1Cademy - بخش ۶ - الحکایه و التمثیل / Section 6

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Asrar Nameh

Poem

بخش ۶ - الحکایه و التمثیل / Section 6 - The Tale and the Parable

Original content

مگر می کرد درویشی نگاهی
درین دریای پر در الهی

کواکب دید چون در شب افروز
که شب از نور ایشان بود چون روز

تو گفتی اختر ان استاده اندی
زفان با خاکیان بگشاده اندی

که هان ای غافلان هشیار باشید
برین درگه شبی بیدار باشید

چرا چندین سر اندر خواب دارید ؟
که تا روز قیامت خواب دارید

رخ درویش بی دل ز آن نظاره
ز چشم درفشان شد پر ستاره

خوشش آمد سپهر گوژ رفتار
زبان بگشاد چون بلبل به گفتار

که یا رب بام زندانت چنین است
که گویی چون نگار ستان چین است

ندانم بام بستانت چه سان است
که زندان تو باری بوستان است

ولی بر بام این زندان ستاره
ز خلقان عمر دزدد آشکاره

چو این زندان به جانی مزد داریم
از آن بر بام زندان دزد داریم

ز دیری گاه من در بند آنم
که سحر صحن گردون بازدانم

که تافت از بیخ و بار هفت طارم
خروش و گریهٔ طفلان انجم

دمی این جوز زرین ستاره
برین گنبد نشد سیر از نظاره

مگر ما را درین ره طفل دانند
که چندین جوز بر گنبد فشانند

بگو تا کی حلال سعر گردون
نماید هر شبی لعبی دگرگون

گهی مه در دق و گاهی در آماس
گهی گشته سپر گاهی شده داس

گهی در خوشه چون از سیم داسی
گهر در گاو چون زرین خراسی

که داند کاین کله دار ان افلاک
کمر بسته چرا گردند در خاک

که داند کاین هزاران مهره زرین
چرا گردند در نه حقه چندین

درین دریا چرا غواص گشتند
سماعی نیست ، چون رقاص گشتند ؟

نه پی شان از طواف خود بگیرد
نه دل شان از مصاف خود بگیرد

مشعبد وار تا کی مهره بازند ؟
درین نه حقه بر هم چند تازند ؟

هزاران بار برگشتند بر هم
یکی افزون نمی گردد یکی کم

طریقی مشگل و کاری شگرف است
دلم ز اندیشهٔ این ، خون گرفته ست

دمی زیشان یکی از پای ننشست
که تا خود کی دهد مقصودشان دست

دلی پر شوق می گردند عاجز
ز گردش می نیاسایند هرگز

خموشانند سر در ره نهاده
زفان ببریده و در ره فتاده

همه چون صوفیان خرقه پوشند
ز بی خویشی درآن خوشی خموشند

در آن گردش نه مستند و نه هشیار
نه در خوابند زان حالت نه بیدار

شبان روز ی از آن در جست و جویند
که تا محشر به جان جویای اویند

تو شب خوش خفته ایشان در ره او
همی بوسند خاک درگه او

دلا حاصل کن آخر تیز بینی
ترا تا چند ازین آویز کینی

چه می گویی که این بت های زرین
ازین گشتن چه می جویند چندین

برو از روی بت ها دیده بردار
سر بت را فرو گردان نگوسار

چو ابراهیم بت ها بر زمین زن
نفس از لا احب الآفلین زن

ترا با آفرینش نیست کاری
که باشی در همه عالم تو باری

تو را با حکمت یزدان چه کار است
مزن دم گرنه جانت زیر دار است

اگر صد سال در اندیشه باشی
گیاه خشک و باد بیشه باشی

اگر مقصود کس را دست دادی
ز نادانی ز ره باز اوفتادی

شدی از جست و جویی باکناری
نماندی رونقی درهیچ کاری

چو نشناسی سر مویی ز اسرار
به نادانی چه گردی گرد این کار

ترا خاموشی و صبر ست راهی
نخواهی یافت به زین دست گاهی

مکن با سر این معنی دلیر ی
که چون مور ی شوی گر نره شیر ی

یقین دانم که بسیاری برنجی
که رعشه داری و سیماب سنجی

تو هرگز هیچ شطرنجی نبردی
به شطرنج اندرون رنجی نبردی

چو تو شطرنج بازی می ندانی
از آن از یک دو بازی می بمانی

چه دانی تو که رخ چندان چرا رفت
شه از هر سوی سرگردان چرا رفت

ز یک سو اسب بینی رخ نهاده
ز یک سو پیل بر گردن فتاده

پیاده چون ببینی بر کناره
که فرزین شد ترا گیرد سواره

ذراعی نیست آخر نطع شطرنج
که تو در وی فروماندی به صد رنج

برین نطعی که در چشم است خردت
نمی دانی که تا در چیست بردت

چنین نطعی که بحر سرنگون است
چه دانی لعب های او که چون است

تو صد بازی کجا از پیش بینی
که تو نه پس روی نه پیش بینی

چو لعب نطع شطرنجی ندانی
ز لعب چرخ بی شک خیره مانی

ز یک سو خرمن زر کهکشان را
ز یک سو دانهٔ زر آسمان را

دو مرغ اندر پی دانه دویده
عددشان شش یکی زیشان پریده

ز گندم خوشه بر خرمن رسیده
دو دهقان گاو در خرمن کشیده

ترازو یی به گندم کرده بازو
جوی ناسخته هرگز آن ترازو

به دریا درفکنده دلو ی از چنگ
برآورده ازو ماهی و خرچنگ

بره با بز شده سوی چراگاه
به نخجیر آمدی شیری ز روباه

کمان بر شیر دهقان برگشاده
بره دو پای بر کژدم نهاده

چو تو دهقانی و گردون نگردی
برو تن زن ، به گرد این چه گردی ؟

بره جان و دلت بریان بسی کرد
بره بریانی یی زین سان بسی کرد

چو گاو از خشم با تو در سرو شد
چرا خواهی تو ریش گاو او شد

چو جوزا از تو چون برنا کمر جست
برین پستی ازو نتوان کمر بست

به زیر چنگ خرچنگ اندری تو
از آن هر ساعتی واپس تری تو

تو این دم در دهان شیر اسیر ی
چه دانی زانک این دم شیر گیر ی

ز خوشه دانه ای بی غم نبینی
که یک جو ندهدت بی خوشه چینی

چو سنجد در ترازو زور بازو ت
که برد او از تنور اندر ترازو ت

به کژدم چون توان ظن نکو برد
که او خود کژدم زنده فرو برد

کمان گر در زه آید برد جانت
چو زه بر تو کشد ناگه کمانت

ز بز بازی بز چشم تو خیره ست
سر بز دار این بز گر حظیره ست

چو دلوت گفت در دلو آی بر ماه
چو دلوی زین رسن رفتی فرو چاه

به موری در کف ماهی اسیری
که تو چون ماهی هنگامه گیری

چه دانی لعب چرخ بوالعجب باز
برو انگشت حیرت نه به لب باز

کناری گیر زین نطع مزین
