In comparison with this appearance all apparent things are in the utmost degree of imperfection and default.
جمله ظاهرها به پیش این ظهور ** باشد اندر غایت نقص و قصور
If any one puff at God's candle, how should the candle be extinguished? His jaws and nose will be burnt.
هر که بر شمع خدا آرد پف او ** شمع کی میرد بسوزد پوز او
Bats like you often dream that this world will be left orphaned (deprived) of the Sun.
چون تو خفاشان بسی بینند خواب ** کین جهان ماند یتیم از آفتاب
The fierce waves of the seas of the Spirit are a hundred times as many as was (the multitude of waves in) the Flood of Noah;
موجهای تیز دریاهای روح ** هست صد چندان که بد طوفان نوح
But hair grew (and formed an obstruction) in the eye of Canaan: he forsook Noah and the Ark and sought the mountain.2085
لیک اندر چشم کنعان موی رست ** نوح و کشتی را بهشت و کوه جست
Then half a wave swept the mountain and Canaan down into the abyss of dishonour.
کوه و کنعان را فرو برد آن زمان ** نیم موجی تا به قعر امتهان
The moon scatters her light and the dog bays: how should the dog feed on the light of the moon?
مه فشاند نور و سگ وع وع کند ** سگ ز نور ماه کی مرتع کند
Those who travel by night and move swiftly with the moon on her way, how should they relinquish their journey because of the dog's yelping?
شب روان و همرهان مه بتگ ** ترک رفتن کی کنند از بانگ سگ
The part is speeding like an arrow towards the Whole: how should it stop on account of any old hag?
جزو سوی کل دوان مانند تیر ** کی کند وقف از پی هر گنده‌پیر
The gnostic is the soul of religion and the soul of piety: gnosis is the result of past asceticism.2090
جان شرع و جان تقوی عارفست ** معرفت محصول زهد سالفست
Asceticism is the labour of sowing; gnosis is the growth of the seed.
زهد اندر کاشتن کوشیدنست ** معرفت آن کشت را روییدنست
Therefore the (ascetic's) hard struggle and his firm religious conviction are like the body, (while) the soul of this sowing is the growth (of the seed) and its harvesting.
پس چو تن باشد جهاد و اعتقاد ** جان این کشتن نباتست و حصاد
He (the gnostic) is both the command to do right and the right (itself); he is both the revealer of mysteries and that which is revealed.
امر معروف او و هم معروف اوست ** کاشف اسرار و هم مکشوف اوست
He is our king to-day and to-morrow: the husk is for ever a slave to his goodly kernel,
شاه امروزینه و فردای ماست ** پوست بنده‌ی مغز نغزش دایماست
When the Shaykh (Halláj) said ‘I am God’ and carried it through (to the end), he throttled (vanquished) all the blind (sceptics).2095
چون انا الحق گفت شیخ و پیش برد ** پس گلوی جمله کوران را فشرد
When a man's ‘I’ is negated (and eliminated) from existence, then what remains? Consider, O denier.
چون انای بنده لا شد از وجود ** پس چه ماند تو بیندیش ای جحود
If you have an eye, open it and look! After ‘not,’ why, what else remains?
گر ترا چشمیست بگشا در نگر ** بعد لا آخر چه می‌ماند دگر
Oh, (may) the lips and throat and mouth (be) cut off that spit at the moon or the sky!
ای بریده آن لب و حلق و دهان ** که کند تف سوی مه یا آسمان
Without any doubt his spittle will recoil upon his face: spittle can find no path to heaven.
تف برویش باز گردد بی شکی ** تف سوی گردون نیابد مسلکی
Spittle from the Lord rains upon him till the Resurrection, just as (the perdition denoted by) tabbat (rains) upon the spirit of Bú Lahab.2100
تا قیامت تف برو بارد ز رب ** هم‌چو تبت بر روان بولهب
Drum (tabl) and banner are the (rightful) possession of the (spiritual) king: any one who calls him a parasite (tabl-khwár) is a cur.
طبل و رایت هست ملک شهریار ** سگ کسی که خواند او را طبل‌خوار
The heavens are a slave to his moon: the whole East and West is begging him for bread;
آسمانها بنده‌ی ماه وی‌اند ** شرق و مغرب جمله نانخواه وی‌اند
For lawláka (but for thee) is (inscribed) on his (imperial) sign-manual: all are (included) in his bounty and distribution.
زانک لولاکست بر توقیع او ** جمله در انعام و در توزیع او
If he did not exist, Heaven would not have gained circling motion and light and (the dignity of) being the abode of the angels;
گر نبودی او نیابیدی فلک ** گردش و نور و مکانی ملک
If he did not exist, the seas would not have gained the awe (which they inspire) and fish and regal pearls;2105
گر نبودی او نیابیدی به حار ** هیبت و ماهی و در شاهوار
If he did not exist, the earth would not have gained treasure within and jasmine (flowers and verdure) without.
گر نبودی او نیابیدی زمین ** در درونه گنج و بیرون یاسمین
(Our) means of sustenance are eating the means of sustenance bestowed by him: the fruits are dry-lipped (thirsty) for his rain.
