The servant came, and the Súfí said to him, “Where is the ass?” “Look at your beard,” replied the servant, and a quarrel arose.
گفت من خر را به تو بسپردهام ** من ترا بر خر موکل کردهام545
He (the Súfí) said, “I have entrusted the ass to you, I have put you in charge of the ass.
از تو خواهم آن چه من دادم به تو ** باز ده آن چه فرستادم به تو
Discuss (the matter) with propriety, don't argue: deliver back to me what I delivered to you.
بحث با توجیه کن حجت میار ** آن چه بسپردم ترا واپس سپار
I demand from you what I gave to you: return that which I sent to you.
گفت پیغمبر که دستت هر چه برد ** بایدش در عاقبت واپس سپرد
The Prophet said that whatever your hand has taken must in the end be restored (to its owner).
ور نهای از سرکشی راضی بدین ** نک من و تو خانهی قاضی دین
And if you, from insolence, are not content with this, look here, let us (go) to the house of the Cadi of (our) religion.”
گفت من مغلوب بودم صوفیان ** حمله آوردند و بودم بیم جان550
The servant said, “I was overpowered: the Súfís rushed (on me), and I was in fear for my life.
تو جگر بندی میان گربگان ** اندر اندازی و جویی ز آن نشان
Do you throw a liver with the parts next it amongst cats, and (then) seek the trace of it?
در میان صد گرسنه گردهای ** پیش صد سگ گربهی پژمردهای
One cake of bread amongst a hundred hungry people, one wasted (starved) cat before a hundred dogs?”
گفت گیرم کز تو ظلما بستدند ** قاصد خون من مسکین شدند
“I suppose,” said the Súfí, “that they took it (the ass) from you by violence, (and thereby) aimed at the life of wretched me;
تو نیایی و نگویی مر مرا ** که خرت را میبرند ای بینوا
(And seeing this) you would not come and say to me, ‘They are taking away your ass, O poor man!’
تا خر از هر که بود من واخرم ** ور نه توزیعی کنند ایشان زرم555
So that I might buy back the ass from (the purchaser) whoever he is, or else they might divide my money (amongst themselves and return the ass to me).
صد تدارک بود چون حاضر بدند ** این زمان هر یک به اقلیمی شدند
There were a hundred ways of mending (the injury) when they (the Súfís) were present, (but) now each one is gone to a (different) clime.
من که را گیرم که را قاضی برم ** این قضا خود از تو آمد بر سرم
Whom should I seize? Whom should I take to the Cadi? ’Tis from you in sooth that this judgement has come upon me.
چون نیایی و نگویی ای غریب ** پیش آمد این چنین ظلمی مهیب
How wouldn't you come and say (to me), ‘O stranger, such a terrible outrage has occurred’?”
گفت و الله آمدم من بارها ** تا ترا واقف کنم زین کارها
“By God,” said he, “I came several times to inform you of these doings,
تو همیگفتی که خر رفت ای پسر ** از همه گویندگان با ذوقتر560
(But) you were always saying, ‘The ass is gone, O son,’ with more gusto than all (the others) who said it.
باز میگشتم که او خود واقف است ** زین قضا راضی است مردی عارف است
(So) I was (always) going back, (thinking), ‘He himself is aware; he is satisfied with this (Divine) judgement: he is a man that knows (God)’.”
گفت آن را جمله میگفتند خوش ** مر مرا هم ذوق آمد گفتنش
The Súfí said, “They all were saying (it) merrily, (so) I also took delight in saying it.
مر مرا تقلیدشان بر باد داد ** که دو صد لعنت بر آن تقلید باد
Blind imitation of them has brought me to ruin: two hundred curses be on that imitation!
خاصه تقلید چنین بیحاصلان ** خشم ابراهیم با بر آفلان
Especially (on) imitation of such good-for-nothing rascals— the wrath of Abraham be on them that sink!
عکس ذوق آن جماعت میزدی ** وین دلم ز آن عکس ذوقی میشدی565
The delight of that company (of Súfís) was casting a reflexion, and this heart of mine was becoming delighted by that reflexion.”
عکس چندان باید از یاران خوش ** که شوی از بحر بیعکس آب کش
The reflexion (cast) from goodly friends is necessary until you become, without (the aid of any) reflexion, a drawer of water from the Sea.