چه می ریزی میان ریگ روغن

دلت در سیر نطع چرخ بستی
برو دنبال زن بر ریک و رستی

ز نطع چرخ درمانی علی القطع
برو بر ریگ رو تا چند ازین نطع

برین نطع زمینت بیم جان است
که دم چون ریگ در شیشه روان است

برین نطع زمین منشین به شاهی
که تو بر ریگ گرمی همچو ماهی

فلک نطع و زمین ریگ است هر روز
برآرد تیغ خورشید جهان سوز

ز نطع و ریگ دل نومید داری
که بر سر تیغ زن خورشید داری

به آخر چون نه اهل این سرایی
میان نطع و ریگ از سر برآیی

ز حیرت گرچه در دردسری تو
مده بر باد سر را سرسری تو

English translation

A dervish happened to be gazing upon this divine, pearl-filled sea. He saw the stars illuminating the night, such that the night, from their light, was like day. You would say the stars were standing there, and had opened their tongues to the dwellers of dust: 'Beware, O heedless ones, be vigilant! Stay awake one night at this threshold. Why do you keep your heads in sleep so much? For you will sleep until the Day of Resurrection.' The face of the heartbroken dervish, from that sight, became full of stars from his pearl-scattering eyes. The hunchbacked sphere pleased him; he opened his tongue in speech like a nightingale: 'O Lord, the roof of Your prison is such that you would say it is like the picture gallery of China! I know not what the roof of Your garden is like, when Your prison is at least a garden. But upon the roof of this prison, the stars openly steal the lives of the people. Since we hold this prison at the price of a soul, because of that, we have thieves on the roof of the prison. For a long time I have been bound to this: to understand the magic of the courtyard of the heavens. For the crying and wailing of the children of the stars has shone from the root and branch of the seven domes. For a moment, this golden walnut of a star on this dome has not been satiated from looking. Perhaps they consider us children on this path, that they scatter so many walnuts upon the dome! Tell me, how long will the lawful magic of the heavens display a different play every night? Sometimes the moon is in consumption and sometimes swollen; sometimes it becomes a shield, sometimes a sickle. Sometimes in Virgo (the Ear of Corn) it is like a sickle of silver; sometimes a jewel in Taurus (the Bull) like a golden millstone. Who knows why these crown-wearers of the spheres revolve in the dust with their belts fastened? Who knows why these thousands of golden beads revolve so much in the nine caskets? Why have they become divers in this sea? There is no music; why have they become dancers? Neither do their feet tire from their circumambulation, nor do their hearts tire from their battle array. Like jugglers, how long will they play with beads? In these nine caskets, how long will they charge at one another? Thousands of times they have turned over each other; not one increases, not one decreases. It is a difficult path and a momentous task; my heart is filled with blood from the thought of this! Not one of them sat down from its feet for a moment, to see when their purpose might be achieved. With hearts full of yearning, they turn helplessly; they never rest from their turning. They are silent, having laid their heads on the path, their tongues cut, fallen on the path. They are all like cloak-wearing Sufis; from selflessness, they are silent in that bliss. In that rotation, they are neither drunk nor sober; they are neither asleep from that state nor awake. Night and day they are therefore in search; for until the Resurrection, they seek Him with their souls. You sleep comfortably at night, while they on His path continuously kiss the dust of His threshold!' O heart, finally acquire sharp vision! How long will you hold onto this vengeful attachment? What are you saying? What do these golden idols seek from so much turning? Go, take your eyes off the faces of idols! Turn the head of the idol upside down! Like Abraham, dash the idols to the ground; breathe the breath of 'I love not those that set.' You have no business with creation, that you should be a burden in the whole world. What business have you with the wisdom of God? Do not breathe a word, otherwise your soul is under the gallows. If you are in thought for a hundred years, you will be but dry grass and the wind of the forest. If anyone's purpose were achieved, you would fall back from the path out of ignorance. You would withdraw from seeking; no luster would remain in any work. Since you do not know a hair's breadth