O impudent man, instruction given to the worthless is like drawing a little design on a clod of earth.
هست تعلیم خسان ای چشم‌شوخ ** هم‌چو نقش خرد کردن بر کلوخ
Instruct thyself in love (of God) and (spiritual) insight; for that is like a design (engraved) on a solid mass of stone.
خویش را تعلیم کن عشق و نظر ** که آن بود چون نقش فی جرم الحجر
Your own self is the (only) pupil that is (really) faithful to you: (all) the others perish: where will you seek them, where?3195
نفس تو با تست شاگرد وفا ** غیر فانی شد کجا جویی کجا
In order that you may make others erudite and eminent, you are making yourself evil-natured and empty (of true knowledge).
تا کنی مر غیر را حبر و سنی ** خویش را بدخو و خالی می‌کنی
(But) when your heart is united with that Eden (of Reality), hark, speak on, and be not afraid of becoming empty.
متصل چون شد دلت با آن عدن ** هین بگو مهراس از خالی شدن
Hence the (Divine) command, ‘Speak!’ came to him (the Prophet), saying, ‘O righteous one, it will not fail: this is an (infinite) ocean.’
امر قل زین آمدش کای راستین ** کم نخواهد شد بگو دریاست این
(God said), ‘Be ye silent,’ that is, ‘do not waste your water in idle talk, for the orchard is dry-lipped (thirsty).’
انصتوا یعنی که آبت را بلاغ ** هین تلف کم کن که لب‌خشکست باغ
This discourse hath no end, O father: leave this discourse and consider the end.3200
این سخن پایان ندارد ای پدر ** این سخن را ترک کن پایان نگر
I am not jealous that they (your pupils) stand (listening) in your presence: they are (really) mocking you, they are not lovers.
غیرتم آید که پیشت بیستند ** بر تو می‌خندند عاشق نیستند
Behold your (true) lovers behind the veil of the (Divine) Bounty, crying aloud for you continually.
عاشقانت در پس پرده‌ی کرم ** بهر تو نعره‌زنان بین دم بدم
Be the lover of those unseen lovers: do not cherish the lovers who last (no more than) five days;
عاشق آن عاشقان غیب باش ** عاشقان پنج روزه کم تراش
For they have devoured you by means of a (great) deceit and attraction (exerted upon you), and during (many) years you have never seen a grain (of profit) from them.
که بخوردندت ز خدعه و جذبه‌ای ** سالها زیشان ندیدی حبه‌ای
How long will you set up a show on the public road? You are footsore (with travel), and no desire (of yours) has been fulfilled.3205
چند هنگامه نهی بر راه عام ** گام خستی بر نیامد هیچ کام
When you enjoy good health all of them are your friends and comrades, (but) in the hour of pain and sorrow where is any familiar friend but God?
وقت صحت جمله یارند و حریف ** وقت درد و غم به جز حق کو الیف
In the hour of eye-ache or toothache will any one take your hand (to help) except Him who comes at the cry of distress?
وقت درد چشم و دندان هیچ کس ** دست تو گیرد به جز فریاد رس
Therefore (always) recollect that sickness and pain: take warning (from it), like Ayáz from that sheepskin jacket.
پس همان درد و مرض را یاد دار ** چون ایاز از پوستین کن اعتبار
Your experience of pain is the sheepskin jacket which Ayáz took into his hand.”
پوستین آن حالت درد توست ** که گرفتست آن ایاز آن را به دست
How the Necessitarian infidel again replied to the Sunní who was inviting him to accept Islam and abandon his belief in Necessity, and how the debate was prolonged on both sides; for this difficult and controversial matter cannot be decided except by the real love that has no further interest in it—“and that is God's grace: He bestows it on whom He pleases.”
باز جواب گفتن آن کافر جبری آن سنی را کی باسلامش دعوت می‌کرد و به ترک اعتقاد جبرش دعوت می‌کرد و دراز شدن مناظره از طرفین کی ماده‌ی اشکال و جواب را نبرد الا عشق حقیقی کی او را پروای آن نماند و ذلک فضل الله یتیه من یشاء
The Necessitarian infidel began his reply, by which that eloquent man (the Sunní) was confounded;3210
کافر جبری جواب آغاز کرد ** که از آن حیران شد آن منطیق مرد
But if I relate all those answers and questions, I shall be unable to get on with this Discourse.
لیک گر من آن جوابات و سال ** جمله را گویم بمانم زین مقال
We have things of greater importance to say, whereby your understanding will obtain a better clue.
زان مهم‌تر گفتنیها هستمان ** که بدان فهم تو به یابد نشان
We have told (only) a little of that disputation, O fierce debater, (but) from a little (part) the principle of the whole is evident.
اندکی گفتیم زان بحث ای عتل ** ز اندکی پیدا بود قانون کل
Similarly, there is a disputation, (which will continue) till mankind are raised from the dead, between the Necessitarians and the partisans of (absolute) Freewill.
