His (the thief's) eye was a knower of the King: consequently he opened his lips (to speak) of (mystic) knowledge to his followers.
عارف شه بود چشمش لاجرم ** بر گشاد از معرفت لب با حشم
He said, “This King was (the subject of) and He is with you: he was seeing our actions and hearing our secret.
گفت و هو معکم این شاه بود ** فعل ما می‌دید و سرمان می‌شنود
My eye made its way (to him), recognised the King by night, and all night long played the game of love with his moon-like face.
چشم من ره برد شب شه را شناخت ** جمله شب با روی ماهش عشق باخت
I will beg (forgiveness for) my people from him, for he never averts his face from the knower.
امت خود را بخواهم من ازو ** کو نگرداند ز عارف هیچ رو
Deem the eye of the knower to be the salvation of the two worlds, whereby every Bahrám (sovereign) obtained help.2860
چشم عارف دان امان هر دو کون ** که بدو یابید هر بهرام عون
Mohammed was the intercessor for every brand (of disgrace) because his eye did not swerve for aught except God.
زان محمد شافع هر داغ بود ** که ز جز شه چشم او مازاغ بود
In the night of this world, where the sun (of Reality) is veiled, he was beholding God, and (all) his hope was in Him.
در شب دنیا که محجوبست شید ** ناظر حق بود و زو بودش امید
His eyes received collyrium from Did not We expand (thy breast)? He saw that which Gabriel could not endure.
از الم نشرح دو چشمش سرمه یافت ** دید آنچ جبرئیل آن بر نتافت
The orphan to whom (to whose eyes) God applies collyrium becomes the orphan (unique) pearl endowed with (Divine) guidance.
مر یتیمی را که سرمه حق کشد ** گردد او در یتیم با رشد
Its light overpowers (that of all other) pearls, (because) it desires such an (exalted) object of desire.2865
نور او بر ذره‌ها غالب شود ** آن‌چنان مطلوب را طالب شود
(All) the (spiritual) stations (attainments) of God's servants were visible to him (the Prophet): consequently God named him ‘The Witness.’
در نظر بودش مقامات العباد ** لاجرم نامش خدا شاهد نهاد
The weapons of the Witness are a trenchant (veracious) tongue and a keen eye, whose nightly vigil no secret can elude.
آلت شاهد زبان و چشم تیز ** که ز شب‌خیزش ندارد سر گریز
Though a thousand pretenders (false witnesses) may raise their heads, the Judge turns his ear towards the Witness.
گر هزاران مدعی سر بر زند ** گوش قاضی جانب شاهد کند
This is the practice of judges in dealing justice: to them the (truthful) witness is (like) two clear eyes.
قاضیان را در حکومت این فنست ** شاهد ایشان را دو چشم روشنست
The words (testimony) of the Witness are equivalent to the eye because he has seen the secret (of Reality) with a disinterested eye.2870
گفت شاهد زان به جای دیده است ** کو بدیده‌ی بی‌غرض سر دیده است
The pretender (false witness) has seen it (too), but with self-interest: self-interest is a veil upon the eye of the heart.
مدعی دیده‌ست اما با غرض ** پرده باشد دیده‌ی دل را غرض
God desires that you should become an ascetic (záhid) in order that you may abandon self-interest and become a Witness (sháhid);
حق همی‌خواهد که تو زاهد شوی ** تا غرض بگذاری و شاهد شوی
For these motives of self-interest are a veil upon the eye: they enfold (muffle) the sight, like a veil.
کین غرضها پرده‌ی دیده بود ** بر نظر چون پرده پیچیده بود
Therefore he (the self-interested man) does not see the whole in (all its) various aspects: your love of (created) things makes you blind and deaf.
پس نبیند جمله را با طم و رم ** حبک الاشیاء یعمی و یصم
Since the (Divine) Sun caused a light to dwell in his (the Witness's) heart, the stars no longer had any values for him.2875
در دلش خورشید چون نوری نشاند ** پیشش اختر را مقادیری نماند
Therefore he beheld the mysteries without veil: (he beheld) the journey of the spirit of the true believers and the infidels.
پس بدید او بی‌حجاب اسرار را ** سیر روح مومن و کفار را
God hath not (created) in the earth or in the lofty heaven anything more occult than the spirit of Man.
در زمین حق را و در چرخ سمی ** نیست پنهان‌تر ز روح آدمی
God hath unfolded (the mystery of all things) moist or dry, (but) He hath sealed (the mystery of) the spirit: ‘(it is) of the amr of my Lord.’
باز کرد از رطب و یابس حق نورد ** روح را من امر ربی مهر کرد
Therefore, since the august eye (of the Witness) beheld that spirit, nothing remains hidden from him.
