یا چو بوی احمد مرسل بود ** کان به عاصی در شفاعت میرسد
Or ’tis like the scent of Ahmad (Mohammed), the Apostle (of God), which in intercession comes to the sinner;
یا چو بوی یوسف خوب لطیف ** میزند بر جان یعقوب نحیف1205
Or like the scent of beauteous, graceful Joseph, (which) strikes upon the soul of lean Jacob.
فایدهی دیگر که هر خشتی کز این ** بر کنم آیم سوی ماء معین
The other advantage is that, (with) every brick I tear off this (wall), I come (nearer) to running water,
کز کمی خشت دیوار بلند ** پستتر گردد به هر دفعه که کند
Since by diminution of the bricks the high wall becomes lower every time that one is removed.
پستی دیوار قربی میشود ** فصل او درمان وصلی میبود
The lowness (destruction) of the wall becomes a means of access (to the water); separation from it is the remedy bringing about a union (with the water).”
سجده آمد کندن خشت لزب ** موجب قربی که و اسجد و اقترب
The tearing away of the adhesive (firmly joined) bricks is (analogous to) prostration (in prayer): (it is) the cause of nearness (to God), for (God has said), ‘And prostrate thyself and draw near (to Me).’
تا که این دیوار عالی گردن است ** مانع این سر فرود آوردن است1210
So long as this wall is high-necked (lofty and proud), it is an obstacle to this bowing of the head (in prayer).
سجده نتوان کرد بر آب حیات ** تا نیابم زین تن خاکی نجات
’Tis impossible to perform the prostration on the Water of Life, until I gain deliverance from this earthly body.
بر سر دیوار هر کاو تشنهتر ** زودتر بر میکند خشت و مدر
The more thirsty any one on the top of the wall is, the more quickly does he tear off the bricks and turfs.
هر که عاشق تر بود بر بانگ آب ** او کلوخ زفت تر کند از حجاب
The more any one is in love with the noise of the water, the bigger clods does he tear away from the barrier.
او ز بانگ آب پر می تا عنق ** نشنود بیگانه جز بانگ بلق
He, at the noise of the water, is filled with wine (ecstasy) up to the neck, (while) the stranger (to love) hears nothing but the sound of the splash.
ای خنک آن را که او ایام پیش ** مغتنم دارد گزارد وام خویش1215
Oh, blest is he that deems his early days an opportunity to be seized, and pays his debt—
اندر آن ایام کش قدرت بود ** صحت و زور دل و قوت بود
In the days when he has the power, (when) he has health and strength of heart and vigour,
و آن جوانی همچو باغ سبز و تر ** میرساند بیدریغی بار و بر
And (when) that season of youth, like a garden green and fresh, is bringing (to ripeness) produce and fruit without any stint;
چشمههای قوت و شهوت روان ** سبز میگردد زمین تن بدان
(When) the fountains of strength and lust (are) flowing, (so that) thereby the soil of the body is made verdant;
خانهی معمور و سقفش بس بلند ** معتدل ارکان و بیتخلیط و بند
(When he is still like) a well-kept house, with its roof very lofty, its sides (walls) symmetrical, without buttressing and clamps—
پیش از آن که ایام پیری در رسد ** گردنت بندد به حبل من مسد1220
Ere the days of eld arrive and bind your neck with a halter of palm-fibres;
خاک شوره گردد و ریزان و سست ** هرگز از شوره نبات خوش نرست
(Ere) the soil becomes nitrous (barren), crumbling, and poor —never did good herbage grow from nitrous soil;
آب زور و آب شهوت منقطع ** او ز خویش و دیگران نامنتفع
(When) the water of strength and the water of lust (is) cut off, and he has no profit from himself or others:
ابروان چون پالدم زیر آمده ** چشم را نم آمده تاری شده
The eyebrows fallen down like a crupper-strap; the eyes grown moist and dim;
از تشنج رو چو پشت سوسمار ** رفته نطق و طعم و دندانها ز کار
The face, from wrinkling, like the back of a lizard; speech and taste and teeth gone out of use;
روز بیگه لاشه لنگ و ره دراز ** کارگه ویران عمل رفته ز ساز1225
The day late, the ass lame, and the way long; the shop ruined and the business in disorder;
بیخهای خوی بد محکم شده ** قوت بر کندن آن کم شده
The roots of bad habit firmly set, and the power to tear them up decreased.
فرمودن والی آن مرد را که این خار بن را که نشاندهای بر سر راه بر کن
How the Governor commanded a certain man, saying, “Root up the thorn bush which you have planted on the road.”
همچو آن شخص درشت خوش سخن ** در میان ره نشاند او خار بن
As (for example) that callous fair-spoken person planted a thorn bush in the middle of the road.
