گام در صحرای دل باید نهاد ** زانک در صحرای گل نبود گشاد
You must set foot on the plain of the heart (spirit), because in the plain of (the body’s) clay there is no opening ( for spiritual progress).
ایمن آبادست دل ای دوستان ** چشمه‌ها و گلستان در گلستان515
The heart is the abode of security, O friends; (it has) fountains and rose-gardens within rose-gardens.
عج الی القلب و سر یا ساریه ** فیه اشجار و عین جاریه
Turn towards the heart and journey on, O night-travellers: therein are trees and (many) a flowing spring.
ده مرو ده مرد را احمق کند ** عقل را بی نور و بی رونق کند
Do not go to the country: the country makes a fool of a man, it makes the intellect void of light and splendour.
قول پیغامبر شنو ای مجتبی ** گور عقل آمد وطن در روستا
O chosen one, hear the Prophet’s saying: “To dwell in the country is the grave of the intellect.”
هر که را در رستا بود روزی و شام ** تا بماهی عقل او نبود تمام
If any one stay in the country a single day and evening, his intellect will not be fully restored for a month.
تا بماهی احمقی با او بود ** از حشیش ده جز اینها چه درود520
For a (whole) month foolishness will abide with him: what but these things should he reap from the parched herbage of the country?
وانک ماهی باشد اندر روستا ** روزگاری باشدش جهل و عمی
And he that stays a month in the country, ignorance and blindness will be his (lot) for a long time.
ده چه باشد شیخ واصل ناشده ** دست در تقلید و حجت در زده
What is “the country”? The Shaykh that has not been united (with god), but has become addicted to conventionality and argument.
پیش شهر عقل کلی این حواس ** چون خران چشم‌بسته در خراس
Compared with the town, (which is) Universal Reason, these senses (of ours) are like asses (going round and round) in an ass-mill with their eyes bandaged.
این رها کن صورت افسانه گیر ** هل تو دردانه تو گندم‌دانه گیر
Leave this (inner meaning) and take the outward form of the tale: let the pearlseed alone and take the cornseed.
گر بدر ره نیست هین بر می‌ستان ** گر بدان ره نیستت این سو بران525
If there is no way to the pearl, come, take the wheat; if there is no way for you in that (direction), push on in this direction.
ظاهرش گیر ار چه ظاهر کژ پرد ** عاقبت ظاهر سوی باطن برد
Take its outward (form)! Though the outward (form) fly crookedly (not straight), the outward (form) at last will lead (you) to the inward (meaning).
اول هر آدمی خود صورتست ** بعد از آن جان کو جمال سیرتست
In sooth, the first (stage) of every human being is the form; after that (comes) the spirit, which is beauty of disposition.
اول هر میوه جز صورت کیست ** بعد از آن لذت که معنی ویست
How is the first (stage) of every fruit anything but the form? After that (comes) the delicious taste which is its real meaning.
اولا خرگاه سازند و خرند ** ترک را زان پس به مهمان آورند
First they make or buy a tent; afterwards they bring the Turcoman (their beloved) as a guest.
صورتت خرگاه دان معنیت ترک ** معنیت ملاح دان صورت چو فلک530
Deem your form to be the tent, your real essence the Turcoman, regard your essence as the sailor, your form as the ship.
بهر حق این را رها کن یک نفس ** تا خر خواجه بجنباند جرس
For God’s sake, quit this (topic) for a moment, so that the Khwaja’s ass may shake its bell (proceed on its journey).
رفتن خواجه و قومش به سوی ده
How the Khwaja and his family went to the country.
خواجه و بچگان جهازی ساختند ** بر ستوران جانب ده تاختند
The Khwaja and his children prepared an outfit and galloped on their beasts towards the country.
شادمانه سوی صحرا راندند ** سافروا کی تغنموا بر خواندند
Merrily they rode a field; they chanted, “Travel, that ye may gain advantage”;
کز سفرها ماه کیخسرو شود ** بی سفرها ماه کی خسرو شود
For by traveling the moon becomes (splendid, like) Kay Khusraw: how should it become an emperor (khusraw) without traveling?
از سفر بیدق شود فرزین راد ** وز سفر یابید یوسف صد مراد535
Through travel the pawn becomes a noble queen, and through travel Joseph gained a hundred objects of desire.
روز روی از آفتابی سوختند ** شب ز اختر راه می‌آموختند
By day they scorched their faces in the sun, by night they were learning the away from the stars.
خوب گشته پیش ایشان راه زشت ** از نشاط ده شده ره چون بهشت
The bad road to them seemed good: from (their) delight in the country the road seemed like Paradise.
تلخ از شیرین‌لبان خوش می‌شود ** خار از گلزار دلکش می‌شود
From sweet-lipped ones (even) bitterness becomes sweet; from the rose-garden (even) thorns become charming.
