چونی ای دریای عقل ذو فنون ** این چه بهتان است بر عقلت جنون
How art thou, O Sea of manifold intelligence? What aspersion on thy intelligence is this (alleged) madness?
دود گلخن کی رسد در آفتاب ** چون شود عنقا شکسته از غراب1450
How should the smoke of the bath-stove attain unto the Sun? How should the ‘Anqá be crushed by the crow?
وامگیر از ما بیان کن این سخن ** ما محبانیم با ما این مکن
Do not withhold (the truth) from us: explain this matter; we are lovers (of thee): do not behave to us in this fashion.
مر محبان را نشاید دور کرد ** یا به رو پوش و دغل مغرور کرد
One ought not to drive lovers away or dupe them by mask and false pretence.
راز را اندر میان آور شها ** رو مکن در ابر پنهانی مها
Communicate the secret, O King: do not hide thy face in the cloud, O Moon!
ما محب و صادق و دل خستهایم ** در دو عالم دل به تو در بستهایم
We are loving and true and with wounded (bleeding) hearts: in the two worlds we have fixed our hearts on thee (alone).”
فحش آغازید و دشنام از گزاف ** گفت او دیوانگانه زی و قاف1455
He began (to use) foul words and bad names recklessly: he spoke gibberish like madmen.
بر جهید و سنگ پران کرد و چوب ** جملگی بگریختند از بیم کوب
He jumped up and let fly stones and sticks; the whole party fled for fear of blows.
قهقهه خندید و جنبانید سر ** گفت باد ریش این یاران نگر
He laughed loudly and tossed his head (in scorn). “Look,” said he, “at the vain bluster of these friends!
دوستان بین، کو نشان دوستان ** دوستان را رنج باشد همچو جان
See the friends! Where is the sign of (true) friends? To (true) friends pain is as (dear as) life.”
کی کران گیرد ز رنج دوست دوست ** رنج مغز و دوستی آن را چو پوست
How should a friend turn aside from the pain inflicted by his friend? Pain is the kernel, and friendship is (only) as the husk to it.
نه نشان دوستی شد سر خوشی ** در بلا و آفت و محنت کشی1460
Has not joy in tribulation and calamity and suffering become the sign of (true) friendship?
دوست همچون زر بلا چون آتش است ** زر خالص در دل آتش خوش است
A friend is like gold, tribulation is like the fire: the pure gold is glad in the heart of the fire.
امتحان کردن خواجهی لقمان زیرکی لقمان را
How Luqmán's master tested his sagacity.
نه که لقمان را که بندهی پاک بود ** روز و شب در بندگی چالاک بود
(Was it) not (the case) that (this happened) to Luqmán, who was a pure (unselfish) slave, and day and night was brisk in service?
خواجهاش میداشتی در کار پیش ** بهترش دیدی ز فرزندان خویش
His master used to prefer him (to all others) in the work (of service) and deem him better than his own sons,
ز انکه لقمان گر چه بنده زاد بود ** خواجه بود و از هوا آزاد بود
Because Luqmán, though he was slave-born, was the master (of himself) and was free from sensual desire.
گفت شاهی شیخ را اندر سخن ** چیزی از بخشش ز من درخواست کن1465
A certain king said to the Shaykh (spiritual Director) in conversation, “Ask me to bestow some bounty upon thee.”
گفت ای شه شرم ناید مر ترا ** که چنین گویی مرا زین برتر آ
He answered, “O King, are not you ashamed to say such a thing to me? Come higher!
من دو بنده دارم و ایشان حقیر ** و آن دو بر تو حاکمانند و امیر
I have two slaves, and they are vile, and those two are rulers and lords over you.”
گفت شه آن دو چهاند این زلت است ** گفت آن یک خشم و دیگر شهوت است
Said the King, “What are those two? This is a mistake.” He replied, “The one is anger and the other is lust.”
شاه آن دان کاو ز شاهی فارغ است ** بیمه و خورشید نورش بازغ است
Regard as a king him that is unconcerned with kingship, him whose light shines forth without moon or sun.
مخزن آن دارد که مخزن ذات اوست ** هستی او دارد که با هستی عدوست1470
(Only) that one whose essence is the treasury (of spiritual truths) possesses the treasury: (only) he that is an enemy to (his own) existence possesses (real) existence.
خواجهی لقمان به ظاهر خواجهوش ** در حقیقت بنده، لقمان خواجهاش
Luqmán's master (was) like a master outwardly; in reality he was a slave, and Luqmán was his master.
در جهان باژگونه زین بسی است ** در نظرشان گوهری کم از خسی است
In the topsy-turvy world there is many a one of this (kind): a pearl is less than a straw in their sight.
