که چرا آتش به من در می‌زنی ** چون خریدی چون نگونم می‌کنی
Saying, “Why are you setting the fire on me? Since you bought (and approved) me, how are you turning me upside down?”
می‌زند کفلیز کدبانو که نی ** خوش بجوش و بر مجه ز آتش‌کنی
The housewife goes on hitting it with the ladle. “No!” says she: “boil nicely and don't jump away from one who makes the fire.
زان نجوشانم که مکروه منی ** بلک تا گیری تو ذوق و چاشنی
I do not boil you because you are hateful to me: nay, ’tis that you may get taste and savour,
تا غذی گردی بیامیزی بجان ** بهرخواری نیستت این امتحان
So that you may become nutriment and mingle with the (vital) spirit: this affliction of yours is not on account of (your) being despised.
آب می‌خوردی به بستان سبز و تر ** بهراین آتش بدست آن آب خور4165
You, when green and fresh, were drinking water in the garden: that water-drinking was for the sake of this fire.”
رحمتش سابق بدست از قهر زان ** تا ز رحمت گردد اهل امتحان
His (God's) mercy is prior to His wrath, to the end that by (God's) mercy he (the afflicted person) may suffer affliction.
رحمتش بر قهر از آن سابق شدست ** تا که سرمایه‌ی وجود آید بدست
His (God's) mercy (eternally) preceded His wrath in order that the stock-in-trade, (which is) existence, should come to hand (be acquired);
زانک بی‌لذت نروید لحم و پوست ** چون نروید چه گدازد عشق دوست
For, without pleasure, flesh and skin do not grow; and unless they grow, what shall the love of the Friend consume?
زان تقاضا گر بیاید قهرها ** تا کنی ایثار آن سرمایه را
If, because of that requirement, acts of wrath come to pass, to the end that you may give up that stock-in-trade,
باز لطف آید برای عذر او ** که بکردی غسل و بر جستی ز جو4170
(Yet) again (afterwards) the Grace (of God) will come in order to excuse it (the act of wrath), saying, “(Now) thou hast washed thyself (clean) and hast leaped forth from the river (of tribulation).”
گوید ای نخود چریدی در بهار ** رنج مهمان تو شد نیکوش دار
She (the housewife) says, “O chickpea, thou didst feed in the springtime: (now) Pain has become thy guest: entertain him well,
تا که مهمان باز گردد شکر ساز ** پیش شه گوید ز ایثار تو باز
That the guest may return (home), giving thanks (for his entertainment), and may relate thy generosity in the presence of the King,
تا به جای نعمتت منعم رسد ** جمله نعمتها برد بر تو حسد
So that the Bestower of favour may come to thee instead of the favour, and that all favours may envy thee.
من خلیلم تو پسر پیش بچک ** سر بنه انی ارانی اذبحک
I am Khalíl (Abraham), and thou art my son: lay thy head before the knife:lo, I see (in a dream) that I shall sacrifice thee.
سر به پیش قهر نه دل بر قرار ** تا ببرم حلقت اسمعیل‌وار4175
Lay thy head before (my) wrath, with heart unmoved, that I may cut thy throat, like (that of) Ismá‘íl (Ishmael).
سر ببرم لیک این سر آن سریست ** کز بریده گشتن و مردن بریست
I will cut off thy head, but this head is the head that is immune from being cut off and (from) dying;
لیک مقصود ازل تسلیم تست ** ای مسلمان بایدت تسلیم جست
Yet thy giving thyself up is the object of (God's) eternal purpose: O Moslem, thou must seek to give thyself up.
ای نخود می‌جوش اندر ابتلا ** تا نه هستی و نه خود ماند ترا
Continue, O chickpea, to boil in tribulation, that neither existence nor self may remain to thee.
اندر آن بستان اگر خندیده‌ای ** تو گل بستان جان و دیده‌ای
If thou hast (formerly) laughed in that (earthly) garden, (yet) thou art the rose of the garden of the spirit and the (spiritual) eye.
گر جدا از باغ آب و گل شدی ** لقمه گشتی اندر احیا آمدی4180
If thou hast been parted from the garden of water and earth, (yet) thou hast become food in the mouth and hast entered into the living.
شو غذی و قوت و اندیشه‌ها ** شیر بودی شیر شو در بیشه‌ها
Become nutriment and strength and thoughts! (Formerly) thou wert milk (sap): (now) be a lion in the jungles!
از صفاتش رسته‌ای والله نخست ** در صفاتش باز رو چالاک و چست
By God, thou grewest from His (God's) attributes in the beginning: go back nimbly and fleetly into His attributes.
ز ابر و خورشید و ز گردون آمدی ** پس شدی اوصاف و گردون بر شدی
Thou camest from the cloud and the sun and the sky; then didst thou become (diverse) attributes and ascend to heaven.
آمدی در صورت باران و تاب ** می‌روی اندر صفات مستطاب
Thou camest in the form of rain and heat: thou wilt go into the goodly (Divine) attributes.
جزو شید و ابر و انجمها بدی ** نفس و فعل و قول و فکرتها شدی4185
Thou wert a part of the sun and the cloud and the stars: thou becamest soul and action and speech and thoughts.”
