گفت گفتی بشنو از چاکر جواب ** تا نمانی در تحیر و اضطراب
He replied, “You have said (your say): (now) hear the answer from your (humble) servant, that you may not remain in bewilderment and confusion.
گرچه هست این دم بر تو نیم‌شب ** نزد من نزدیک شد صبح طرب
Although in your opinion this moment is midnight, in my view the dawn of delight is near at hand.
هر شکستی پیش من پیروز شد ** جمله شبها پیش چشمم روز شد
In my sight every defeat has been turned to victory, in my eyes all nights have been turned to day.
پیش تو خونست آب رود نیل ** نزد من خون نیست آبست ای نبیل 855
To you the water of the river Nile seems blood; to me it is not blood, ’tis water, O noble one.
در حق تو آهنست آن و رخام ** پیش داود نبی مومست و رام
In regard to you, that (object) is iron or marble, (but) to the prophet David it is (soft as) wax and tractable.
پیش تو که بس گرانست و جماد ** مطربست او پیش داود اوستاد
To you the mountain is exceedingly heavy (solid) and inanimate, (but) to David it is a master-musician.
پیش تو آن سنگ‌ریزه ساکتست ** پیش احمد او فصیح و قانتست
To you the gravel is silent; to Ahmad (Mohammed) it is eloquent and making supplication (to God).
پیش تو استون مسجد مرده‌ایست ** پیش احمد عاشقی دل برده‌ایست
To you the pillar of the mosque is a dead thing; to Ahmad it is (like) a lover who has lost his heart.
جمله اجزای جهان پیش عوام ** مرده و پیش خدا دانا و رام 860
To the vulgar all the particles of the world seem dead, but before God they are possessed of knowledge and submissive (to His commands).
آنچ گفتی کاندرین خانه و سرا ** نیست کس چون می‌زنی این طبل را
As for your saying, ‘There is nobody in this house and palace: why art thou beating this drum?’—
بهر حق این خلق زرها می‌دهند ** صد اساس خیر و مسجد می‌نهند
(I reply that) this (Moslem) people are giving (large) sums of gold for God's sake, founding hundreds of pious institutions and mosques,
مال و تن در راه حج دوردست ** خوش همی‌بازند چون عشاق مست
And, like intoxicated lovers, gladly risking their property and lives on their way to (perform) the distant Pilgrimage:
هیچ می‌گویند کان خانه تهیست ** بلک صاحب‌خانه جان مختبیست
Do they ever say, ‘The House (Ka‘ba) is empty’? Nay, (they know that) the Lord of the House is the Spirit invisible.
پر همی‌بیند سرای دوست را ** آنک از نور الهستش ضیا 865
He that is illumined by the Light of God deems the House of the Beloved to be full (of Him).
بس سرای پر ز جمع و انبهی ** پیش چشم عاقبت‌بینان تهی
In the eyes of those who see the end, many a palace filled with a crowd and throng (of people) is empty.
هر که را خواهی تو در کعبه بجو ** تا بروید در زمان او پیش رو
Seek in the (spiritual) Ka‘ba whomsoever you please, that he may at once grow (rise into view) before your face.
صورتی کو فاخر و عالی بود ** او ز بیت الله کی خالی بود
How should the form (of the Perfect Man), which is splendid and sublime, (ever) be absent from the House of God?
او بود حاضر منزه از رتاج ** باقی مردم برای احتیاج
He is (always) present (there), exempt from exclusion, (while) the rest of mankind (are there only) on account of (their occasional) need.
هیچ می‌گویند کین لبیکها ** بی‌ندایی می‌کنیم آخر چرا 870
Do they (the pilgrims) ever say, ‘We are crying Labbayka without (receiving) any response. Pray, why (is this)’?
بلک توفیقی که لبیک آورد ** هست هر لحظه ندایی از احد
Nay, the Divine blessing which causes (their cries of) Labbayka is (in truth) a response (coming) from the One (God) at every moment.
من ببو دانم که این قصر و سرا ** بزم جان افتاد و خاکش کیمیا
I know by intuition that this pavilion and palace is the banquet of the soul, and that its dust is an elixir.
مس خود را بر طریق زیر و بم ** تا ابد بر کیمیااش می‌زنم
I will strike my copper on its elixir unto everlasting in the mode of treble and bass,
تا بجوشد زین چنین ضرب سحور ** در درافشانی و بخشایش به حور
That, from (my) playing the sahúr tune in this fashion, the seas (of Divine mercy) may surge (and be roused) to scatter (their) pearls and (lavish their) bounty.
خلق در صف قتال و کارزار ** جان همی‌بازند بهر کردگار 875
Men hazard their lives in the line of battle and in fighting for the Creator's sake.
آن یکی اندر بلا ایوب‌وار ** وان دگر در صابری یعقوب‌وار
One is like Job in tribulation; another like Jacob in patience.