- “Why,” said the king, “is not he a single man (and) alone?” He (the vizier) replied, “Do not look with contempt on the man's loneliness.
- گفت آخر نه یکی مردیست فرد ** گفت منگر خوار در فردی مرد
- Open your eye: look well at the fortress: it is trembling before him like quicksilver. 3035
- چشم بگشا قلعه را بنگر نکو ** همچو سیمابست لرزان پیش او
- He sits (alone) on the saddle, (but) his nerve is just as unshaken as if an (army of the) East and West were accompanying him.
- شسته در زین آنچنان محکمپیست ** گوییا شرقی و غربی با ویست
- Several men rushed forward, like Fidá’ís (desperate assassins), and flung themselves into combat with him.
- چند کس همچون فدایی تاختند ** خویشتن را پیش او انداختند
- He felled each of them with a blow of his mace (so that they were hurled) headlong at the feet of his steed.
- هر یکی را او بگرزی میفکند ** سر نگوسار اندر اقدام سمند
- God's (creative) action had bestowed on him such a collectedness that he was attacking a (whole) people single-handed.
- داده بودش صنع حق جمعیتی ** که همیزد یک تنه بر امتی
- When mine eye beheld the face of that (spiritual) emperor, (all) plurality vanished from my sight.” 3040
- چشم من چون دید روی آن قباد ** کثرت اعداد از چشمم فتاد
- The stars are many; though the sun is one, (yet) on his appearance their foundation is demolished.
- اختران بسیار و خورشید ار یکیست ** پیش او بنیاد ایشان مندکیست
- If a thousand mice put forth their heads, the cat feels no fear or apprehension of danger.
- گر هزاران موش پیش آرند سر ** گربه را نه ترس باشد نه حذر
- How should mice advance (to the attack), O such-and-such? They have no collectedness in their souls.
- کی به پیش آیند موشان ای فلان ** نیست جمعیت درون جانشان
- The collectedness (that consists) in outward forms is a vain thing: hark, beg from the Creator collectedness of spirit.
- هست جمعیت به صورتها فشار ** جمع معنی خواه هین از کردگار
- Collectedness is not the result of bodily multitude: know that body, like name, is built on (empty) air. 3045
- نیست جمعیت ز بسیاری جسم ** جسم را بر باد قایم دان چو اسم
- If there were any collectedness in the heart of the mouse, a number of mice would be collected (united) by a feeling of indignation,
- در دل موش ار بدی جمعیتی ** جمع گشتی چند موش از حمیتی
- And, rushing up like assassins, they would throw themselves on a cat without (giving her) any respite.
- بر زدندی چون فدایی حملهای ** خویش را بر گربهی بیمهلهای
- One would tear out her eyes in conflict (with her), while another would rip her ears with its teeth,
- آن یکی چشمش بکندی از ضراب ** وان دگر گوشش دریدی هم به ناب
- And another make a hole in her side: there would be no way of escape for her from the united party.
- وان دگر سوراخ کردی پهلوش ** از جماعت گم شدی بیرون شوش
- But the soul of the mouse has no collectedness: at the miaul of a cat (all) its wits fly out of its soul. 3050
- لیک جمعیت ندارد جان موش ** بجهد از جانش به بانگ گربه هوش
- The mouse is paralysed by the wily cat, (even) if the numbers of the mice amount to a hundred thousand.
- خشک گردد موش زان گربهی عیار ** گر بود اعداد موشان صد هزار
- What cares the butcher for the numerous flock (of sheep)? How can abundance of consciousness prevent (the approach of) slumber?
- از رمهی انبه چه غم قصاب را ** انبهی هش چه بندد خواب را
- He (God) is the Lord of the kingdom: He gives collectedness to the lion, so that he springs on the herd of onagers.
- مالک الملک است جمعیت دهد ** شیر را تا بر گلهی گوران جهد
- A hundred thousand savage and courageous onagers are as naught before the onset of the lion.
- صد هزاران گور دهشاخ و دلیر ** چون عدم باشند پیش صول شیر
- He is the Lord of the kingdom: He gives to a Joseph the kingdom of Beauty, so that he is (lovely) as the water of white clouds. 3055
- مالک الملک است بدهد ملک حسن ** یوسفی را تا بود چون ماء مزن
- He bestows upon one face the radiance of a star, so that a king becomes the slave of a girl.
- در رخی بنهد شعاع اختری ** که شود شاهی غلام دختری
- He bestows upon another face His own Light, so that at midnight it sees everything good and evil.
- بنهد اندر روی دیگر نور خود ** که ببیند نیمشب هر نیک و بد
- Joseph and Moses fetched light from God into their cheeks and countenances and into their inmost bosoms.
- یوسف و موسی ز حق بردند نور ** در رخ و رخسار و در ذات الصدور
- The face of Moses shot forth a flashing beam: he hung a veil in front of his face.
