هر که در زندان قرین محنتی است ** آن جزای لقمهای و شهوتی است
Whosoever is the comrade of affliction in prison—that is the retribution for a mouthful (of unlawful food) and a lust.
هر که در قصری قرین دولتی است ** آن جزای کارزار و محنتی است 1840
Whosoever is the comrade of a high fortune in a palace— that is the reward for some battle-field and sore trial.
هر که را دیدی به زر و سیم فرد ** دان که اندر کسب کردن صبر کرد
Whomsoever you have seen unrivalled in (his store of) gold and silver—know that he has been patient in earning.
بیسبب بیند چو دیده شد گذار ** تو که در حسی سبب را گوش دار
When the (spiritual) eye has become piercing, he (the owner) sees without causes. You who are in (the bondage of) sense-perception, pay you heed to causes!
آن که بیرون از طبایع جان اوست ** منصب خرق سببها آن اوست
He whose spirit is beyond (the world of) natural properties— to him belongs the position of power to rive (the chain of) causes.
بیسبب بیند نه از آب و گیا ** چشم چشمهی معجزات انبیا
The (spiritual) eye regards the fountain of the miracles of the prophets as (being) without cause, not as (arising) from water and herbage.
این سبب همچون طبیب است و علیل ** این سبب همچون چراغ است و فتیل 1845
These causes are (linked together) like the physician and the sick: these causes are like the lamp and the wick.
شب چراغت را فتیل نو بتاب ** پاک دان زینها چراغ آفتاب
Twist a new wick for your night-lamp, (but) know that the lamp of the sun transcends these things.
رو تو کهگل ساز بهر سقف خان ** سقف گردون را ز کهگل پاک دان
Go you and make plaster for the roof of your house, (but) know that the roof of the sky is undefiled by plaster.
اه که چون دل دار ما غم سوز شد ** خلوت شب در گذشت و روز شد
Alas that, after our Sweetheart had burned (utterly destroyed) our pain, the night-time of being alone (with Him) passed away and became day!
جز به شب جلوه نباشد ماه را ** جز به درد دل مجو دل خواه را
Except at night there is no unveiling of the moon: except through heartache do not seek your heart's desire.
ترک عیسی کرده خر پروردهای ** لاجرم چون خر برون پردهای 1850
Forsaking Jesus, you have fostered the ass: of necessity, like the ass, you are outside of the curtain.
طالع عیسی است علم و معرفت ** طالع خر نیست ای تو خر صفت
Knowledge and gnosis are the fortune of Jesus; they are not the fortune of the ass, O you asinine one!
نالهی خر بشنوی رحم آیدت ** پس ندانی خر خری فرمایدت
You listen to the moaning of the ass, and pity comes over you; then you know not (that) the ass commands you to be asinine.
رحم بر عیسی کن و بر خر مکن ** طبع را بر عقل خود سرور مکن
Have pity on Jesus and have no pity on the ass: do not make the (carnal) nature lord over your intellect.
طبع را هل تا بگرید زار زار ** تو از او بستان و وام جان گزار
Let the (carnal) nature weep sore and bitterly: do you take from it and pay the debt of the (rational) soul.
سالها خربنده بودی بس بود ** ز انکه خربنده ز خر واپس بود 1855
For years you have been the ass's slave. It is enough, for the ass's slave is behind (even) the ass.
ز اخروهن مرادش نفس تست ** کاو به آخر باید و عقلت نخست
The thing meant by (the Prophet's words) “put them (the women) behind” is your fleshly soul; for it must be last, and your intellect (must be) first.
هم مزاج خر شده ست این عقل پست ** فکرش این که چون علف آرم بدست
This base intellect has become of the same temperament as the ass: its (only) thought is how it shall get hold of fodder.
آن خر عیسی مزاج دل گرفت ** در مقام عاقلان منزل گرفت
The ass of Jesus took (to itself) the temperament of the (rational) spirit: it took its abode in the place of the intelligent,
ز انکه غالب عقل بود و خر ضعیف ** از سوار زفت گردد خر نحیف
Because (in Jesus) intellect was ruling, and the ass (was) weak —the ass is made lean by a strong rider—
و ز ضعیفی عقل تو ای خر بها ** این خر پژمرده گشته ست اژدها 1860
While from the weakness of your intellect, O you who have (no more than) the value of an ass, this worn-out ass has become a dragon.
گر ز عیسی گشتهای رنجور دل ** هم از او صحت رسد او را مهل
If through Jesus (the spiritual guide) you have become heart-sick, (yet) health too comes from him: do not leave him.
چونی ای عیسای عیسی دم ز رنج ** که نبود اندر جهان بیمار گنج
How art thou as to affliction, O thou Jesus who hast the (healing) breath of Jesus? For there never was in the world a treasure without a snake.
چونی ای عیسی ز دیدار جهود ** چونی ای یوسف ز مکار حسود
How art thou, O Jesus, at the sight of the Jews? How art thou, O Joseph, in respect of the envious plotter?
