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2
1495-1544

  • پس از آن عالم بدین عالم چنان ** تعبیت‏ها هست بر عکس این بدان‏ 1495
  • 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,

  • ز انکه لقمان را مراد این بود تا ** کس نداند سر آن شیر و فتی‏
  • Because it was Luqmán's desire (to remain a slave), in order that none might know the secret of that brave and generous youth.

  • چه عجب گر سر ز بد پنهان کنی ** این عجب که سر ز خود پنهان کنی‏ 1500
  • What wonder (is it) if you hide your secret from the evil (one)? The wonder is this, that you should hide the secret from yourself.

  • کار پنهان کن تو از چشمان خود ** تا بود کارت سلیم از چشم بد
  • Hide your work from your own eyes, that your work may be safe from the evil eye.

  • خویش را تسلیم کن بر دام مزد ** و انگه از خود بی‏ز خود چیزی بدزد
  • Yield yourself up to the snare of the (Divine) reward, and then, (being) beside yourself, steal something from yourself.

  • می‏دهند افیون به مرد زخم‏مند ** تا که پیکان از تنش بیرون کنند
  • They give opium to the wounded man, in order that they may extract the point (of a spear or arrow) from his body.

  • وقت مرگ از رنج او را می‏درند ** او بدان مشغول شد جان می‏برند
  • At the hour of death he is torn with pain; he becomes preoccupied with that, and (meanwhile) his spirit (life) is taken away.

  • چون به هر فکری که دل خواهی سپرد ** از تو چیزی در نهان خواهند برد 1505
  • Inasmuch as, to whatsoever thought you give up your mind, something will secretly be taken away from you,

  • هر چه اندیشی و تحصیلی کنی ** می‏درآید دزد از آن سو کایمنی‏
  • Whatsoever acquisition you may make, O solicitous one, the thief will enter from the side where you feel safe,

  • پس بدان مشغول شو کان بهتر است ** تا ز تو چیزی برد کان بهتر است‏
  • Become occupied, therefore, with that which is better, in order that the thief may take away from you something that is less (in worth).

  • بار بازرگان چو در آب اوفتد ** دست اندر کاله‏ی بهتر زند
  • When the trader's bales fall into the water, he lays his hands upon the better merchandise.

  • چون که چیزی فوت خواهد شد در آب ** ترک کمتر گوی و بهتر را بیاب‏
  • Since something will (certainly) be lost in the water, take leave of the less (worse) and gain (possession of) the better.

  • ظاهر شدن فضل و زیرکی لقمان پیش امتحان کنندگان
  • How the excellence and sagacity of Luqmán became manifest to those who made trial (of him).

  • هر طعامی کاوریدندی به وی ** کس سوی لقمان فرستادی ز پی‏ 1510
  • Whatever food they brought to him (Luqmán's master), he would send some one to Luqmán after (receiving it),

  • تا که لقمان دست سوی آن برد ** قاصدا تا خواجه پس خوردش خورد
  • That Luqmán might put his hand to (partake of) it, on purpose that the master might eat his (Luqmán's) leavings.

  • سور او خوردی و شور انگیختی ** هر طعامی کاو نخوردی ریختی‏
  • He would eat his remnants and be enraptured: any food that he (Luqmán) did not taste, he (the master) would throw away;

  • ور بخوردی بی‏دل و بی‏اشتها ** این بود پیوندی بی‏انتها
  • Or if he ate (of it), (’twould be) without heart and without appetite: this is (the sign of) an affinity without end.

  • خربزه آورده بودند ارمغان ** گفت رو فرزند لقمان را بخوان‏
  • They had brought a melon as a present. “Go, my son” said he, “and call Luqmán.”

  • چون برید و داد او را یک برین ** همچو شکر خوردش و چون انگبین‏ 1515
  • When he cut it and gave him a slice, he ate it as if it were sugar and honey.

  • از خوشی که خورد داد او را دوم ** تا رسید آن گرچها تا هفدهم‏
  • On account of the pleasure with which he ate (it), he gave him a second (slice), (and went on) till the slices (given him) reached the seventeenth.

  • ماند گرچی گفت این را من خورم ** تا چه شیرین خربزه ست این بنگرم‏
  • One slice remained. He said, “I will eat this (myself), so that I may see what a sweet melon this is.

  • او چنین خوش می‏خورد کز ذوق او ** طبعها شد مشتهی و لقمه جو
  • He (Luqmán) eats it with such pleasure that from his delight (all) natures have become eager and craving the morsel.”

  • چون بخورد از تلخیش آتش فروخت ** هم زبان کرد آبله هم حلق سوخت‏
  • As soon as he (the master) ate it, by its sourness there was kindled fire (which) blistered his tongue and burnt his throat.

