Like a basket in water or a (ray of) light on glass: if they think it (comes) from themselves, ’tis (owing to) defect (of intelligence).
چون سبد در آب و نوری بر زجاج ** گر ز خود دانند آن باشد خداج
When it (the basket) is separated from the river, that perverse one will recognise that the sweet water within it was from the river;1280
چون جدا گردد ز جو داند عنود ** که اندرو آن آب خوش از جوی بود
The glass also will recognise, at the setting (of the moon), that those beams (of light) were from the beauteous shining moon.
آبگینه هم بداند از غروب ** که آن لمع بود از مه تابان خوب
When the (Divine) command “Arise!” opens his (the imitator's) eye, then he will laugh, like the (true) dawn, a second time.
چونک چشمش را گشاید امر قم ** پس بخندد چون سحر بار دوم
He will even laugh at his own (former) laughter which was produced in him in that (period of) imitation,
خنده‌ش آید هم بر آن خنده‌ی خودش ** که در آن تقلید بر می‌آمدش
And will say (to himself), “(Travelling) by all these far and long ways, and thinking that this was the Reality and that this was the Mystery and Secret,
گوید از چندین ره دور و دراز ** کین حقیقت بود و این اسرار و راز
How forsooth, in that valley (of imitation), did I rejoice from afar through blindness and confusion?1285
من در آن وادی چگونه خود ز دور ** شادیی می‌کردم از عمیا و شور
What was I fancying, and what was it (in truth)? My weak perception was showing (only) a weak image (of the reality).”
من چه می‌بستم خیال و آن چه بود ** درک سستم سست نقشی می‌نمود
Where is the thought of the (holy) men in relation to the child of the (mystic) Way? Where is his fancy in comparison with true realisation?
طفل راه را فکرت مردان کجاست ** کو خیال او و کو تحقیق راست
The thought of children is (of) the nurse or milk or raisins and walnuts or weeping and crying.
فکر طفلان دایه باشد یا که شیر ** یا مویز و جوز یا گریه و نفیر
The imitator is like a sick child, although he may have (at his disposal) subtle argumentation and (logical) proofs.
آن مقلد هست چون طفل علیل ** گر چه دارد بحث باریک و دلیل
That profundity in (dealing with) proofs and difficult problems is severing him from (spiritual) insight.1290
آن تعمق در دلیل و در شکال ** از بصیرت می‌کند او را گسیل
It took away (from him) the stock (of insight), which is the collyrium of his inmost consciousness, and applied itself to the discussion of (formal) problems.
مایه‌ای کو سرمه‌ی سر ویست ** برد و در اشکال گفتن کار بست
O imitator, turn back from Bukhárá: go to self-abasement (ba-khwárí) that thou mayst become a (spiritual) hero,
ای مقلد از بخارا باز گرد ** رو به خواری تا شوی تو شیرمرد
And that thou mayst behold within (thee) another Bukhárá, in the assembly-place whereof the champions are unlearned.
تا بخارای دگر بینی درون ** صفدران در محفلش لا یفقهون
Although the courier is a swift runner on land, when he goes to sea his sinews are broken.
پیک اگر چه در زمین چابک‌تگیست ** چون به دریا رفت بسکسته رگیست
He is only (like those of whom God says in the Qur’án) We have borne them on the land; (but) that one who is borne on the sea—he is somebody.1295
او حملناهم بود فی‌البر و بس ** آنک محمولست در بحر اوست کس
The King (God) hath great bounty: run (to receive it), O thou who hast become in pawn to an imagination and fancy.
بخشش بسیار دارد شه بدو ** ای شده در وهم و تصویری گرو
From conformity that simple disciple, too, was weeping in concert with the venerable (Shaykh);
آن مرید ساده از تقلید نیز ** گریه‌ای می‌کرد وفق آن عزیز
(For), like the deaf man, he regarded the (Shaykh's) weeping in the manner of a conformist and was unaware of the cause.
او مقلدوار هم‌چون مرد کر ** گریه می‌دید و ز موجب بی‌خبر
When he had wept a long while, he paid his respects and departed: the (Shaykh's) favourite disciple came quickly after him,
چون بسی بگریست خدمت کرد و رفت ** از پیش آمد مرید خاص تفت
And said, “O thou who art weeping like a witless cloud in concert with the weeping of the Shaykh (possessed) of insight,1300
گفت ای گریان چو ابر بی‌خبر ** بر وفاق گریه‌ی شیخ نظر
For God's sake, for God's sake, for God's sake, O loyal disciple, although in (thy) conformity thou art seeking (spiritual) profit,
الله الله الله ای وافی مرید ** گر چه درتقلید هستی مستفید
Take heed not to say, ‘I saw that (spiritual) king weeping, and I wept like him’; for that is denial (of his exalted state).”
تا نگویی دیدم آن شه می‌گریست ** من چو او بگریستم که آن منکریست
A weeping full of ignorance and conformity and (mere) opinion is not like the weeping of that trusted one.
