Who is a “Shaykh”? An old man (pír), that is (to say), white-haired. Do thou apprehend the meaning of this “(white) hair,” O you whose hopes are false.1790
شیخ کی بود پیر یعنی مو سپید ** معنی این مو بدان ای کژ امید
The black hair is his self-existence: (he is not “old”) till not a single hair of his self-existence remains.
هست آن موی سیه هستی او ** تا ز هستیاش نماند تای مو
When his self-existence has ceased, he is “old” (pír), whether he be black-haired or grizzled.
چونک هستیاش نماند پیر اوست ** گر سیهمو باشد او یا خود دوموست
That “black hair” is the attribute of (sensual) men; that “hair” is not the hair of the beard or the hair of the head.
هست آن موی سیه وصف بشر ** نیست آن مو موی ریش و موی سر
Jesus in the cradle raises a cry, saying, “Without having become a youth, I am a Shaykh and a Pír.”
عیسی اندر مهد بر دارد نفیر ** که جوان ناگشته ما شیخیم و پیر
If he (the Súfí) has been delivered from (only) a part of the attributes of (sensual) men, he is not a Shaykh; he is grey (middle-aged), O son.1795
گر رهید از بعض اوصاف بشر ** شیخ نبود کهل باشد ای پسر
When there is not on him a single black hair (of the self-existence) which is our attribute, (then) he is a Shaykh and accepted of God;
چون یکی موی سیه کان وصف ماست ** نیست بر وی شیخ و مقبول خداست
(But) if, when his hair is white, he is (still) with himself (self-existent), he is not a Pír and is not the elect of God;
چون بود مویش سپید ار با خودست ** او نه پیرست و نه خاص ایزدست
And if a single hair-tip of his (sensual) attributes is surviving, he is not of heaven: he belongs to the (material) world.
ور سر مویی ز وصفش باقیست ** او نه از عرش است او آفاقیست
How the Shaykh excused himself for not weeping on the death of his sons.
عذر گفتن شیخ بهر ناگریستن بر فرزندان
The Shaykh said to her (his wife), “Do not think, O gracious one, that I have not pity and affection and a compassionate heart.
شیخ گفت او را مپندار ای رفیق ** که ندارم رحم و مهر و دل شفیق