The secrets of the (Divine) Majesty are drunk in by the ear of that one who, like the lily, hath a hundred tongues and is dumb.
گوش آنکس نوشد اسرار جلال ** کو چو سوسن صدزبان افتاد و لال
The grace of God bestows a throat on the earth, to the end that it may drink water and make a hundred herbs to grow.
حلق بخشد خاک را لطف خدا ** تا خورد آب و بروید صد گیا
Again, He bestows on the creature of earth (the animal) a throat and lip, in order that it may eat its (the earth's) herbage in desire.
باز خاکی را ببخشد حلق و لب ** تا گیاهش را خورد اندر طلب
When the animal has eaten its herbage, it becomes fat: the animal becomes a mouthful for Man and goes (disappears).
چون گیاهش خورد حیوان گشت زفت ** گشت حیوان لقمه‌ی انسان و رفت
In turn it becomes earth and becomes a devourer of Man, when the spirit and the sight are separated from Man.25
باز خاک آمد شد اکال بشر ** چون جدا شد از بشر روح و بصر
I beheld the atoms (of created existence) with their mouths all open: if I should tell of their food, it (the tale) would become long.
ذره‌ها دیدم دهانشان جمله باز ** گر بگویم خوردشان گردد دراز
Provisions have (their) provision from His bounty; His universal grace is the nourisher of them that nourish.
برگها را برگ از انعام او ** دایگان را دایه لطف عام او
He bestoweth gifts (of sustenance) on the gifts (which sustain life), for how should wheat spring forth without (receiving) any sustenance?
رزقها را رزقها او می‌دهد ** زانک گندم بی غذایی چون زهد
There is no end to the explanation of this matter. I have told a portion: you may know the (remaining) portions (by analogy).
نیست شرح این سخن را منتهی ** پاره‌ای گفتم بدانی پاره‌ها
Know that all the world is eating and eaten; know that those who have everlasting life (in God) are fortunate and accepted.30
جمله عالم آکل و ماکول دان ** باقیان را مقبل و مقبول دان
This world and its inhabitants are (in the end) dispersed; that (other) world and its travellers are continuing (for ever).
این جهان و ساکنانش منتشر ** وان جهان و سالکانش مستمر
This world and its lovers are cut off; the people of that (other) world are eternalised and united.
این جهان و عاشقانش منقطع ** اهل آن عالم مخلد مجتمع
The (truly) noble, then, is he that gives to himself the Water of Life that remains unto everlasting.
پس کریم آنست کو خود را دهد ** آب حیوانی که ماند تا ابد
The noble one is (the very essence of) the good works which endure: he has been freed from a hundred banes and perils and fears.
باقیات الصالحات آمد کریم ** رسته از صد آفت و اخطار و بیم
If they (the noble) are thousands (externally), there is no more than one (in reality): ’tis not like the fancies of him that thinks of number.35
گر هزارانند یک کس بیش نیست ** چون خیالاتی عدد اندیش نیست
(Both) the eater and the eaten have a throat and windpipe: (both) the victor and the vanquished have understanding and mental perception.
آکل و ماکول را حلقست و نای ** غالب و مغلوب را عقلست و رای
He (God) bestowed a throat on the rod of justice, (so that) it devoured all those many rods and ropes;
حلق بخشید او عصای عدل را ** خورد آن چندان عصا و حبل را
And in it was no increase from all that eating, because its eating and its form were not animal.
واندرو افزون نشد زان جمله اکل ** زانک حیوانی نبودش اکل و شکل
To Faith also He gave a throat like (that of) the rod, so that it devoured every vain fancy that was born.
مر یقین را چون عصا هم حلق داد ** تا بخورد او هر خیالی را که زاد
Hence the spiritual and intelligible things, like the concrete (sensible) things, have throats, and the giver of food to the throat of the spiritual and intelligible things is also (none but) God.40
پس معانی را چو اعیان حلقهاست ** رازق حلق معانی هم خداست
Therefore from the Moon to the Fish there is nothing in creation that hath not a throat in respect of its drawing sustenance (from God).
پس ز مه تا ماهی هیچ از خلق نیست ** که بجذب مایه او را حلق نیست
(When) the spirit's throat is emptied of thought for the body, then its apportioned sustenance becomes Majestical.
حلق جان از فکر تن خالی شود ** آنگهان روزیش اجلالی شود
Know that the necessary condition (for gaining this sustenance) is the transformation of the (sensual) nature, for the death of evil men is (arises) from (their) evil nature.
شرط تبدیل مزاج آمد بدان ** کز مزاج بد بود مرگ بدان
When it has become natural to a human being to eat clay, he grows pale and ill-complexioned and sickly and miserable;
چون مزاج آدمی گل‌خوار شد ** زرد و بدرنگ و سقیم و خوار شد
(But) when his ugly nature has been transformed, the ugliness departs from his face, and he shines like a candle.45
چون مزاج زشت او تبدیل یافت ** رفت زشتی از رخش چون شمع تافت