Thou hast scribed the nún of the eyebrow, the sád of the eye, and the jím of the ear as a distraction to a hundred minds and understandings.
نون ابرو صاد چشم و جیم گوش ** بر نوشتی فتنه‌ی صد عقل و هوش
By those letters of Thine the intellect is made to weave subtle coils (of perplexity): write on, O accomplished Calligrapher!
زان حروفت شد خرد باریک‌ریس ** نسخ می‌کن ای ادیب خوش‌نویس
At each moment Thou shapest beauteously pictured forms of phantasy, suitable to every thought, upon (the page of) non-existence.
در خور هر فکر بسته بر عدم ** دم به دم نقش خیالی خوش رقم
On the tablet of phantasy Thou inscribest wondrous letters— eye and profile and cheek and mole.
حرفهای طرفه بر لوح خیال ** بر نوشته چشم و عارض خد و خال
I am drunken with desire for non-existence, not for the existent, because the Beloved of (the world of) non-existence is more faithful.315
بر عدم باشم نه بر موجود مست ** زانک معشوق عدم وافی‌ترست
He (God) made the intellect a reader of those figured characters, that thereby He might put an end to its contrivances.
عقل را خط خوان آن اشکال کرد ** تا دهد تدبیرها را زان نورد
Comparison of the Guarded Tablet (the Logos), and the perception there from by every individual's mind of his daily fate and portion and lot, to the daily perception (of the Divine decree) by Gabriel, on whom be peace, from the Most Great Tablet.
تمثیل لوح محفوظ و ادراک عقل هر کسی از آن لوح آنک امر و قسمت و مقدور هر روزه‌ی ویست هم چون ادراک جبرئیل علیه‌السلام هر روزی از لوح اعظم عقل مثال جبرئیلست و نظر او به تفکر به سوی غیبی که معهود اوست در تفکر و اندیشه‌ی کیفیت معاش و بیرون شو کارهای هر روزینه مانند نظر جبرئیلست در لوح و فهم کردن او از لوح
Like the Angel, the intellect receives (reads) every morning its daily lesson from the Guarded Tablet.
چون ملک از لوح محفوظ آن خرد ** هر صباحی درس هر روزه برد
Behold the inscriptions made without (use of) fingers upon non-existence and the amazement of the madmen at the blackness of them.
بر عدم تحریرها بین بی‌بنان ** و از سوادش حیرت سوداییان
Every one is infatuated with some phantasy and digs in corners in mad desire for a (buried) treasure.
هر کسی شد بر خیالی ریش گاو ** گشته در سودای گنجی کنج‌کاو
By a phantasy one person is filled with (desire for) magnificence and turns his face towards the mines (of precious ore) in the mountains;320
از خیالی گشته شخصی پرشکوه ** روی آورده به معدنهای کوه
And, (inspired) by a phantasy, another sets his face with bitter toil towards the sea for the sake of pearls;
وز خیالی آن دگر با جهد مر ** رو نهاده سوی دریا بهر در
And another (goes) into a church to perform religious exercises, while another (betakes himself) to sowing in his greed (for gain).
وآن دگر بهر ترهب در کنشت ** وآن یکی اندر حریصی سوی کشت
Through phantasy that one becomes the waylayer (destroyer) of him who has escaped (unhurt); and through phantasy this (other) becomes the salve (deliverer) of him who has been (sorely) wounded.
از خیال آن ره‌زن رسته شده ** وز خیال این مرهم خسته شده
One loses his soul in the invocation of demons, while another sets his foot upon the stars.
در پری‌خوانی یکی دل کرده گم ** بر نجوم آن دیگری بنهاده سم
He (the observer) sees that these modes of action in the external world are diverse (since they arise) from the various phantasies within.325
این روشها مختلف بیند برون ** زان خیالات ملون ز اندرون
This man (engaged in some occupation) is amazed at that man (occupied with something else) and says, “What is he about?” Every taster denies the other (whose taste is different).
این در آن حیران شده کان بر چیست ** هر چشنده آن دگر را نافیست
Unless those phantasies were incongruous, how did the modes of action become diverse externally?
آن خیالات ار نبد نامتلف ** چون ز بیرون شد روشها مختلف
Since the qibla (the true object) of the soul has been hidden, every one has turned his face to a (different) quarter.
قبله‌ی جان را چو پنهان کرده‌اند ** هر کسی رو جانبی آورده‌اند
Comparison of the different practices and the various aspirations (of mankind) to the disagreement of those who at prayer-time endeavour to find the qibla (direction of Mecca) when it is dark, and to the search of divers (for pearls) at the bottom of the sea.
تمثیل روشهای مختلف و همتهای گوناگون به اختلاف تحری متحریان در وقت نماز قبله را در وقت تاریکی و تحری غواصان در قعر بحر
(They are) like folk trying to find (the direction of the Ka‘ba) and (each) turning in a certain direction which they fancy is the qibla:
هم‌چو قومی که تحری می‌کنند ** بر خیال قبله سویی می‌تنند
When at dawn the Ka‘ba appears, it is discovered who has lost the (right) way;330
چونک کعبه رو نماید صبحگاه ** کشف گردد که کی گم کردست راه
Or like divers under the depth of the (sea)-water, every one (of whom) picks up something in haste:
یا چو غواصان به زیر قعر آب ** هر کسی چیزی همی‌چیند شتاب
In hope of (getting) precious jewels and pearls, they fill their bags with that and this;
بر امید گوهر و در ثمین ** توبره پر می‌کنند از آن و این
When they come up from the floor of the deep sea, the possessor of the great pearls is discovered,
چون بر آیند از تگ دریای ژرف ** کشف گردد صاحب در شگرف
And (also) the other who got the small pearls, and the other who got (only) pebbles and worthless shells.
