I: O Thou, in heart ignorant concerning thine own…

O THOU, in heart ignorant concerning thine own soul!
O man, seek thou the nature of it, from the reality itself!

From the refulgence of religion, acquire thou comprehension:
Bear away, unto the desert, this darkness of infidelity!

Sin abandon; and set out towards devotion and piety!
This is the road, without anxiety, and from danger free.

This secret praise is the lamp of truth and orthodoxy;
Therefore, from the Immaculate's hand, the lighted lamp take.

Should perception's light become enkindled in thine heart,
Thou wilt, altogether, acquire life's happiness and felicity.

The penetrating, and the enlightened, are spectators of both worlds;
But the bat flieth about in the dark, without seeing.

What do I, blind that I am, know of the state of the sublime?
How wilt thou, from the deaf, ask the import of sound?

Thou wilt comprehend, forthwith, the language of all things,
Shouldst thou, sagacious one! make thine heart's ear to hear.

Err not, regarding the amount of attributes and properties;
And unto the source of the essence, bear the essence itself.

About their own materiality, the enlightened are in torment;
But there can be no dread of mortality from corruption itself.

Every attainer who hath passed beyond this nature frail,
Assuredly discovereth the signification of immortality.

He wandereth about in the boundlessness of infinity:
He arrived even unto his home, that he might unity behold.

That fruit, which on its own branch acquired ripeness,
This brief claim of its own perfection, made to the parent tree--

"Notwithstanding there is not much excess in thy greatness;
Still, within this body of mine, do I see thee, entirely, O tree!

From the first, thy root germinated from me, and flourished:
The development of thy purpose devolved, wholly, on me."

Answer, to this effect, on the part of the tree, proceeded--
"Colour and flavour, O fruit! whence didst thou acquire?

From one fruit, naught but a single tree is produced;
And the fruit of that tree is renewed, year by year."

The reply from the tree, however, is here sound and wise,
Though the observation of its fruit is, of attention, worthy.

From that, which possesseth no kernel, no corn groweth:
It is not advisable that any one should sow husked seed.

The reputation of the servant lieth with his master;
And without the servant, the master's dignity is not.

Invoke, then, within thine heart, the sayings of Mirza,
If the page of thy mind be unblotted, and unstained.