Poem

دفتر چهارم - بخش ۸۱ - بیان رسول علیه السلام سبب تفضیل و اختیار کردن او آن هذیلی را به امیری و سرلشکری بر پیران و کاردیدگان / Book Four — Section 81 — The Prophet's Explanation (peace be upon him) of His Reason for Preferring and Appointing That Hudhayli Man as Commander and General Over Elders and Experienced Men

Original content

حکم اغلب راست چون غالب بدند
تیغ را از دست ره‌زن بستدند

گفت پیغامبر کای ظاهرنگر
تو مبین او را جوان و بی‌هنر

ای بسا ریش سیاه و مرد پیر
ای بسا ریش سپید و دل چو قیر

عقل او را آزمودم بارها
کرد پیری آن جوان در کارها

پیر پیر عقل باشد ای پسر
نه سپیدی موی اندر ریش و سر

از بلیس او پیرتر خود کی بود
چونک عقلش نیست او لاشی بود

طفل گیرش چون بود عیسی نفس
پاک باشد از غرور و از هوس

آن سپیدی مو دلیل پختگیست
پیش چشم بسته کش کوته‌تگیست

آن مقلد چون نداند جز دلیل
در علامت جوید او دایم سبیل

بهر او گفتیم که تدبیر را
چونک خواهی کرد بگزین پیر را

آنک او از پردهٔ تقلید جست
او به نور حق ببیند آنچ هست

نور پاکش بی‌دلیل و بی‌بیان
پوست بشکافد در آید در میان

پیش ظاهربین چه قلب و چه سره
او چه داند چیست اندر قوصره

ای بسا زر سیه کرده بدود
تا رهد از دست هر دزدی حسود

ای بسا مس زر اندوده به زر
تا فروشد آن به عقل مختصر

ما که باطن‌بین جملهٔ کشوریم
دل ببینیم و به ظاهر ننگریم

قاضیانی که به ظاهر می‌تنند
حکم بر اشکال ظاهر می‌کنند

چون شهادت گفت و ایمانی نمود
حکم او مؤمن کنند این قوم زود

بس منافق کاندرین ظاهر گریخت
خون صد مؤمن به پنهانی بریخت

جهد کن تا پیر عقل و دین شوی
تا چو عقل کل تو باطن‌بین شوی

از عدم چون عقل زیبا رو گشاد
خلعتش داد و هزارش نام داد

کمترین زان نامهای خوش‌نفس
این که نبود هیچ او محتاج کس

گر به صورت وا نماید عقل رو
تیره باشد روز پیش نور او

ور مثال احمقی پیدا شود
ظلمت شب پیش او روشن بود

کو ز شب مظلم‌تر و تاری‌ترست
لیک خفاش شقی ظلمت‌خرست

اندک اندک خوی کن با نور روز
ورنه خفاشی بمانی بیفروز

عاشق هر جا شکال و مشکلیست
دشمن هر جا چراغ مقبلیست

ظلمت اشکال زان جوید دلش
تا که افزون‌تر نماید حاصلش

تا ترا مشغول آن مشکل کند
وز نهاد زشت خود غافل کند

English translation

The judgment of the majority was correct, for they had the upper hand— they took the sword from the hand of the highwayman.

The Prophet said: O you who look at the outward, do not regard him as young and without skill.

Many a black beard belongs to a truly old man; many a white beard belongs to a heart black as pitch.

I have tested his intellect many times; that young man performed with the maturity of an elder in all affairs.

The true elder is the elder of intellect, O son— not the whiteness of hair in beard and head.

Who in the world has ever been older than Iblis himself? Since he has no intellect, he is nothing.

Count him a child if he has the breath of Jesus; he will be pure of vanity and desire.

That whiteness of hair is evidence of ripeness only before the closed eye that relies on short sight.

The imitator, knowing nothing beyond outward evidence, always seeks his way through external signs.

For his sake we said: when you wish to deliberate, choose the elder.

But the one who has escaped the veil of blind imitation sees what truly is by the light of the Truth (Ḥaqq).

His pure light, without proof and without explanation, splits the skin and enters within.

Before the one who sees only outward form, what is counterfeit and what is genuine? What does he know of what lies inside the cask?

Many a gold coin blackened with soot, so it may escape the hands of every envious thief.

Many a piece of copper gilded over with gold, so it may be sold to the man of limited intellect.

We, who are the inward-seers of the entire realm, see the heart and look not at the outward.

The judges who weave by outward form pass their judgments on outward appearances.

When someone recites the testimony of faith and makes a show of belief, this group hastily judges him a believer.

Many a hypocrite who took refuge in this outward form has secretly shed the blood of a hundred believers.

Strive to become an elder of intellect and religion, so that, like the Universal Intellect (ʿaql-i kull), you may see the inward.

When the beautiful-faced Intellect unfolded from non-existence, God granted it a robe of honor and gave it a thousand names.

The least of those sweet-breathed names is this: that it was never in need of anyone.

If the Intellect were to reveal its face in form, daylight would grow dark before its light.

And if a likeness of a fool were to appear, the darkness of night would be bright before him.

For he is darker and more obscure than night— yet the wretched bat is a buyer of darkness.

Little by little, accustom yourself to the light of day; otherwise you will remain a bat, without radiance.

He is a lover wherever there is obscurity and difficulty, an enemy wherever there is the lamp of good fortune.

His heart seeks the darkness of difficulties so that his own gain may appear the greater.

So that it may keep you occupied with that difficulty and make you heedless of its own ugly nature.

0

1

Updated 2026-05-17

Contributors are:

Who are from:

References


Tags

Humanities

Literature

Islam

Religion

Science

Philosophy

Social Science

Persian Literature Prerequisite Course

Related