Hark, lift up the sword of Allah from the east: with (the radiance of) that east make this portal hot.
هین بر آر از شرق سیفالله را ** گرم کن زان شرق این درگاه را
That Sun smites the snow with a dagger: it causes the torrents to pour from the mountains upon the (frozen) earth,
برف را خنجر زند آن آفتاب ** سیلها ریزد ز کهها بر تراب
For it is neither of the east nor of the west: by day and by night it is at war with the astronomer,
زانک لا شرقیست و لا غربیست او ** با منجم روز و شب حربیست او
Saying, “Why in thy baseness and blindness hast thou made a qibla other than me of stars that give no true guidance?
که چرا جز من نجوم بیهدی ** قبله کردی از لیمی و عمی
Displeasing to thee are the words of that trusty one in the Qur’án—‘I love not them that set.’95
تا خوشت ناید مقال آن امین ** در نبی که لا احب الا فلین
(Prompted) by Quzah, thou hast girt thyself (for service) before the moon: hence thou art vexed by (the sign announced in the Verse) and the moon shall be split asunder.
از قزح در پیش مه بستی کمر ** زان همی رنجی ز وانشق القمر
Thou disbelievest that the sun shall be folded up: in thy opinion the sun is of the highest degree.
منکری این را که شمس کورت ** شمس پیش تست اعلیمرتبت
Thou deemest change of weather to be caused by the stars: thou art displeased with (the text) when the star shall fall.
از ستاره دیده تصریف هوا ** ناخوشت آید اذا النجم هوی
Verily, the moon produces no greater effect than bread: O many a loaf of bread that severs the vein of life!
خود مثرتر نباشد مه ز نان ** ای بسا نان که ببرد عرق جان
Verily, (the planet) Venus produces no greater effect than water: O many a water that has destroyed the body!100
خود مثرتر نباشد زهره زآب ** ای بسا آبا که کرد او تن خراب
Love of those (stars) is (implanted) in thy soul, and the advice of thy friend strikes (only) on the outer skin of thy ear.
مهر آن در جان تست و پند دوست ** میزند بر گوش تو بیرون پوست
(If) our advice takes no hold of thee, O great man, know that neither does thy advice take any hold of us.
پند ما در تو نگیرد ای فلان ** پند تو در ما نگیرد هم بدان
(Thy ears are closed) unless, perchance, the special (sovereign) key (to open them) come from the Friend to whom belong the keys of the heavens.”
جز مگر مفتاح خاص آید ز دوست ** که مقالید السموات آن اوست
This discourse is like the stars and the moon (in splendour), but without the command of God it makes no impression.
این سخن همچون ستارهست و قمر ** لیک بیفرمان حق ندهد اثر
The impression made by this star (which is) beyond locality strikes (only) on ears that seek inspiration,105
این ستارهی بیجهت تاثیر او ** میزند بر گوشهای وحیجو
Saying, “Come ye from (the world of) locality to the world without spatial relations, in order that the wolf may not tear you to pieces in checkmate (utter discomfiture).”
کی بیایید از جهت تا بیجهات ** تا ندراند شما را گرگ مات
Since its pearl-scattering radiance is such (as has been mentioned), the sun of the present world may be described as its bat.
آنچنان که لمعهی درپاش اوست ** شمس دنیا در صفت خفاش اوست
The seven blue (celestial) spheres are in servitude to it; the courier moon is fevered and wasted away by it.
هفت چرخ ازرقی در رق اوست ** پیک ماه اندر تب و در دق اوست
Venus lays her hand upon it to beseech (its favour); Jupiter comes forward to offer to it the ready money of his soul.
زهره چنگ مسله در وی زده ** مشتری با نقد جان پیش آمده
Saturn is eager to kiss its hand, but he does not regard himself as worthy of that honour.110
در هوای دستبوس او زحل ** لیک خود را مینبیند از محل
On account of it, Mars has inflicted so many wounds on his hands and feet; and on account of it Mercury has broken a hundred pens.
دست و پا مریخ چندین خست ازو ** وآن عطارد صد قلم بشکست ازو
All these stars (planets) are at war with the astronomer, saying, “O thou who hast let the spirit go and hast preferred colour (vanity),
با منجم این همه انجم به جنگ ** کای رها کرده تو جان بگزیده رنگ
It is the spirit, and we all are (mere) colour and designs: the star (spark) of every thought in it is the soul of the (material) stars.”
جان ویست و ما همه رنگ و رقوم ** کوکب هر فکر او جان نجوم
Where is thought (in relation to it)? There all is pure light: this word “thought” is (used only) for thy sake, O thinker.
فکر کو آنجا همه نورست پاک ** بهر تست این لفظ فکر ای فکرناک
Every (material) star hath its house on high: our star is not contained in any house.115
هر ستاره خانه دارد در علا ** هیچ خانه در نگنجد نجم ما
How should that which burns (transcends) place (spatial relations) enter into space? How should there be a limit for the illimitable light?