- روی موسی بارقی انگیخته ** پیش رو او توبره آویخته
- The splendour of his face would have dazzled (men's) eyes as the emerald (blinds) the eyes of the deaf adder. 3060
- نور رویش آنچنان بردی بصر ** که زمرد از دو دیدهی مار کر
- He besought God that the veil might become a covering for that powerful Light.
- او ز حق در خواسته تا توبره ** گردد آن نور قوی را ساتره
- He (God) said, “Hark, make a veil of thy felt raiment, for the garment of gnosis can be trusted (to keep it safe),
- توبره گفت از گلیمت ساز هین ** کان لباس عارفی آمد امین
- Because that robe has become inured to the Light: the Light of the Spirit shines through its warp and woof.
- کان کسا از نور صبری یافتست ** نور جان در تار و پودش تافتست
- Nothing will be a (safe) repository (for it) except a mantle like this: nothing else can endure Our Light.
- جز چنین خرقه نخواهد شد صوان ** نور ما را بر نتابد غیر آن
- If Mt Qáf should come forward as a barrier (to it), the Light would rend it asunder like Mt Sinai.” 3065
- کوه قاف ار پیش آید بهرسد ** همچو کوه طور نورش بر درد
- Through the (Divine) omnipotence the bodies of (holy) men have gained ability to support the unconditioned Light.
- از کمال قدرت ابدان رجال ** یافت اندر نور بیچون احتمال
- His (God's) power makes a glass vessel the dwelling-place of that (Light) of which Sinai cannot bear (even) a mote.
- آنچ طورش بر نتابد ذرهای ** قدرتش جا سازد از قارورهای
- A lamp-niche and a lamp-glass have become the dwelling-place of the Light by which Mt Qáf and Mt Sinai are torn to pieces.
- گشت مشکات و زجاجی جای نور ** که همیدرد ز نور آن قاف و طور
- Know that their (the holy men's) bodies are the lamp-niche and their hearts the glass: this lamp illumines the empyrean and the heavens.
- جسمشان مشکات دان دلشان زجاج ** تافته بر عرش و افلاک این سراج
- Their (the heavens') light is dazzled by this Light and vanishes like the stars in this radiance of morning. 3070
- نورشان حیران این نور آمده ** چون ستاره زین ضحی فانی شده
- Hence the Seal of the prophets has related (the saying) of the everlasting and eternal Lord—
- زین حکایت کرد آن ختم رسل ** از ملیک لا یزال و لم یزل
- “I am not contained in the heavens or in the void or in the exalted intelligences and souls;
- که نگنجیدم در افلاک و خلا ** در عقول و در نفوس با علا
- (But) I am contained, as a guest, in the true believer's heart, without qualification or definition or description,
- در دل مومن بگنجیدم چو ضیف ** بی ز چون و بی چگونه بی ز کیف
- To the end that by the mediation of that heart (all) above and below may win from Me sovereignties and fortune.
- در دل مومن بگنجیدم چو ضیف ** بی ز چون و بی چگونه بی ز کیف
- Without such a mirror neither Earth nor Time could bear the vision of My beauty. 3075
- بیچنین آیینه از خوبی من ** برنتابد نه زمین و نه زمن
- I caused the steed of (My) mercy to gallop over the two worlds: I fashioned a very spacious mirror.
- بر دو کون اسپ ترحم تاختیم ** پس عریض آیینهای بر ساختیم
- From this mirror (appear) at every moment fifty (spiritual) wedding-feasts: hearken to the mirror, but do not ask (Me) to describe it.”
- هر دمی زین آینه پنجاه عرس ** بشنو آیینه ولی شرحش مپرس
- The gist (of the discourse) is this, that he (Moses) made a veil of his raiment, since he knew the penetrativeness of (the light of) that Moon.
- حاصل این کزلبس خویشش پرده ساخت ** که نفوذ آن قمر را میشناخت
- Had the veil been (made) of anything except his raiment, it would have been torn to shreds, (even) if it had been (like) a solid mountain.
- گر بدی پرده ز غیر لبس او ** پاره گشتی گر بدی کوه دوتو
- It (the Light) would penetrate through iron walls: what contrivance could the veil employ against the Light of God? 3080
- ز آهنین دیوارها نافذ شدی ** توبره با نور حق چه فن زدی
- That veil had become glowing: it was the mantle of a gnostic in the moment of ecstasy.
- گشته بود آن توبره صاحب تفی ** بود وقت شور خرقهی عارفی
- The fire is deposited (becomes immanent) in the tinder because it (the tinder) is already familiar with the fire.
- زان شود آتش رهین سوخته ** کوست با آتش ز پیش آموخته
- And in sooth Safúrá, from desire and love for that Light of true guidance, sacrificed both her eyes.
- وز هوا و عشق آن نور رشاد ** خود صفورا هر دو دیده باد داد