The roses remain not; (only) the black thorns remain: it becomes pale and pithless like a heap of straw.
گل نماند خارها ماند سیاه ** زرد و بی‌مغز آمده چون تل کاه
O God, I wonder what fault did that orchard commit, that these (beautiful) robes should be stripped from it.
تا چه زلت کرد آن باغ ای خدا ** که ازو این حله‌ها گردد جدا
“It paid regard to itself, and self-regard is a deadly poison. Beware, O thou who art put to the trial!”980
خویشتن را دید و دید خویشتن ** زهر قتالست هین ای ممتحن
The minion for love of whom the world wept—the world (now) is repulsing him from itself: what is (his) crime?
شاهدی کز عشق او عالم گریست ** عالمش می‌راند از خود جرم چیست
“The crime is that he put on a borrowed adornment and pretended that these robes were his own property.
جرم آنک زیور عاریه بست ** کرد دعوی کین حلل ملک منست
We take them back, in order that he may know for sure that the stack is Ours and the fair ones are (only) gleaners;
واستانیم آن که تا داند یقین ** خرمن آن ماست خوبان دانه‌چین
That he may know that those robes were a loan: ’twas a ray from the Sun of Being.”
تا بداند کان حلل عاریه بود ** پرتوی بود آن ز خورشید وجود
(All) that beauty and power and virtue and knowledge have journeyed hither from the Sun of Excellence.985
آن جمال و قدرت و فضل و هنر ** ز آفتاب حسن کرد این سو سفر
They, the light of that Sun, turn back again, like the stars, from these (bodily) walls.
باز می‌گردند چون استارها ** نور آن خورشید ازین دیوارها
(When) the Sunbeam has gone home, every wall is left dark and black.
پرتو خورشید شد وا جایگاه ** ماند هر دیوار تاریک و سیاه
That which made thee amazed at the faces of the fair is the Light of the Sun (reflected) from the three-coloured glass.
آنک کرد او در رخ خوبانت دنگ ** نور خورشیدست از شیشه‌ی سه رنگ
The glasses of diverse hue cause that Light to seem coloured like this to us.
شیشه‌های رنگ رنگ آن نور را ** می‌نمایند این چنین رنگین بما
When the many-coloured glasses are no more, then the colourless Light makes thee amazed.990
چون نماند شیشه‌های رنگ‌رنگ ** نور بی‌رنگت کند آنگاه دنگ
Make it thy habit to behold the Light without the glass, in order that when the glass is shattered there may not be blindness (in thee).
خوی کن بی‌شیشه دیدن نور را ** تا چو شیشه بشکند نبود عمی
Thou art content with knowledge learned (from others): thou hast lit thine eye at another's lamp.
قانعی با دانش آموخته ** در چراغ غیر چشم افروخته
He takes away his lamp, that thou mayst know thou art a borrower, not a giver.
او چراغ خویش برباید که تا ** تو بدانی مستعیری نی‌فتا
If thou hast rendered thanks (to God for what thou hast received) and made the utmost exertion (in doing so), be not grieved (at its loss), for He will give (thee) a hundred such (gifts) in return;
گر تو کردی شکر و سعی مجتهد ** غم مخور که صد چنان بازت دهد
But if thou hast not rendered thanks, weep (tears of) blood now, for that (spiritual) excellence has become quit of (has abandoned) the ungrateful.995
ور نکردی شکر اکنون خون گری ** که شدست آن حسن از کافر بری
He (God) causeth the works of the unbelieving people to be lost; He maketh the state of the believing people to prosper.
امة الکفران اضل اعمالهم ** امة الایمان اصلح بالهم
From the ungrateful man (his) excellence and knowledge disappear, so that never again does he see a trace of them.
گم شد از بی‌شکر خوبی و هنر ** که دگر هرگز نبیند زان اثر
(His feelings of) affinity and non-affinity and gratitude and affection vanish in such wise that he cannot remember them;
خویشی و بی‌خویشی و سکر وداد ** رفت زان سان که نیاردشان به یاد
For, O ingrates, (the words) He causeth their works to be lost are (signify) the flight of (every) object of desire from every one who has obtained his desire (in this world),
که اضل اعمالهم ای کافران ** جستن کامست از هر کام‌ران
Excepting the thankful and faithful who are attended by fortune.1000
جز ز اهل شکر و اصحاب وفا ** که مریشان راست دولت در قفا
How should the past fortune bestow strength (on its possessors)? ’Tis the future fortune that bestows a special virtue.
دولت رفته کجا قوت دهد ** دولت آینده خاصیت دهد
In (obedience to the Divine command) “Lend,” make a loan (to God) from this (worldly) fortune, that thou mayst see a hundred fortunes before thy face.
قرض ده زین دولت اندر اقرضوا ** تا که صد دولت ببینی پیش رو
Diminish a little for thine own sake this (eating and) drinking, that thou mayst find in front (of thee) the basin of Kawthar.
