بخش 103 - مثل آوردن اشتر در بیان آنک در مخبر دولتی فر و اثر آن چون نبینی جای متهم داشتن باشد کی او مقلدست در آن

A certain man asked a camel, “Hey, whence comest thou, O thou whom fortune attends?

He replied, “From the hot-bath in thy street.” Said the other, “Truly, ’tis manifest in (the state of) thy knees!”

(When) Pharaoh, the obstinate rebel, saw Moses' snake, he begged for a respite and showed meekness.

The men of intelligence said, “This man (Pharaoh) ought to have been fiercer, since he is the Lord of the Judgement.

Whether the miracle was a dragon or a snake, what has become of the pride and wrath proper to his divinity?

If he is the Supreme Lord seated on the throne, what is this blandishment on account of a single worm?”

So long as your fleshly soul is intoxicated with the dessert and date-wine (of sensuality), know that your spirit has not beheld the cluster belonging to the World Unseen,

For the signs of that vision of the Light are (consist in) your withdrawal from the abode of delusion.

Since the bird is frequenting a briny (piece of) water, it has not seen (found) help (for its thirst) in the sweet water;

Nay, its faith is (mere) imitation: its spirit has never seen the face of faith.

Hence, because of the accursed Devil, the imitator is in great danger from the road and the brigand;

(But) when he beholds the Light of God, he becomes safe: he is at rest from the agitations of doubt.

The sea-foam (scum) is (always) in collision till it comes to the earth (land) which is its origin.

The foam (scum) is earthly: it is an exile in the water: in exile agitation is inevitable.

When his (the imitator's) eye is opened and he reads those characters (of Reality), the Devil hath no power over him any more.

Although the ass spoke of (spiritual) mysteries to the fox, he spoke superficially and like an imitator.

He praised the water, but he had no longing (for it); he tore his face and raiment, but he was no lover.

The excuse made by the hypocrite was bad, not good, because it was (only) on their lips, not in their hearts.

He (the hypocrite) has the smell of the apple, but no part of the apple (itself); and in him (even) the smell is only for the purpose of (coming into) contact (with the true believers).

The charge of a woman in battle does not break the (hostile) ranks; nay, her plight becomes pitiable.

Though you see her take the sword (and fight) like a lion amidst the ranks, (yet) her hand trembles.

Alas for him whose reason is female, while his wicked fleshly soul is male and ready (to gratify its lust)!

Of necessity, his reason is vanquished: his movement is towards naught but perdition.

Oh, blest is that one whose reason is male, while his wicked fleshly soul is female and helpless;

Whose particular (individual) reason is male and dominant, (so that) his intellect deprives the female fleshly soul (of power to do mischief).

The attack of the female, too, is bold in appearance; her defect, as (in the case of) that ass, arises from asininity.

The animal nature prevails in woman, because she has an inclination towards colour and scent.

(When) the ass heard of the colour and scent of the meadow, all arguments (in favour of trust in God) disgusted him.

The thirsty man wanted rain, and there was no cloud; the fleshly soul was ravenously hungry, and there was no self-restraint.

Self-restraint is an iron shield, O father: upon the shield (of self-restraint) God hath written (the words), “Victory will come.”

The imitator brings forward a hundred proofs in his exposition, (but) he speaks (gives) them from ratiocination, not from immediate experience.

He is tinctured with musk, but he is not musk: he has the scent of musk, but he is only dung.

In order that a piece of dung may become musk, O disciple, one must browse for years in that (spiritual) garden.

One must not eat straw and barley, like asses: browse on arghawán, like the musk-deer in Khutan.

Do not browse on aught but clove, jasmine, or roses: go to the plain of Khutan in company with those (saintly) personages.

Accustom your belly to the sweet basil and the rose, that you may gain the wisdom and (spiritual) food of the prophets.

Break your belly of its habit of (eating) this straw and barley: begin to eat the sweet basil and the rose.

The corporeal belly leads to the straw-barn; the spiritual belly leads to the sweet basil.

Whoever feeds on straw and barley becomes a sacrifice (qurbán); whoever feeds on the Light of God becomes the Qur’án.

Beware! Half of you is musk and half is dung. Beware! Do not increase the dung, increase the Chinese musk.

The imitator brings on to his tongue a hundred proofs and explanations, but he has no soul.

When the speaker has no soul and (spiritual) glory, how should his speech have leaves and fruit?

He boldly directs people in the Way (to salvation), (though) he is more tremulous (infirm) in soul than a blade of straw.

Therefore, though his discourse may be splendid, tremor (infirmity) is also latent in his discourse.