During a (whole) life-time thou hast seen the justice and jurisdiction (of God), and then (after all) thou art more ignorant than the blind.
دیده‌ای عمری تو داد و داوری ** وانگه از نادیدگان ناشی‌تری
Whoever serves Him as a pupil becomes a master, (but) thou hast gone backwards, O blind fool!
هر که شاگردیش کرد استاد شد ** تو سپس‌تر رفته‌ای ای کور لد
Verily thou hast learned nothing from thy parents, nor hast thou taken a lesson from night and day.
خود نبود از والدینت اختبار ** هم نبودت عبرت از لیل و نهار
Parable.
مثل
A (Súfí) gnostic asked an old Christian priest, “Sire, art thou the more advanced in age, or thy beard?”1780
عارفی پرسید از آن پیر کشیش ** که توی خواجه مسن‌تر یا که ریش
He replied, “Nay; I was born before it: I have seen much of the world without a beard.”
گفت نه من پیش ازو زاییده‌ام ** بی ز ریشی بس جهان را دیده‌ام
He (the Súfí) said, “Thy beard has turned white, it has changed, (but) thy evil disposition has not become good.”
گفت ریشت شد سپید از حال گشت ** خوی زشت تو نگردیدست وشت
It (thy beard) was born after thee and (yet) it has surpassed thee: thou art so dry (vain and unprofitable) because of thy passion for tharíd.
او پس از تو زاد و از تو بگذرید ** تو چنین خشکی ز سودای ثرید
Thou art (still) of the same complexion with which thou wast born: thou hast not taken one step forward.
تو بر آن رنگی که اول زاده‌ای ** یک قدم زان پیش‌تر ننهاده‌ای
Still thou art (as) sour buttermilk in the churn: in sooth thou hast not extracted any oil (butter) from it.1785
هم‌چنان دوغی ترش در معدنی ** خود نگردی زو مخلص روغنی
Still thou art (as) dough in the jar of clay, though thou hast been a (whole) lifetime in the fiery oven.
هم خمیری خمر طینه دری ** گرچه عمری در تنور آذری
Thou art like a herb on a hillock: (thy) foot (is fixed immovably) in the earth, though thy head is tossed (to and fro) by the wind of passion.
چون حشیشی پا به گل بر پشته‌ای ** گرچه از باد هوس سرگشته‌ای
Like the people of Moses in the heat of the Desert, thou hast remained forty years in (the same) place, O foolish man.
هم‌چو قوم موسی اندر حر تیه ** مانده‌ای بر جای چل سال ای سفیه
Daily thou marchest rapidly till nightfall and findest thyself (still) in the first stage of thy journey.
می‌روی هر روز تا شب هروله ** خویش می‌بینی در اول مرحله
Thou wilt never traverse this three hundred years' distance so long as thou hast love for the calf.1790
نگذری زین بعد سیصد ساله تو ** تا که داری عشق آن گوساله تو
Until the fancy (illusion) of the calf went out of their hearts, the Desert was to them like a blazing whirlpool.
تا خیال عجل از جانشان نرفت ** بد بریشان تیه چون گرداب زفت
Besides this calf which thou hast obtained from Him (God), thou hast experienced infinite graces and bounties.
غیر این عجلی کزو یابیده‌ای ** بی‌نهایت لطف و نعمت دیده‌ای
Thou hast the nature of a cow; hence in thy love for this calf (those) mighty benefits have vanished from thy heart.
گاو طبعی زان نکوییهای زفت ** از دلت در عشق این گوساله رفت
Prithee now, ask each part of thee: these dumb parts have a hundred tongues
باری اکنون تو ز هر جزوت بپرس ** صد زبان دارند این اجزای خرس
To recall the bounties of the World-Provider which are hidden in the pages of Time.1795
ذکر نعمتهای رزاق جهان ** که نهان شد آن در اوراق زمان
By day and night thou art eagerly seeking (to hear) stories, while each several part of thee is telling thee the story (of His bounties).
روز و شب افسانه‌جویانی تو چست ** جزو جزو تو فسانه‌گوی تست
(Ever) since each several part of thee grew up from non-existence, how much joy have they experienced and how much pain!
جزو جزوت تا برستست از عدم ** چند شادی دیده‌اند و چند غم
For without pleasure no part will grow; on the contrary, at every spasm (of pain) the part (affected) becomes thin (dwindles).
زانک بی‌لذت نروید هیچ جزو ** بلک لاغر گردد از هی پیچ جزو
The part remained (in being), but the pleasure vanished from memory; nay, it did not vanish, (though) it became concealed from the five (senses) and the seven (members of the body).