وآن دگر که برد مروارید خرد ** وآن دگر که سنگ‌ریزه و شبه برد
Even thus in the Sáhira (place of Judgement) a shameful overwhelming tribulation will afflict them (the followers of phantasy).335
هکذی یبلوهم بالساهره ** فتنة ذات افتضاح قاهره
Similarly, every class of people in the world are fluttering like moths round a candle.
هم‌چنین هر قوم چون پروانگان ** گرد شمعی پرزنان اندر جهان
They attach themselves to a fire and circle round their own candle
خویشتن بر آتشی برمی‌زنند ** گرد شمع خود طوافی می‌کنند
In the hope of (gaining) the blessed fire of Moses, by the flame whereof the tree is made more green (flourishing).
بر امید آتش موسی بخت ** کز لهیبش سبزتر گردد درخت
Every troop (of them) has heard of the excellence of that fire, and all imagine that any spark is that (same fire).
فضل آن آتش شنیده هر رمه ** هر شرر را آن گمان برده همه
When the Light of Everlastingness rises at dawn, each (candle) reveals what (manner of) candle it was.340
چون برآید صبحدم نور خلود ** وا نماید هر یکی چه شمع بود
Whosoever's wings were burnt by the candle of victory, that goodly candle bestows on him eighty wings;
هر کرا پر سوخت زان شمع ظفر ** بدهدش آن شمع خوش هشتاد پر
(But) beneath the bad candle many a moth, whose eyes were sealed, is left (lying) with burnt wings,
جوق پروانه‌ی دو دیده دوخته ** مانده زیر شمع بد پر سوخته
Quivering in sorrow and anguish, lamenting the vain desire that seals the eyes.
می‌طپد اندر پشیمانی و سوز ** می‌کند آه از هوای چشم‌دوز
Its candle says (to it), “Since I am burnt, how should I deliver thee from burning (grief) and oppression?”
شمع او گوید که چون من سوختم ** کی ترا برهانم از سوز و ستم
Its candle weeps, saying, “My head is consumed: how should I make another resplendent?”345
شمع او گریان که من سرسوخته ** چون کنم مر غیر را افروخته
[Explanation of “Alas for the servants (of God)!”]
تفسیر یا حسرة علی العباد
It (the moth) says, “I was deceived by thy (outward) features and (too) late did I regard thy (inward) condition.”
او همی گوید که از اشکال تو ** غره گشتم دیر دیدم حال تو
The candle is extinguished, the wine is gone, and the Beloved has withdrawn himself from the disgrace of our squintness.
شمع مرده باده رفته دلربا ** غوطه خورد از ننگ کژبینی ما
Thy profits have become a loss and penalty: thou complainest bitterly to God of thy blindness.
ظلت الارباح خسرا مغرما ** نشتکی شکوی الی الله العمی
How excellent are the spirits of brethren trustworthy, self-surrendering, believing, obeying!
حبذا ارواح اخوان ثقات ** مسلمات مومنات قانتات
Every one (else) has turned his face in some direction, but those holy ones have turned towards that which transcends direction.350
هر کسی رویی به سویی برده‌اند ** وان عزیزان رو به بی‌سو کرده‌اند
Every (other) pigeon flies on some course, but this pigeon (flies) in a region where no region is.
هر کبوتر می‌پرد در مذهبی ** وین کبوتر جانب بی‌جانبی
We are neither birds of the air nor domestic (fowls): our grain is the grain of grainlessness.
ما نه مرغان هوا نه خانگی ** دانه‌ی ما دانه‌ی بی‌دانگی
Our daily bread is so ample because our stitching the coat (of bodily existence) has become the tearing (of it to pieces).
زان فراخ آمد چنین روزی ما ** که دریدن شد قبادوزی ما
The reason why the name farají was first given to the garment known by that name.
سبب آنک فرجی را نام فرجی نهادند از اول
A certain Súfí tore his jubba in distress: after (its) tearing, relief (faraj) came to him.
صوفیی بدرید جبه در حرج ** پیشش آمد بعد به دریدن فرج
He bestowed the name farají on that torn (garment): from that man (who was) a confidant (of God) this title became well known.355
کرد نام آن دریده فرجی ** این لقب شد فاش زان مرد نجی
This title became well known; but (only) the (Súfí) Shaykh apprehended the pure (essence) thereof: in the nature of the (common) people the (mere) letter, (which is) the dregs, remained.
این لقب شد فاش و صافش شیخ برد ** ماند اندر طبع خلقان حرف درد
Similarly, (with) every name, he (the Shaykh) has kept the pure (essence) and left the (mere) name behind, like dregs.
هم‌چنین هر نام صافی داشتست ** اسم را چون دردیی بگذاشتست
Whosoever is a clay-eater (corporealist) took the dregs, (but) the Súfí went impatiently towards the pure (essence).
هر که گل خوارست دردی را گرفت ** رفت صوفی سوی صافی ناشکفت
He said (to himself), “Of necessity the dregs have a pure (essence): by means of this indication the heart advances to purity.”
گفت لابد درد را صافی بود ** زین دلالت دل به صفوت می‌رود
The dregs are difficulty and their pure (essence) is their ease: the pure (essence) is like the ripe date, and the dregs (are like) the date in its immature stage.360
درد عسر افتاد و صافش یسر او ** صاف چون خرما و دردی بسر او