ای مغفل رشته‌ای بر پای بند ** تا ز خود هم گم نگردی ای لوند
O heedless one, tie a string to thy foot, that thou mayst not become lost to (unconscious of) thyself even, O sluggard!
ناسپاسی و فراموشی تو ** یاد ناورد آن عسل‌نوشی تو310
Thy ingratitude and forgetfulness did not call to mind thy (former) drinking of honey.
لاجرم آن راه بر تو بسته شد ** چون دل اهل دل از تو خسته شد
Necessarily, that way (by which spiritual blessings were conveyed) became barred to thee, since the hearts of the “men of heart” were made sore by thee.
زودشان در یاب و استغفار کن ** همچو ابری گریه‌های زار کن
Quickly overtake them and ask pardon of God; weep lamentably like a cloud,
تا گلستانشان سوی تو بشکفد ** میوه‌های پخته بر خود وا کفد
In order that their rose-garden may open its blossoms to thee, and that the ripe fruits may burst and reveal themselves.
هم بر آن در گرد کم از سگ مباش ** با سگ کهف ار شدستی خواجه‌تاش
Pace round that same door: do not be less than a dog, if thou hast become (associated as) a fellow-servant with the dog of the Cave,
چون سگان هم مر سگان را ناصح‌اند ** که دل اندر خانه‌ی اول ببند315
Because even dogs admonish dogs, saying, “Fix thy heart on thy first home,
آن در اول که خوردی استخوان ** سخت گیر و حق گزار آن را ممان
Hold fast to the first door where thou didst eat bones, and fulfil thy obligation: do not leave that (debt unpaid).”
می‌گزندش تا ز ادب آنجا رود ** وز مقام اولین مفلح شود
They keep biting him (the strange dog), that from a sense of duty he may go thither and be prospered by his first abode.
می‌گزندش کای سگ طاغی برو ** با ولی نعمتت یاغی مشو
They bite him, saying, “O naughty dog, begone! Do not become an enemy to thy benefactor.
بر همان در همچو حلقه بسته باش ** پاسبان و چابک و برجسته باش
Be attached, like the door-ring, to that same door; keep watch and be nimble and ready to spring.
صورت نقض وفای ما مباش ** بی‌وفایی را مکن بیهوده فاش320
Do not be the type of our breaking faith, do not recklessly make (our) disloyalty notorious.
مر سگان را چون وفا آمد شعار ** رو سگان را ننگ و بدنامی میار
Since fidelity is the badge by which the dogs are known, begone and do not bring opprobrium and ill-fame upon the dogs.”
بی‌وفایی چون سگان را عار بود ** بی‌وفایی چون روا داری نمود
Inasmuch as unfaithfulness has (always) been a disgrace (even) to dogs, how shouldst thou deem it right to show unfaithfulness?
حق تعالی فخر آورد از وفا ** گفت من اوفی بعهد غیرنا
The high God hath boasted of faithfulness: He hath said, “Who but I am most faithful in keeping a promise?”
بی‌وفایی دان وفا با رد حق ** بر حقوق حق ندارد کس سبق
Know that faithfulness (to others when it is accompanied) with rejection of God is unfaithfulness: no one hath precedence over (hath a prior claim to) God's rights.
حق مادر بعد از آن شد کان کریم ** کرد او را از جنین تو غریم325
Thy mother's right (only) arose after that Bounteous One had made her indebted (to Him) for thy embryo.
صورتی کردت درون جسم او ** داد در حملش ورا آرام و خو
He bestowed on thee a form within her body, He gave ease to her during pregnancy and accustomed her (to the burden).
همچو جزو متصل دید او ترا ** متصل را کرد تدبیرش جدا
She deemed thee as a part joined (to herself); His providence separated (from her) that which was joined.
حق هزاران صنعت و فن ساختست ** تا که مادر بر تو مهر انداختست
God hath prepared thousands of artifices and contrivances, so that thy mother hath thrown (her) love upon thee.
پس حق حق سابق از مادر بود ** هر که آن حق را نداند خر بود
Therefore God's right is prior to (that of) the mother: whoever does not recognise that right is an ass.
آنک مادر آفرید و ضرع و شیر ** با پدر کردش قرین آن خود مگیر330
(If thou deny it), do not even admit that He created mother, teat, and milk, and united her with the father!
ای خداوند ای قدیم احسان تو ** آنک دانم وانک نه هم آن تو
O Lord, O Thou whose beneficence is eternal, Thine is both that which I know and that which I know not.
تو بفرمودی که حق را یاد کن ** زانک حق من نمی‌گردد کهن
Thou didst command, saying, “Remember God, because My right shall never grow old.
یاد کن لطفی که کردم آن صبوح ** با شما از حفظ در کشتی نوح
Remember the kindness which I did unto you that morn by protecting (you) in the ship (ark) of Noah.