مر بیابان را مفازه نام شد ** نام و رنگی عقلشان را دام شد
Every desert has been named mafáza (place of safety): a name and specious form has ensnared their understanding.
یک گره را خود معرف جامه است ** در قبا گویند کاو از عامه است
In the case of one class of people, the dress makes (a man) known: (if he is dressed) in a qabá, they say that he belongs to the vulgar.
یک گره را ظاهر سالوس زهد ** نور باید تا بود جاسوس زهد1475
In the case of one class of people (the distinguishing mark is) the hypocritical appearance of asceticism; (but) light is needed, that (any one) may be a spy on asceticism (and detect its true character).
نور باید پاک از تقلید و غول ** تا شناسد مرد را بیفعل و قول
Light is needed, (a light) purged of cant and noxiousness, that he may know a man without (the evidence of) deed or word,
در رود در قلب او از راه عقل ** نقد او بیند نباشد بند نقل
And enter into his heart by way of the intellect, and behold his real state and not be confined to tradition.
بندگان خاص علام الغیوب ** در جهان جان جواسیس القلوب
The chosen servants of (God) the Knower of things unseen are, in the spiritual world, the spies on hearts.
در درون دل در آید چون خیال ** پیش او مکشوف باشد سر حال
He (such a one) enters within the heart like a fancy: the mystery of the (real) state is unveiled to him.
در تن گنجشک چه بود برگ و ساز ** که شود پوشیده آن بر عقل باز1480
In the body of the sparrow what power and faculty is there that is hidden from the intellect of the falcon?
آن که واقف گشت بر اسرار هو ** سر مخلوقات چه بود پیش او
He who has become acquainted with the secrets of Hú (God), what to him is the secret (inmost consciousness) of created beings?
آن که بر افلاک رفتارش بود ** بر زمین رفتن چه دشوارش بود
He whose walk is on the spheres, how should it be hard for him to walk on the earth?
در کف داود کاهن گشت موم ** موم چه بود در کف او ای ظلوم
Since iron became wax in the hand of David, what should wax be in his hand, O man of iniquity?
بود لقمان بنده شکلی خواجهای ** بندگی بر ظاهرش دیباجهای
Luqmán was a slave in appearance, a master (in reality): servitude was (only) a frontispiece on his outside.
چون رود خواجه به جای ناشناس ** در غلام خویش پوشاند لباس1485
When the master goes to a place where he is not known, he puts (his own) clothes on his slave.
او بپوشد جامههای آن غلام ** مر غلام خویش را سازد امام
He (himself) puts on the slave's clothes and makes his slave the leader.
در پیش چون بندگان در ره شود ** تا نباید زو کسی آگه شود
He goes behind him on the road, as slaves do, lest any one should recognise him (as the master).
گوید ای بنده تو رو بر صدر شین ** من بگیرم کفش چون بندهی کهین
“O slave,” says he, “go you and sit in the place of honour: I will take (your) shoes, like the meanest slave.
تو درشتی کن مرا دشنام ده ** مر مرا تو هیچ توقیری منه
Treat (me) roughly and revile me; do not bestow any respect on me.
ترک خدمت خدمت تو داشتم ** تا به غربت تخم حیلت کاشتم1490
I hold neglect of service to be your (proper) service, since I have sown the seed of contrivance by dwelling in a foreign land.”
خواجگان این بندگیها کردهاند ** تا گمان آید که ایشان بردهاند
Masters have performed these slavish offices in order that it might be thought that they were slaves.
چشم پر بودند و سیر از خواجگی ** کارها را کردهاند آمادگی
They saw their fill of masterdom and were sated (with it): (hence) they have made ready for (doing) the work (of slaves).
وین غلامان هوا بر عکس آن ** خویشتن بنموده خواجهی عقل و جان
On the contrary, these slaves of sensuality have represented themselves as masters of intellect and spirit.
آید از خواجه ره افکندگی ** ناید از بنده بغیر بندگی
From the master (the spiritual man) comes the practice of self-abasement; from the slave (the sensual man) comes naught but slavishness.
پس از آن عالم بدین عالم چنان ** تعبیتها هست بر عکس این بدان1495
So topsy-turvy, then, are the arrangements between that world and this world. Know this (for sure).
خواجهی لقمان از این حال نهان ** بود واقف دیده بود از وی نشان
Luqmán's master was aware of this hidden state (of Luqmán); he had seen signs (thereof) in him.
راز میدانست و خوش میراند خر ** از برای مصلحت آن راهبر
He knew the secret, (but) quietly drove his ass on that road (pursued his way) for the sake of the good (which he had in view).
مر و را آزاد کردی از نخست ** لیک خشنودی لقمان را بجست
He would have set him free at the first, but he sought to content (comply with the wish of) Luqmán,