hum dar bayan-e-makr-e-KHargosh
Interesting Fact
English Translation: Reynold. A. Nicholson
ham dar bayān-e-makr-e-ḳhargosh
Further setting forth the stratagem of the hare.
dar shudan ḳhargosh bas tāḳhīr kard
makr-hā bā-kHveshtan taqrīr kard
The hare made much delay in going;
he rehearsed to himself the tricks (which he was about to play).
dar rah-e-āmad bā'd-e-tāḳhīr-e-darāz
tā ba-gosh-e-sher goyad yak do raaz
After long delay he came on (took) the road, that he might
say one or two secrets into the ear of the lion.
tā che 'ālam-hāst dar saudā-e-'aql
tā che bā-pahnāst iiñ dariyā-e-'aql
Think what words are in the core
(in most consciousness) of Reason.
sūrat-e-mā andarīñ bahr-e-'azāb
mī dvīd-e-chūñ kās-hā bar rū-e-āb
In this sweet ocean our forms are moving fast,
like cups on the surface of water:
tā na-shud pur bar sar-e-dariyā chu tasht
chūñki pur shud tasht dar vai ġharq gasht
Until they become full, (they float) like bowls on
the top of the sea, (but) when the bowl is filled it sinks
therein.
'aql pinhānast-o-zāhir 'ālame
sūrat-e-mā mauj yā az vai name
Reason is hidden, and (only) a world (of phenomena) is visible:
our forms are the waves or a spray of it (of that hidden ocean).
har che sūrat mī vasīlat sāzadash
za aañ vasīlat bahr duur andāzadash
Whatsoever (thing) the form makes (uses as) a means of
approach to It (to Reason),
by that (same) means the ocean (of Reason) casts it (the form) far away.
tā na-bīnad dil dahinda raaz rā
tā na-bīnad tiir dūr-andāz rā
So long as the heart does not see the Giver of (its)conscience, so long as the arrow does not see the far-shooting Archer,
asb-e-ḳhud rā yā vo dānad vaz satīz
mī davānad asb-e-kHud dar raah tez
He (who is thus blind) thinks his horse is lost, though (all the while) he is obstinately speeding his horse on the road.
asb-e-ḳhud rā yā vo dānad aañ javvād
vāsb-e-ḳhud uu rā kashāñ karde chu baad
That fine fellow thinks his horse is lost,
while the horse in truth is sweeping him onward like the wind.
dar fuġhāñ-o-just-o-jū aañ ḳhīra sar
har taraf pursān-o-jūyāñ dar-ba-dar
In lamentation and inquiry that scatterbrain (runs) from
door to door in every direction, asking and searching:
kāñ-ki duzdīd asb mā rā kū-o-kīst
iiñ ki zer-e-rān-e-tust ai ḳhvāja chīst
Where and who is he that stole my horse?
What is this (animal) under thy thigh, O master?
aare iiñ asbast lekin asb kū
bā-ḳhud aa ai shahsavār-e-asb jū
Yes, this is the horse, but where is this horse?
O dexterous rider in search of thy horse, come to thyself!
jaañ za paidā.ī-o-nazdīkīst gum
chuñ shikam pur-āb-o-lab kHuske chu ḳham
The Spirit is lost (to view) because of its being so manifest and near: how, having thy belly full of water, art thou dry-lipped like a jar?
ke ba-bīnī surkH-o-sabz-o-fūr rā
tā na-bīnī pesh aziiñ seh nuur rā
How wilt thou see red and green and russet,
unless before (seeing) these three (colours) thou see the light?
lek chuuñ dar rañg gum-shud hosh-e-tū
shud za nuur aañ rañg-hā rū-posh-e-tū
But since thy mind was lost (absorbed) in (perception of) the colour,
those colours became to thee a veil from (debarred thee from contemplating) the light.
chūñki shab aañ rañg-hā mastūr buud
pas ba-dīdī dīd-e-rañg az nuur buud
In as much as at night those colours were hidden,
thou sawest that thy vision of the colour was (derived) from the light.
niist dīd-e-rañg be-nūr-e-barūñ
ham-chunīñ rañg-e-ḳhayāl-e-andarūñ
There is no vision of colour without the external light:
even so it is with the colour of inward phantasy.
iiñ barūñ az āftāb-o-az sahā
vaañ darūñ az 'aks-e-anvār-e-'alī
This outward (light) is (derived) from the sun and from Suhá, while the inward (light) is from the reflexion of the beams of (Divine) Glory.
nuur nūr-e-chashm ḳhud nūr-e-dilast
nūr-e-chashm az nūr-e-dil-hā hāsilast
The light which gives light to the eye is in truth the light of the heart:
the light of the eye is produced by the light of hearts.
