شیخ اقطع گشت نامش پیش خلق ** کرد معروفش بدین آفات حلق
His name amongst the people came to be Shaykh Aqta’:the calamities (which he suffered because) of his gullet made him well-known by this (name).
کرامات شیخ اقطع و زنبیل بافتن او بدو دست
The miraculous gifts of Shaykh Aqta’, and how he used to weave palm-leaf baskets with both hands.
در عریش او را یکی زایر بیافت ** کو بهر دو دست می زنبیل بافت1705
A visitor found him in his hut, (and saw) that he was weaving a basket with both hands.
گفت او را ای عدو جان خویش ** در عریشم آمده سر کرده پیش
He (the Shaykh) said to him, “O enemy of thine own life, who hast come putting thy head into my hut.
این چراکردی شتاب اندر سباق ** گفت از افراط مهر و اشتیاق
Why hast thou made such hot haste?” He replied, “From excess of love and longing.”
پس تبسم کرد و گفت اکنون بیا ** لیک مخفی دار این را ای کیا
Then he (the Shaykh) smiled and said, “Now come in, but keep this (thing) secret, O noble sir.
تا نمیرم من مگو این با کسی ** نه قرینی نه حبیبی نه خسی
Till I die, do not tell this to any one, neither to a comrade nor to a beloved nor to a worthless fellow.”
بعد از آن قومی دگر از روزنش ** مطلع گشتند بر بافیدنش1710
Afterwards other folk, (looking) through his window, became acquainted with his weaving.
گفت حکمت را تو دانی کردگار ** من کنم پنهان تو کردی آشکار
He said, “O Creator, Thou knowest the wisdom (the purpose in this). I conceal (my secret), Thou hast revealed it.”
آمد الهامش که یکچندی بدند ** که درین غم بر تو منکر می‌شدند
The Divine inspiration came to him: “There were a number of people who were beginning to disbelieve in thee in (consequence of) this affliction,
که مگر سالوس بود او در طریق ** که خدا رسواش کرد اندر فریق
Saying, ‘Perchance he was a hypocrite in the Way (of God), so that God made him infamous among humankind.’
من نخواهم کان رمه کافر شوند ** در ضلالت در گمان بد روند
I don not wish that that party should become infidels and in thinking evil (of thee) fall into perdition;
این کرامت را بکردیم آشکار ** که دهیمت دست اندر وقت کار1715
(Hence) We divulged this miracle- (namely), that We give thee a hand in thy working-time-
تا که آن بیچارگان بد گمان ** رد نگردند از جناب آسمان
To the end that these wretched evil-thinking men may not be turned back from the Lord of Heaven.
من ترا بی این کرامتها ز پیش ** خود تسلی دادمی از ذات خویش
Erstwhile, indeed, without these miracles I was giving thee consolation from My Person;
این کرامت بهر ایشان دادمت ** وین چراغ از بهر آن بنهادمت
This miracle I have given thee for their sake, and on that account have I bestowed on thee this (spiritual) lamp.
تو از آن بگذشته‌ای کز مرگ تن ** ترسی وز تفریق اجزای بدن
Thou art past being afraid of bodily death and dismemberment of the limbs.
وهم تفریق سر و پا از تو رفت ** دفع وهم اسپر رسیدت نیک زفت1720
Vain imagination concerning the dismemberment of head and foot has gone from thee: there has come to thee, for a defence against imagination, a shield exceeding strong.”
سبب جرات ساحران فرعون بر قطع دست و پا
The reason why the magicians of Pharaoh had courage to suffer the amputation of their hands and feet.
ساحران را نه که فرعون لعین ** کرد تهدید سیاست بر زمین
Is it not (the fact) that the accursed Pharaoh threatened (the magicians with) punishment on the earth,
که ببرم دست و پاتان از خلاف ** پس در آویزم ندارمتان معاف
Saying, “I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, then I will hang you up: I will not hold you exempt (from punishment)”?
او همی‌پنداشت کایشان در همان ** وهم و تخویفند و وسواس و گمان
He thought that they were (still) in the same imagination and terror and distraction and doubt,
که بودشان لرزه و تخویف و ترس ** از توهمها و تهدیدات نفس
So that they would be trembling and terrified and affrighted by the vain imaginings and threats of the carnal soul.
او نمی‌داست کایشان رسته‌اند ** بر دریچه‌ی نور دل بنشسته‌اند1725
He did not know that they had been delivered and were seated at the window of the light of the heart;
این جهان خوابست اندر ظن مه‌ایست ** گر رود درخواب دستی باک نیست
(And that) they had recognised (the difference of) their (bodily) shadows from their (real) selves, and were brisk and alert and happy and exulting;
گر بخواب اندر سرت ببرید گاز ** هم سرت بر جاست و هم عمرت دراز
(And that), if the mortar of the Sky (Fortune) should pound them small a hundred times in this miry place (the material world),
گر ببینی خواب در خود را دو نیم ** تن‌درستی چون بخیزی نی سقیم
(Yet), since they had seen the origin of this (corporeal) composition, they were not afraid of the derivatives (which belong to the domain) of imagination.