حنظل از معشوق خرما می‌شود ** خانه از همخانه صحرا می‌شود
Colocynth turns into dates (when it comes) from the beloved; the (narrow) house is made (like) spacious fields by the house-mate.
ای بسا از نازنینان خارکش ** بر امید گل‌عذار ماه‌وش540
Oh, (there is) many a dainty youth that suffers thorns (of anguish) in the hope of (winning) a rose-cheeked moon-like (sweetheart).
ای بسا حمال گشته پشت‌ریش ** از برای دلبر مه‌روی خویش
Oh, (there is) many a porter, his back torn with wounds for the sake of the moon-faced one to whom he has lost his heart.
کرده آهنگر جمال خود سیاه ** تا که شب آید ببوسد روی ماه
The ironsmith has blackened his beauty, that (when) night comes he may kissthe face of (a beloved like) the moon.
خواجه تا شب بر دکانی چار میخ ** زانک سروی در دلش کردست بیخ
The merchant (sits), racked, on a bench (in his shop) till nightfall, because (some one tall and slender as) a cypress has taken root in his heart.
تاجری دریا و خشکی می‌رود ** آن بمهر خانه‌شینی می‌دود
A trader is faring over sea and land: he runs (makes those swift journeys) for live of one who sits at home.
هر که را با مرده سودایی بود ** بر امید زنده‌سیمایی بود545
Whoever has a passion for that which is dead, ‘tis in hope of (gaining) one who has the features of the living.
آن دروگر روی آورده به چوب ** بر امید خدمت مه‌روی خوب
The carpenter turns his face (attention) to wood, in the hope of rendering service to a fair one whose face is like the moon.
بر امید زنده‌ای کن اجتهاد ** کو نگردد بعد روزی دو جماد
Do thou exert thyself in hope of the Living One who does not become lifeless after a day or two!
مونسی مگزین خسی را از خسی ** عاریت باشد درو آن مونسی
Do not from meanness choose a mean person as thy friend: that friendship in him is borrowed (unessential).
انس تو با مادر و بابا کجاست ** گر بجز حق مونسانت را وفاست
If thy friends other than God possess constancy (permanence), where is thy friendship with the mother and father?
انس تو با دایه و لالا چه شد ** گر کسی شاید بغیر حق عضد550
If any one but God is worthy to be relied upon, what has become of thy friendship with thy nurse and tutor?
انس تو با شیر و با پستان نماند ** نفرت تو از دبیرستان نماند
Thy friendship with the milk and the teat did not endure, thy shyness of (going to) school did not endure.
آن شعاعی بود بر دیوارشان ** جانب خورشید وا رفت آن نشان
That (friendship) was a radiance (cast) upon their wall: that sign (of the Sun) went back towards the Sun.
بر هر آن چیزی که افتد آن شعاع ** تو بر آن هم عاشق آیی ای شجاع
On whatsoever thing that radiance may fall, thou becomest in love with that (thing), O brave man.
عشق تو بر هر چه آن موجود بود ** آن ز وصف حق زر اندود بود
On whatsoever existent thing thy love (is bestowed), that (thing) is gilded with Divine qualities.
چون زری با اصل رفت و مس بماند ** طبع سیر آمد طلاق او براند555
When the goldenness has gone to its original source and (only) the copper remains, (thy) nature is surfeited and proceeds to divorce (discard) it.
از زر اندود صفاتش پا بکش ** از جهالت قلب را کم گوی خوش
Withdraw thy foot from that which is gilded by His qualities, do not from ignorance call the base alloy beautiful;
کان خوشی در قلبها عاریتست ** زیر زینت مایه‌ی بی زینتست
For in base coin the beauty is borrowed: beneath the comeliness is the substance uncomely.
زر ز روی قلب در کان می‌رود ** سوی آن کان رو تو هم کان می‌رود
The gold is going from the face of the false coin into the mine (whence it came): do thou too go towards the Mine to which it is going.
نور از دیوار تا خور می‌رود ** تو بدان خور رو که در خور می‌رود
The light is going from the wall up to the sun: do thou go to that Sun which ever goes (moves) in proportion (with eternal right and justice).
زین سپس پستان تو آب از آسمان ** چون ندیدی تو وفا در ناودان560
Henceforth take thou the water (that comes) from Heaven, forasmuch as thou hast not found faithfulness in the aqueduct.
معدن دنبه نباشد دام گرگ ** کی شناسد معدن آن گرگ سترگ
The lure to catch the wolf is (the sheep’s tail; it is) not the place (shop) where the sheep’s tail came from: how should that fierce wolf know the place of provenance?
زر گمان بردند بسته در گره ** می‌شتابیدند مغروران به ده
They (the Khwaja and his family) imagined (that they would be) gold tied in knots, (so) the deluded (party) were making haste to (reach) the countryside.
همچنین خندان و رقصان می‌شدند ** سوی آن دولاب چرخی می‌زدند
Thus were they going alone, laughing and dancing and caracoling towards the water-wheel.