baaz nūr-e-nūr-e-dil nūr-e-ḳhudāst
kuuz nūr-e-'aql-o-his pāk-o-judāst
Again, the light which gives light to the heart is the Light of God, which is pure and separate from the light of intellect
and sense.
shab na-bud nūr-e-nadīdī rañg rā
pas ba-zidd-e-nūr paidā shud turā
At night there was no light and thou didst not see the colours; then it (the light) was made manifest by the opposite of light (by darkness).
dīdan-e-nūrast āñgah dīd-e-rañg
viiñ ba-zidd-e-nūr daanī be-darañg
(First) comes the seeing of light, then the seeing of colour;
and this thou knowest immediately by the opposite of light(darkness).
ranj-o-ġham rā haq pai-e-āñ āfrīd
tā badīñ zid ḳhush-dilī aayad padīd
God created pain and sorrow for the purpose that
happiness might be made manifest by means of this opposite.
pas nihānī-hā ba-zid paidā shavad
chūñki haq rā niist zid pinhāñ buvad
Hidden things, then, are manifested by means of their opposite; since God hath no opposite, He is hidden;
ki nazar bar nuur bud āñgah ba-rañg
zid ba-zid paidā buvad chuuñ rūm-o-zañg
For the sight fell (first) on the light, then on the colour:
opposite is made manifest by opposite, like Greeks and Ethiopians.
pas ba-zidd-e-nūr dānistī tu nuur
zidd-e-zid rā mī numāyad dar sudūr
Therefore thou knewest light by its opposite:
opposite reveals opposite in (the process of) coming forth.
nūr-e-haq rā niist zidde dar vujūd
tā ba-zid uu rā tavāñ paidā numūd
The Light of God hath no opposite in (all) existence,
that by means of that opposite it should be possible to make Him manifest:
lā-jaram absārunā lā tudrikuhu
va-huvā yudrik biiñ tu az mūsā-o-kuh
Necessarily (therefore) our eyes do not perceive Him, though He perceives (us):
see this (fact) from (the case of) Moses and the mountain (Sinai).
sūrat az mā'nī chu sher az besha-dāñ
yā chū āvāz-o-sukHan za andesha daañ
Know that form springs from spirit (reality) as the lion from
the jungle, or as voice and speech from thought.
iiñ sukHan-o-āvāz az andesha ḳhāst
tū na-dānī bahr-e-andesha kujāst
This speech and voice arose from thought;
thou knowest not where is the sea of thought,
lek chuuñ mauj-e-suḳhan diidī latīf
bahr-e-āñ daanī ki bāshad ham sharīf
But since thou hast seen that the waves of speech are fair, thou knowest that their sea also is noble.
chuuñ za dānish mauj andesha ba-tākHt
az sukHan-o-āvāz-e-ū sūrat ba-sākHt
When the waves of thought sped on from (the sea of)
Wisdom, it (Wisdom) made (for them) the form of speech and voice.
az suḳhan sūrat ba-zād-o-bāz murd
mauj-e-ḳhud rā baaz andar bahr burd
The form was born of the Word and died again,
the wave drew itself back into the sea.
sūrat az be-sūrate aamad barūñ
baaz shud ki innā ilaihi rāji'ūn
The form came forth from Formlessness and went back
(thither), for Verily unto Him are we returning.
pas turā har lahza marg-o-raj'atest
mustafā farmūd duniyā sā'atest
Every instant, then, thou art dying and returning:
Mustafá declared that this world is (but) a moment.
fikr-e-mā tīrest az hū dar havā
dar havā ke pāyad aayad ta-ḳhudā
Our thought is an arrow (shot) from Him (Hú) into the air
(hawá): how should it stay in the air? It comes (back) to God.
har nafs nau mī shavad duniyā-o-mā
be-ḳhabar az nau shudan andar baqā
Every moment the world is renewed, and we are unaware of its being renewed whilst it remains (the same in appearance).
'umr ham-chūñ jū-e-nau nau mī rasad
mustamirre mī numāyad dar jasad
Life is ever arriving anew, like the stream,
though in the body it has the semblance of continuity.
aañ za tezī मस्तमिर shakl āmad-ast
chuuñ sharar kish tez jumbānī ba-dast
From its swiftness it appears continuous,
like the spark which thou whirlest rapidly with thy hand.
shāḳh-e-ātish rā ba-jumbānī ba-sāz
dar nazar ātish numāyad bas darāz
If thou whirl a firebrand with dexterity,
it appears to the sight as a very long (line of) fire.
iiñ darāzī muddat az tezī-e-sun'
mī-numāyad sur’at añgezī-e-sun'
The swift motion produced by the action of God presents this length of duration (Time)
as (a phenomenon arising) from the rapidity of Divine action.