حاصل اندر خواب نقصان بدن ** نیست باک و نه دوصد پاره شدن
This world is a dream—do not rest in (false) opinion; if in dream a hand go (be lost), ’tis no harm.
این جهان را که بصورت قایمست ** گفت پیغامبر که حلم نایمست1730
If in dream a pruning-fork has cut off your head, not only is your head (still) in its place but your life is (still) prolonged.
از ره تقلید تو کردی قبول ** سالکان این دیده پیدا بی رسول
If in dream you see yourself (cut) in two halves, you are sound in body when you rise, not sick.
روز در خوابی مگو کین خواب نیست ** سایه فرعست اصل جز مهتاب نیست
The sum (of the matter is this): in dreams it is no harm for the body to be maimed or to be torn into two hundred pieces.
خواب و بیداریت آن دان ای عضد ** که ببیند خفته کو در خواب شد
The Prophet said of this world, which is substantial in appearance, that it is the sleeper's dream.
او گمان برده که این دم خفته‌ام ** بی‌خبر زان کوست درخواب دوم
You have accepted this (statement) conventionally, (but) the travellers (on the mystic Way) have beheld this (truth) clairvoyantly, without (relation from) the Prophet.
هاون گردون اگر صد بارشان ** خرد کوبد اندرین گلزارشان1735
You are asleep in the daytime: do not say that this is not sleep. The shadow (reflexion) is derivative, the origin (of it) is naught but the moonlight.
اصل این ترکیب را چون دیده‌اند ** از فروع وهم کم ترسیده‌اند
Know, O comrade, that your sleep and waking (your life in this world) is as though a sleeper should dream that he has gone to sleep.
سایه‌ی خود را ز خود دانسته‌اند ** چابک و چست و گش و بر جسته‌اند
He thinks, “Now I am asleep,” (and is) unaware that he is (really) in the second sleep.
کوزه‌گر گر کوزه‌ای را بشکند ** چون بخواهد باز خود قایم کند
If the potter break a pot, he himself will restore it (to a perfect state) when he wishes.
کور را هر گام باشد ترس چاه ** با هزاران ترس می‌آید براه
The blind man at every step is afraid of (falling into) the pit: he walks on the road with a thousand fears;
مرد بینا دید عرض راه را ** پس بداند او مغاک و چاه را1740
(But) the seeing man has seen the width of the road, so he knows (all about) the hole and the pit;
پا و زانواش نلرزد هر دمی ** رو ترش کی دارد او از هر غمی
His legs and knees do not tremble at any time: how should he look sour because of any affliction?
خیز فرعونا که ما آن نیستیم ** که بهر بانگی و غولی بیستیم
“Arise, O Pharaoh (and do thy worst)! for we are not such (so deluded) as to stop at every cry and (every) ghoul.
خرقه‌ی ما را بدر دوزنده هست ** ورنه ما را خود برهنه‌تر به است
Rend our (bodily) mantle! There is One who will sew (it again); and if not, truly the more naked we are, the better for us.
بی لباس این خوب را اندر کنار ** خوش در آریم ای عدو نابکار
Without raiment we would fain clasp this Beauteous One to our bosoms, O enemy good-for-naught!
خوشتر از تجرید از تن وز مزاج ** نیست ای فرعون بی الهام گیج1745
There is nothing sweeter than to be stripped of the body and the (bodily) temperament, O stupid uninspired Pharaoh!”
حکایت استر پیش شتر کی من بسیار در رو می‌افتم و تو نمی‌افتی الا به نادر
How the mule related (his story) to the camel, saying, “I am often falling on my face, while thou fallest but seldom.”
گفت استر با شتر کای خوش رفیق ** در فراز و شیب و در راه دقیق
Said the mule to the camel, “O good friend, in hill and dale and in the obscure (difficult) track
تو نه آیی در سر و خوش می‌روی ** من همی‌آیم بسر در چون غوی
Thou dost not tumble on thy head but goest happily along, while I am tumbling on my head, like one who has lost his way.
من همی‌افتم برو در هر دمی ** خواه در خشکی و خواه اندر نمی
At every moment I am falling on my face, whether (it be) in a dry place or a wet.
این سبب را باز گو با من که چیست ** تا بدانم من که چون باید بزیست
Declare to me what is the cause of this, that I may know how I must live.”
گفت چشم من ز تو روشن‌ترست ** بعد از آن هم از بلندی ناظرست1750
He (the camel) said, “My eye is clearer than thine; furthermore, it is also looking from on high:
چون برآیم بر سرکوه بلند ** آخر عقبه ببینم هوشمند
When I come up to the top of a high hill, I regard attentively the end of the pass;
پس همه پستی و بالایی راه ** دیده‌ام را وا نماید هم اله
Then too God reveals to my eye all the lowness and loftiness of the way,
هر قدم من از سر بینش نهم ** از عثار و اوفتادن وا رهم
(So that) I take every step with (clear) sight and am delivered from stumbling and falling,