  • ساعتی بی‏خود شد از تلخی آن ** بعد از آن گفتش که ای جان و جهان‏ 1520
  • He became beside himself for a while on account of its sourness; after that, he said to him, “O (you who are) soul and world,

  • نوش چون کردی تو چندین زهر را ** لطف چون انگاشتی این قهر را
  • How did you make all this poison an antidote? How did you deem this cruelty to be kindness?

  • این چه صبر است این صبوری از چه روست ** یا مگر پیش تو این جانت عدوست‏
  • What patience is this? For what reason is this great fortitude? Or, perchance, in your opinion this life of yours is an enemy (which you would fain destroy).

  • چون نیاوردی به حیلت حجتی ** که مرا عذری است بس کن ساعتی‏
  • Why did not you cunningly bring (forward) a plea, saying, ‘I have an excuse (for declining to eat): desist for a while’.”

  • گفت من از دست نعمت بخش تو ** خورده‏ام چندان که از شرمم دو تو
  • Luqmán said, “From thy munificent hand I have eaten so much that I am (bent) double with shame.

  • شرمم آمد که یکی تلخ از کفت ** من ننوشم ای تو صاحب معرفت‏ 1525
  • I was ashamed not to eat one bitter thing from thy hand, O thou who art possessed of knowledge.

  • چون همه اجزام از انعام تو ** رسته‏اند و غرق دانه و دام تو
  • Since all parts of me have grown from thy bounty and are plunged in thy bait and snare—

  • گر ز یک تلخی کنم فریاد و داد ** خاک صد ره بر سر اجزام باد
  • If I make outcry and complaint because of one bitter thing, may the dust of a hundred roads be on (all) parts of me!

  • لذت دست شکر بخشت بداشت ** اندر این بطیخ تلخی کی گذاشت‏
  • It (the melon) had the enjoyment of thy sugar-bestowing hand: how could it (such enjoyment) leave any bitterness in this melon?”

  • از محبت تلخها شیرین شود ** از محبت مسها زرین شود
  • By love bitter things become sweet; by love pieces of copper become golden;

  • از محبت دردها صافی شود ** از محبت دردها شافی شود 1530
  • By love dregs become clear; by love pains become healing;

  • از محبت مرده زنده می‏کنند ** از محبت شاه بنده می‏کنند
  • By love the dead is made living; by love the king is made a slave.

  • این محبت هم نتیجه‏ی دانش است ** کی گزافه بر چنین تختی نشست‏
  • This love, moreover, is the result of knowledge: who (ever) sat in foolishness on such a throne?

  • دانش ناقص کجا این عشق زاد ** عشق زاید ناقص اما بر جماد
  • On what occasion did deficient knowledge give birth to this love? Deficient (knowledge) gives birth to love, but (only love) for that which is (really) lifeless.

  • بر جمادی رنگ مطلوبی چو دید ** از صفیری بانگ محبوبی شنید
  • When it sees in a lifeless being the colour (appearance) of a desired one, (’tis as though) it heard the voice of a beloved in a whistle.

  • دانش ناقص نداند فرق را ** لاجرم خورشید داند برق را 1535
  • Deficient knowledge cannot discriminate: of necessity it deems the lightning to be the sun.

  • چون که ملعون خواند ناقص را رسول ** بود در تاویل نقصان عقول‏
  • When the Prophet called the “deficient” (man) accursed, (his meaning) as interpreted was “deficiency of mind,”

  • ز انکه ناقص تن بود مرحوم رحم ** نیست بر مرحوم لایق لعن و زخم‏
  • Because one whose body is deficient is the object of (Divine) mercy: cursing and repulse (directed) against the object of (Divine) mercy are improper.

  • نقص عقل است آن که بد رنجوری است ** موجب لعنت سزای دوری است‏
  • ’Tis deficiency of mind that is the bad disease: it is the cause of (God's) curse and merits banishment (from His presence),

  • ز انکه تکمیل خردها دور نیست ** لیک تکمیل بدن مقدور نیست‏
  • Forasmuch as the perfecting of minds is not remote (impossible), but the perfecting of the body is not within our power.

  • کفر و فرعونی هر گبر بعید ** جمله از نقصان عقل آمد پدید 1540
  • The miscreance and Pharaoh-like pride of every infidel who is far (from God) have all been produced by deficiency of mind.

  • بهر نقصان بدن آمد فرج ** در نبی که ما علی الاعمی حرج‏
  • Relief for bodily deficiency has come in the (words of the) Qur’án—it is no crime in the blind man.

  • برق آفل باشد و بس بی‏وفا ** آفل از باقی ندانی بی‏صفا
  • Lightning is transient and very faithless: without clearness (of mind) you will not know the transient from the permanent.

  • برق خندد بر که می‏خندد بگو ** بر کسی که دل نهد بر نور او
  • The lightning laughs: say, at whom is it laughing? At him that sets his heart upon its light.

  • نورهای چرخ ببریده پی است ** آن چو لا شرقی و لا غربی کی است‏
  • The lights of the sky are hamstrung (feeble and imperfect): how are they like (that Light which is) neither of the east nor of the west?