ره گذریانش ملامتگر شدند ** بس بگفتندش بکن این را نکند
The wayfarers reproached him and oftentimes told him to dig it up: he dug it not up.
هر دمی آن خار بن افزون شدی ** پای خلق از زخم آن پر خون شدی
Every moment the thorn bush was growing bigger: the people's feet were streaming with blood from its pricks.
The people's clothes were being rent by the thorns: the feet of the poor were being wounded pitiably.
چون به جد حاکم بدو گفت این بکن ** گفت آری بر کنم روزیش من
When the Governor said to him with earnestness, “Dig this up,” he replied, “Yes, I will dig it up some day.”
مدتی فردا و فردا وعده داد ** شد درخت خار او محکم نهاد
For a long while he promised (to dig it up) to-morrow and to-morrow; (meantime) his thorn bush became robust in constitution.
گفت روزی حاکمش ای وعده کژ** پیش آ در کار ما وا پس مغژ
One day the Governor said to him, “O false promiser, go forward with my affair, do not creep back.”
گفت الایام یا عم بیننا ** گفت عجل لا تماطل دیننا
He replied, “O uncle, the days are between us.” “Make haste,” said he, “do not put off payment of my debt.”
تو که میگویی که فردا این بدان ** که به هر روزی که میآید زمان1235
You who say “To-morrow,” be aware of this, that with every day that time is coming (and going),
آن درخت بد جوانتر میشود ** وین کننده پیر و مضطر میشود
That evil tree is growing younger, while this digger is waxing old and sorely distressed.
خار بن در قوت و برخاستن ** خار کن در پیری و در کاستن
The thorn bush (is) in (process of gaining) strength and (in) ascent; its digger (is) in (process of) aging and decline.
خار بن هر روز و هر دم سبز و تر ** خار کن هر روز زار و خشکتر
The thorn bush every day and every moment is green and fresh; its digger is every day more sickly and withered.
او جوانتر میشود تو پیرتر ** زود باش و روزگار خود مبر
It is growing younger, you older: be quick and do not waste your time!
خار بن دان هر یکی خوی بدت ** بارها در پای خار آخر زدت1240
Know that every single bad habit of yours is a thorn bush: many a time, after all, have its thorns pierced your foot.
بارها از خوی خود خسته شدی ** حس نداری سخت بیحس آمدی
Many a time have you been wounded by your own (evil) habits—you have no sense, you are very senseless.
گر ز خسته گشتن دیگر کسان ** که ز خلق زشت تو هست آن رسان
If to the wounding of other persons, which comes to pass from your evil nature,
غافلی باری ز زخم خود نهای ** تو عذاب خویش و هر بیگانهای
You are indifferent, at any rate you are not (indifferent) to your own wounds: you are the torment of yourself and of every stranger.
یا تبر برگیر و مردانه بزن ** تو علیوار این در خیبر بکن
Either take up the axe and strike like a man—like ‘Alí, destroy this gate of Khaybar—
یا به گلبن وصل کن این خار را ** وصل کن با نار نور یار را1245
Or unite these thorns with the rosebush: unite the light of the friend (of God) with the (sensual) fire,
تا که نور او کشد نار تو را ** وصل او گلشن کند خار تو را
In order that his light may extinguish your fire, (and that) union with him may make your thorns roses.
تو مثال دوزخی او مومن است ** کشتن آتش به مومن ممکن است
You are like Hell, he is a true believer: the extinction of the fire (of Hell) by means of a true believer is possible.
مصطفی فرمود از گفت جحیم ** کاو به مومن لابه گر گردد ز بیم
Mustafá (Mohammed) said concerning the speech of Hell, that on account of fear it begins humbly to entreat the true believer,
گویدش بگذر ز من ای شاه زود ** هین که نورت سوز نارم را ربود
And says to him, “Pass quickly away from me, O king: hark, for thy light has taken away the burning of my fire.”
پس هلاک نار نور مومن است ** ز انکه بیضد دفع ضد لا یمکن است1250
Therefore the true believer's light is the death of the fire, because without an opposite the removal of the (other) opposite is impossible.
نار ضد نور باشد روز عدل ** کان ز قهر انگیخته شد این ز فضل
On the Day of Justice (Judgement) the fire will be the opponent of the light, since the former was aroused by (God's) wrath, the latter by (His) grace.
گر همیخواهی تو دفع شر نار ** آب رحمت بر دل آتش گمار
If you are wishing to remove the evil of the fire, direct the water of (Divine) mercy against the heart of the fire.
چشمهی آن آب رحمت مومن است ** آب حیوان روح پاک محسن است
The true believer is the fountain of that water of mercy: the pure spirit of the well-doer is the Water of Life.