جای سوز اندر مکان کی در رود ** نور نامحدود را حد کی بود
But they (the mystics) use a comparison and illustration, in order that a loving feeble-minded man may apprehend (the truth).
لیک تمثیلی و تصویری کنند ** تا که در یابد ضعیفی عشقمند
’Tis not a simile, but ’tis a parable for the purpose of releasing (melting) the frozen intellect.
مثل نبود لیک باشد آن مثال ** تا کند عقل مجمد را گسیل
The intellect is strong in the head but weak in the legs, because it is sick of heart (spiritually decayed) though sound of body (materially flourishing).
عقل سر تیزست لیکن پای سست ** زانک دل ویران شدست و تن درست
Their (the unspiritual men's) intellect is deeply involved in the dessert (pleasures) of this world: never, never do they think of abandoning sensuality.120
عقلشان در نقل دنیا پیچ پیچ ** فکرشان در ترک شهوت هیچ هیچ
In the hour of pretension their breasts are (glowing) like the orient sun, (but) in the hour of pious devotion their endurance is (brief) as the lightning.
صدرشان در وقت دعوی همچو شرق ** صبرشان در وقت تقوی همچو برق
A learned man who shows self-conceit in (displaying) his talents is faithless as the world at the time for keeping faith.
عالمی اندر هنرها خودنما ** همچو عالم بیوفا وقت وفا
At the time when he regards himself (with pride) he is not contained in the world: he has become lost in the gullet and belly, like bread.
وقت خودبینی نگنجد در جهان ** در گلو و معده گم گشته چو نان
(Yet) all these (evil) qualities of theirs may become good: evil does not remain when it turns to seeking good.
این همه اوصافشان نیکو شود ** بد نماند چونک نیکوجو شود
If egoism is foul-smelling like semen, (yet) when it attains unto the spirit (spirituality) it gains light.125
گر منی گنده بود همچون منی ** چون به جان پیوست یابد روشنی
Every mineral that sets its face towards (aspires to evolve into) the plant (the vegetative state)—life grows from the tree of its fortune.
هر جمادی که کند رو در نبات ** از درخت بخت او روید حیات
Every plant that turns its face towards the (animal) spirit drinks, like Khizr, from the Fountain of Life.
هر نباتی کان به جان رو آورد ** خضروار از چشمهی حیوان خورد
Once more, when the (animal) spirit sets its face towards the (Divine) Beloved, it lays down its baggage (and passes) into the life without end.
باز جان چون رو سوی جانان نهد ** رخت را در عمر بیپایان نهد
How an inquirer asked (a preacher) about a bird that was supposed to have settled on the wall of a city—“Is its head more excellent and estimable and noble and honourable or its tail?”—and how the preacher gave him a reply suited to the measure of his understanding.
سال سایل از مرغی کی بر سر ربض شهری نشسته باشد سر او فاضلترست و عزیزتر و شریفتر و مکرمتر یا دم او و جواب دادن واعظ سایل را به قدر فهم او
One day an inquirer said to a preacher, “O thou who art the pulpit's most eminent expounder,
واعظی را گفت روزی سایلی ** کای تو منبر را سنیتر قایلی
I have a question to ask. Answer my question in this assembly-place, O possessor of the marrow (of wisdom).130
یک سالستم بگو ای ذو لباب ** اندرین مجلس سالم را جواب
A bird has settled on the city-wall: which is better—its head or its tail?”
بر سر بارو یکی مرغی نشست ** از سر و از دم کدامینش بهست
He replied, “If its face is to the town and its tail to the country, know that its face is better than its tail;
گفت اگر رویش به شهر و دم به ده ** روی او از دم او میدان که به
But if its tail is towards the town and its face to the country, be the dust on that tail and spring away from its face.”
ور سوی شهرست دم رویش به ده ** خاک آن دم باش و از رویش بجه
A bird flies to its nest by means of wings: the wings of Man are aspiration, O people.
مرغ با پر میپرد تا آشیان ** پر مردم همتست ای مردمان
(In the case of) the lover who is soiled with good and evil, do not regard the good and evil; (only) regard the aspiration.135
عاشقی که آلوده شد در خیر و شر ** خیر و شر منگر تو در همت نگر
If a falcon be white and beyond compare, (yet) it becomes despicable when it hunts a mouse;
باز اگر باشد سپید و بینظیر ** چونک صیدش موش باشد شد حقیر
And if there be an owl that has desire for the king, it is (noble as) the falcon's head: do not regard the hood.
ور بود چغدی و میل او به شاه ** او سر بازست منگر در کلاه
Man, no bigger than a kneading-trough (scooped in a log), has surpassed (in glory) the heavens and the aether (the empyrean).
آدمی بر قد یک طشت خمیر ** بر فزود از آسمان و از اثیر
Did this heaven ever hear (the words) We have honoured which this sorrowful Man heard (from God)?
هیچ کرمنا شنید این آسمان ** که شنید این آدمی پر غمان
Did any one offer to earth and sky (his) beauty and reason and eloquence and fond affection?140
بر زمین و چرخ عرضه کرد کس ** خوبی و عقل و عبارات و هوس