These (human) intellects are luminous like lamps: twenty lamps are brighter than one.
این خردها چون مصابیح انورست ** بیست مصباح از یک روشن‌ترست
There may happen to be amongst them a lamp that has become aflame with the light of Heaven,
بوک مصباحی فتد اندر میان ** مشتعل گشته ز نور آسمان
(For) the jealousy of God has produced a veil (of concealment) and has mingled the low and the lofty together.2615
غیرت حق پرده‌ای انگیختست ** سفلی و علوی به هم آمیختست
He hath said, “Travel”: always be seeking in the world and trying your fortune and (destined) lot.
گفت سیروا می‌طلب اندر جهان ** بخت و روزی را همی‌کن امتحان
In (all) assembly-places always be seeking amidst the intellects such an intellect as is (found) in the Prophet,
در مجالس می‌طلب اندر عقول ** آن چنان عقلی که بود اندر رسول
For the only heritage from the Prophet is that (intellect) which perceives the unseen things before and behind (future and past).
زانک میراث از رسول آنست و بس ** که ببیند غیبها از پیش و پس
Amidst the (inward) eyes, too, always be seeking that (inward) eye which this epitome has not the power to describe.
در بصرها می‌طلب هم آن بصر ** که نتابد شرح آن این مختصر
Hence the majestic (Prophet) has forbidden monkery and going to live as a hermit in the mountains,2620
بهر این کردست منع آن با شکوه ** از ترهب وز شدن خلوت به کوه
In order that this kind of meeting (with saints) should not be lost; for to be looked on by them is fortune and an elixir of immortality.
تا نگردد فوت این نوع التقا ** کان نظر بختست و اکسیر بقا
Amongst the righteous there is one (who is) the most righteous: on his diploma (is inscribed) by the Sultan's hand a sahh,
در میان صالحان یک اصلحیست ** بر سر توقیعش از سلطان صحیست
(Indicating) that the prayer (uttered by him) is (inseparably) linked with acceptance, (and that) the greatest of men and Jinn are not his peers.
کان دعا شد با اجابت مقترن ** کفو او نبود کبار انس و جن
(When) those who are sweet or sour (engage) in contention with him, in God's sight their argument is null,
در مری‌اش آنک حلو و حامض است ** حجت ایشان بر حق داحض است
For (God says), “As We have exalted him by (grace of) Ourselves, We have done away with (every) plea and argument (against him).”2625
که چو ما او را به خود افراشتیم ** عذر و حجت از میان بر داشتیم
Since the Hand of God has made the Qibla manifest, henceforth deem searching to be disallowed.
قبله را چون کرد دست حق عیان ** پس تحری بعد ازین مردود دان
Hark, avert your face and head from searching, now that the Destination and Dwelling-place has come into view.
هین بگردان از تحری رو و سر ** که پدید آمد معاد و مستقر
If you forget this Qibla for one moment, you will become in thrall to every worthless qibla (object of desire).
یک زمان زین قبله گر ذاهل شوی ** سخره‌ی هر قبله‌ی باطل شوی
When you show ingratitude to him that gives you discernment, the thought that recognises the Qibla will dart away from you.
چون شوی تمییزده را ناسپاس ** بجهد از تو خطرت قبله‌شناس
If you desire benefit and (spiritual) wheat from this Barn, do not part, even for half an hour, from those who sympathise,2630
گر ازین انبار خواهی بر و بر ** نیم‌ساعت هم ز همدردان مبر
For at the moment when you part from this helper you will be afflicted with an evil comrade
که در آن دم که ببری زین معین ** مبتلی گردی تو با بس القرین
Story of the attachment between the mouse and the frog: how they tied their legs together with a long string, and how a raven carried off the mouse, and how the frog was suspended (in the air) and lamented and repented of having attached himself to an animal of a different species instead of sorting with one of his own kind.
حکایت تعلق موش با چغز و بستن پای هر دو به رشته‌ای دراز و بر کشیدن زاغ موش را و معلق شدن چغز و نالیدن و پشیمانی او از تعلق با غیر جنس و با جنس خود ناساختن
As it happened, a mouse and a faithful frog had become friends on the bank of a river.
از قضا موشی و چغزی با وفا ** بر لب جو گشته بودند آشنا
Both of them were bound to (keep) a (daily) tryst: every morning they would come into a nook,
هر دو تن مربوط میقاتی شدند ** هر صباحی گوشه‌ای می‌آمدند
(Where) they played heart-and-soul with one another and emptied their breasts of evil (suspicious) thoughts.
نرد دل با هم‌دگر می‌باختند ** از وساوس سینه می‌پرداختند
The hearts of both swelled (with joy) from meeting: they recited stories and listened to each other,2635
هر دو را دل از تلاقی متسع ** هم‌دگر را قصه‌خوان و مستمع
Telling secrets with and without tongue, knowing how to interpret (the Tradition), “A united party is a (Divine) mercy.”
