His certainty is not increased by this right clue, save through reflexion from the true camel-seeker.
بوی برد از جد و گرمیهای او ** که گزافه نیست این هیهای او
From his (the latter's) earnestness and ardour he (the imitator) gets a scent (inkling) that these wild outcries of his are not (mere) babble.
اندر این اشتر نبودش حق ولی ** اشتری گم کرده است او هم بلی2990
He (the imitator) had no just claim to this camel, but he too has lost a camel; yes, (he has).
طمع ناقهی غیر رو پوشش شده ** آنچ ازو گم شد فراموشش شده
Desire for another's camel has become a veil to him, (so that) he has forgotten what he (himself) has lost.
هر کجا او میدود این میدود ** از طمع هم درد صاحب میشود
Wherever he (the owner) runs, this one (the imitator) runs: from cupidity, he becomes a partner in the owner's pain.
کاذبی یا صادقی چون شد روان ** آن دروغش راستی شد ناگهان
When a liar sets out (to journey) with a truthful man, his falsehood turns to truth of a sudden.
اندر آن صحرا که آن اشتر شتافت ** اشتر خود نیز آن دیگر بیافت
In the desert whither that camel had hastened, the other one (the imitator) also found his own camel.
چون بدیدش یاد آورد آن خویش ** بیطمع شد ز اشتر آن یار و خویش2995
As soon as he saw it, he remembered his own, and ceased to covet the camel of that friend and kinsman.
آن مقلد شد محقق چون بدید ** اشتر خود را که آن جا میچرید
That imitator became a true searcher when he saw his camel browsing there.
او طلب کار شتر آن لحظه گشت ** مینجستش تا ندید او را به دشت
(Only) at that moment did he become a seeker of the camel: he was never (truly) seeking it till he saw it in the desert.
بعد از آن تنها روی آغاز کرد ** چشم سوی ناقهی خود باز کرد
After that, he began to go alone: he opened his eyes (and went) towards his own camel.
گفت آن صادق مرا بگذاشتی ** تا به اکنون پاس من میداشتی
The sincere one said, “You have left me, (although) till now you were paying regard to me.”
گفت تا اکنون فسوسی بودهام ** وز طمع در چاپلوسی بودهام3000
He replied, “Hitherto I have been an idle scoffer and, from cupidity, have been (engaged) in flattering (thee);
این زمان هم درد تو گشتم که من ** در طلب از تو جدا گشتم به تن
(But) now, when corporeally I have become parted from thee in the search, I have become sympathetic with thee (in spirit).
از تو میدزدیدمی وصف شتر ** جان من دید آن خود شد چشم پر
I was stealing the camel's description from thee; (but when) my spirit saw its own camel, it had its eye filled (with seeing).
تا نیابیدم نبودم طالبش ** مس کنون مغلوب شد زر غالبش
Till I found it, I was not seeking it; now the copper is overcome, the gold overpowers it.
سیئاتم شد همه طاعات شکر ** هزل شد فانی و جد اثبات شکر
My evil deeds have become pious acts entirely—thanks (to God)! Jest is vanished and earnest is realised—thanks (to God)!
سیئاتم چون وسیلت شد به حق ** پس مزن بر سیئاتم هیچ دق3005
Since my evil deeds have become the means of (my) attaining unto God, do not, then, throw any blame on my evil deeds.
مر ترا صدق تو طالب کرده بود ** مر مرا جد و طلب صدقی گشود
Thee thy sincerity had made a seeker; for me, toil and search opened (the way to) a sincere feeling.
صدق تو آورد در جستن ترا ** جستنم آورد در صدقی مرا
Thy sincerity led thee to seek; my seeking led me to a feeling of sincerity.
تخم دولت در زمین میکاشتم ** سخره و بیگار میپنداشتم
I was sowing the seed of fortune in the earth, (though) I fancied it was labour without wages and hire.
آن نبد بیگار کسبی بود چست ** هر یکی دانه که کشتم صد برست
’Twas not labour without hire; ’twas an excellent earning: (for) every grain that I sowed, a hundred grew.
دزد سوی خانهای شد زیر دست ** چون در آمد دید کان خانهی خود است3010
The thief went underhand (by stealth) to a certain house: when he entered, he saw that it was his own house.”
گرم باش ای سرد تا گرمی رسد ** با درشتی ساز تا نرمی رسد
Be hot, O cold one, that heat may come: put up with roughness, that ease may come.
آن دو اشتر نیست آن یک اشتر است ** تنگ آمد لفظ معنی بس پر است
That (subject of my discourse) is not two camels; it is a single camel. Verbal expression is confined, the meaning (to be expressed) is very full.
لفظ در معنی همیشه نارسان ** ز آن پیمبر گفت قد کل لسان
The expression always fails to reach the meaning; hence the Prophet said, “(Whoso knows God), his tongue falters.”
نطق اصطرلاب باشد در حساب ** چه قدر داند ز چرخ و آفتاب
Speech is (like) an astrolabe in (its) reckoning: how much does it know of the sky and the sun?—
خاصه چرخی کاین فلک زو پرهای است ** آفتاب از آفتابش ذرهای است3015
Especially, of that Sky whereof this heaven is (no more than) a blade of straw; (that Sky) of whose Sun the (terrestrial) sun is (but) a mote?
بیان آن که در هر نفسی فتنهی مسجد ضرار است
Showing that there is in every soul the mischief of the Mosque of Opposition.
چون پدید آمد که آن مسجد نبود ** خانهی حیلت بد و دام جهود
When it appeared that that was not a mosque, (but) was a house of intrigue and a trap laid by the Jews,
پس نبی فرمود کان را بر کنید ** مطرحهی خاشاک و خاکستر کنید
The Prophet then gave the command (and said), “Rase it and make it a dumping-place for rubbish and ashes.”
صاحب مسجد چو مسجد قلب بود ** دانهها بر دام ریزی نیست جود
The founder of the Mosque was false, like the Mosque (itself): ‘tis not munificence if you sprinkle grain upon a snare.
گوشت کاندر شست تو ماهی رباست ** آن چنان لقمه نه بخشش نه سخاست
The meat that catches the fish on the hook––such a morsel is neither bounty nor generosity.
مسجد اهل قبا کان بد جماد ** آن چه کفو او نبد راهش نداد3020
The Mosque of the people of Qubá, which was inanimate––he (the Prophet) did not admit to (equality with) it that which was not its equal.
در جمادات این چنین حیفی نرفت ** زد در آن ناکفو امیر داد نفت
(Even) in the case of lifeless things such a wrong did not come to pass: the lord of justice (Mohammed) set fire to that unequal (and incongruous Mosque).
پس حقایق را که اصل اصلهاست ** دان که آن جا فرقها و فصلهاست
Therefore (a fortiori) in the case of the (human) essences, which are the foundation of all fundamentals, know that there (too) there are differences and divisions.
نه حیاتش چون حیات او بود ** نه مماتش چون ممات او بود
Neither is his (one man’s) life like his (another man’s) life, nor is his death like his death.
گور او هرگز چو گور او مدان ** خود چه گویم حال فرق آن جهان
Never deem his (this one’s) grave like his (that one’s) grave. How indeed shall I describe the difference (between them) in that (other) world?
بر محک زن کار خود ای مرد کار ** تا نسازی مسجد اهل ضرار3025
Put thy work to the touchstone, O man of work, lest thou build the Mosque of the Opposers.