مرد او بر جای خرپشته نشاند ** وآنک کهنه گشت هم پشته نماند
He (the worldling) dies and leaves a (sepulchral) vault to occupy his place; and (in the case of) one who has lain for ages (in the earth), even the vault has disappeared.
هر کسی را جفت کرده عدل حق ** پیل را با پیل و بق را جنس بق
The justice of God hath mated every one (with one of his own kind)—elephant with elephant and gnat with gnat.
مونس احمد به مجلس چار یار ** مونس بوجهل عتبه و ذوالخمار 1895
The familiar associates of Ahmad (Mohammed) were the Four Friends, (while) the familiars of Bú Jahl were ‘Utba and Dhu ’l-Khimár.
کعبه‌ی جبریل و جانها سدره‌ای ** قبله‌ی عبدالبطون شد سفره‌ای
The Ka‘ba of Gabriel and the (celestial) spirits is a Lotus-tree; the qibla of the belly-slave is a table-cloth (covered with dishes of food).
قبله‌ی عارف بود نور وصال ** قبله‌ی عقل مفلسف شد خیال
The qibla of the gnostic is the light of union (with God); the qibla of the philosopher's intellect is phantasy.
قبله‌ی زاهد بود یزدان بر ** قبله‌ی مطمع بود همیان زر
The qibla of the ascetic is the Gracious God; the qibla of the flatterer is a purse of gold.
قبله‌ی معنی‌وران صبر و درنگ ** قبله‌ی صورت‌پرستان نقش سنگ
The qibla of the spiritual is patience and long-suffering; the qibla of form worshippers is the image of stone.
قبله‌ی باطن‌نشینان ذوالمنن ** قبله‌ی ظاهرپرستان روی زن 1900
The qibla of those who dwell on the inward is the Bounteous One; the qibla of those who worship the outward is a woman's face.
هم‌چنین برمی‌شمر تازه و کهن ** ور ملولی رو تو کار خویش کن
Similarly reckon up new and old (instances); and if you are weary (of doing so), go about your business.
رزق ما در کاس زرین شد عقار ** وآن سگان را آب تتماج و تغار
Our provision (from God) is wine in a golden cup, while those curs have the tutmáj broth and the trough.
لایق آنک بدو خو داده‌ایم ** در خور آن رزق بفرستاده‌ایم
(God says), “To him on whom We have bestowed a (particular) disposition We have sent the appropriate provision accordingly.
خوی آن را عاشق نان کرده‌ایم ** خوی این را مست جانان کرده‌ایم
We have made it that one's disposition to be passionately fond of bread, We have made it this one's disposition to be intoxicated with the Beloved.”
چون به خوی خود خوشی و خرمی ** پس چه از درخورد خویت می‌رمی 1905
Since you are pleased and happy with your disposition, then why are you fleeing from that which is appropriate to your disposition?
(If) feminality pleases you, get a chádar; (if) the prowess of Rustam pleases you, get a dagger.
این سخن پایان ندارد وآن فقیر ** گشته است از زخم درویشی عقیر
This topic hath no end, and (meanwhile) the fakir has been sorely wounded by the blows of penury.
قصه‌ی آن گنج‌نامه کی پهلوی قبه‌ای روی به قبله کن و تیر در کمان نه بینداز آنجا کی افتد گنجست
Story of the treasure-scroll (in which it was written), “Beside a certain domed building turn your face towards the qibla (Mecca) and put an arrow to the bow and shoot: the treasure is (buried) at the spot where it falls.”
دید در خواب او شبی و خواب کو ** واقعه‌ی بی‌خواب صوفی‌راست خو
One night he dreamed—but where was sleep? The vision without sleep is familiar to the Súfí—
هاتفی گفتش کای دیده تعب ** رقعه‌ای در مشق وراقان طلب
(That) a heavenly voice said to him, “O you who have seen trouble, search among the (loose) leaves of handwriting sold (as models) by stationers for a certain scroll.
خفیه زان وراق کت همسایه است ** سوی کاغذپاره‌هاش آور تو دست 1910
Unobserved by the stationer who is your neighbour, bring your hand into touch with his papers.
رقعه‌ای شکلش چنین رنگش چنین ** بس بخوان آن را به خلوت ای حزین
It is a scroll of such a shape and such a colour: then (as soon as possible) read it in privacy, O sorrowful one.
چون بدزدی آن ز وراق ای پسر ** پس برون رو ز انبهی و شور و شر
When you steal it from the stationer, my lad, then go out of the crowd and the noise and turmoil,
تو بخوان آن را به خود در خلوتی ** هین مجو در خواندن آن شرکتی
And read it by yourself in some lonely place: beware, do not seek any partnership in reading it.
ور شود آن فاش هم غمگین مشو ** که نیابد غیر تو زان نیم جو
But even if it (the secret) be divulged, do not be anxious, for none but you will get (so much as) half a barley-corn thereof.
ور کشد آن دیر هان زنهار تو ** ورد خود کن دم به دم لاتقنطوا 1915
And if it (the affair) be long drawn out, beware and take heed! Make (the text) do not ye despair your litany at every moment.”
این بگفت و دست خود آن مژده‌ور ** بر دل او زد که رو زحمت ببر
The (heavenly) announcer of the good news said this and put his hand on his (the fakir's) heart, saying, “Go, endure the toil.”
چون به خویش آمد ز غیبت آن جوان ** می‌نگنجید از فرح اندر جهان
When the youth came back to himself after the absence, on account of his joy he could not be contained in the world.