فایدهی تو گر مرا فاییده نیست ** مر ترا چون فایده ست از وی مه ایست
If your profit is no profit to me, (yet) since it is a profit to you, do not withdraw from it.”
حسن یوسف عالمی را فایده ** گر چه بر اخوان عبث بد زایده
The beauty of Joseph profited a (whole) world (of people), though to his brethren it was a vain superfluity.
لحن داودی چنان محبوب بود ** لیک بر محروم بانگ چوب بود
The melodies of David were so dear (to the faithful), but to the interdicted (unbeliever) they were (no more than) the noise of wood.
آب نیل از آب حیوان بد فزون ** لیک بر محروم و منکر بود خون1075
The water of the Nile was superior to the Water of Life, but to the interdicted and unbelieving it was blood.
هست بر مومن شهیدی زندگی ** بر منافق مردن است و ژندگی
To the true believer martyrdom is life; to the hypocrite it is death and corruption.
چیست در عالم بگو یک نعمتی ** که نه محرومند از وی امتی
Tell (me), what single blessing is there in the world, from which some group of people is not excluded?
گاو و خر را فایده چه در شکر ** هست هر جان را یکی قوتی دگر
What profit have the ox and the ass in sugar? Every soul has a different food;
لیک گر آن قوت بر وی عارضی است ** پس نصیحت کردن او را رایضی است
But if that food is accidental to it (and not according to its real nature), then admonition is the (proper) correction for it.
چون کسی کاو از مرض گل داشت دوست ** گر چه پندارد که آن خود قوت اوست1080
As (in the case of) one who from disease has become fond of (eating) clay— though he may suppose that that (clay) is indeed his (natural) food,
قوت اصلی را فرامش کرده است ** روی در قوت مرض آورده است
He has (in reality) forgotten his original food and has betaken himself to the food of disease.
نوش را بگذاشته سم خورده است ** قوت علت همچو چوبش کرده است
Having given up honey, he has eaten poison; he has made the food of disease (to be his nourishment) as (though it were) fat.
قوت اصلی بشر نور خداست ** قوت حیوانی مر او را ناسزاست
Man's original food is the Light of God: animal food is improper for him;
لیک از علت در این افتاد دل ** که خورد او روز و شب زین آب و گل
But, in consequence of disease, his mind has fallen into this (delusion), that day and night he should eat of this water and clay.
روی زرد و پای سست و دل سبک ** کو غذای و السما ذات الحبک1085
(He is) pale-faced, weak-footed, faint-hearted—where is the food of by Heaven which hath (starry) tracks?
آن غذای خاصگان دولت است ** خوردن آن بیگلو و آلت است
That is the food of the chosen ones of the (Divine) sovereignty; the eating thereof is (done) without throat or instrument.
شد غذای آفتاب از نور عرش ** مر حسود و دیو را از دود فرش
The food of the (spiritual) sun is (derived) from the light of the (celestial) Throne; (the food that belongs) to the envious and devilish is (derived) from the smoke of the (terrestrial) carpet.
در شهیدان یرزقون فرمود حق ** آن غذا را نه دهان بد نه طبق
God said concerning the martyrs, they are (alive with their Lord) receiving sustenance. For that food there was neither mouth nor dish.
دل ز هر یاری غذایی میخورد ** دل ز هر علمی صفایی میبرد
The heart is eating a (particular) food from every single companion; the heart is getting a (particular) excellence from every single (piece of) knowledge.
صورت هر آدمی چون کاسهای است ** چشم از معنی او حساسهای است1090
Every human being's (outer) form is like a cup; (only) the (spiritual) eye is a percipient of his (or her) reality.
از لقای هر کسی چیزی خوری ** و ز قران هر قرین چیزی بری
You eat (receive) something from meeting with any one, and you carry away something from conjunction with any associate.
چون ستاره با ستاره شد قرین ** لایق هر دو اثر زاید یقین
When planet comes into conjunction with planet, the effect appropriate to them both is assuredly produced,
چون قران مرد و زن زاید بشر ** وز قران سنگ و آهن شد شرر
As (for example) the conjunction of man and woman brings to birth the human being, and (as) sparks arise from the conjunction of stone and iron;
و ز قران خاک با بارانها ** میوهها و سبزه و ریحانها
And (as) from the conjunction of earth with rains (there are produced) fruits and greenery and sweet herbs;
و ز قران سبزهها با آدمی ** دل خوشی و بیغمی و خرمی1095
And (as) from the conjunction of green things (plants and verdant spots) with man (there is produced) joy of heart and carelessness and happiness;
وز قران خرمی با جان ما ** میبزاید خوبی و احسان ما
And (as) from the conjunction of happiness with our souls are born our goodness and beneficence.