Now thou fallest on a mountain, now into a river; now thou wanderest in this direction, now in that.
بر که افتی گاه و در جوی اوفتی ** گه بدین سو گه بدان سوی اوفتی
O seeker of worldly estate, thou wilt never find the guide; and if thou find him, thou wilt avert thy face from him,4100
خود نبینی تو دلیل ای جاه‌جو ** ور ببینی رو بگردانی ازو
Saying, “I have travelled sixty miles on this road, and (now) this guide tells me I have lost my way.
که سفر کردم درین ره شصت میل ** مر مرا گمراه گوید این دلیل
If I give ear to this marvel, I must begin my journey again under his authority.
گر نهم من گوش سوی این شگفت ** ز امر او راهم ز سر باید گرفت
I have devoted my life to this journey: (I will pursue it) come what may. Begone, O Khwája!”
من درین ره عمر خود کردم گرو ** هرچه بادا باد ای خواجه برو
“(Yes), thou hast journeyed (far), but (only) in opinion (unsubstantial) as lightning: (come), make a tenth part of that journey for the sake of (Divine) inspiration (glorious) as the sunrise.
راه کردی لیک در ظن چو برق ** عشر آن ره کن پی وحی چو شرق
Thou hast read (the Verse), Opinion cannot serve instead of truth, and (yet) by a lightning-flash like that thou hast been blinded to a rising sun.4105
ظن لایغنی من الحق خوانده‌ای ** وز چنان برقی ز شرقی مانده‌ای
Hark, come into our boat, O wretched man, or (at least) tie that boat (of thine) to this boat (of ours).”
هی در آ در کشتی ما ای نژند ** یا تو آن کشتی برین کشتی ببند
He replies, “How should I abandon power and dominion? How should I follow thee blindly?”
گوید او چون ترک گیرم گیر و دار ** چون روم من در طفیلت کوروار
A blind man is certainly better off with a guide than (when he goes) alone: in the former case there is (only) one ignominy, while in the latter there are a hundred.
کور با رهبر به از تنها یقین ** زان یکی ننگست و صد ننگست ازین
Thou art fleeing from a gnat to a scorpion, thou art fleeing from a dewdrop into an ocean.
می‌گریزی از پشه در کزدمی ** می‌گریزی در یمی تو از نمی
Thou art fleeing from thy father's unkindnesses into the midst of scoundrels and mischief and trouble.4110
می‌گریزی از جفاهای پدر ** در میان لوطیان و شور و شر
Like Joseph, thou art fleeing from one sorrow to fall into a well (of woe) through (being beguiled by) “let us frolic and play.”
می‌گریزی هم‌چو یوسف ز اندهی ** تا ز نرتع نلعب افتی در چهی
Because of this pastime thou fallest into a well, like him; but where is the (Divine) favour to help thee (as it helped him)?
در چه افتی زین تفرج هم‌چو او ** مر ترا لیک آن عنایت یار کو
Had it not been (done) by his father's leave, he would never have emerged from the well till the Resurrection;
گر نبودی آن به دستوری پدر ** برنیاوردی ز چه تا حشر سر
(But) in order to please him his father gave the permission and said, “Since this is thy desire, may good come (of it)!”
آن پدر بهر دل او اذن داد ** گفت چون اینست میلت خیر باد
Any blind man who turns away in scorn from a Messiah will be left, like the Jews, without guidance;4115
هر ضریری کز مسیحی سر کشد ** او جهودانه بماند از رشد
(For) though he was blind, he was capable of receiving light; (but) from showing this aversion he becomes blind and blue (miserably lost).
قابل ضو بود اگر چه کور بود ** شد ازین اعراض او کور و کبود
Jesus says to him, “O blind man, cling to me with both hands: I have a precious collyrium.
گویدش عیسی بزن در من دو دست ** ای عمی کحل عزیزی با منست
If thou art blind, thou wilt obtain light from me and lay hold of the (sweet-scented) Joseph's shirt of the spirit.”
از من ار کوری بیابی روشنی ** بر قمیص یوسف جان بر زنی
The (real) fortune and highway (of success) lies in the business that comes to thee after utter defeat (self-abasement).
کار و باری کت رسد بعد شکست ** اندر آن اقبال و منهاج رهست
Give up the business that hath no foot or head (permanence): hark, old donkey, get for thyself a Pír!4120
کار و باری که ندارد پا و سر ** ترک کن هی پیر خر ای پیر خر
May none but the Pír be (thy) master and captain!—not the Pír (old man) of the rolling sky, but the Pír of right guidance.
