گفت من خر را به تو بسپردهام ** من ترا بر خر موکل کردهام545
He (the Súfí) said, “I have entrusted the ass to you, I have put you in charge of the ass.
از تو خواهم آن چه من دادم به تو ** باز ده آن چه فرستادم به تو
Discuss (the matter) with propriety, don't argue: deliver back to me what I delivered to you.
بحث با توجیه کن حجت میار ** آن چه بسپردم ترا واپس سپار
I demand from you what I gave to you: return that which I sent to you.
گفت پیغمبر که دستت هر چه برد ** بایدش در عاقبت واپس سپرد
The Prophet said that whatever your hand has taken must in the end be restored (to its owner).
ور نهای از سرکشی راضی بدین ** نک من و تو خانهی قاضی دین
And if you, from insolence, are not content with this, look here, let us (go) to the house of the Cadi of (our) religion.”
گفت من مغلوب بودم صوفیان ** حمله آوردند و بودم بیم جان550
The servant said, “I was overpowered: the Súfís rushed (on me), and I was in fear for my life.
تو جگر بندی میان گربگان ** اندر اندازی و جویی ز آن نشان
Do you throw a liver with the parts next it amongst cats, and (then) seek the trace of it?
در میان صد گرسنه گردهای ** پیش صد سگ گربهی پژمردهای
One cake of bread amongst a hundred hungry people, one wasted (starved) cat before a hundred dogs?”
گفت گیرم کز تو ظلما بستدند ** قاصد خون من مسکین شدند
“I suppose,” said the Súfí, “that they took it (the ass) from you by violence, (and thereby) aimed at the life of wretched me;
تو نیایی و نگویی مر مرا ** که خرت را میبرند ای بینوا
(And seeing this) you would not come and say to me, ‘They are taking away your ass, O poor man!’
تا خر از هر که بود من واخرم ** ور نه توزیعی کنند ایشان زرم555
So that I might buy back the ass from (the purchaser) whoever he is, or else they might divide my money (amongst themselves and return the ass to me).
صد تدارک بود چون حاضر بدند ** این زمان هر یک به اقلیمی شدند
There were a hundred ways of mending (the injury) when they (the Súfís) were present, (but) now each one is gone to a (different) clime.
من که را گیرم که را قاضی برم ** این قضا خود از تو آمد بر سرم
Whom should I seize? Whom should I take to the Cadi? ’Tis from you in sooth that this judgement has come upon me.
چون نیایی و نگویی ای غریب ** پیش آمد این چنین ظلمی مهیب
How wouldn't you come and say (to me), ‘O stranger, such a terrible outrage has occurred’?”
گفت و الله آمدم من بارها ** تا ترا واقف کنم زین کارها
“By God,” said he, “I came several times to inform you of these doings,
تو همیگفتی که خر رفت ای پسر ** از همه گویندگان با ذوقتر560
(But) you were always saying, ‘The ass is gone, O son,’ with more gusto than all (the others) who said it.
باز میگشتم که او خود واقف است ** زین قضا راضی است مردی عارف است
(So) I was (always) going back, (thinking), ‘He himself is aware; he is satisfied with this (Divine) judgement: he is a man that knows (God)’.”
گفت آن را جمله میگفتند خوش ** مر مرا هم ذوق آمد گفتنش
The Súfí said, “They all were saying (it) merrily, (so) I also took delight in saying it.
مر مرا تقلیدشان بر باد داد ** که دو صد لعنت بر آن تقلید باد
Blind imitation of them has brought me to ruin: two hundred curses be on that imitation!
خاصه تقلید چنین بیحاصلان ** خشم ابراهیم با بر آفلان
Especially (on) imitation of such good-for-nothing rascals— the wrath of Abraham be on them that sink!
عکس ذوق آن جماعت میزدی ** وین دلم ز آن عکس ذوقی میشدی565
The delight of that company (of Súfís) was casting a reflexion, and this heart of mine was becoming delighted by that reflexion.”
عکس چندان باید از یاران خوش ** که شوی از بحر بیعکس آب کش
The reflexion (cast) from goodly friends is necessary until you become, without (the aid of any) reflexion, a drawer of water from the Sea.
عکس کاول زد تو آن تقلید دان ** چون پیاپی شد شود تحقیق آن
Know that the reflexion first cast is (only) imitation, (but) when it has become successive (continually recurrent) it turns into (direct) realisation (of the truth).
تا نشد تحقیق از یاران مبر ** از صدف مگسل نگشت آن قطره در
Until it has become realisation, do not part from the friends (by whom you are guided); do not break away from the shell: the rain-drop has not (yet) become a pearl.
صاف خواهی چشم و عقل و سمع را ** بر دران تو پردههای طمع را
If you wish eye and understanding and hearing to be pure, tear in pieces the curtains of selfish desire,