هستی حیوان شد از مرگ نبات ** راست آمد اقتلونی یا ثقات
The existence of the animal arose from the death of the plant: (hence the command) “slay me, O trusty friends” is right.
چون چنین بردیست ما را بعد مات ** راست آمد ان فی قتلی حیات
Since there is such a victory for us after the checkmate (of death), (the words) “verily, in my being slain there is a life” are true.
فعل و قول و صدق شد قوت ملک ** تا بدین معراج شد سوی فلک
Action and speech and sincerity became the food of the angel, so that by means of this ladder he mounted to heaven,
آنچنان کان طعمه شد قوت بشر ** از جمادی بر شد و شد جانور
Just as (when) that morsel became the food of Man, it mounted from (the state of) inanimateness and became possessed of soul.
این سخن را ترجمه‌ی پهناوری ** گفته آید در مقام دیگری4190
As regards this topic, a wide (far-reaching) explanation will be given in another place.
کاروان دایم ز گردون می‌رسد ** تا تجارت می‌کند وا می‌رود
“The caravan (of spirits) is incessantly arriving from heaven, that they may traffic (on the earth) and go back again.
پس برو شیرین و خوش با اختیار ** نه بتلخی و کراهت دزدوار
Go, then, sweetly and gladly with free-will, not with bitterness and loathing, like a thief.
I am speaking bitter words to thee, in order that I may wash thee (clean) of bitternesses.
ز آب سرد انگور افسرده رهد ** سردی و افسردگی بیرون نهد
The frozen grape is thawed by cold water and lays aside its coldness and congealment.
تو ز تلخی چونکه دل پر خون شوی ** پس ز تلخیها همه بیرون روی4195
When, from (having endured) bitterness (self-mortification), thy heart is filled with blood (like the grape), then thou wilt escape from all bitternesses.
تمثیل صابر شدن مومن چون بر شر و خیر بلا واقف شود
A comparison showing how the true believer becomes patient when he understands the inward meaning and the beneficial nature of tribulation.
سگ شکاری نیست او را طوق نیست ** خام و ناجوشیده جز بی‌ذوق نیست
(If) a dog is not (kept) for hunting, he has no collar: the raw and unboiled is naught but the insipid.”
گفت نخود چون چنینست ای ستی ** خوش بجوشم یاریم ده راستی
The chickpea said, “Since it is so, O lady, I will gladly boil: give me help in verity!
تو درین جوشش چو معمار منی ** کفچلیزم زن که بس خوش می‌زنی
In this boiling thou art, as it were, my architect: smite me with the skimming spoon, for thou smitest very delightfully.
همچو پیلم بر سرم زن زخم و داغ ** تا نبینم خواب هندستان و باغ
I am as the elephant: beat and brand my head, that I may not dream of Hindustán and (its) gardens;
تا که خود را در دهم در جوش من ** تا رهی یابم در آن آغوش من4200
So that I may yield myself (submit) to the boiling, to the end that I may find a way to that embrace (of the Beloved);
زانک انسان در غنا طاغی شود ** همچو پیل خواب‌بین یاغی شود
Because Man, in (the state of) independence, grows insolent and becomes hostile, like the dreaming elephant.
پیل چون در خواب بیند هند را ** پیلبان را نشنود آرد دغا
When the elephant dreams of Hindustán, he does not hearken to the driver and displays viciousness.”
عذر گفتن کدبانو با نخود و حکمت در جوش داشتن کدبانو نخود را
(Showing) how the housewife made apologies to the chickpea, and (explaining) the wise purpose in her keeping the chickpea on the boil.
آن ستی گوید ورا که پیش ازین ** من چو تو بودم ز اجزای زمین
The dame says to it, “Formerly I, like thee, was a part of the earth.
چون بنوشیدم جهاد آذری ** پس پذیرا گشتم و اندر خوری
After I had drunk a (cup of) fiery self-mortification, then I became an acceptable and worthy one.
مدتی جوشیده‌ام اندر زمن ** مدتی دیگر درون دیگ تن4205
For a long while, I boiled in (the world of) Time; for another long while, in the pot of the body.
زین دو جوشش قوت حسها شدم ** روح گشتم پس ترا استا شدم
By reason of these two boilings I became (a source of) strength to the senses: I became (animal) spirit: then I became thy teacher.
در جمادی گفتمی زان می‌دوی ** تا شوی علم و صفات معنوی
(Whilst I was) in the inanimate state I used to say (to myself), ‘Thou art running (to and fro in agitation) to the end that thou mayst become (endued with) knowledge and spiritual qualities.’
چون شدم من روح پس بار دگر ** جوش دیگر کن ز حیوانی گذر
Since I have become (animal) spirit, now (let me) boil once more and pass beyond animality.”
از خدا می‌خواه تا زین نکته‌ها ** در نلغزی و رسی در منتها
Beseech God continually that you may not stumble over these deep sayings and that you may arrive at the (journey's) end,
زانک از قرآن بسی گمره شدند ** زان رسن قومی درون چه شدند4210
For many have been led astray by the Qur’án: by (clinging to) that rope a multitude have fallen into the well.