او به عکس شمعهای آتشیست ** می‌نماید آتش و جمله خوشیست
It is the reverse of the fiery candles: it seems to be fire, while (in reality) it is all sweetness.
صفت آن مسجد کی عاشق‌کش بود و آن عاشق مرگ‌جوی لا ابالی کی درو مهمان شد
Description of the lover-killing mosque and of the death-seeking reckless lover who became a guest there.
یک حکایت گوش کن ای نیک‌پی ** مسجدی بد بر کنار شهر ری
Lend ear to a story, O well-conducted man! There was a mosque on the outskirts of the city of Rayy.
هیچ کس در وی نخفتی شب ز بیم ** که نه فرزندش شدی آن شب یتیم
No one ever slept the night there but on the same night (he died) from terror (and) his children became orphans.
بس که اندر وی غریب عور رفت ** صبحدم چون اختران در گور رفت
Many the naked (destitute) stranger that went into it (at nightfall) and went at dawn, like the stars, into the grave.
خویشتن را نیک ازین آگاه کن ** صبح آمد خواب را کوتاه کن3925
Make thyself very attentive to this (tale)! The dawn is come, cut short thy slumber!
هر کسی گفتی که پریانند تند ** اندرو مهمان کشان با تیغ کند
Every one used to say that in it there were fierce Jinnís who killed the guests with blunt swords.
آن دگر گفتی که سحرست و طلسم ** کین رصد باشد عدو جان و خصم
Another would say, “It is the magic and talisman, for this enchantment is the foe and enemy of life.”
آن دگر گفتی که بر نه نقش فاش ** بر درش کای میهمان اینجا مباش
Another would say, “Put an inscription (notice) conspicuously on its door—‘O guest, do not stay here.
شب مخسپ اینجا اگر جان بایدت ** ورنه مرگ اینجا کمین بگشایدت
Do not sleep the night here, if you want to live; otherwise, death will unmask an ambush for you in this place.’”
وان یکی گفتی که شب قفلی نهید ** غافلی کاید شما کم ره دهید3930
And another would say, “Bolt (the door) at night, (and when) a heedless person comes, do not admit him.”
مهمان آمدن در آن مسجد
How the guest came into the mosque.
تا یکی مهمان در آمد وقت شب ** کو شنیده بود آن صیت عجب
(So it continued) till a guest arrived at nightfall who had heard that marvellous rumour.
از برای آزمون می‌آزمود ** زانک بس مردانه و جان سیر بود
He was testing (it) in order to put (it) to the proof, for he was very valiant and surfeited with life.
گفت کم گیرم سر و اشکمبه‌ای ** رفته گیر از گنج جان یک حبه‌ای
He said (to himself), “I take little account of a (sheep's) head and belly: suppose that one grain is gone from the spirit's treasure, (what does it matter?)
صورت تن گو برو من کیستم ** نقش کم ناید چو من باقیستم
Let the bodily form go: who am I (in reality)? Is not the (bodily) figure of small account when I am enduring for ever?
چون نفخت بودم از لطف خدا ** نفخ حق باشم ز نای تن جدا3935
Since by the grace of God the (Divine) spirit was breathed into me, I am the breath of God (which is) kept apart from the windpipe of the body,
تا نیفتد بانگ نفخش این طرف ** تا رهد آن گوهر از تنگین صدف
To the end that the sound of His breathing should not fall in this direction, and that that (spiritual) pearl should escape from the narrow (bodily) shell.
چون تمنوا موت گفت ای صادقین ** صادقم جان را برافشانم برین
Since God said, ‘Desire death, O ye that are sincere,’ I am sincere: I will lavish my soul upon this (I will sacrifice my life for this object).”
ملامت کردن اهل مسجد مهمان عاشق را از شب خفتن در آنجا و تهدید کردن مرورا
How the people of the mosque blamed the lover-guest for (his intention of) sleeping the night there and threatened him.
قوم گفتندش که هین اینجا مخسپ ** تا نکوبد جانستانت همچو کسپ
The people said to him, “Beware! Do not sleep here, lest the Taker of the soul pound thee like the dregs of sesame-grain,
که غریبی و نمی‌دانی ز حال ** کاندرین جا هر که خفت آمد زوال
For thou art a stranger and ignorant of the fact that any one who sleeps in this place perishes.
اتفاقی نیست این ما بارها ** دیده‌ایم و جمله اصحاب نهی3940
This is not an (accidental) occurrence: we and all those possessed of intelligence have ofttimes witnessed this.
هر که آن مسجد شبی مسکن شدش ** نیم‌شب مرگ هلاهل آمدش
To whomsoever that mosque gave lodging for a single night, poisonous death came to him at midnight.
از یکی ما تابه صد این دیده‌ایم ** نه به تقلید از کسی بشنیده‌ایم
We have seen this not (only) once but a hundred times: we have not heard it at second-hand from any one.
گفت الدین نصیحه آن رسول ** آن نصیحت در لغت ضد غلول
The Prophet said, ‘The (Mohammedan) religion is (consists in) sincerity (nasíhat)’: that nasíhat etymologically is the opposite of ghulúl (unfaithfulness).
این نصیحت راستی در دوستی ** در غلولی خاین و سگ‌پوستی
This nasíhat is ‘to be true in friendship’: in an act of ghulúl you are treacherous and currish.
بی خیانت این نصیحت از وداد ** می‌نماییمت مگرد از عقل و داد3945
We are showing this sincerity towards thee, without treachery, from (motives of) love: do not turn away from reason and justice!”