تو شب و روز از پی این قوم غمر ** چون شب و روزی مدد بخشای عمر
Night and day for the sake of this foolish people thou, like night and day, art a replenisher of life.
چونی از صفراییان بیهنر ** چه هنر زاید ز صفرا درد سر 1865
How art thou in regard to those bilious ones who are without excellence? What excellence is born from bile? Headache.
تو همان کن که کند خورشید شرق ** ما نفاق و حیله و دزدی و زرق
Do thou the same thing as the sun of the east does: we are hypocrisy and craft and thieving and dissimulation.
تو عسل ما سرکه در دنیا و دین ** دفع این صفرا بود سرکنگبین
Thou art honey, we are vinegar in (the affairs of) this world and in religion; the (means of) removing this bile is oxymel.
سرکه افزودیم ما قوم زحیر ** تو عسل بفزا کرم را وامگیر
We folk who suffer from colic have added more and more vinegar; do thou add more and more honey, withhold not thy bounty.
این سزید از ما چنان آمد ز ما ** ریگ اندر چشم چه فزاید عما
This was meet in us; such (acts naturally) issued from us: what is increased by sand in the eye? Blindness.
آن سزد از تو أیا کحل عزیز ** که بیابد از تو هر ناچیز چیز 1870
(But) ’tis meet in thee, O precious collyrium, that every nothing should gain from thee something.
ز آتش این ظالمانت دل کباب ** از تو جمله اهد قومی بد خطاب
Thy heart is roasted by the fire of these unrighteous men, (yet) all thy appeal (to God) has been, “Guide my people!”
کان عودی در تو گر آتش زنند ** این جهان از عطر و ریحان آگنند
Thou art a mine of aloes-wood: if they set thee afire, they will fill this world with otto of roses and sweet basil.
تو نه آن عودی کز آتش کم شود ** تو نه آن روحی که اسیر غم شود
Thou art not that aloes-wood that is minished by the fire: thou art not that spirit that is made captive by grief.
عود سوزد کان عود از سوز دور ** باد کی حمله برد بر اصل نور
Aloes-wood burns, (but) the mine of aloes-wood is far from burning: how should the wind (of evil words) assail the source of (spiritual) light?
ای ز تو مر آسمانها را صفا ** ای جفای تو نکوتر از وفا 1875
Oh, ’tis from thee the heavens have (their) purity; oh, thy unkindness is better than kindness,
ز انکه از عاقل جفایی گر رود ** از وفای جاهلان آن به بود
Because if an unkindness come from the wise it is better than the kindness of the ignorant.
گفت پیغمبر عداوت از خرد ** بهتر از مهری که از جاهل رسد
The Prophet said, “Enmity (proceeding) from wisdom is better than the love that comes from a fool.”
رنجانیدن امیری خفتهای را که مار در دهانش رفته بود
How an Amír harassed a sleeping man into whose mouth a snake had gone.
عاقلی بر اسب میآمد سوار ** در دهان خفتهای میرفت مار
A wise man was riding along (at the moment when) a snake was going into the mouth of a man asleep.
آن سوار آن را بدید و میشتافت ** تا رماند مار را فرصت نیافت
The rider saw that, and was hurrying to scare away the snake, (but) he got no chance (of doing so).
چون که از عقلش فراوان بد مدد ** چند دبوسی قوی بر خفته زد 1880
Since he had an abundant supply of intelligence, he struck the sleeper several powerful blows with a mace.
برد او را زخم آن دبوس سخت ** زو گریزان تا به زیر یک درخت
The strokes of the hard mace drove him in flight from him (the rider) to beneath a tree.
سیب پوسیده بسی بد ریخته ** گفت از این خور ای به درد آویخته
There were many rotten apples which had dropped (from the tree): he said, “Eat of these, O you in the grip of pain!”
سیب چندان مر و را در خورد داد ** کز دهانش باز بیرون میفتاد
He gave him so many apples to eat that they were falling out of his mouth again.
بانگ میزد کای امیر آخر چرا ** قصد من کردی تو نادیده جفا
He was crying, “O Amír, pray, why have you set on me when you have not suffered injury?
گر ترا ز اصل است با جانم ستیز ** تیغ زن یک بارگی خونم بریز 1885
If you have an inveterate and mortal feud with me, strike with your sword and shed my blood at once.
شوم ساعت که شدم بر تو پدید ** ای خنک آن را که روی تو ندید
Ill-omened (was) the hour I came into your sight: oh, happy he that never saw your face!
بیجنایت بیگنه بیبیش و کم ** ملحدان جایز ندارند این ستم
Without guilt, without sin, without (having done) anything great or small—(even) the heretics hold not such oppression allowable.
میجهد خون از دهانم با سخن ** ای خدا آخر مکافاتش تو کن
Blood gushes from my mouth together with (my) words. O God, I beseech Thee, give him the retribution (which he deserves)!”