Hark, O fellow-servant, go and, like the Hindú boy, be not afraid of the Mahmúd of non-existence.
هم‌چو هندوبچه هین ای خواجه‌تاش ** رو ز محمود عدم ترسان مباش
Be afraid of the existence in which you are now: that phantasy of yours is nothing and you (yourself) are nothing.
از وجودی ترس که اکنون در ویی ** آن خیالت لاشی و تو لا شیی
One nothing has fallen in love with another nothing: has any naught ever waylaid (and attacked) any other naught?
لاشیی بر لاشیی عاشق شدست ** هیچ نی مر هیچ نی را ره زدست
When these phantasies have departed from before you, that which your understanding hath not conceived becomes clear to you.
چون برون شد این خیالات از میان ** گشت نامعقول تو بر تو عیان
Those who have passed away do not grieve on account of death; their only regret is to have missed the opportunities (of life).
لیس للماضین هم الموت انما لهم حسره الموت
That captain of mankind has said truly that no one who has passed away from this world1450
راست گفتست آن سپهدار بشر ** که هر آنک کرد از دنیا گذر
Feels sorrow and regret and disappointment on account of death; nay, but he feels a hundred regrets for having missed the opportunity,
نیستش درد و دریغ و غبن موت ** بلک هستش صد دریغ از بهر فوت
Saying (to himself), “Why did not I make death my object —(death, which is) the store-house of every fortune and every provision—
که چرا قبله نکردم مرگ را ** مخزن هر دولت و هر برگ را
(And why), through seeing double, did I make the lifelong object of my attention those phantoms that vanished at the fated hour?”
قبله کردم من همه عمر از حول ** آن خیالاتی که گم شد در اجل
The grief of the dead is not on account of death; it is because (so they say) “we dwelt upon the (phenomenal) forms,
حسرت آن مردگان از مرگ نیست ** زانست کاندر نقشها کردیم ایست
And this we did not perceive, that those are (mere) form and foam, (and that) the foam is moved and fed by the Sea.”1455
ما ندیدیم این که آن نقش است و کف ** کف ز دریا جنبد و یابد علف
When the Sea has cast the foam-flakes on the shore, go to the graveyard and behold those flakes of foam!
چونک بحر افکند کفها را به بر ** تو بگورستان رو آن کفها نگر
Then say (to them), “Where is your movement and gyration (now)? The Sea has cast you into the crisis (of a deadly malady)”—
پس بگو کو جنبش و جولانتان ** بحر افکندست در بحرانتان
In order that they may say to you, not with their lips but implicitly, “Ask this question of the Sea, not of us.”
تا بگویندت به لب نی بل به حال ** که ز دریا کن نه از ما این سال
How should the foam-like (phenomenal) form move without the wave? How should the dust rise to the zenith without a wind?
نقش چون کف کی بجنبد بی ز موج ** خاک بی بادی کجا آید بر اوج
Since you have perceived the dust, namely, the form, perceive the wind; since you have perceived the foam, perceive the ocean of Creative Energy.1460
چون غبار نقش دیدی باد بین ** کف چو دیدی قلزم ایجاد بین
Come, perceive (it), for insight (is the only thing) in you (that) avails: the rest of you is a piece of fat and flesh, a weft and warp (of bones, muscles, etc.).
هین ببین کز تو نظر آید به کار ** باقیت شحمی و لحمی پود و تار
Your fat never increased the light in candles, your flesh never became roast-meat for any one drunken with (spiritual) wine.
شحم تو در شمعها نفزود تاب ** لحم تو مخمور را نامد کباب
Dissolve the whole of this body of yours in vision: pass into sight, pass into sight, into sight!
در گداز این جمله تن را در بصر ** در نظر رو در نظر رو در نظر
One sight perceives (only) two yards of the road; another sight has beheld the two worlds and the Face of the King.
یک نظر دو گز همی‌بیند ز راه ** یک نظر دو کون دید و روی شاه
Between these twain there is an incalculable difference: seek the collyrium—and God best knoweth the things occult.1465
در میان این دو فرقی بی‌شمار ** سرمه جو والله اعلم بالسرار
Since you have heard the description of the sea of non-existence, continually endeavour to stand (depend) upon this sea.
چون شنیدی شرح بحر نیستی ** کوش دایم تا برین بحر ایستی
Inasmuch as the foundation of the workshop is that non-existence which is void and traceless and empty,
چونک اصل کارگاه آن نیستیست ** که خلا و بی‌نشانست و تهیست
(And inasmuch as) all master-craftsmen seek non-existence and a place of breakage for the purpose of exhibiting their skill,
جمله استادان پی اظهار کار ** نیستی جویند و جای انکسار
Necessarily the Lord (who is) the Master of (all) masters— His workshop is non-existence and naught.
