آن دعای کهنه‌ام شد مستجاب ** روزی من بود کشتم نک جواب
That ancient prayer of mine was answered (by God). She (the cow) was my portion of daily bread: I killed her. Behold the answer (to your question)!”
او ز خشم آمد گریبانش گرفت ** چند مشتی زد به رویش ناشکفت
He (the owner of the cow) came angrily and seized his collar; having lost patience, he struck him in the face with his fist several times.
رفتن هر دو خصم نزد داود علیه السلام
How both the adversaries went to David, on whom be peace.
می‌کشیدش تا به داود نبی ** که بیا ای ظالم گیج غبی2315
He led him to the Prophet David, saying, “Come, O you crazy fool and criminal!
حجت بارد رها کن ای دغا ** عقل در تن آور و با خویش آ
Drop (this) silly argument, O impostor; let (some) intelligence into your body and come to your senses!
این چه می‌گویی دعا چه بود مخند ** بر سر و و ریش من و خویش ای لوند
What is this that you are saying? What is the prayer (you speak of)? Do not laugh at my head and beard and your own (too), O scoundrel!”
گفت من با حق دعاها کرده‌ام ** اندرین لابه بسی خون خورده‌ام
He (the poor man) said, “I have offered (many) prayers to God, I have borne much toil and pain in this supplication.
من یقین دارم دعا شد مستجاب ** سر بزن بر سنگ ای منکرخطاب
I possess the certainty (that) the prayer has been answered. Dash your head against the stones, O foul-spoken one!”
گفت گرد آیید هین یا مسلمین ** ژاژ بینید و فشار این مهین2320
He cried, “Hey, gather round, O Moslems! Behold the drivel and raving of this imbecile!
ای مسلمانان دعا مال مرا ** چون از آن او کند بهر خدا
O Moslems, for God’s sake, how should prayer make my property belong to him?
گر چنین بودی همه عالم بدین ** یک دعا املاک بردندی بکین
If it were so, by means of a single prayer of this kind the whole world would carry off (one another’s) possessions by force.
گر چنین بودی گدایان ضریر ** محتشم گشته بدندی و امیر
If it were so, the blind beggars would have become grandees and princes;
روز و شب اندر دعااند و ثنا ** لابه‌گویان که تو ده‌مان ای خدا
(For) they are (engaged) day and night in invocation and praise (of God), uttering entreaties and crying, ‘O God, do Thou give unto us!
تا تو ندهی هیچ کس ندهد یقین ** ای گشاینده تو بگشا بند این2325
Unless Thou give, assuredly no one will give (us anything): O Opener, do Thou open the lock of this (bounty)!’
مکسب کوران بود لابه و دعا ** جز لب نانی نیابند از عطا
Supplication and prayer is the means whereby the blind earn their livelihood, (yet) they get no gift but a crust of bread.”
خلق گفتند این مسلمان راست‌گوست ** وین فروشنده‌ی دعاها ظلم‌جوست
The people said, “This Moslem speaks the truth, and this prayer-monger is one who seeks to act unjustly.
این دعا کی باشد از اسباب ملک ** کی کشید این را شریعت خود بسلک
How should this prayer be a means of acquiring property? When forsooth did the religious Law enter this on the roll?
بیع و بخشش یا وصیت یا عطا ** یا ز جنس این شود ملکی ترا
A thing becomes your property by sale and donation or by bequest and gift or by some means of this kind.
در کدامین دفترست این شرع نو ** گاو را تو باز ده یا حبس رو2330
In what book is this new statute (to be found)? Give back the cow or go to prison!”
او به سوی آسمان می‌کرد رو ** واقعه‌ی ما را نداند غیر تو
He (the poor man) was turning his face to Heaven (and saying), “None knoweth my (spiritual) experience save Thee.
در دل من آن دعا انداختی ** صد امید اندر دلم افراختی
Thou didst put that prayer into my heart, Thou didst raise dreams.”
من نمی‌کردم گزافه آن دعا ** همچو یوسف دیده بودم خوابها
Not idly was I uttering that prayer: like Joseph, I had dreamed dreams.”
دید یوسف آفتاب و اختران ** پیش او سجده‌کنان چون چاکران
Joseph saw (in dream) the sun and the stars bowing low before him, like servants.
اعتمادش بود بر خواب درست ** در چه و زندان جز آن را می‌نجست2335
He relied upon the true dream: in the dungeoun and prison he sought nothing but that.
ز اعتماد او نبودش هیچ غم ** از غلامی وز ملام و بیش و کم
Because of his reliance upon that, he cared naught for servitude or reproach or (anything else whether) more or less.
اعتمادی داشت او بر خواب خویش ** که چو شمعی می‌فروزیدش ز پیش
He had a (great) reliance upon his dream which was shining in front of him like a candle.
