شیخ رو آورد سوی آن فقیر ** که ز هر حالی که هست اوساط گیر
The Shaykh turned his face towards that dervish, saying, “In every case that exists, take the middle (course).
در خبر خیر الأمور أوساطها ** نافع آمد ز اعتدال أخلاطها
(It is stated) in Tradition that the best things are the mean (those between the two extremes): the (four) humours are beneficial through being in equipoise.
گر یکی خلطی فزون شد از عرض ** در تن مردم پدید آید مرض
If by accident (any) one humour become excessive, disease appears in the human body.
بر قرین خویش مفزا در صفت ** کان فراق آرد یقین در عاقبت
Do not exceed in (any) quality him that is thy yoke-fellow, for that will assuredly bring about separation (between you) in the end.
نطق موسی بد بر اندازه و لیک ** هم فزون آمد ز گفت یار نیک3515
The speech of Moses was in measure, but even so it exceeded the words of his good friend.
آن فزونی با خضر آمد شقاق ** گفت رو تو مکثری هذا فراق
That excess resulted in (his) opposing Khadir; and he (Khadir) said, ‘Go, thou art one that talks too much: this is a (cause of) separation (between us).’
موسیا بسیار گویی دور شو ** ور نه با من گنگ باش و کور شو
O (thou who resemblest) Moses, thou art garrulous. Go far off, or else be dumb with me and blind!
ور نرفتی وز ستیزه شستهای ** تو به معنی رفتهای بگسستهای
And if thou goest not, but remainest sitting (here) in despite (of me), thou art gone in reality and severed (from my company).”
چون حدث کردی تو ناگه در نماز ** گویدت سوی طهارت رو به تاز
When suddenly you commit an act of (legal) impurity in the ritual prayer, it (the prayer) says to you, “Go speedily to purify yourself”;
ور نرفتی خشک جنبان میشوی ** خود نمازت رفت بنشین ای غوی3520
And if you go not, you will be moving (exerting yourself) in vain; verily your prayer is gone beforehand (already), O misguided man!
رو بر آنها که هم جفت تواند ** عاشقان و تشنهی گفت تواند
Go to them that are your mates, (them) that are enamoured of your discourse and thirsting for it.
پاسبان بر خوابناکان بر فزود ** ماهیان را پاسبان حاجت نبود
One who keeps watch is superior to those who slumber: the (spiritual) fish have no need of one who keeps watch.
جامه پوشان را نظر بر گازر است ** جان عریان را تجلی زیور است
Those who wear clothes look to the launderer, (but) the soul of the naked hath (Divine) illumination as its adornment.
یا ز عریانان به یک سو باز رو ** یا چو ایشان فارغ از تن جامه شو
Either withdraw (and turn) aside from the naked, or like them become free from body-garments.
ور نمیتانی که کل عریان شوی ** جامه کم کن تا ره اوسط روی3525
And if you cannot become wholly naked, make your garments less, so that you may tread the middle path.
عذر گفتن فقیر به شیخ
How the dervish excused himself to the Shaykh.
پس فقیر آن شیخ را احوال گفت ** عذر را با آن غرامت کرد جفت
Then the dervish told the Shaykh how the case stood, and coupled excuses with the discharge of that obligation.
مر سؤال شیخ را داد او جواب ** چون جوابات خضر خوب و صواب
To the Shaykh's questions he gave answer good and right, like the answers of Khadir—
آن جوابات سؤالات کلیم ** کش خضر بنمود از رب علیم
(Namely) those answers to the questions of Moses which Khadir, (inspired) by the all-knowing Lord, set forth to him,
گشت مشکلهاش حل و افزون زیاد ** از پی هر مشکلش مفتاح داد
(So that) his difficulties became solved, and he (Khadir) gave to him (Moses) the key to every question (in a way) beyond telling.
از خضر درویش هم میراث داشت ** در جواب شیخ همت بر گماشت3530
The dervish also had (a spiritual) inheritance from Khadir; (hence) he bent his will to answering the Shaykh.
گفت راه اوسط ار چه حکمت است ** لیک اوسط نیز هم با نسبت است
He said, “Although the middle path is (the way of) wisdom, yet the middle path too is relative.
آب جو نسبت به اشتر هست کم ** لیک باشد موش را آن همچو یم
Relatively to a camel, the water in the stream is little, but to a mouse it is like the ocean.
هر که را باشد وظیفه چار نان ** دو خورد یا سه خورد هست اوسط آن
If any one has an allowance of four loaves and eats two or three, that is the mean;
ور خورد هر چار دور از اوسط است ** او اسیر حرص مانند بط است
But if he eat all the four, it is far from the mean: he is in bondage to greed, like a duck.
هر که او را اشتها ده نان بود ** شش خورد میدان که اوسط آن بود3535
If one has appetite for ten loaves and eats six, know that that is the mean.