پس چو دید آن روح را چشم عزیز ** پس برو پنهان نماند هیچ چیز
He is the absolute witness in every dispute: his word crushes the crop-sickness (which is the cause) of every headache.2880
شاهد مطلق بود در هر نزاع ** بشکند گفتش خمار هر صداع
God is named ‘the Just,’ and the Witness belongs to Him: for this reason the just Witness is the eye of the Beloved.
نام حق عدلست و شاهد آن اوست ** شاهد عدلست زین رو چشم دوست
The object of God's regard in both worlds is the (pure) heart, for the king's gaze is fixed upon the favourite.
منظر حق دل بود در دو سرا ** که نظر در شاهد آید شاه را
God's love and the mystery of His dallying with His favourite were the origin of all His veil-making (creation of phenomena).
عشق حق و سر شاهدبازیش ** بود مایه‌ی جمله پرده‌سازیش
(’Twas) on that account, then, (that) in meeting (the Prophet) on the night of the Ascension our (Lord who is) fond of dalliance said, ‘But for thee (I would not have created the heavens).’
پس از آن لولاک گفت اندر لقا ** در شب معراج شاهدباز ما
This (Divine) Destiny rules (everything) good and evil: does not the Witness become the ruler of Destiny?2885
این قضا بر نیک و بد حاکم بود ** بر قضا شاهد نه حاکم می‌شود
The bondsman of Destiny became the Commander of Destiny: hail to thee, O keen-sighted one who art pleasing (to God)!
شد اسیر آن قضا میر قضا ** شاد باش ای چشم‌تیز مرتضی
The knower made many a petition to the Known, saying, ‘O Thou who watchest over us in heat and cold,
عارف از معروف بس درخواست کرد ** کای رقیب ما تو اندر گرم و سرد
O Thou who givest us intimations in weal and woe, (though) our hearts are unaware of Thy intimations,
ای مشیر ما تو اندر خیر و شر ** از اشارتهات دل‌مان بی‌خبر
O (Lord) who daily and nightly seest us and whom we see not, (our) regarding the secondary cause (instead of the Causer) has muffled our eyes.
ای یرانا لانراه روز و شب ** چشم‌بند ما شده دید سبب
My eye has been chosen above (all other) eyes, so that the (Divine) Sun was beheld by me in the night (of material existence).2890
چشم من از چشم‌ها بگزیده شد ** تا که در شب آفتابم دیده شد
That was (through) Thy well-known grace, O Beauteous One; and (as the proverb says), ‘The perfection of kindness consists in making it complete.’
لطف معروف تو بود آن ای بهی ** پس کمال البر فی اتمامه
O Lord, make our light complete in the plain of Resurrection and deliver us from shameful and overwhelming indignities!
یا رب اتمم نورنا فی الساهره ** وانجنا من مفضحات قاهره
Do not let Thy night-companion be banished (from Thy presence) in the daytime, do not inflict farness (separation) on the soul that has experienced nearness (union).
یار شب را روز مهجوری مده ** جان قربت‌دیده را دوری مده
Absence from Thee is a grievous and tormenting death, especially the absence that comes after enjoyment of Thy favour.
بعد تو مرگیست با درد و نکال ** خاصه بعدی که بود بعد الوصال
Do not put him that hath seen Thee in the position of one that hath not seen (Thee): sprinkle water on his verdure that has sprung up.2895
آنک دیدستت مکن نادیده‌اش ** آب زن بر سبزه‌ی بالیده‌اش
I have not acted recklessly (heedlessly) while faring (on Thy Way): do not Thou either act recklessly (ruthlessly) in pricking (inflicting pain upon me).
من نکردم لا ابالی در روش ** تو مکن هم لاابالی در خلش
Oh, do not drive far from Thy face him who once beheld Thy face!
هین مران از روی خود او را بعید ** آنک او یک‌باره آن روی تو دید
To behold the face of any one but Thee is (like the torture of) an iron collar for the throat: everything except God is vain.
دید روی جز تو شد غل گلو ** کل شیء ما سوی الله باطل
They are vain, but they show me the right way because vanity attracts (only) the vain.
باطل‌اند و می‌نمایندم رشد ** زانک باطل باطلان را می‌کشد
Each one of the atoms on atoms which exist in this earth and heaven is like amber (a magnet) for its congener.2900
ذره ذره کاندرین ارض و سماست ** جنس خود را هر یکی چون کهرباست
The belly attracts bread to its resting-place; the heat of the liver attracts water.
معده نان را می‌کشد تا مستقر ** می‌کشد مر آب را تف جگر
The eye is an attractor of beautiful persons from these (different) quarters of the town; the brain (nose) is seeking (to attract) scents from the rose-garden,