tālib iiñ sirr agar ’allāma ast
nak husāmuddīñ ki saamī naama ast
Even if the seeker of this mystery is an exceedingly learned
man, (say to him),
“Lo, Husámu’ddín, who is a sublime book (where you will find the mystery revealed).
hum dar bayan-e-makr-e-KHargosh
Further setting forth the stratagem of the hare.
dar shudan KHargosh bas taKHir kard
makr-ha ba-kHweshtan taqrir kard
The hare made much delay in going;
he rehearsed to himself the tricks (which he was about to play).
dar rah-e-amad ba'd-e-taKHir-e-daraaz
ta ba-gosh-e-sher goyad yak do raaz
After long delay he came on (took) the road, that he might
say one or two secrets into the ear of the lion.
ta che 'alam-hast dar sauda-e-'aql
ta che ba-pahnast in dariya-e-'aql
Think what words are in the core
(in most consciousness) of Reason.
surat-e-ma andarin bahr-e-'azab
mi dwid-e-chun kas-ha bar ru-e-ab
In this sweet ocean our forms are moving fast,
like cups on the surface of water:
ta na-shud pur bar sar-e-dariya chu tasht
chunki pur shud tasht dar wai gharq gasht
Until they become full, (they float) like bowls on
the top of the sea, (but) when the bowl is filled it sinks
therein.
'aql pinhanast-o-zahir 'alame
surat-e-ma mauj ya az wai name
Reason is hidden, and (only) a world (of phenomena) is visible:
our forms are the waves or a spray of it (of that hidden ocean).
har che surat mi wasilat sazadash
za aan wasilat bahr dur andazadash
Whatsoever (thing) the form makes (uses as) a means of
approach to It (to Reason),
by that (same) means the ocean (of Reason) casts it (the form) far away.
ta na-binad dil dahinda raaz ra
ta na-binad tir dur-andaz ra
So long as the heart does not see the Giver of (its)conscience, so long as the arrow does not see the far-shooting Archer,
asb-e-KHud ra ya wo danad waz satiz
mi dawanad asb-e-kHud dar rah tez
He (who is thus blind) thinks his horse is lost, though (all the while) he is obstinately speeding his horse on the road.
asb-e-KHud ra ya wo danad aan jawwad
wasb-e-KHud u ra kashan karde chu baad
That fine fellow thinks his horse is lost,
while the horse in truth is sweeping him onward like the wind.
dar fughan-o-just-o-ju aan KHira sar
har taraf pursan-o-juyan dar-ba-dar
In lamentation and inquiry that scatterbrain (runs) from
door to door in every direction, asking and searching:
kan-ki duzdid asb ma ra ku-o-kist
in ki zer-e-ran-e-tust ai KHwaja chist
Where and who is he that stole my horse?
What is this (animal) under thy thigh, O master?
aare in asbast lekin asb ku
ba-KHud aa ai shahsawar-e-asb ju
Yes, this is the horse, but where is this horse?
O dexterous rider in search of thy horse, come to thyself!
jaan za paidai-o-nazdikist gum
chun shikam pur-ab-o-lab kHuske chu KHam
The Spirit is lost (to view) because of its being so manifest and near: how, having thy belly full of water, art thou dry-lipped like a jar?
ke ba-bini surkH-o-sabz-o-fur ra
ta na-bini pesh azin seh nur ra
How wilt thou see red and green and russet,
unless before (seeing) these three (colours) thou see the light?
lek chun dar rang gum-shud hosh-e-tu
shud za nur aan rang-ha ru-posh-e-tu
But since thy mind was lost (absorbed) in (perception of) the colour,
those colours became to thee a veil from (debarred thee from contemplating) the light.
chunki shab aan rang-ha mastur bud
pas ba-didi did-e-rang az nur bud
In as much as at night those colours were hidden,
thou sawest that thy vision of the colour was (derived) from the light.
nist did-e-rang be-nur-e-barun
ham-chunin rang-e-KHayal-e-andarun
There is no vision of colour without the external light:
even so it is with the colour of inward phantasy.
in barun az aaftab-o-az saha
wan darun az 'aks-e-anwar-e-'ali
This outward (light) is (derived) from the sun and from Suhá, while the inward (light) is from the reflexion of the beams of (Divine) Glory.
nur nur-e-chashm KHud nur-e-dilast
nur-e-chashm az nur-e-dil-ha hasilast
The light which gives light to the eye is in truth the light of the heart:
the light of the eye is produced by the light of hearts.
baz nur-e-nur-e-dil nur-e-KHudast
kuz nur-e-'aql-o-his pak-o-judast
Again, the light which gives light to the heart is the Light of God, which is pure and separate from the light of intellect
and sense.