جزو ماند و آن خوشی از یاد رفت ** بل نرفت آن خفیه شد از پنج و هفت
(’Tis) like summer, from which cotton is born: the cotton remains, the summer is no more remembered;1800
هم‌چو تابستان که از وی پنبه‌زاد ** ماند پنبه رفت تابستان ز یاد
Or like the ice which is born of winter: winter disappears, but the ice is with us.
یا مثال یخ که زاید از شتا ** شد شتا پنهان و آن یخ پیش ما
The ice is a souvenir of the hardships (of winter), and in December these fruits are a souvenir of summer.
هست آن یخ زان صعوبت یادگار ** یادگار صیف در دی این ثمار
Similarly, O youth, every single part in thy body is telling the story of a (past) bounty,
هم‌چنان هر جزو جزوت ای فتی ** در تنت افسانه گوی نعمتی
As, (in the case of) a woman who has twenty children, each (child) is telling of a (past) delight.
چون زنی که بیست فرزندش بود ** هر یکی حاکی حال خوش بود
There is no pregnancy without (past) rapture and amorous sport: how should the orchard produce (fruit) without a Spring?1805
حمل نبود بی ز مستی و ز لاغ ** بی بهاری کی شود زاینده باغ
The pregnant (trees) and the children on their laps are evidence of dalliance with the Spring.
حاملان و بچگانشان بر کنار ** شد دلیل عشق‌بازی با بهار
Every tree (engaged) in suckling its children is impregnated, like Mary, by a King unseen.
هر درختی در رضاع کودکان ** هم‌چو مریم حامل از شاهی نهان
Although in (boiling) water the heat of fire is concealed (from view), a hundred thousand bubbles froth upon it,
گرچه صد در آب آتشی پوشیده شد ** صد هزاران کف برو جوشیده شد
And though the fire works very secretly, the froth indicates (its presence) with ten fingers.
In like manner (all) the parts of those intoxicated with union are pregnant with the (ideal) forms of (ecstatic) feelings and words.1810
هم‌چنین اجزای مستان وصال ** حامل از تمثالهای حال و قال
Their mouths remain gaping (in amazement) at the beauty of (that) ecstasy, (while) their eyes are absent (withdrawn) from the forms of this world.
در جمال حال وا مانده دهان ** چشم غایب گشته از نقش جهان
Those (spiritual) progenies are not (produced) by means of these four (elements); consequently they are not seen by these eyes.
آن موالید از زه این چار نیست ** لاجرم منظور این ابصار نیست
Those progenies are born of (Divine) illumination; consequently they are covered (from sight) by a pure veil.
آن موالید از تجلی زاده‌اند ** لاجرم مستور پرده‌ی ساده‌اند
We said “born,” but in reality they are not born, and this expression is only (used) in order to guide (the understanding).
زاده گفتیم و حقیقت زاد نیست ** وین عبارت جز پی ارشاد نیست
Hark, be silent that the King of Say may speak: do not play the nightingale with a Rose of this kind.1815
هین خمش کن تا بگوید شاه قل ** بلبلی مفروش با این جنس گل
This eloquent Rose is full of song and cry: O nightingale, let thy tongue cease, be (all) ear!
این گل گویاست پر جوش و خروش ** بلبلا ترک زبان کن باش گوش
Both (these) kinds of pure ideal forms are valid (trustworthy) witnesses to the mystery of union.
هر دو گون تمثال پاکیزه‌مثال ** شاهد عدل‌اند بر سر وصال
Both (these) kinds of subtle and delectable beauty are witnesses to (spiritual) pregnancies and growing big (with child) in the past,
هر دو گون حسن لطیف مرتضی ** شاهد احبال و حشر ما مضی
Like ice that in the brilliant (month of) Tamúz is ever telling the story of winter
هم‌چو یخ کاندر تموز مستجد ** هر دم افسانه‌ی زمستان می‌کند
And recalling the cold winds and intense frost in those hard days and times;1820
ذکر آن اریاح سرد و زمهریر ** اندر آن ازمان و ایام عسیر
(Or) like fruit that in winter-time tells the story of God's lovingkindness
هم‌چو آن میوه که در وقت شتا ** می‌کند افسانه‌ی لطف خدا
And the tale of the season when the sun was smiling and embracing the brides of the orchard. [And the tale of the season when the sun was (enjoying) touching and copulating (with) the brides of the orchard.]
قصه‌ی دور تبسمهای شمس ** وآن عروسان چمن را لمس و طمس
The ecstasy is gone but thy (every) part remains as a souvenir: either inquire of it, or thyself recall (the ecstasy) to mind.
حال رفت و ماند جزوت یادگار ** یا ازو واپرس یا خود یاد آر
When grief takes possession of thee, if thou art a fit (alert and capable) person thou wouldst question that moment of despair