“I am not (like) Pharaoh that I should come to the Nile; I am going towards the fire, like Khalíl (Abraham).
من نیم فرعون کایم سوی نیل ** سوی آتش می‌روم من چون خلیل
’Tis not fire; (in reality) ’tis flowing water, (while) the other, through (Divine) cunning, is water whereof the (real) nature is fire.
نیست آتش هست آن ماء معین ** وآن دگر از مکر آب آتشین
Excellently well said the complaisant Prophet, “A mote of intelligence is better for thee than fasting and performing the ritual prayer,”
پس نکو گفت آن رسول خوش‌جواز ** ذره‌ای عقلت به از صوم و نماز
Because thy intelligence is the substance, (whereas) these two (things) are accidents: these two are made obligatory in (the case of persons who possess) the full complement of it,455
زانک عقلت جوهرست این دو عرض ** این دو در تکمیل آن شد مفترض
In order that the mirror (intelligence) may have (a bright) lustre; for purity comes to the breast (heart) from piety.
تا جلا باشد مر آن آیینه را ** که صفا آید ز طاعت سینه را
But if the mirror is fundamentally depraved, (only) after a long time does the polisher get it back (to purity);
لیک گر آیینه از بن فاسدست ** صیقل او را دیر باز آرد به دست
While (in the case of) the fine mirror, which is (like) a goodly planting-ground, a little polishing is enough for it.
وان گزین آیینه که خوش مغرس است ** اندکی صیقل گری آن را بس است
The diversity of intelligences in their nature as originally created; (a doctrine) opposed to (that of) the Mu‘tazilites, who assert that particular (individual) intelligences are originally equal, and that this superiority and diversity is the result of learning and training and experience.
تفاوت عقول در اصل فطرت خلاف معتزله کی ایشان گویند در اصل عقول جز وی برابرند این افزونی و تفاوت از تعلم است و ریاضت و تجربه
Know well that intelligences differ thus in degree from the earth to the sky.
این تفاوت عقلها را نیک دان ** در مراتب از زمین تا آسمان
There is an intelligence like the orb of the sun; there is an intelligence inferior to (the planet) Venus and the meteor.460
هست عقلی هم‌چو قرص آفتاب ** هست عقلی کمتر از زهره و شهاب
There is an intelligence like a tipsy (flickering) lamp; there is an intelligence like a star of fire,
هست عقلی چون چراغی سرخوشی ** هست عقلی چون ستاره‌ی آتشی
Because, when the cloud is removed from it, it produces intellects that behold the Light of God.
زانک ابر از پیش آن چون وا جهد ** نور یزدان‌بین خردها بر دهد
The particular intelligence has given the (universal) intelligence a bad name: worldly desire has deprived the (worldly) man of his desire (in the world hereafter).
عقل جزوی عقل را بدنام کرد ** کام دنیا مرد را بی‌کام کرد
That (universal intelligence), through being a prey (to God), beheld the beauty of the (Divine) Hunting, while this (particular intelligence), through being a hunter (of worldly goods), suffered the pain of being a prey (to perdition).
آن ز صیدی حسن صیادی بدید ** وین ز صیادی غم صیدی کشید
The former, through service, gained the pride of lordship, while the latter, through lordship, turned from the path of glory.465
آن ز خدمت ناز مخدومی بیافت ** وآن ز مخدومی ز راه عز بتافت
The latter, through being a Pharaoh, was taken captive by the water (of perdition), while the Israelites, through captivity, became (mighty as) a hundred Suhrábs.
آن ز فرعونی اسیر آب شد ** وز اسیری سبط صد سهراب شد
’Tis a topsy-turvy game and a terrible quandary; do not try (to escape by) cunning: ’tis (all) a matter of (Divine) favour and fortune.
لعب معکوسست و فرزین‌بند سخت ** حیله کم کن کار اقبالست و بخت
Do not weave plots in vain imagination and cunning; for the Self-sufficient One does not give way to the contriver.
بر حیال و حیله کم تن تار را ** که غنی ره کم دهد مکار را
Contrive, in the way of (by following the guidance of) one who serves (God) well, that you may gain the position of a prophet in a religious community.
مکر کن در راه نیکو خدمتی ** تا نبوت یابی اندر امتی
Contrive that you may be delivered from your own contrivance; contrive that you may become detached from the body.470
مکر کن تا وا رهی از مکر خود ** مکر کن تا فرد گردی از جسد
Contrive that you may become the meanest slave (of God): if you enter into (the state of) meanness (self-abasement), you will become lordly.
مکر کن تا کمترین بنده شوی ** در کمی رفتی خداونده شوی
Never, O old wolf, practise foxiness and perform service with the purpose of (gaining) lordship;
روبهی و خدمت ای گرگ کهن ** هیچ بر قصد خداوندی مکن
But rush into the fire like a moth: do not hoard up that (service), play for love!
لیک چون پروانه در آتش بتاز ** کیسه‌ای زان بر مدوز و پاک باز
Renounce power and adopt piteous supplication: (the Divine) mercy comes towards piteous supplication, O dervish.
زور را بگذار و زاری را بگیر ** رحم سوی زاری آید ای فقیر
The piteous supplication of one sorely distressed and athirst is real; the piteous (but) cold supplication of falsehood is proper to the miscreant.475
زاری مضطر تشنه معنویست ** زاری سرد دروغ آن غویست
The weeping of Joseph's brethren is a trick, for their hearts are full of envy and infirmity.
گریه‌ی اخوان یوسف حیلتست ** که درونشان پر ز رشک و علتست
Story of the Arab of the desert whose dog was dying of hunger, while his wallet was full of bread; he was lamenting over the dog and reciting poetry and sobbing and beating his head and face; and yet he grudged the dog a morsel from his wallet.