رزقها هم رزق‌خواران وی‌اند ** میوه‌ها لب‌خشک باران وی‌اند
Take heed, for in the (Divine) command (to give alms) this knot is (tied) upside down. Give alms to him who gives alms to yourself.
هین که معکوس است در امر این گره ** صدقه‌بخش خویش را صدقه بده
All (your) gold and silk comes to you from the (apparently) poor man: hark, give an alms to the (really) rich man, O you who are (really) poor.
از فقیرستت همه زر و حریر ** هین غنی راده زکاتی ای فقیر
A disgrace (an infamous creature) like thee, married to that man whose spirit is accepted (by God), resembles the unbelieving wedded wife of Noah.2110
چون تو ننگی جفت آن مقبول‌روح ** چون عیال کافر اندر عقد نوح
Were it not for thy relationship to this (blessed) house, I would tear thee to pieces at this moment.
گر نبودی نسبت تو زین سرا ** پاره‌پاره کردمی این دم ترا
I would deliver that Noah from thee, in order that I might be ennobled (by being slain) in retaliation.
دادمی آن نوح را از تو خلاص ** تا مشرف گشتمی من در قصاص
But such a disrespect to the house of the emperor of the world cannot be shown by me.
لیک با خانه‌ی شهنشاه زمن ** این چنین گستاخیی ناید ز من
Go and thank God that thou art the dog of this dwelling-place, (for) otherwise I would do now what ought to be done.”
رو دعا کن که سگ این موطنی ** ورنه اکنون کردمی من کردنی
How the disciple turned back from the Shaykh's house and questioned the people (in the neighbourhood), and how they directed him, saying, “The Shaykh has gone to such and such a forest.”
واگشتن مرید از وثاق شیخ و پرسیدن از مردم و نشان دادن ایشان کی شیخ به فلان بیشه رفته است
Afterwards he began to inquire of every one and sought the Shaykh for a long while in every quarter.2115
بعد از آن پرسان شد او از هر کسی ** شیخ را می‌جست از هر سو بسی
Then (at last) somebody said to him, “That Qutb (Pivot) of the world has gone to fetch faggots from the hilly country.”
پس کسی گفتش که آن قطب دیار ** رفت تا هیزم کشد از کوهسار
The disciple, whose thoughts were (like) Dhu ’l-faqár (a sharp sword), ran quickly to the forest in eager desire for the Shaykh.
آن مرید ذوالفقاراندیش تفت ** در هوای شیخ سوی بیشه رفت
(But) the Devil was introducing to the (young) man's mind an evil suggestion, in order that the (spiritual) Moon might be concealed by dust,
دیو می‌آورد پیش هوش مرد ** وسوسه تا خفیه گردد مه ز گرد
Namely, “Why should this Shaykh of the (true) religion keep in his house a woman like this as his mate and companion?
کین چنین زن را چرا این شیخ دین ** دارد اندر خانه یار و همنشین
Whence (this) familiarity between opposite and opposite? Whence (comes it that) a nasnás (anthropoid ape) is (associated) with the Imám of mankind?”2120
ضد را با ضد ایناس از کجا ** با امام‌الناس نسناس از کجا
Then again he was exclaiming fervidly, “God help me! My impugning him (the Shaykh) is infidelity and enmity.
باز او لاحول می‌کرد آتشین ** که اعتراض من برو کفرست و کین
Who am I, in view of God's exercising (absolute) control (over everything he does), that my carnal soul should raise difficulties and objections?”
من کی باشم با تصرفهای حق ** که بر آرد نفس من اشکال و دق
But soon his carnal soul was returning to the attack—(for) in consequence of this acquaintance (there was) smoke in his straw-like heart—
باز نفسش حمله می‌آورد زود ** زین تعرف در دلش چون کاه دود
Saying, “What affinity has (this woman like) the Devil with (a saint like) Gabriel, that she should be his bedfellow in (connubial) intercourse?
که چه نسبت دیو را با جبرئیل ** که بود با او به صحبت هم مقیل
How can Khalíl (Abraham) agree with Ázar? How can a guide agree with a brigand?”2125
چون تواند ساخت با آزر خلیل ** چون تواند ساخت با ره‌زن دلیل
How the disciple gained his wish and met the Shaykh near the forest.
یافتن مرید مراد را و ملاقات او با شیخ نزدیک آن بیشه
He was (absorbed) in this (perplexity) when suddenly the renowned Shaykh appeared before him, riding on a lion.
اندرین بود او که شیخ نامدار ** زود پیش افتاد بر شیری سوار
The roaring lion carried his faggots, while that blessed one sat on the top of them.
شیر غران هیزمش را می‌کشید ** بر سر هیزم نشسته آن سعید
Because of the honour (in which God held him) his whip was a fierce serpent: he had grasped the serpent in his hand, like an ass-goad.
تازیانه‌ش مار نر بود از شرف ** مار را بگرفته چون خرزن به کف
Know for certain that likewise every Shaykh that exists is riding on a furious lion.
تو یقین می‌دان که هر شیخی که هست ** هم سواری می‌کند بر شیر مست
Although that (riding) and this (lion) are not perceived by the senses, yet ’tis not concealed from the spiritual eye.2130
گرچه آن محسوس و این محسوس نیست ** لیک آن بر چشم جان ملبوس نیست