لاجرم استاد استادان صمد ** کارگاهش نیستی و لا بود
Wherever this non-existence is greater, (the more manifest) in that quarter is the work and workshop of God.1470
هر کجا این نیستی افزون‌ترست ** کار حق و کارگاهش آن سرست
Since the highest stage is non-existence, the dervishes have outstripped all (others),
نیستی چون هست بالایین طبق ** بر همه بردند درویشان سبق
Especially the dervish that has become devoid of body and (worldly) goods: poverty (deprivation) of body is the (important) matter, not beggary.
خاصه درویشی که شد بی جسم و مال ** کار فقر جسم دارد نه سال
The beggar is he whose (worldly) goods have melted away; the contented man is he who has gambled away (sacrificed) his body.
سایل آن باشد که مال او گداخت ** قانع آن باشد که جسم خویش باخت
Therefore do not now complain of affliction, for it is a smooth-paced horse (carrying you) towards non-existence.
پس ز درد اکنون شکایت بر مدار ** کوست سوی نیست اسپی راهوار
We have said so much: think of the remainder, (or) if thought be frozen (unable to move), practise recollection (of God).1475
این قدر گفتیم باقی فکر کن ** فکر اگر جامد بود رو ذکر کن
Recollection (of God) brings thought into movement: make recollection to be the sun for this congealed (thought).
ذکر آرد فکر را در اهتزاز ** ذکر را خورشید این افسرده ساز
(God's) pulling is, indeed, the original source; but, O fellow-servant, exert yourself, do not be dependent on that pulling;
اصل خود جذبه است لیک ای خواجه‌تاش ** کار کن موقوف آن جذبه مباش
For to renounce exertion is like an act of disdain: how should disdain be seemly for a devoted lover (of God)?
زانک ترک کار چون نازی بود ** ناز کی در خورد جانبازی بود
O youth, think neither of acceptance nor refusal: regard always the (Divine) command and prohibition.
نه قبول اندیش نه رد ای غلام ** امر را و نهی را می‌بین مدام
(Then) suddenly the bird, namely, the (Divine) attraction, will fly from its nest (towards you): put out the candle as soon as you see the dawn.1480
When the eyes have become piercing, ’tis its (the dawn's) light (that illumines them): in the very husk it (the illumined eye) beholds the kernels.
چشمها چون شد گذاره نور اوست ** مغزها می‌بیند او در عین پوست
In the mote it beholds the everlasting Sun, in the drop (of water) it beholds the entire Sea.
بیند اندر ذره خورشید بقا ** بیند اندر قطره کل بحر را
Returning once more to the Story of the Súfí and the Cadi.
بار دیگر رجوع کردن به قصه‌ی صوفی و قاضی
The Súfí said (to himself), “It does not behove me blindly to lose my head by taking retaliation for a single slap on the nape.
گفت صوفی در قصاص یک قفا ** سر نشاید باد دادن از عمی
My putting on the (Súfí’s) mantle of resignation has made it easy for me to suffer blows.”
خرقه‌ی تسلیم اندر گردنم ** بر من آسان کرد سیلی خوردنم
The Súfí observed that his adversary was exceedingly frail: he said (to himself), “If I give him a hostile blow with my fist,1485
دید صوفی خصم خود را سخت زار ** گفت اگر مشتش زنم من خصم‌وار
At my first blow he will crumble like dead, and then the king will punish me and exact retaliation.
او به یک مشتم بریزد چون رصاص ** شاه فرماید مرا زجر و قصاص
The tent is ruined and the tent-pin broken: it (the tent) is seeking (the least) excuse to fall in.
خیمه ویرانست و بشکسته وتد ** او بهانه می‌جود تا در فتد
It would be a pity, a (great) pity, that on account of this (virtually) dead man retaliation should fall upon me under the sword.”
بهر این مرده دریغ آید دریغ ** که قصاصم افتد اندر زیر تیغ
Since he durst not give his adversary a fisticuff, he resolved to take him to the Cadi.
چون نمی‌توانست کف بر خصم زد ** عزمش آن شد کش سوی قاضی برد
Saying (to himself), “He (the cadi) is God’s scales and measure, he is the means of deliverance from the deceit and cunning of the Devil.1490
که ترازوی حق است و کیله‌اش ** مخلص است از مکر دیو و حیله‌اش
He is the scissors for (cutting off) enmities and wranglings, he is the decider of the quarrels and disputes of the two litigants.
هست او مقراض احقاد و جدال ** قاطع جن دو خصم و قیل و قال
His spells put the Devil in the bottle, his legal ruling makes dissensions cease.
دیو در شیشه کند افسون او ** فتنه‌ها ساکن کند قانون او
When the covetous adversary sees the scales (of justice), he abandons rebelliousness and becomes submissive;
چون ترازو دید خصم پر طمع ** سرکشی بگذارد و گردد تبع
But if there are no scales, (even) though you give him more (than his fair share) his shrewdness will never be satisfied with the portion (allotted to him).”
ور ترازو نیست گر افزون دهیش ** از قسم راضی نگردد آگهیش
The cadi is a mercy (bestowed by God) and the means of removing strife: he is a drop from the ocean of the justice of the Resurrection.1495
هست قاضی رحمت و دفع ستیز ** قطره‌ای از بحر عدل رستخیز