Let the Jinn and mankind and the skilled among you produce a single verse of this ‘easy’ (style).”
جنتان و انستان و اهل کار ** گو یکی آیت ازین آسان بیار
Commentary on the Tradition of Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, that the Qur’án hath an exterior (sense) and an interior (sense), and that its interior (sense) hath an interior (sense), (and so on) to seven interior (senses).
تفسیر این خبر مصطفی علیه السلام کی للقران ظهر و بطن و لبطنه بطن الی سبعة ابطن
Know that the words of the Qur’án have an exterior (sense), and under the exterior (sense) an interior (sense), exceedingly overpowering;
حرف قرآن را بدان که ظاهریست ** زیر ظاهر باطنی بس قاهریست
And beneath that inward (sense) a third interior (sense), wherein all intellects become lost.4245
زیر آن باطن یکی بطن سوم ** که درو گردد خردها جمله گم
The fourth interior (sense) of the Qur’án none hath perceived at all, except God the peerless and incomparable.
بطن چارم از نبی خود کس ندید ** جز خدای بی‌نظیر بی‌ندید
In the Qur’án do not thou, O son, regard (only) the exterior: the Devil regards Adam as naught but clay.
تو ز قرآن ای پسر ظاهر مبین ** دیو آدم را نبیند جز که طین
The exterior (sense) of the Qur’án is like a man's person, for his features are visible, while his spirit is hidden.
ظاهر قرآن چو شخص آدمیست ** که نقوشش ظاهر و جانش خفیست
A man's paternal and maternal uncles (may see him) for a hundred years, and of his (inward) state not see (so much as) the tip of a hair.
مرد را صد سال عم و خال او ** یک سر مویی نبیند حال او
It is explained that the going of the prophets and the saints, on whom be peace, to mountains and caves, is not for the purpose of hiding themselves and on account of their fear of being disturbed by the people, but for the purpose of guiding the people in the right way and inciting them to abandon this world as much as is possible.
بیان آنک رفتن انبیا و اولیا به کوهها و غارها جهت پنهان کردن خویش نیست و جهت خوف تشویش خلق نیست بلک جهت ارشاد خلق است و تحریض بر انقطاع از دنیا به قدر ممکن
As for their saying that the saints are (dwelling) in the mountains in order that they may be hidden from the eyes of men,4250
آنک گویند اولیا در که بوند ** تا ز چشم مردمان پنهان شوند
In the sight of the people they are higher than a hundred mountains and plant their footsteps on the Seventh Heaven.
پیش خلق ایشان فراز صد که‌اند ** گام خود بر چرخ هفتم می‌نهند
Why, then, should he who is beyond a hundred seas and mountains become hidden and seek (refuge in) the mountains?
پس چرا پنهان شود که‌جو بود ** کو ز صد دریا و که زان سو بود
He has no need to flee to the mountains, he in pursuit of whom the colt, Heaven, has dropped a hundred horse-shoes.
حاجتش نبود به سوی که گریخت ** کز پیش کره‌ی فلک صد نعل ریخت
The celestial sphere revolved (so long) and never saw the dust of the spirit; (hence) Heaven donned the garb of mourning.
چرخ گردید و ندید او گرد جان ** تعزیت‌جامه بپوشید آسمان
If, outwardly, the peri is hidden, (yet) Man is a hundred times more hidden than the peris.4255
گر به ظاهر آن پری پنهان بود ** آدمی پنهان‌تر از پریان بود
In the view of the intelligent, Man is indeed a hundred times more hidden than the peri who is concealed.
نزد عاقل زان پری که مضمرست ** آدمی صد بار خود پنهان‌ترست
Since, in the view of the intelligent, Man is hidden, how (hidden) must be the Adam who is pure (chosen of God) in the unseen world!
آدمی نزدیک عاقل چون خفیست ** چون بود آدم که در غیب او صفیست
Comparison of the form of the saints and the form of the speech of the saints to the form of the rod of Moses and to the form of the incantation of Jesus, peace be on them both!
تشبیه صورت اولیا و صورت کلام اولیا به صورت عصای موسی و صورت افسون عیسی علیهما السلام
Man is like the rod of Moses; Man is like the incantation of Jesus.