How delightful is that Kitchen full of honey and sugar, of which these (worldly) monarchs are (only) the lick-platters!
حبذا آن مطبخ پر نوش و قند ** کین سلاطین کاسه‌لیسان ویند
How delightful is that Stack in the spiritual field, of which every (other) stack is (only) the gleaner!
حبذا آن خرمن صحرای دین ** که بود هر خرمن آن را دانه‌چین
How delightful is the Sea of painless Life, of which the Seven Seas are (only) a dewdrop!
حبذا دریای عمر بی‌غمی ** که بود زو هفت دریا شب‌نمی
When the Cup-bearer of Alast poured a draught upon this nitrous abject earth,390
جرعه‌ای چون ریخت ساقی الست ** بر سر این شوره خاک زیردست
The earth seethed, and we are (the result) of that seething. (O God, pour) another draught, for we are very effortless (unaspiring).
جوش کرد آن خاک و ما زان جوششیم ** جرعه‌ی دیگر که بس بی‌کوششیم
If ’twas permitted, I sang of non-existence; and if ’twas not to be told, lo, I was silent.
گر روا بد ناله کردم از عدم ** ور نبود این گفتنی نک تن زدم
This is the account of the bent (grovelling) duck, which is greed: learn of Khalíl (Abraham) that the duck ought to be killed.
این بیان بط حرص منثنیست ** از خلیل آموز که آن بط کشتنیست
In the duck there is much good and evil besides this, (but) I am afraid of missing other (more important) topics of discourse.
هست در بط غیر این بس خیر و شر ** ترسم از فوت سخنهای دگر
Description of the Peacock and its nature, and the cause of its being killed by Abraham, on whom be peace.
صفت طاوس و طبع او و سبب کشتن ابراهیم علیه‌السلام او را
Now we come to the two-coloured (double-faced) peacock, who displays himself for the sake of name and fame.395
آمدیم اکنون به طاوس دورنگ ** کو کند جلوه برای نام و ننگ
His desire is to catch people: he is ignorant of good and evil and of the result and use of that (catching).
همت او صید خلق از خیر و شر ** وز نتیجه و فایده‌ی آن بی‌خبر
He catches his prey ignorantly, like a trap: what knowledge has the trap concerning the purpose of its action?
بی‌خبر چون دام می‌گیرد شکار ** دام را چه علم از مقصود کار
What harm (comes) to the trap, or what benefit, from catching (its prey)? I wonder at its idle catching.
دام را چه ضر و چه نفع از گرفت ** زین گرفت بیهده‌ش دارم شگفت
O brother, thou hast uplifted thy friends with two hundred marks of affection, and (then) abandoned (them).
ای برادر دوستان افراشتی ** با دو صد دلداری و بگذاشتی
This has been thy business from the hour of (thy) birth: to catch people with the trap of love.400
کارت این بودست از وقت ولاد ** صید مردم کردن از دام وداد
From that pursuit (of people) and throng (of friends) and vainglory and self existence wilt thou get any warp or woof? Try and see!
زان شکار و انبهی و باد و بود ** دست در کن هیچ یابی تار و پود
Most (of thy life) is gone and the day is late; (yet) thou art still busy in pursuit of people.
بیشتر رفتست و بیگاهست روز ** تو به جد در صید خلقانی هنوز
Go on catching one and releasing another from the trap and pursuing another, like mean folk;
آن یکی می‌گیر و آن می‌هل ز دام ** وین دگر را صید می‌کن چون لام
Then again release this one and seek the other! Here's a game of heedless children!
باز این را می‌هل و می‌جو دگر ** اینت لعب کودکان بی‌خبر
Night comes, and nothing is caught in thy trap: the trap is naught but a headache (affliction) and shackle to thee.405
شب شود در دام تو یک صید نی ** دام بر تو جز صداع و قید نی
Therefore (in reality) thou wert catching thyself with the trap, for thou art imprisoned and disappointed of thy desire.
پس تو خود را صید می‌کردی به دام ** که شدی محبوس و محرومی ز کام
Is any owner of a trap in the world such a dolt that, like us, he tries to catch himself?
در زمانه صاحب دامی بود ** هم‌چو ما احمق که صید خود کند
Pursuit of the vulgar is like hunting pig: the fatigue is infinite, and ’tis unlawful to eat a morsel thereof.
چون شکار خوک آمد صید عام ** رنج بی‌حد لقمه خوردن زو حرام
That which is worth pursuing is Love alone; but how should He be contained in any one's trap?
آنک ارزد صید را عشقست و بس ** لیک او کی گنجد اندر دام کس
(Yet) perchance thou mayst come and be made His prey, thou mayst discard the trap, and go into His trap.410
تو مگر آیی و صید او شوی ** دام بگذاری به دام او روی
Love is saying very softly into my ear, “To be a prey is better than to be a hunter.
عشق می‌گوید به گوشم پست پست ** صید بودن خوش‌تر از صیادیست
Make thyself My fool and be a dupe: renounce the (high) estate of the sun, become a mote!
گول من کن خویش را و غره شو ** آفتابی را رها کن ذره شو
Become a dweller at My door and be homeless: do not pretend to be a candle, be a moth,
بر درم ساکن شو و بی‌خانه باش ** دعوی شمعی مکن پروانه باش
That thou mayst see (taste) the savour of Life and contemplate the sovereignty hidden in servitude.”