هم‌چنین بحثست تا حشر بشر ** در میان جبری و اهل قدر
If he (the disputant of either party) had been incapable of refuting his adversary, their (respective) doctrines would have fallen out of sight (would have failed to maintain themselves),3215
گر فرو ماندی ز دفع خصم خویش ** مذهب ایشان بر افتادی ز پیش
Since (in that case) they (the disputants) would not have had the means of escape (which consists) in replying (to their opponents), they would therefore have recoiled from the way of perdition (from their erroneous doctrines);
چون برون‌شوشان نبودی در جواب ** پس رمیدندی از آن راه تباب
(But) inasmuch as their continuance in that course was (Divinely) destined, God feeds them with (logical) proofs,
چونک مقضی بد دوام آن روش ** می‌دهدشان از دلایل پرورش
In order that he (the disputant) may not be silenced by his adversary's difficult objection, and that he may be prevented from seeing his adversary's success,
تا نگردد ملزم از اشکال خصم ** تا بود محجوب از اقبال خصم
So that these two-and-seventy sects may always remain in the world till the Day of Resurrection.
تا که این هفتاد و دو ملت مدام ** در جهان ماند الی یوم القیام
Since this is the world of darkness and occultation, the earth is necessary for (the existence of) the shadow.3220
چون جهان ظلمتست و غیب این ** از برای سایه می‌باید زمین
These two-and-seventy (sects) will remain till the Resurrection: the heretic's talk and argument will not fail.
تا قیامت ماند این هفتاد و دو ** کم نیاید مبتدع را گفت و گو
The high value of a treasury is (shown by the circumstance) that there are many locks upon it.
عزت مخزن بود اندر بها ** که برو بسیار باشد قفلها
The greatness of the (traveller's) goal, O well-tried man, is (shown by) the intricate windings of the way and the mountain-passes and the brigands (infesting them).
عزت مقصد بود ای ممتحن ** پیچ پیچ راه و عقبه و راه‌زن
The greatness of the Ka‘ba and its assembly-place is (shown by) the brigandage of the Beduins and the length of the desert (traversed by the pilgrims).
عزت کعبه بود و آن نادیه ** ره‌زنی اعراب و طول بادیه
Every (religious) doctrine, every tenet, that is not praiseworthy is (like) a mountain-pass and a barrier and a brigand.3225
هر روش هر ره که آن محمود نیست ** عقبه‌ای و مانعی و ره‌زنیست
This doctrine has become the adversary and bitter enemy of that, so that the imitator (who adopts the beliefs of others) is in a dilemma;
این روش خصم و حقود آن شده ** تا مقلد در دو ره حیران شده
(For) he sees that both the opponents are firm in their doctrine: every sect is pleased with its own path.
صدق هر دو ضد بیند در روش ** هر فریقی در ره خود خوش منش
If it has no reply (to the arguments brought against it), it will cling obstinately to the same formula till the Day of Resurrection,
گر جوابش نیست می‌بندد ستیز ** بر همان دم تا به روز رستخیز
Saying, “Our great authorities know the reply to this, although the right method (of answering) is hidden from us.”
که مهان ما بدانند این جواب ** گرچه از ما شد نهان وجه صواب
The only muzzle for evil suggestions (of doubt) is Love; else, when has any one (ever) stopped (such) temptation?3230
پوزبند وسوسه عشقست و بس ** ورنه کی وسواس را بستست کس
Become a lover, seek a fair minion, hunt a waterfowl from river to river.
How will you get water (spirituality) from that one who takes your water away? How will you apprehend (the truth) from that one (who) consumes your (spiritual) apprehension?
کی بری زان آب کان آبت برد ** کی کنی زان فهم فهمت را خورد
In Love, (which is) glorious and resplendent, you will find intelligible things other than these intelligible things.
غیر این معقولها معقولها ** یابی اندر عشق با فر و بها
To God belong intelligences other than this intelligence of yours, (intelligences) by which the mediate celestial things are ruled;
غیر این عقل تو حق را عقلهاست ** که بدان تدبیر اسباب سماست
For by this (individual) intelligence you procure the means of subsistence, (while) by that other (universal intelligence) you make the tiers of Heaven a carpet (under your feet).3235
که بدین عقل آوری ارزاق را ** زان دگر مفرش کنی اطباق را
When you gamble away (sacrifice) your intelligence in love of the Lord, He gives you ten like unto it or seven hundred.
چون ببازی عقل در عشق صمد ** عشر امثالت دهد یا هفت‌صد
Those women (of Egypt), when they gambled away (sacrificed) their intelligences, sped onward to the pavilion of Joseph's love.
آن زنان چون عقلها درباختند ** بر رواق عشق یوسف تاختند
(Love which is) the cupbearer of life took away their intelligence in one moment: they drank their fill of wisdom all the rest of their lives.
عقلشان یک‌دم ستد ساقی عمر ** سیر گشتند از خرد باقی مرد
The beauty of the Almighty is the source of a hundred Josephs: O you who are less than a woman, devote yourself to that beauty!
اصل صد یوسف جمال ذوالجلال ** ای کم از زن شو فدای آن جمال
O (dear) soul, Love alone cuts disputation short, for it (alone) comes to the rescue when you cry for help against arguments.3240
عشق برد بحث را ای جان و بس ** کو ز گفت و گو شود فریاد رس
Eloquence is dumbfounded by Love: it dare not engage in altercation;
حیرتی آید ز عشق آن نطق را ** زهره نبود که کند او ماجرا
For he (the lover) fears that, if he answer back, a pearl (his inner experience) may fall out of his mouth.
که بترسد گر جوابی وا دهد ** گوهری از لنج او بیرون فتد