رازگویان با زبان و بی‌زبان ** الجماعه رحمه را تاویل دان
Whenever the exultant (mouse) consorted with the merry (frog), a five years' tale would come into his mind.
آن اشر چون جفت آن شاد آمدی ** پنج ساله قصه‌اش یاد آمدی
Flow of speech from the heart is a sign of (intimate) friendship; obstruction of speech arises from lack of intimacy.
جوش نطق از دل نشان دوستیست ** بستگی نطق از بی‌الفتیست
The heart that has seen the sweetheart, how should it remain bitter? (When) a nightingale has seen the rose, how should he remain silent?
دل که دلبر دید کی ماند ترش ** بلبلی گل دید کی ماند خمش
At the touch of Khadir the roasted fish came to life and took its abode in the sea.2640
ماهی بریان ز آسیب خضر ** زنده شد در بحر گشت او مستقر
To the friend, when he is seated beside his Friend, a hundred thousand tablets of mystery are made known.
یار را با یار چون بنشسته شد ** صد هزاران لوح سر دانسته شد
The brow of the Friend is a Guarded Tablet: to him (his friend) it reveals plainly the secret of the two worlds.
لوح محفوظ است پیشانی یار ** راز کونینش نماید آشکار
The Friend is the guide on the way during (his friend's) advance: hence Mustafá (Mohammed) said, “My Companions are (like) the stars.”
The star shows the way in (desert) sands and on the sea: fix thine eye on the (spiritual) Star, for he is the one to be followed.
نجم اندر ریگ و دریا رهنماست ** چشم اندر نجم نه کو مقتداست
Keep thine eye always paired with (unseparated from) his face: do not stir up dust by way of discussion and argument,2645
چشم را با روی او می‌دار جفت ** گرد منگیزان ز راه بحث و گفت
Because the Star will be hidden by that dust: the eye is better than the stumbling tongue.
زانک گردد نجم پنهان زان غبار ** چشم بهتر از زبان با عثار
(Be silent) in order that he may speak whose innermost garment is (Divine) inspiration which lays the dust and does not stir up trouble.
تا بگوید او که وحیستش شعار ** کان نشاند گرد و ننگیزد غبار
When Adam became the theatre of (Divine) inspiration and love, his rational soul revealed (to him) the knowledge of the Names.
چون شد آدم مظهر وحی و وداد ** ناطقه‌ی او علم الاسما گشاد
His tongue, (reading) from the page of his heart, recited the name of everything as it (really) is.
نام هر چیزی چنانک هست آن ** از صحیفه‌ی دل روی گشتش زبان
Through his (inward) vision his tongue was divulging the properties and quiddities of all things.2650
فاش می‌گفتی زبان از ریتش ** جمله را خاصیت و ماهیتش
(It was bestowing) such a name as fits the things (named), not so as to call a catamite a lion (hero).
آنچنان نامی که اشیا را سزد ** نه چنانک حیز را خواند اسد
Nine hundred years Noah (walked) in the straight way, and every day he had a new sermon to preach.
نوح نهصد سال در راه سوی ** بود هر روزیش تذکیر نوی
His ruby (lip) drew its eloquence from the corundum (precious jewel) in the hearts (of prophets): he had not read (mystical books like) the Risála or the Qútu ’l-qulúb.
لعل او گویا ز یاقوت القلوب ** نه رساله خوانده نه قوت القلوب
He had never learned to preach from (studying) commentaries; nay, (he learned) from the fountain of revelations and from the exposition (set forth) by the spirit—
وعظ را ناموخته هیچ از شروح ** بلک ینبوع کشوف و شرح روح
From the wine that (is so potent that) when it is quaffed the water of speech gushes from (the mouth of) the dumb,2655
زان میی کان می چو نوشیده شود ** آب نطق از گنگ جوشیده شود
And the new-born child becomes an eloquent divine and, like the Messiah (Christ), recites (words of) mature wisdom.
طفل نوزاده شود حبر فصیح ** حکمت بالغ بخواند چون مسیح
The prophet David learned a hundred odes (melodies) from the mountain that gained from that wine (the gift of) sweet song.
از کهی که یافت زان می خوش‌لبی ** صد غزل آموخت داود نبی
All the birds left off chirping and joined their voices with King David as accompanists.
جمله مرغان ترک کرده چیک چیک ** هم‌زبان و یار داود ملیک
What wonder that a bird should be enraptured by him, since (even) iron obeyed the call of his hand?
چه عجب که مرغ گردد مست او ** هم شنود آهن ندای دست او
A roaring wind became murderous to (the people of) ‘Ád, (but) to Solomon it became (serviceable) as a carrier.2660
صرصری بر عاد قتالی شده ** مر سلیمان را چو حمالی شده
A roaring wind carried on its head the throne of the king (Solomon) a month's journey every morn and eve.
صرصری می‌برد بر سر تخت شاه ** هر صباح و هر مسا یک ماهه راه
It became both a carrier and a spy for him, making the talk of the absent to be apprehended by him.
هم شده حمال و هم جاسوس او ** گفت غایب را کنان محسوس او