shab na-bud nur-e-nadidi rang ra
pas ba-zidd-e-nur paida shud tura
At night there was no light and thou didst not see the colours; then it (the light) was made manifest by the opposite of light (by darkness).
didan-e-nurast aangah did-e-rang
win ba-zidd-e-nur dani be-darang
(First) comes the seeing of light, then the seeing of colour;
and this thou knowest immediately by the opposite of light(darkness).
ranj-o-gham ra haq pai-e-an aafrid
ta badin zid KHush-dili aayad padid
God created pain and sorrow for the purpose that
happiness might be made manifest by means of this opposite.
pas nihani-ha ba-zid paida shawad
chunki haq ra nist zid pinhan buwad
Hidden things, then, are manifested by means of their opposite; since God hath no opposite, He is hidden;
ki nazar bar nur bud aangah ba-rang
zid ba-zid paida buwad chun rum-o-zang
For the sight fell (first) on the light, then on the colour:
opposite is made manifest by opposite, like Greeks and Ethiopians.
pas ba-zidd-e-nur danisti tu nur
zidd-e-zid ra mi numayad dar sudur
Therefore thou knewest light by its opposite:
opposite reveals opposite in (the process of) coming forth.
nur-e-haq ra nist zidde dar wujud
ta ba-zid u ra tawan paida numud
The Light of God hath no opposite in (all) existence,
that by means of that opposite it should be possible to make Him manifest:
la-jaram absaruna la tudrikuhu
wa-huwa yudrik bin tu az musa-o-kuh
Necessarily (therefore) our eyes do not perceive Him, though He perceives (us):
see this (fact) from (the case of) Moses and the mountain (Sinai).
surat az ma'ni chu sher az besha-dan
ya chu aawaz-o-sukHan za andesha dan
Know that form springs from spirit (reality) as the lion from
the jungle, or as voice and speech from thought.
in sukHan-o-awaz az andesha KHast
tu na-dani bahr-e-andesha kujast
This speech and voice arose from thought;
thou knowest not where is the sea of thought,
lek chun mauj-e-suKHan didi latif
bahr-e-an dani ki bashad hum sharif
But since thou hast seen that the waves of speech are fair, thou knowest that their sea also is noble.
chun za danish mauj andesha ba-takHt
az sukHan-o-awaz-e-u surat ba-sakHt
When the waves of thought sped on from (the sea of)
Wisdom, it (Wisdom) made (for them) the form of speech and voice.
az suKHan surat ba-zad-o-baz murd
mauj-e-KHud ra baz andar bahr burd
The form was born of the Word and died again,
the wave drew itself back into the sea.
surat az be-surate aamad barun
baz shud ki inna ilaihi raji'un
The form came forth from Formlessness and went back
(thither), for Verily unto Him are we returning.
pas tura har lahza marg-o-raj'atest
mustafa farmud duniya sa'atest
Every instant, then, thou art dying and returning:
Mustafá declared that this world is (but) a moment.
fikr-e-ma tirest az hu dar hawa
dar hawa ke payad aayad ta-KHuda
Our thought is an arrow (shot) from Him (Hú) into the air
(hawá): how should it stay in the air? It comes (back) to God.
har nafs nau mi shawad duniya-o-ma
be-KHabar az nau shudan andar baqa
Every moment the world is renewed, and we are unaware of its being renewed whilst it remains (the same in appearance).
'umr ham-chun ju-e-nau nau mi rasad
mustamirre mi numayad dar jasad
Life is ever arriving anew, like the stream,
though in the body it has the semblance of continuity.
aan za tezi मस्तमिर shakl aamad-ast
chun sharar kish tez jumbani ba-dast
From its swiftness it appears continuous,
like the spark which thou whirlest rapidly with thy hand.
shaKH-e-atish ra ba-jumbani ba-saz
dar nazar aatish numayad bas daraaz
If thou whirl a firebrand with dexterity,
it appears to the sight as a very long (line of) fire.
in daraazi muddat az tezi-e-sun'
mi-numayad sur’at angezi-e-sun'
The swift motion produced by the action of God presents this length of duration (Time)
as (a phenomenon arising) from the rapidity of Divine action.
talib in sirr agar ’allama ast
nak husamuddin ki sami nama ast
Even if the seeker of this mystery is an exceedingly learned
man, (say to him),
“Lo, Husámu’ddín, who is a sublime book (where you will find the mystery revealed).
Additional information available
Click on the INTERESTING button to view additional information associated with this sher.
About this sher
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi volutpat porttitor tortor, varius dignissim.
rare Unpublished content
This ghazal contains ashaar not published in the public domain. These are marked by a red line on the left.