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(۵) حکایت شبلی با سائل رحمه الله / (5) The Tale of Shibli and the Questioner, May God Have Mercy Upon Him

Original content

مگر شبلی به مجلس بود یک روز
یکی پرسید ازو کای عالم افروز

بگو تا کیست عارف ؟ گفت آنست
که گر در پیش او هر دو جهان است

به یک موی مژه برگیرد از جای
که عارف آورد هم بیش ازین پای

یکی پرسید ازو روزی دگربار
که عارف کیست ای استاد اسرار ؟

چنین گفت او که عارف ناتوانی
که نارد تاب این دنیا زمانی

یکی برجست و گفت ای عالم افروز
تو عارف را چنین گفتی فلان روز

کنون امروز می گویی چنین تو
تناقض می نهی در راه دین تو

جوابی داد شبلی روشن آن روز
که ای سائل نبودم من من آن روز

ولی چون من منم امروز عاشق
ازین بهتر جوابت نیست صادق

هر آنکو یک جهت بیند جمالی
نباشد دیدن او را کمالی

بباید دید نیکی و بدی هم
مقامات خودی و بی خودی هم

ولی چون آن همه پیوسته بینی
بد و نیکش همه در بسته بینی

اگر بینی بدی نیکو بود آن
برای آنکه آن از او بود آن

ز معشوقت مبین عضوی بریده
به هم پیوسته بین چون اهل دیده

ز یک عضوش مشو از دست زنهار
که هفت اندام باید دید هموار

که چون هم خانه و هم سقف بینی
جهانی عشق بر خود وقف بینی

English translation

It happened that Shibli was in a gathering one day, Someone asked him, 'O world-illuminator!

Tell me, who is the gnostic?' He said, 'He is the one That if both worlds were before him,

He would sweep them away with a single eyelash, For the gnostic steps even beyond this.'

Someone asked him again on another day, 'Who is the gnostic, O master of secrets?'

He spoke thus, 'The gnostic is a powerless one, Who cannot endure this world for a single moment.'

Someone jumped up and said, 'O world-illuminator! You described the gnostic like that on such a day,

And now today you speak thus; You are placing a contradiction in the path of religion.'

Shibli gave a clear answer that day: 'O questioner! I was not myself that day.

But since I am myself today, a lover, There is no truer answer for you than this.

Whoever sees beauty in only one direction, His vision possesses no perfection.

One must see both good and bad together, The states of selfhood and selflessness too.

But when you see all of that connected, You see its bad and good all bound together.

If you see bad, it is actually good, Because that comes from Him.

Do not see a severed limb from your Beloved; See it all connected like the people of vision.

Beware, do not lose yourself over a single limb, For all seven limbs must be seen evenly.

For when you see both the house and the roof together, You will see a world of love endowed upon yourself.'

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Updated 2026-07-03

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Humanities

Literature

Persian Literature Prerequisite Course

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