عکس کاول زد تو آن تقلید دان ** چون پیاپی شد شود تحقیق آن
Know that the reflexion first cast is (only) imitation, (but) when it has become successive (continually recurrent) it turns into (direct) realisation (of the truth).
تا نشد تحقیق از یاران مبر ** از صدف مگسل نگشت آن قطره در
Until it has become realisation, do not part from the friends (by whom you are guided); do not break away from the shell: the rain-drop has not (yet) become a pearl.
صاف خواهی چشم و عقل و سمع را ** بر دران تو پردههای طمع را
If you wish eye and understanding and hearing to be pure, tear in pieces the curtains of selfish desire,
ز انکه آن تقلید صوفی از طمع ** عقل او بر بست از نور و لمع570
Because the Súfí's imitation, (which arose) from desire, debarred his understanding from the light and radiance.
طمع لوت و طمع آن ذوق و سماع ** مانع آمد عقل او را ز اطلاع
Desire for the viands and desire for that delight (shown by the Súfís) and for the samá‘ hindered his understanding from (gaining) knowledge (of what had happened).
گر طمع در آینه برخاستی ** در نفاق آن آینه چون ماستی
If desire were to arise in the mirror, that mirror would be like us in (respect of) hypocrisy.
گر ترازو را طمع بودی به مال ** راست کی گفتی ترازو وصف حال
If the balance had desire for riches, how would the balance give a true description of the case?
هر نبیی گفت با قوم از صفا ** من نخواهم مزد پیغام از شما
Every prophet has said in sincerity to his people, “I ask not from you the wages for my message.
من دلیلم حق شما را مشتری ** داد حق دلالیم هر دو سری575
I am (only) a guide; God is your purchaser: God has appointed me to act as broker on both sides.
چیست مزد کار من دیدار یار ** گر چه خود بو بکر بخشد چل هزار
What are the wages for my work? The sight of the Friend (God), even though Abú Bakr give me forty thousand (dirhems).
چل هزار او نباشد مزد من ** کی بود شبه شبه در عدن
My wages are not his forty thousand (dirhems): how should glass beads be like the pearls of Aden?”
یک حکایت گویمت بشنو به هوش ** تا بدانی که طمع شد بند گوش
I will tell you a story: listen to it attentively, that you may know that selfish desire is a plug in the ear.
هر که را باشد طمع الکن شود ** با طمع کی چشم و دل روشن شود
Whosoever hath (such) desire becomes a stammerer (morally confused); with desire (present), how should the (spiritual) eye and the heart become bright?
پیش چشم او خیال جاه و زر ** همچنان باشد که موی اندر بصر580
The fancy of power and wealth before his eye is just as a hair in the eye,
جز مگر مستی که از حق پر بود ** گر چه بدهی گنجها او حر بود
Except, to be sure, (in the case of) the intoxicated (saint) who is filled with God: though you give (him) treasures (vast riches), he is free;
هر که از دیدار برخوردار شد ** این جهان در چشم او مردار شد
(For) when any one enjoys vision (of God), this world becomes carrion in his eyes.
لیک آن صوفی ز مستی دور بود ** لاجرم در حرص او شب کور بود
But that Súfí was far removed from (spiritual) intoxication; consequently he was night-blind (purblind) in (his) greed.
صد حکایت بشنود مدهوش حرص ** در نیاید نکتهای در گوش حرص
The man dazed by greed may hear a hundred stories, (but) not a single point comes into the ear of greed.
تعریف کردن منادیان قاضی مفلسی را گرد شهر
How the criers of the Cadi advertised an insolvent round the town.
بود شخصی مفلسی بیخان و مان ** مانده در زندان وبند بیامان585
There was an insolvent person without house or home, who remained in prison and pitiless bondage.
لقمهی زندانیان خوردی گزاف ** بر دل خلق از طمع چون کوه قاف
He would unconscionably eat the rations of the prisoners; on account of (his) appetite he was (a burden) like Mount Qáf on the hearts of the people (in the gaol).
زهره نه کس را که لقمهی نان خورد ** ز انکه آن لقمهربا کاوش برد
No one had the pluck to eat a mouthful of bread, because that snatcher of portions would carry off his entire meal.