آدمی در حبس دنیا ز آن بود ** تا بود کافلاس او ثابت شود
Man is in the prison of this world in order that peradventure his insolvency may be proven.
مفلسی دیو را یزدان ما ** هم منادی کرد در قرآن ما
Our God has also proclaimed in our Qur’án the insolvency of the Devil,
کاو دغا و مفلس است و بد سخن ** هیچ با او شرکت و سودا مکن655
Saying, “He is a swindler and insolvent and liar: do not make any partnership or do any trade with him.”
ور کنی او را بهانه آوری ** مفلس است او صرفه از وی کی بری
And if you do so (and) bring (vain) pretexts to him, he is insolvent: how will you get profit from him?
حاضر آوردند چون فتنه فروخت ** اشتر کردی که هیزم میفروخت
When the trouble started, they brought on the scene the camel of a Kurd who sold firewood.
کرد بیچاره بسی فریاد کرد ** هم موکل را به دانگی شاد کرد
The helpless Kurd made a great outcry; he also gladdened the officer (appointed to seize the camel) with (the gift of) a dáng;
اشترش بردند از هنگام چاشت ** تا شب و افغان او سودی نداشت
(But) they took away his camel from the time of forenoon until nightfall, and his lamentation was of no use.
بر شتر بنشست آن قحط گران ** صاحب اشتر پی اشتر دوان660
Upon the camel sat that sore famine (the insolvent), while the owner of the camel was running at its heels.
سو به سو و کو به کو میتاختند ** تا همه شهرش عیان بشناختند
They sped from quarter to quarter and from street to street, till the whole town knew him by sight.
پیش هر حمام و هر بازارگاه ** کرده مردم جمله در شکلش نگاه
Before every bath and market-place all the people gazed on his (features and) figure.
ده منادی گر بلند آوازیان ** کرد و ترک و رومیان و تازیان
(There were) ten loud-voiced criers, Turks and Kurds and Anatolians and Arabs, (proclaiming),
مفلس است این و ندارد هیچ چیز ** قرض تا ندهد کس او را یک پشیز
“This man is insolvent and has nothing: let no one lend him a single brass farthing;
ظاهر و باطن ندارد حبهای ** مفلسی قلبی دغایی دبهای665
He does not possess a single mite, patent or latent: he is a bankrupt, a piece of falsehood, a cunning knave, an oil-bag.
هان و هان با او حریفی کم کنید ** چون که کاو آرد گره محکم کنید
Beware and beware! Have no dealings with him; when he brings the ox (to sell), make fast the knot.
ور به حکم آرید این پژمرده را ** من نخواهم کرد زندان مرده را
And if ye bring this decayed fellow to judgement, I will not put a corpse in prison.
خوش دم است او و گلویش بس فراخ ** با شعار نو دثار شاخ شاخ
He is fair-spoken and his throat is very wide; (he is clad) with a new inner garment (of plausibility) and a tattered outer garment.
گر بپوشد بهر مکر آن جامه را ** عاریه است او و فریبد عامه را
If he puts on that (inner) garment for the purpose of deceiving, it is borrowed in order that he may beguile the common folk.”
حرف حکمت بر زبان ناحکیم ** حلههای عاریت دان ای سلیم670
Know, O simple man, that words of wisdom on the tongue of the unwise are (as) borrowed robes.
گر چه دزدی حلهای پوشیده است ** دست تو چون گیرد آن ببریده دست
Although a thief has put on a (fine) robe, how should he whose hand is cut off take your hand (lend you a helping hand)?
چون شبانه از شتر آمد به زیر ** کرد گفتش منزلم دور است و دیر
When at nightfall he (the insolvent) came down from the camel, the Kurd said to him, “My abode is far (from here) and a long way off.
بر نشستی اشترم را از پگاه ** جو رها کردم کم از اخراج کاه
You have ridden on my camel since early morning: I (will) let the barley go, (but I will not take) less than the cost of (some) straw.”
گفت تا اکنون چه میکردیم پس ** هوش تو کو، نیست اندر خانه کس
"What, then," he rejoined, "have we been doing until now? Where are your wits? Is nobody at home?
طبل افلاسم به چرخ سابعه ** رفت و تو نشنیدهای بد واقعه675
The (sound of the) drum (giving notice) of my insolvency reached the Seventh Heaven, and you have not heard the bad news!
گوش تو پر بوده است از طمع خام ** پس طمع کر میکند کور ای غلام
Your ear has been filled with foolish hope; (such) hope, then, makes (one) deaf (and) blind, my lad.”
تا کلوخ و سنگ بشنید این بیان ** مفلس است و مفلس است این قلتبان
Even clods and stones heard this advertisement—“he is insolvent, he is insolvent, this scoundrel.”