اندکی زین شرب کم کن بهر خویش ** تا که حوض کوثری یابی به پیش
He who poured a draught on the earth of faithfulness, how should the prey, fortune, be able to flee from him?
جرعه بر خاک وفا آنکس که ریخت ** کی تواند صید دولت زو گریخت
He (God) gladdens their hearts, for He maketh their state to prosper: He restoreth their (worldly) entertainment after they have perished.1005
خوش کند دلشان که اصلح بالهم ** رد من بعد التوی انزالهم
(He says), “O Death, O Turcoman who plunderest the village, give back whatsoever thou hast taken from these thankful ones.”
ای اجل وی ترک غارت‌ساز ده ** هر چه بردی زین شکوران باز ده
He (Death) gives it back; (but) they will not receive it, for they have been endowed with the goods of spiritual life.
وا دهد ایشان بنپذیرند آن ** زانک منعم گشته‌اند از رخت جان
(They say), “We are Súfís and have cast off our (bodily) mantles: we will not take (them) back after we have gambled (them) away.
صوفییم و خرقه‌ها انداختیم ** باز نستانیم چون در باختیم
We have seen the recompense (from God)—(and) how (can there be) a (worldly) recompense then (after that)? Want and desire and object are gone from us.
ما عوض دیدیم آنگه چون عوض ** رفت از ما حاجت و حرص و غرض
We have emerged from a briny and destroying water, we have attained to the pure wine (of Paradise) and the fountain of Kawthar.1010
ز آب شور و مهلکی بیرون شدیم ** بر رحیق و چشمه‌ی کوثر زدیم
O World, that which thou hast shown unto others—faithlessness and deceit and grievous pride—
آنچ کردی ای جهان با دیگران ** بی‌وفایی و فن و ناز گران
We pour (it all) on thy head in repayment, for we are martyrs come to war (against thee).”
بر سرت ریزیم ما بهر جزا ** که شهیدیم آمده اندر غزا
(This is) in order that you may know that the Holy God hath servants impetuous and combative,
تا بدانی که خدای پاک را ** بندگان هستند پر حمله و مری
(Who) tear out the moustache of worldly hypocrisy and pitch their tents on the rampart of (Divine) aid.
سبلت تزویر دنیا بر کنند ** خیمه را بر باروی نصرت زنند
These martyrs have become warriors anew, and these captives have gained the victory once more;1015
این شهیدان باز نو غازی شدند ** وین اسیران باز بر نصرت زدند
They have lifted up their heads again from non-existence, saying, “Behold us if thou art not blind from birth,”
سر برآوردند باز از نیستی ** که ببین ما را گر اکمه نیستی
That you may know that in non-existence there are suns, and that what is a sun here is (only) a small star yonder.
تا بدانی در عدم خورشیدهاست ** وآنچ اینجا آفتاب آنجا سهاست
How, O brother, is existence (contained) in non-existence? How is opposite concealed in opposite?
در عدم هستی برادر چون بود ** ضد اندر ضد چون مکنون بود
He brings forth the living from the dead: know that the hope of (His) worshippers is non-existence.
یخرج الحی من المیت بدان ** که عدم آمد امید عابدان
The sower whose barn is empty, is not he joyful and happy in hope of non-existence—1020
مرد کارنده که انبارش تهیست ** شاد و خوش نه بر امید نیستیست
(Namely, in the hope) that that (crop) will grow from the quarter of nonexistence? Apprehend (this) if thou art aware of (spiritual) reality.
که بروید آن ز سوی نیستی ** فهم کن گر واقف معنیستی
Moment by moment thou art expecting from non-existence to gain understanding and (spiritual) perception and peace and good.
دم به دم از نیستی تو منتظر ** که بیابی فهم و ذوق آرام و بر
’Tis not permitted to divulge this mystery; else I should make Abkház a Baghdád.
نیست دستوری گشاد این راز را ** ورنه بغدادی کنم ابخاز را
Non-existence, then, is God's factory from which He continually produces gifts.
پس خزانه‌ی صنع حق باشد عدم ** که بر آرد زو عطاها دم به دم
God is the Originator, and an originator is he who produces a branch (derivative) without root (fundamental principle) or support (model).1025
مبدع آمد حق و مبدع آن بود ** که برآرد فرع بی‌اصل و سند
Parable of the world (really) existent that appears non-existent and the world (really) non-existent that appears existent.
مثال عالم هست نیست‌نما و عالم نیست هست‌نما
He (God) hath caused the non-existent to appear existent and magnificent; He hath caused the existent to appear in the form of non-existence.
نیست را بنمود هست و محتشم ** هست را بنمود بر شکل عدم
He hath concealed the Sea and made the foam visible; He hath concealed the Wind and displayed to thee the dust.
بحر را پوشید و کف کرد آشکار ** باد را پوشید و بنمودت غبار