غیر پیر استاد و سرلشکر مباد ** پیر گردون نی ولی پیر رشاد
The devotee of darkness sees the light immediately as soon as he becomes subject to (the authority of) the Pír.
در زمان چون پیر را شد زیردست ** روشنایی دید آن ظلمت‌پرست
What is required is self-surrender, not long toil: ’tis useless to rush about in error.
شرط تسلیم است نه کار دراز ** سود نبود در ضلالت ترک‌تاز
Henceforth I will not seek the way to the Ether (the highest celestial sphere): I will seek the Pír, I will seek the Pír, the Pír, the Pír!
من نجویم زین سپس راه اثیر ** پیر جویم پیر جویم پیر پیر
The Pír is the ladder to Heaven: by whom (what) is the arrow made to fly? By the bow.4125
پیر باشد نردبان آسمان ** تیر پران از که گردد از کمان
Was it not Abraham that caused the gross Nimrod to (attempt the) journey to heaven by means of the vulture?
نه ز ابراهیم نمرود گران ** کرد با کرکس سفر بر آسمان
(Impelled) by self-will, he often went upward; but no vulture can fly to heaven.
از هوا شد سوی بالا او بسی ** لیک بر گردون نپرد کرکسی
Abraham said to him, “O traveller, I will be thy vulture: this is more seemly for thee.
گفتش ابراهیم ای مرد سفر ** کرکست من باشم اینت خوب‌تر
When thou makest of me a ladder to go aloft, thou wilt ascend to heaven without flying”—
چون ز من سازی به بالا نردبان ** بی پریدن بر روی بر آسمان
As the heart (spirit), without provisions or riding-camel, travels (swiftly) as lightning to west and east;4130
آنچنان که می‌رود تا غرب و شرق ** بی ز زاد و راحله دل هم‌چو برق
As man's consciousness, wandering abroad whilst he is asleep, travels during the night to (remote) cities;
آنچنان که می‌رود شب ز اغتراب ** حس مردم شهرها در وقت خواب
As the gnostic, sitting quietly (in one place), travels by a hidden track through a hundred worlds.
آنچنان که عارف از راه نهان ** خوش نشسته می‌رود در صد جهان
If he has not been endowed with power to travel like this, (then) from whom are (derived) these reports concerning that (spiritual) country?
گر ندادستش چنین رفتار دست ** این خبرها زان ولایت از کیست
Hundreds of thousands of Pírs are agreed upon (the truth of) these reports and these veracious narratives.
این خبرها وین روایات محق ** صد هزاران پیر بر وی متفق
Amongst these sources (authorities) there is no dispute, such as there is in (the case of) knowledge based on opinions.4135
یک خلافی نی میان این عیون ** آنچنان که هست در علم ظنون
That (knowledge based on opinion) is (like) searching (for the direction of the Ka‘ba) in the dark night, while this (mystic knowledge) is (like) the presence of the Ka‘ba and midday.
آن تحری آمد اندر لیل تار ** وین حضور کعبه و وسط نهار
Arise, O (thou who resemblest) Nimrod, and seek wings from (holy) personages: thou wilt not get any ladder from these vultures.
خیز ای نمرود پر جوی از کسان ** نردبانی نایدت زین کرکسان
The vulture is the particular (discursive) reason, O poor (-spirited) one: its wings are connected with the eating of carrion;
عقل جزوی کرکس آمد ای مقل ** پر او با جیفه‌خواری متصل
(But) the reason of the Abdál (exalted saints) is like the wings of Gabriel: it soars, mile by mile, up to the shade of the lote-tree (in Paradise).
عقل ابدالان چو پر جبرئیل ** می‌پرد تا ظل سدره میل میل
(It says), “I am a royal falcon, I am fair and auspicious, I have nothing to do with carrion: I am not a vulture.4140
باز سلطانم گشم نیکوپیم ** فارغ از مردارم و کرکس نیم
Abandon the vulture, for I will be thy helper: a wing of mine is better for thee than a hundred vultures.”
ترک کرکس کن که من باشم کست ** یک پر من بهتر از صد کرکست
How long wilt thou gallop blindly? For (learning) a trade and business one needs a master.
چند بر عمیا دوانی اسپ را ** باید استا پیشه را و کسپ را
Do not disgrace thyself in the capital of China: seek a sage and do not separate thyself from him.
خویشتن رسوا مکن در شهر چین ** عاقلی جو خویش از وی در مچین
Hark, whatever the Plato of the age bids thee do, give up thy self-will and act in accordance with that (counsel).
آن چه گوید آن فلاطون زمان ** هین هوا بگار و رو بر وفق آن