تا به شب گفتند و در صاحب شتر ** بر نزد کاو از طمع پر بود پر
They (the criers) said it till nightfall, and it made no impression on the owner of the camel, because he was full of (idle) hope, full.
هست بر سمع و بصر مهر خدا ** در حجب بس صورت است و بس صدا
God's seal lies upon the hearing and sight: within the veils is many a form and many a sound.
آن چه او خواهد رساند آن به چشم ** از جمال و از کمال و از کرشم680
He communicates to the eye that which He wills of beauty and of perfection and of amorous looks;
و انچه او خواهد رساند آن به گوش ** از سماع و از بشارت وز خروش
And He communicates to the ear that which He wills of music and glad tidings and cries (of rapture).
کون پر چاره ست و هیچت چاره نی ** تا که نگشاید خدایت روزنی
The world is full of remedies, but you have no remedy till God opens a window for you.
گر چه تو هستی کنون غافل از آن ** وقت حاجت حق کند آن را عیان
Though you are unaware of that (remedy) just now, God will make it plain in the hour of need.
گفت پیغمبر که یزدان مجید ** از پی هر درد درمان آفرید
The Prophet said that the glorious God has created a remedy for every pain;
لیک ز آن درمان نبینی رنگ و بو ** بهر درد خویش بیفرمان او685
But of that remedy for your pain you will not see (even) the colour or scent without His command.
چشم را ای چاره جو در لامکان ** هین بنه چون چشم کشته سوی جان
Come, O you that seek the remedy, set your eye on non-spatiality, as the eye of one (about to be) killed (turns) towards the spirit.
این جهان از بیجهت پیدا شده ست ** که ز بیجایی جهان را جا شده ست
This (spatial) world has been produced from that which is without spatial relations, for the world has received (the relation of) place from placelessness.
باز گرد از هست سوی نیستی ** طالب ربی و ربانیستی
Turn back from existence towards non-existence, (if) you seek the Lord and belong to the Lord.
جای دخل است این عدم از وی مرم ** جای خرج است این وجود بیش و کم
This non-existence is the place of income: do not flee from it; this existence of more and less is the place of expenditure.
کارگاه صنع حق چون نیستی است ** پس برون کارگه بیقیمتی است690
Since God's workshop is non-existence, in the world of (phenomenal) existence who is (to be found) except the idle?
یاد ده ما را سخنهای دقیق ** که ترا رحم آورد آن ای رفیق
Put into our heart subtle words which may move Thee to mercy, O Gracious One!
هم دعا از تو اجابت هم ز تو ** ایمنی از تو مهابت هم ز تو
From Thee (come) both the prayer and the answer; from Thee safety, from Thee also dread.
گر خطا گفتیم اصلاحش تو کن ** مصلحی تو ای تو سلطان سخن
If we have spoken faultily, do Thou correct it: Thou art the Corrector, O Thou (who art the) Sultan of speech.
کیمیا داری که تبدیلش کنی ** گر چه جوی خون بود نیلش کنی
Thou hast the alchemy whereby Thou mayst transmute it, and though it be a river of blood, mayst make it a Nile.
این چنین میناگریها کار تست ** این چنین اکسیرها اسرار تست695
Such alchemical operations are Thy work, such elixirs are Thy secrets.
آب را و خاک را بر هم زدی ** ز آب و گل نقش تن آدم زدی
Thou didst beat water and earth together: from water and clay Thou didst mould the body of Adam.
نسبتش دادی و جفت و خال و عم ** با هزار اندیشه و شادی و غم
Thou gavest him (Man) lineage and wife and uncles, maternal and paternal, with a thousand thoughts and joys and griefs.
باز بعضی را رهایی دادهای ** زین غم و شادی جدایی دادهای
Again, to some Thou hast given deliverance: Thou hast parted them from this grief and joy;
بردهای از خویش و پیوند و سرشت ** کردهای در چشم او هر خوب زشت
Thou hast borne them away from kindred and relatives and (their own) nature, Thou hast made every fair thing foul in his (such a one's) eyes.
هر چه محسوس است او رد میکند ** و انچه ناپیداست مسند میکند700
He spurns all that is perceived by the senses, and leans for support on that which is invisible.
عشق او پیدا و معشوقش نهان ** یار بیرون فتنهی او در جهان
His love is manifest and his Beloved is hidden: the Friend is outside (of the world), (but) His fascination is in the world.
این رها کن عشقهای صورتی ** نیست بر صورت نه بر روی ستی
Give up this (belief). Loves (felt) for what is endued with form have not as their object the (outward) form or the lady's face.