of the secrets, in ignorance, why do you hover around this matter? Silence and patience are a path for you; you will not find a better position than this. Do not act boldly with the secret of this meaning; for you will become like an ant, even if you are a male lion. I know for certain that you will suffer much; for you have tremors, yet you weigh quicksilver! You have never won any chess game; you have never taken pains in chess. Since you do not know how to play chess, you will be stuck after one or two moves. What do you know why the rook moved so much? Why the king wandered bewildered in every direction? From one side you see the knight facing the rook; from one side the bishop falling on the neck. When you see the pawn on the edge, when it becomes a queen, it takes you while riding. The chessboard is, after all, not even a cubit, yet you are stuck in it with a hundred pains. On this board which is small in your eyes, you do not know in what lies your victory. Such a board, which is an inverted sea, what do you know how its plays are? How can you foresee a hundred moves? For you neither walk behind nor foresee ahead. Since you do not know the play of the chessboard, you will undoubtedly remain dazzled by the play of the wheel of heaven. On one side is the Milky Way's harvest of gold, on one side the golden seeds of the sky. Two birds running after seeds; their number is six, one of them has flown. The ear of wheat has reached the harvest; two farmers have pulled the ox into the harvest. A Libra (Scale) has made an arm for the wheat; that scale has never weighed a grain of barley. Aquarius (The Bucket) has dropped from the hand into the sea; it has brought up from it Pisces (the Fish) and Cancer (the Crab). Aries (The Ram) and Capricorn (The Goat) have gone to the pasture; a Leo (Lion) came from a fox for hunting. The farmer has drawn Sagittarius (The Bow) at the lion; Aries (The Ram) has placed its two feet on Scorpio (The Scorpion). Since you are a farmer and do not revolve the heavens, go, be quiet! Why do you revolve around this? The Ram has roasted your soul and heart much; the Ram has made many such roasts. When the Bull, out of anger, locks horns with you, why do you want to become the beard of his ox? When Gemini, like a youth, leaped away from your belt, in this lowliness, you cannot tie a belt from it. You are beneath the claws of Cancer (The Crab); therefore, every hour you are more backward. You are at this moment a captive in the mouth of Leo (The Lion); what do you know of capturing a lion at this moment? From Virgo (The Ear of Corn) you will not see a seed without sorrow; for it will not give you a grain of barley without gleaning. When your arm's strength is weighed in Libra (The Scales), who will take it from the oven into your scales? How can one have a good opinion of Scorpio (The Scorpion)? For it swallows a live scorpion itself. If Sagittarius (The Bow) is strung, it will take your life; when your bow suddenly pulls its string against you. From the play of Capricorn (The Goat), your goat-eyes are dazzled; hold the head of the goat, if this goat is in a pen. When your bucket said, 'Come into the bucket on the moon,' like a bucket you went down the well by this rope. You are a captive to an ant in the palm of Pisces (The Fish); since you, like a fish, seize the occasion. What do you know of the play of the wondrous wheel of heaven? Go, place the finger of bewilderment on your lips! Step aside from this decorated board! Why do you pour oil into the sand? You bound your heart to the movement of the board of the wheel; go, turn your back on the sand and you are saved. You are absolutely helpless against the board of the wheel; go, walk on the sand, how long (will you hover around) this board? On this board of the earth, you fear for your life; for breath is flowing like sand in an hourglass. Do not sit on this board of the earth like a king; for you are like a fish on hot sand! The sky is the board and the earth is sand every day; the world-burning sun draws its sword. Keep your heart despairing of the board and sand; for you have the sword-striking sun over your head! In the end, since you do not belong to this abode, between the board and the sand, you will lose your head. Although you are in a headache from bewilderment, do not give your head to the wind frivolously!

Updated 2026-07-03

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