گریه‌ی پر جهل و پر تقلید و ظن ** نیست هم‌چون گریه‌ی آن متمن
Do not judge (one) weeping by the analogy of (another) weeping: ’tis a long way from this weeping to that (weeping).
تو قیاس گریه بر گریه مساز ** هست زین گریه بدان راه دراز
That (weeping) is after a thirty years' (spiritual) warfare: the intellect can never get there.1305
هست آن از بعد سی‌ساله جهاد ** عقل آنجا هیچ نتواند فتاد
Beyond reason there are a hundred stages: deem not the intellect to be acquainted with that caravan.
هست زان سوی خرد صد مرحله ** عقل را واقف مدان زان قافله
His weeping is neither from sorrow nor from joy: (only) the spirit knows the weeping of (him who is) the fountain of beauties.
گریه‌ی او نه از غمست و نه از فرح ** روح داند گریه‌ی عین الملح
His weeping, his laughter—(both) are of Yonder (World) and transcend all that the intellect may conceive.
گریه‌ی او خنده‌ی او آن سریست ** زانچ وهم عقل باشد آن بریست
His tears are like his eye: how should the sightless eye become a (seeing) eye?
آب دیده‌ی او چو دیده‌ی او بود ** دیده‌ی نادیده دیده کی شود
That which he sees cannot be touched (apprehended) either by the analogical judgement of the intellect or by way of the senses.1310
آنچ او بیند نتان کردن مساس ** نه از قیاس عقل و نه از راه حواس
Night flees when Light comes from afar: what, then, should the darkness of Night know concerning Light?
شب گریزد چونک نور آید ز دور ** پس چه داند ظلمت شب حال نور
The gnat flees from the keen wind: what, then, should the gnat know of the (delicious) savour of the winds?
پشه بگریزد ز باد با دها ** پس چه داند پشه ذوق بادها
When the Eternal comes, the temporal is made vain: what, then, should the temporal know of Eternity?
چون قدیم آید حدث گردد عبث ** پس کجا داند قدیمی را حدث
When Eternity comes in contact with the temporal, it strikes it dumb; when it has naughted it, it makes it homogeneous (with itself).
بر حدث چون زد قدم دنگش کند ** چونک کردش نیست هم‌رنگش کند
You can find a hundred parallels (of this sort) if you wish, but I do not care (to supply them), O dervish.1315
گر بخواهی تو بیایی صد نظیر ** لیک من پروا ندارم ای فقیر
This Alif-Lám-Mím and Há-Mím—these Letters become, on (real) comprehension (of their meaning), like the rod of Moses.
این الم و حم این حروف ** چون عصای موسی آمد در وقوف
The (other) letters resemble these Letters outwardly but are subject (to them) in respect of the (sublime) attributes of the latter.
حرفها ماند بدین حرف از برون ** لیک باشد در صفات این زبون
A staff that any one takes on trial—how should it be described as being like that staff (Moses' rod)?
هر که گیرد او عصایی ز امتحان ** کی بود چون آن عصا وقت بیان
This Breath is (like the breath) of Jesus (in its effects); it is not (like) any wind and breath that arises from joy or sorrow.
عیسویست این دم نه هر باد و دمی ** که برآید از فرح یا از غمی
This Alif-Lám-Mím and Há-Mím, O father, have come from the presence of the Lord of Mankind.1320
این الم است و حم ای پدر ** آمدست از حضرت مولی البشر
What resemblance has any (other) alif-lám to these? Do not regard them with this (external) eye, if you have a (rational) soul.
هر الف لامی چه می‌ماند بدین ** گر تو جان داری بدین چشمش مبین
Although they are composed of letters, O sire, and resemble the composition of (words used by) the common folk, (yet they are not the same).
گر چه ترکیبش حروفست ای همام ** می‌بماند هم به ترکیب عوام
Mohammed is composed of flesh and skin; (but he is unique) although every body is homogeneous with him in its composition.
هست ترکیب محمد لحم و پوست ** گرچه در ترکیب هر تن جنس اوست
It hath flesh, it hath skin and bone; (yet) has this (ordinary) constitution the same (qualities as his)?
گوشت دارد پوست دارد استخوان ** هیچ این ترکیب را باشد همان
(No); for in that constitution (of Mohammed) there appeared miracles by which all (other) constitutions were vanquished.1325
که اندر آن ترکیب آمد معجزات ** که همه ترکیبها گشتند مات
Likewise, the composition of the (Letters) Há-Mím in the (Holy) Book is exceedingly lofty, while the others are low (in comparison),
هم‌چنان ترکیب حم کتاب ** هست بس بالا و دیگرها نشیب
Because from this composition comes life, like the blast of the trumpet (of Resurrection), (to those) in helplessness.
زانک زین ترکیب آید زندگی ** هم‌چو نفخ صور در درماندگی
By the dispensation of God Há-Mím becomes a dragon and cleaves the sea like the rod (of Moses).