تا قمر ** بلک چون معراج کلکی تا شکر
’Tis not like the ascension of a vapour to the sky; nay, but like the ascension of an embryo to rationality.
نه چو معراج بخاری تا سما ** بل چو معراج جنینی تا نهی
The steed of not-being (self-naughtedness) became a goodly Buráq: it brings you to (real) existence, if you are non-existent (self-naughted).555
خوش براقی گشت خنگ نیستی ** سوی هستی آردت گر نیستی
Its hoof brushes the mountains and seas till it puts the world of sense perception behind.
کوه و دریاها سمش مس می‌کند ** تا جهان حس را پس می‌کند
Set your foot into the ship and keep going quickly, like the soul going towards the soul's Beloved.
پا بکش در کشتی و می‌رو روان ** چون سوی معشوق جان جان روان
(With) no hands and no feet, go to Eternity in the same fashion as that in which the spirits sped from non-existence.
دست نه و پای نه رو تا قدم ** آن چنانک تاخت جانها از عدم