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
O (thou who art as) Khalíl (Abraham), here are no sparks and smoke: ’tis naught but the sorcery and deceit of Nimrod.
ای خلیل اینجا شرار و دود نیست ** جز که سحر و خدعه‌ی نمرود نیست
If, like the Friend of God, thou art wise, the fire is thy water, and thou art the moth.’”
چون خلیل حق اگر فرزانه‌ای ** آتش آب تست و تو پروانه‌ای
The soul of the moth is always crying, “Oh, alas, would that I had a hundred thousand wings,
جان پروانه همی‌دارد ندا ** کای دریغا صد هزارم پر بدی
That they might be consumed without mercy by the fire, to the blindness (confusion) of the eyes and hearts of the profane!440
تا همی سوزید ز آتش بی‌امان ** کوری چشم و دل نامحرمان
The ignorant man pities me from stupidity: I pity him from clairvoyance.
بر من آرد رحم جاهل از خری ** من برو رحم آرم از بینش‌وری
Especially this fire (of Love), which is the soul of (all) waters (delights); (but) the behaviour of the (ignorant) moth is contrary to ours.
خاصه این آتش که جان آبهاست ** کار پروانه به عکس کار ماست
It sees the light and goes into a Fire; the heart (of the mystic) sees the fire and goes into a Light.”
او ببینند نور و در ناری رود ** دل ببیند نار و در نوری شود
Such a (deceptive) game is played by the Glorious God in order that you may see who belongs to the kin of Khalíl (Abraham).
این چنین لعب آمد از رب جلیل ** تا ببینی کیست از آل خلیل
A fire has been given the semblance of water, and in the fire a fountain has been opened.445
آتشی را شکل آبی داده‌اند ** واندر آتش چشمه‌ای بگشاده‌اند
A magician by his art makes a dish of rice (appear to be) a dish full of (tiny) worms in the assembly;
ساحری صحن برنجی را به فن ** صحن پر کرمی کند در انجمن
(Or) by the breath (power) of magic he has caused a room to appear full of scorpions, though in truth there were no scorpions.
خانه را او پر ز کزدمها نمود ** از دم سحر و خود آن کزدم نبود
When sorcery produces a hundred such illusions, how (much greater) must be the cunning of the Creator of sorcery?
چونک جادو می‌نماید صد چنین ** چون بود دستان جادوآفرین
Of necessity, through the magic of God generation after generation have fallen down (been vanquished), like a woman (lying) flat beneath (sub marito). [Of necessity, through the magic of God generation after generation have fallen down (been vanquished), like a woman (lying) flat beneath (under her husband).]
لاجرم از سحر یزدان قرن قرن ** اندر افتادند چون زن زیر پهن
Their magicians were slaves and servants, and fell into the trap (of Divine cunning) like wagtails.450
ساحرانشان بنده بودند و غلام ** اندر افتادند چون صعوه به دام
Hark, read the Qur’án and behold lawful magic (in) the overthrow of plots (huge) as the mountains.