پیله بابایانتان را آن زمان ** دادم از طوفان و از موجش امان
At that time I gave to the stock of your fathers security from the Flood and from its waves.
آب آتش خو زمین بگرفته بود ** موج او مر اوج که را می‌ربود335
Water, like fire in (its deadly) nature, had covered the earth: its waves were sweeping away the highest peaks of the mountains.
حفظ کردم من نکردم ردتان ** در وجود جد جد جدتان
I protected you, I did not spurn you, in the bodies of the ancestors of the ancestors of your ancestors.
چون شدی سر پشت پایت چون زنم ** کارگاه خویش ضایع چون کنم
Now that you have come to the head, how should I smite the sole of your foot? How should I let My workshop go to waste?
چون فدای بی‌وفایان می‌شوی ** از گمان بد بدان سو می‌روی
How are you becoming devoted to the unfaithful and going in that direction from ill thoughts (of Me)?
من ز سهو و بی‌وفاییها بری ** سوی من آیی گمان بد بری
I am clear of negligence and infidelities, (yet) you come to Me and think evil.
این گمان بد بر آنجا بر که تو ** می‌شوی در پیش همچون خود دوتو340
Think this evil thought against the place where you cringe before one like yourself.
بس گرفتی یار و همراهان زفت ** گر ترا پرسم که کو گویی که زفت
You got many powerful friends and companions: if I ask you, ‘Where (is so and- so)?’ you will say, ‘He is gone.’
یار نیکت رفت بر چرخ برین ** یار فسقت رفت در قعر زمین
Your good friend is gone up to the highest Heaven, your wicked friend is gone to the bottom of the earth.
تو بماندی در میانه آنچنان ** بی‌مدد چون آتشی از کاروان
You are left in the middle (between them) so helpless (as you are), like a fire (left behind) from a caravan.”
دامن او گیر ای یار دلیر ** کو منزه باشد از بالا و زیر
O valiant friend, lay hold of the skirt of Him who is exempt from “above” and “below.”
نه چو عیسی سوی گردون بر شود ** نه چو قارون در زمین اندر رود345
Neither doth He ascend to Heaven, like Jesus, nor go (down) into the earth, like Qárún (Korah).
با تو باشد در مکان و بی‌مکان ** چون بمانی از سرا و از دکان
He is with you in space and in the spaceless (world) when you leave house and shop behind.
او بر آرد از کدورتها صفا ** مر جفاهای ترا گیرد وفا
He brings forth purity from defilements, He takes your acts of wrong as faithful performance (of duty).
چون جفا آری فرستد گوشمال ** تا ز نقصان وا روی سوی کمال
When you commit wrong, He sends chastisement, to the end that you may go back from imperfection towards perfection.
چون تو وردی ترک کردی در روش ** بر تو قبضی آید از رنج و تبش
When you have neglected a part of your orisons in the Way, there comes over you a painful and hot feeling of contraction.
آن ادب کردن بود یعنی مکن ** هیچ تحویلی از آن عهد کهن350
That is the corrective act (of God), meaning, “Do not make any change in the ancient covenant
پیش از آن کین قبض زنجیری شود ** این که دلگیریست پاگیری شود
Before (the day when) this contraction shall become a chain, (and when) this which (now) grips the heart shall become a fetter gripping the foot.”
رنج معقولت شود محسوس و فاش ** تا نگیری این اشارت را بلاش
Your mental pain shall become perceptible to the senses and manifest. See (therefore) that you do not hold this indication as naught.
در معاصی قبضها دلگیر شد ** قبضها بعد از اجل زنجیر شد
The (spiritual) contractions (which occur) in (the case of) sins affect (only) the heart; after death (these) contractions become (actual) chains.
نعط من اعرض هنا عن ذکرنا ** عیشة ضنک و نجزی بالعمی
“Whosoever here (in this world) shall turn his back upon Our commemoration, We shall give him a straitened life (hereafter) and reward him with blindness.”
دزد چون مال کسان را می‌برد ** قبض و دلتنگی دلش را می‌خلد355
When a thief is carrying off people's property, contraction and straitness of heart prick his heart (conscience),
او همی‌گوید عجب این قبض چیست ** قبض آن مظلوم کز شرت گریست
(And) he says, “I wonder what this contraction is”: (say), “The contraction (distress) of the injured person who wept at thy wickedness.”
چون بدین قبض التفاتی کم کند ** باد اصرار آتشش را دم کند
When he pays no regard to this contraction, the wind of perseverance (in evil) blows (fans) its (the evil's) fire.
قبض دل قبض عوان شد لاجرم ** گشت محسوس آن معانی زد علم
The contraction that grips the heart turns into the grip of the policeman: inevitably those ideas become sensible (materialised) and display themselves.