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
If there had not been somnolence (dullness and inattention) in the hearer's hearing, the veil of logical reasoning would have been torn asunder in the discourse.
بردریدی در سخن پرده‌ی قیاس ** گر نبودی سمع سامع را نعاس
O Heaven, shower pearls on his (the Shaykh's) rede! O World, have shame of (be abashed by) his world!560
ای فلک بر گفت او گوهر ببار ** از جهان او جهانا شرم دار
If thou wilt shower (pearls), thy substance will become (increased in splendour) hundredfold: thy inorganic (matter) will become seeing and speaking.
گر بباری گوهرت صد تا شود ** جامدت بیننده و گویا شود
Therefore thou wilt have scattered a largesse for thine own sake, inasmuch as every stock of thine will be centupled.
پس نثاری کرده باشی بهر خود ** چونک هر سرمایه‌ی تو صد شود
Story of Bilqís' sending a gift from the city of Sabá to Solomon, on whom be peace.
قصه‌ی هدیه فرستادن بلقیس از شهر سبا سوی سلیمان علیه‌السلام
The gift of Bilqís was forty mules: their whole load consisted of bricks of gold.
هدیه‌ی بلقیس چل استر بدست ** بار آنها جمله خشت زر بدست
When he (the envoy) reached the open plain, belonging to Solomon, he saw that its carpet was (made) entirely of solid gold.
چون به صحرای سلیمانی رسید ** فرش آن را جمله زر پخته دید
He rode on gold for the distance of forty stages, till gold had no more esteem in his sight.565
بر سر زر تا چهل منزل براند ** تا که زر را در نظر آبی نماند
(Many) times they said, “Let us take the gold back to the treasury: what a (fruitless) quest are we (engaged) in!
بارها گفتند زر را وا بریم ** سوی مخزن ما چه بیگار اندریم
A spacious land of which the soil is pure gold—to bring gold thither as a gift is folly.”
عرصه‌ای کش خاک زر ده دهیست ** زر به هدیه بردن آنجا ابلهیست
O thou who hast brought intelligence to God as a gift, there intelligence is less (in value) than the dust of the road.
ای ببرده عقل هدیه تا اله ** عقل آنجا کمترست از خاک راه
When the worthlessness of the gift became apparent there (in Solomon's kingdom), shamefacedness was drawing them back (towards Bilqís);
چون کساد هدیه آنجا شد پدید ** شرمساریشان همی واپس کشید
(But) again they said, “Whether it be worthless or valuable, what matter to us? We are slaves (bound) to (obey) the command.570
باز گفتند ار کساد و ار روا ** چیست بر ما بنده فرمانیم ما
Whether we have to bring gold or earth, the command of the one who gives the command is to be executed.
گر زر و گر خاک ما را بردنیست ** امر فرمان‌ده به جا آوردنیست
If they command you to bring it back (to Bilqís), (then) take the gift back according to the command.”
گر بفرمایند که واپس برید ** هم به فرمان تحفه را باز آورید
When Solomon beheld that (gift), he laughed, saying, “When did I seek tharíd from you?
خنده‌ش آمد چون سلیمان آن بدید ** کز شما من کی طلب کردم ثرید
I do not bid you bestow gifts on me; nay, I bid you be worthy of the gifts (which I bestow);