حکایت آن اعرابی کی سگ او از گرسنگی می‌مرد و انبان او پر نان و بر سگ نوحه می‌کرد و شعر می‌گفت و می‌گریست و سر و رو می‌زد و دریغش می‌آمد لقمه‌ای از انبان به سگ دادن
The dog was dying, and the Arab sobbing, shedding tears, and crying, “Oh, sorrow!”
آن سگی می‌مرد و گریان آن عرب ** اشک می‌بارید و می‌گفت ای کرب
A beggar passed by and asked, “What is this sobbing? For whom is thy mourning and lamentation?”
سایلی بگذشت و گفت این گریه چیست ** نوحه و زاری تو از بهر کیست
He replied, “There was in my possession a dog of excellent disposition. Look, he is dying on the road.
گفت در ملکم سگی بد نیک‌خو ** نک همی‌میرد میان راه او
He hunted for me by day and kept watch by night; (he was) keen-eyed and (good at) catching the prey and driving off thieves.”480
روز صیادم بد و شب پاسبان ** تیزچشم و صیدگیر و دزدران
He (the beggar) asked, “What ails him? Has he been wounded?” The Arab replied, “Ravenous hunger has made him (so) lamentable.”
گفت رنجش چیست زخمی خورده است ** گفت جوع الکلب زارش کرده است
“Show some patience,” said he, “in (bearing) this pain and anguish: the grace of God bestows a recompense on those who are patient.”
گفت صبری کن برین رنج و حرض ** صابران را فضل حق بخشد عوض
Afterwards he said to him, “O noble chief, what is this full wallet in your hand?”
بعد از آن گفتش کای سالار حر ** چیست اندر دستت این انبان پر
He replied, “My bread and provender and food left over from last night, (which) I am taking along (with me) to nourish my body.”
گفت نان و زاد و لوت دوش من ** می‌کشانم بهر تقویت بدن
“Why don't you give (some) bread and provender to the dog?” he asked. He replied, “I have not love and liberality to this extent.485
گفت چون ندهی بدان سگ نان و زاد ** گفت تا این حد ندارم مهر و داد
Bread cannot be obtained (by a traveller) on the road without money, but water from the eyes costs nothing.”
دست ناید بی‌درم در راه نان ** لیک هست آب دو دیده رایگان
He (the beggar) said, “Earth be on your head, O water-skin full of wind! for in your opinion a crust of bread is better than tears.”
گفت خاکت بر سر ای پر باد مشک ** که لب نان پیش تو بهتر ز اشک
Tears are (originally) blood and have been turned by grief into water: idle tears have not the value of earth.
اشک خونست و به غم آبی شده ** می‌نیرزد خاک خون بیهده
He (the Arab) made the whole of himself despicable, like Iblís: a piece of this whole is naught but vile.
کل خود را خوار کرد او چون بلیس ** پاره‌ی این کل نباشد جز خسیس
I am the (devoted) slave of him who will not sell his existence save to that bounteous and munificent Sovereign,490
من غلام آنک نفروشد وجود ** جز بدان سلطان با افضال و جود
(So that) when he weeps, heaven begins to weep, and when he moans (in supplication), the celestial sphere begins to cry, “O Lord!”
چون بگرید آسمان گریان شود ** چون بنالد چرخ یا رب خوان شود
I am the (devoted) slave of that high-aspiring copper which humbles itself to naught but the Elixir.
من غلام آن مس همت‌پرست ** کو به غیر کیمیا نارد شکست
Lift up in prayer a broken hand: the loving kindness of God flies towards the broken.
دست اشکسته برآور در دعا ** سوی اشکسته پرد فضل خدا
If thou hast need of deliverance from this narrow dungeon (the world), O brother, go without delay (and cast thyself) on the fire.
گر رهایی بایدت زین چاه تنگ ** ای برادر رو بر آذر بی‌درنگ
Regard God's contrivance and abandon thine own contrivance: oh, by His contrivance (all) the contrivance of contrivers is put to shame.495
مکر حق را بین و مکر خود بهل ** ای ز مکرش مکر مکاران خجل
When thy contrivance is naughted in the contrivance of the Lord, thou wilt open a most marvellous hiding-place,
چونک مکرت شد فنای مکر رب ** برگشایی یک کمینی بوالعجب
Of which hiding-place the least (treasure) is everlasting life (occupied) in ascending and mounting higher.
که کمینه‌ی آن کمین باشد بقا ** تا ابد اندر عروج و ارتقا
Explaining that no evil eye is so deadly to a man as the eye of self-approval, unless his eye shall have been transformed by the Light of God, so that “he hears through Me and sees through Me,” and (unless) his self shall have become selfless.
در بیان آنک هیچ چشم بدی آدمی را چنان مهلک نیست کی چشم پسند خویشتن مگر کی چشم او مبدل شده باشد به نور حق که بی یسمع و بی یبصر و خویشتن او بی‌خویشتن شده
Do not regard thy peacock-feathers but regard thy feet, in order that the mischief of the (evil) eye may not waylay thee;
پر طاوست مبین و پای بین ** تا که س العین نگشاید کمین
For (even) a mountain slips (from its foundations) at the eye of the wicked: read and mark in the Qur’án (the words) they cause thee to stumble.
که بلغزد کوه از چشم بدان ** یزلقونک از نبی بر خوان بدان
From (their) looking (at him), Ahmad (Mohammed), (who was) like a mountain, slipped in the middle of the road, without mud and without rain.500
احمد چون کوه لغزید از نظر ** در میان راه بی‌گل بی‌مطر