اشتری گم کردی و جستیش چست ** چون بیابی چون ندانی کان تست
(If) you have lost a camel and sought it busily, how should you not know,when you find it, that it is yours?
ضاله چه بود ناقهای گم کردهای ** از کفت بگریخته در پردهای
What is the stray? You have lost a she-camel: (she has) fled from your herd into a veil (of concealment).
آمده در بار کردن کاروان ** اشتر تو ز آن میان گشته نهان
The caravaneers have begun to load, (but) your camel has disappeared from the midst (of the caravan).
میدوی این سو و آن سو خشک لب ** کاروان شد دور و نزدیک است شب
You are running to and fro with parched lips; the caravan is (now) far away, and night is near.
رخت مانده بر زمین در راه خوف ** تو پی اشتر دوان گشته به طوف2915
Your baggage is left on the ground, (lying) on the road of peril, (whilst) you are running about in search of the camel,
کای مسلمانان که دیده ست اشتری ** جسته بیرون بامداد از آخوری
Crying, “O Moslems, who has seen a camel which this morning escaped from a stable?
هر که بر گوید نشان از اشترم ** مژدگانی میدهم چندین درم
Whoever will tell (me) a clue to my camel, I will give so many dirhems as a reward (for the information).”
باز میجویی نشان از هر کسی ** ریشخندت میکند زین هر خسی
You are requesting clues from every one: every rascal is making a mock of you on this account,
کاشتری دیدیم میرفت این طرف ** اشتر سرخی به سوی آن علف
Saying, “We saw a camel going in this direction, a reddish camel (going) towards yonder pasturage.”
آن یکی گوید بریده گوش بود ** و آن دگر گوید جلش منقوش بود2920
One (of them) says, “It was crop-eared,” and another says, “Its saddlecloth was embroidered.”
آن یکی گوید شتر یک چشم بود ** و آن دگر گوید ز گر بیپشم بود
One says, “The camel had (only) one eye,” and another says, “It (was suffering) from mange (and) had no hair.”
از برای مژدگانی صد نشان ** از گزافه هر خسی کرده بیان
For the sake of the reward every rascal, (speaking) at random, sets forth a hundred clues.
متردد شدن در میان مذهبهای مخالف و بیرون شو و مخلص یافتن
On being perplexed amidst discordant doctrines and finding (a means of) escape and deliverance.
همچنان که هر کسی در معرفت ** میکند موصوف غیبی را صفت
(This is) even as in the matter of knowledge (of God) every one describes (differently) the Unseen Object of description.
فلسفی از نوع دیگر کرده شرح ** باحثی مر گفت او را کرده جرح
The philosopher gives an explanation of another (a particular) kind; a scholastic theologian invalidates his statement;
و آن دگر در هر دو طعنه میزند ** و آن دگر از زرق جانی میکند2925
And some one else jeers at both of them, while another hypocritically tires himself to death (trying to prove that he has real knowledge of God).
هر یک از ره این نشانها ز آن دهند ** تا گمان آید که ایشان ز آن دهاند
Each one (of them) gives these indications of the Way, in order that it may be supposed that they belong to that Village.
این حقیقت دان نه حقاند این همه ** نی بکلی گمرهانند این رمه
Know the truth to be this, (that) all these (various persons) are not in the right; nor (again) are this herd entirely astray,
ز انکه بیحق باطلی ناید پدید ** قلب را ابله به بوی زر خرید
Because nothing false is shown without the True: the fool bought (desired) spurious coin in the hope of (its being) gold.
گر نبودی در جهان نقدی روان ** قلبها را خرج کردن کی توان
If there were no current (genuine) coin in the world, how would it be possible to issue false coins?
تا نباشد راست کی باشد دروغ ** آن دروغ از راست میگیرد فروغ2930
Unless there be truth, how should there be falsehood? That falsehood receives brilliance (prestige and reputation) from truth.
بر امید راست کژ را میخرند ** زهر در قندی رود آن گه خورند
They buy (desire) the wrong in hope of (its being) the right: (if) poison go into a piece of sugar, then (and then only) they eat (poison).
گر نباشد گندم محبوب نوش ** چه برد گندمنمای جو فروش
If there be no savoury wheat, what shall he get who sells barley, pretending that it is wheat?
پس مگو کاین جمله دمها باطلند ** باطلان بر بوی حق دام دلند
Do not say, then, that all these utterances are false: the false (pretenders) are a snare to the heart on the ground of (because they give) hope of truth.
پس مگو جمله خیال است و ضلال ** بیحقیقت نیست در عالم خیال
Do not say, then, that all (this) is phantasy and error: without truth phantasy exists not in the world.
حق شب قدر است در شبها نهان ** تا کند جان هر شبی را امتحان2935
Truth is the Night of Power (which is) hidden amidst the (other) nights in order that the soul may make trial of every night.