تا ببینی چاشنی زندگی ** سلطنت بینی نهان در بندگی
In this world you see the shoes upside down: the title of “kings” is conferred on (those who are really) bondsmen.415
نعل بینی بازگونه در جهان ** تخته‌بندان را لقب گشته شهان
Many a one who deserves to mount the scaffold with a halter on his throat—a crowd (gathers) round him, crying, “Behold, an emperor!”
بس طناب اندر گلو و تاج دار ** بر وی انبوهی که اینک تاجدار
(They are) like the tombs of infidels, outwardly (resembling) the robes ofParadise, (while) within (them) is the wrath of God Almighty and Glorious.
هم‌چو گور کافران بیرون حلل ** اندرون قهر خدا عز و جل
He (the worldling) has been plastered like the tombs: the veil of self-conceit has been brought before him (drawn over him).
چون قبور آن را مجصص کرده‌اند ** پرده‌ی پندار پیش آورده‌اند
Thy miserable nature is plastered with virtues, like a palm-tree of wax without (real) leaves and fruit.
طبع مسکینت مجصص از هنر ** هم‌چو نخل موم بی‌برگ و ثمر
Explaining that every one knows the mercy of God, and every one knows the wrath of God; and all are fleeing from the wrath of God and clinging to the mercy of God; but the Most High God has concealed wraths in mercy and mercies in wrath. This is God's mystification and disguise and contrivance to the end that the discerning who see by the Light of God may be separated from those who see (only) the present and the visible; for (He created death and life) that He might try you, which of you is most righteous in his works.
در بیان آنک لطف حق را همه کس داند و قهر حق را همه کس داند و همه از قهر حق گریزانند و به لطف حق در آویزان اما حق تعالی قهرها را در لطف پنهان کرد و لطفها را در قهر پنهان کرد نعل بازگونه و تلبیس و مکرالله بود تا اهل تمیز و ینظر به نور الله از حالی‌بینان و ظاهربینان جدا شوند کی لیبلوکم ایکم احسن عملا
One dervish said to another, “Tell (me), what was thy vision of the Presence of God?”420
گفت درویشی به درویشی که تو ** چون بدیدی حضرت حق را بگو
He replied, “My vision was ineffable; but for the sake of argument I will briefly declare a parable thereof.
گفت بی‌چون دیدم اما بهر قال ** بازگویم مختصر آن را مثال
I beheld Him with a fire on His left, and on the right a stream (like) Kawthar:
دیدمش سوی چپ او آذری ** سوی دست راست جوی کوثری
On His left an exceedingly world-consuming fire, on His right hand a sweet river.
سوی چپش بس جهان‌سوز آتشی ** سوی دست راستش جوی خوشی
One party put forth their hands towards the fire, (while) another party were rejoicing and intoxicated (with desire) for that Kawthar.
سوی آن آتش گروهی برده دست ** بهر آن کوثر گروهی شاد و مست
But ’twas a very topsy-turvy (mystifying) game in the path of every one doomed to perdition or blessed with salvation.425
لیک لعب بازگونه بود سخت ** پیش پای هر شقی و نیکبخت
Whoever went into the fire and sparks was emerging from the midst of the water;
هر که در آتش همی رفت و شرر ** از میان آب بر می‌کرد سر
Whoever went from the middle towards the water, he was at once found to be in the fire;
هر که سوی آب می‌رفت از میان ** او در آتش یافت می‌شد در زمان
Whoever went towards the right (hand) and the limpid water would put forth his head from the fire on the left;
هر که سوی راست شد و آب زلال ** سر ز آتش بر زد از سوی شمال
And he who went towards the fiery left, would emerge on the right.
وانک شد سوی شمال آتشین ** سر برون می‌کرد از سوی یمین
Few were they who hit upon (understood) the mystery of this occult (matter); consequently, seldom would any one go into the fire;430
کم کسی بر سر این مضمر زدی ** لاجرم کم کس در آن آتش شدی
(None would go) except him upon whom felicity was shed, so that he abandoned the water and took refuge in the fire.
جز کسی که بر سرش اقبال ریخت ** کو رها کرد آب و در آتش گریخت
The people made the pleasure that was actually present their object of worship; consequently the people were swindled by this game.
کرده ذوق نقد را معبود خلق ** لاجرم زین لعب مغبون بود خلق
Troop by troop and rank by rank, (they were) on their guard against the fire and fleeing greedily and in haste towards the water.
جوق‌جوق وصف صف از حرص و شتاب ** محترز ز آتش گریزان سوی آب
Of necessity, they lifted up their heads (emerged) from (amidst) the fire. Take warning, take warning, O heedless man!
لاجرم ز آتش برآوردند سر ** اعتبارالاعتبار ای بی‌خبر
The fire was crying, ‘O crazy fools, I am not fire, I am a delectable fountain.435
بانگ می‌زد آتش ای گیجان گول ** من نیم آتش منم چشمه‌ی قبول
A spell has been cast on thine eyes, O sightless one: come into me and never flee from the sparks.
چشم‌بندی کرده‌اند ای بی‌نظر ** در من آی و هیچ مگریز از شرر