چون در افکندند یوسف را به چاه ** بانگ آمد سمع او را از اله
When they cast Joseph into the well, there came to his ear a cry from God-
که تو روزی شه شوی ای پهلوان ** تا بمالی این جفا در رویشان
“O paladin, one day thou wilt become king, so that thou mayst rub this wrong upon their faces.”
قایل این بانگ ناید در نظر ** لیک دل بشناخت قایل را ز اثر2340
He who utters this cry is not visible, but the heart (of Joseph) recognized the Speaker from the effect (of the words.)
قوتی و راحتی و مسندی ** در میان جان فتادش زان ندا
From that (Divine) allocution a (great) strength and peace and support fell into the midst of his soul.
چاه شد بر وی بدان بانگ جلیل ** گلشن و بزمی چو آتش بر خلیل
Through that Majestical cry the well became to him a rose-garden and banquet, as the fire to Abraham.
هر جفا که بعد از آنش می‌رسید ** او بدان قوت بشادی می‌کشید
Bu means of that strength he cheerfully endured every affliction that came to him afterwards-
همچنانک ذوق آن بانگ الست ** در دل هر مومنی تا حشر هست
Even as the delicious savour of the cryAm not I (your Lord)? Subsists in the heart of every true believer till the Resurrection,
تا نباشد در بلاشان اعتراض ** نه ز امر و نهی حقشان انقباض2345
So that they do not rebel in tribulation or shrink from (obeying) the commands and prohibitions of God.
لقمه‌ی حکمی که تلخی می‌نهد ** گلشکر آن را گوارش می‌دهد
The rose-conserve (of spiritual delight) digests the morsel, that is, the (Divine) decree, which bestows bitterness;
گلشکر آن را که نبود مستند ** لقمه را ز انکار او قی می‌کند
(But) he that does not rely upon the rose-conserve vomits the morsel in disgust.
هر که خوابی دید از روز الست ** مست باشد در ره طاعات مست
Any one who has dreamed of the Day of Alast is drunken in the path of devotional works, drunken:
می‌کشد چون اشتر مست این جوال ** بی فتور و بی گمان و بی ملال
Like a drunken (frenzied) camel, he is bearing this (heavy) sack without flagging and without questioning and without fatigue;
کفک تصدیقش بگرد پوز او ** شد گواه مستی و دلسوز او2350
The froth round his muzzle, namely, his confession of faith, has become a witness to his (inward) intoxication and heart-burning.
اشتر از قوت چو شیر نر شده ** زیر ثقل بار اندک‌خور شده
Through the strength (bestowed on him) the camel becomes like a fierce lion; beneath the heavy burden he eats little (food).
ز آرزوی ناقه صد فاقه برو ** می‌نماید کوه پیشش تار مو
In (his) longing for the she-camel a hundred starvations (lie lightly) on him; the mountain seems to him (as) a strand of hair.
در الست آنکو چنین خوابی ندید ** اندرین دنیا نشد بنده و مرید
(But) he who has not dreamed such a dream in Alast does not become a servant and seeker (of God) in this world;
ور بشد اندر تردد صد دله ** یک زمان شکرستش و سالی گله
Or if he does become (such), (he is) always changing and shifting in vacillation: he gives thanks (to God) for one moment and utters complaints for a year.
پای پیش و پای پس در راه دین ** می‌نهد با صد تردد بی یقین2355
He steps forward and backwards in the Way of the Religion with a hundred vacillations and without (any) certainty.
وام‌دار شرح اینم نک گرو ** ور شتابستت ز الم نشرح شنو
I am owing (you) the exposition of this. Lo, (you have received) the pledge; and if you are in haste, hear (the complete exposition) from (the Súra beginning with the words) Have not We opened….?
چون ندارد شرح این معنی کران ** خر به سوی مدعی گاو ران
Since the explanation of this subject has no end, proceed to (speak of) the litigant (who claimed redress on account) of the cow.
گفت کورم خواند زین جرم آن دغا ** بس بلیسانه قیاسست ای خدا
He (the man who killed the cow) said, “The impostor has called me blind because of (my having committed) this crime: O God, ‘tis a very Satanic inference (of his).
من دعا کورانه کی می‌کرده‌ام ** جز به خالق کدیه کی آورده‌ام
When have I been praying in the fashion of the blind? When have I begged of any one except the Creator?
کور از خلقان طمع دارد ز جهل ** من ز تو کز تست هر دشوار سهل2360
The blind man in his ignorance hath hope of (Thy) creatures; (but) I (have hope) of Thee (alone), by whom every difficult thing is (made) easy.
آن یکی کورم ز کوران بشمرید ** او نیاز جان و اخلاصم ندید
That blind fellow has reckoned me amongst the blind: he has not seen my soul’s humble supplication and my entire devotion (to Thee).
کوری عشقست این کوری من ** حب یعمی و یصمست ای حسن
This blindness of mine is the blindness of love: it is (a case of) ‘Love makes one blind and deaf,’ O Hasan.