The gold says, “Yes, O fellow-servant; but the touchstone is coming: be prepared.”
مرگ تن هدیه‌ست بر اصحاب راز ** زر خالص را چه نقصانست گاز
The death of the body is a (welcome) gift to the adepts of the mystery: what damage is (done by) the scissors to pure gold?
قلب اگر در خویش آخربین بدی ** آن سیه که آخر شد او اول شدی
If the adulterated coin had seen the end in regard to itself, it would have become at first the black (thing) which it became in the end.
چون شدی اول سیه اندر لقا ** دور بودی از نفاق و از شقا
Since (in that case) it would have become black at first, in confrontation (with the genuine coin) it would have been far from duplicity and damnation.
کیمیای فضل را طالب بدی ** عقل او بر زرق او غالب بدی
It would have sought the elixir of (Divine) grace; its reason would have prevailed over its hypocrisy.
چون شکسته‌دل شدی از حال خویش ** جابر اشکستگان دیدی به پیش1685
Since it would have become broken-hearted on account of its (evil) state, it would have seen before it Him who mends them that are broken.
عاقبت را دید و او اشکسته شد ** از شکسته‌بند در دم بسته شد
(When) it saw the end and became broken (contrite), it was at once bandaged by the Bone-setter.
فضل مسها را سوی اکسیر راند ** آن زراندود از کرم محروم ماند
The (Divine) grace impelled the pieces of copper towards the elixir; the gilt (coin) remained deprived of (Divine) bounty.
ای زراندوده مکن دعوی ببین ** که نماند مشتریت اعمی چنین
O gilt one, do not make pretensions: recognise that thy purchaser will not (always) remain so blind.
نور محشر چشمشان بینا کند ** چشم بندی ترا رسوا کند
The light of the place of congregation (at the Last Judgement) will cause their (the purchasers') eyes to see and will expose thy blindfolding (of them).
بنگر آنها را که آخر دیده‌اند ** حسرت جانها و رشک دیده‌اند1690
Look at those who have seen the end: they are the amazement of souls and the envy of the eye.
بنگر آنها را که حالی دیده‌اند ** سر فاسد ز اصل سر ببریده‌اند
Look at those who have seen (only) the present: their inmost self is corrupt; they are radically decapitated (cut off from the Truth).
پیش حالی‌بین که در جهلست و شک ** صبح صادق صبح کاذب هر دو یک
To the seer of the present, who is in ignorance and doubt, both the true dawn and the false dawn are one (and the same).
صبح کاذب صد هزاران کاروان ** داد بر باد هلاکت ای جوان
The false dawn has given a hundred thousand caravans to the wind of destruction, O youth.
نیست نقدی کش غلط‌انداز نیست ** وای آن جان کش محک و گاز نیست
There is no genuine money that has not a deceptive counterfeit: alas for the soul that does not possess the touchstone and scissors!
زجر مدعی از دعوی و امر کردن او را به متابعت
Warning the pretender to shun pretension and enjoining him to follow (the true guide).
بو مسیلم گفت خود من احمدم ** دین احمد را به فن برهم زدم1695
Bú Musaylim said, “I myself am Ahmad (Mohammed): I have cunningly confounded the religion of Ahmad.”
بو مسیلم را بگو کم کن بطر ** غره‌ی اول مشو آخر نگر
Say to Bú Musaylim, “Do not behave with insolence: be not deluded by the beginning, regard the end.
این قلاوزی مکن از حرص جمع ** پس‌روی کن تا رود در پیش شمع
Do not act thus as a guide from (with the motive of) greed for amassing (wealth and power): follow behind, in order that the Candle (the true guide) may go in front (of thee).”
شمع مقصد را نماید هم‌چو ماه ** کین طرف دانه‌ست یا خود دامگاه
The Candle, like the moon, shows (clearly) the (traveller's) destination, and whether in this direction there is the grain (of spiritual welfare) or the place for the snare (of perdition).
گر بخواهی ور نخواهی با چراغ ** دیده گردد نقش باز و نقش زاغ
Whether thou wilt or not, (so long as thou art) with the Lantern the form of falcon and the form of crow become visible (to thee).
ورنه این زاغان دغل افروختند ** بانگ بازان سپید آموختند1700
Otherwise, (beware, for) these crows have lit (the lantern of) fraud: they have learned the cry of the white falcons.
بانگ هدهد گر بیاموزد فتی ** راز هدهد کو و پیغام سبا
If a man learn the cry of the hoopoe, (yet) where is the mystery of the hoopoe and the message from Sabá?
بانگ بر رسته ز بر بسته بدان ** تاج شاهان را ز تاج هدهدان
Know (distinguish) the natural cry from the artificial one, (know) the crown of kings from the crown (crest) of hoopoes.
حرف درویشان و نکته‌ی عارفان ** بسته‌اند این بی‌حیایان بر زبان
These shameless persons have attached to their tongues the speech of dervishes and the deep sayings of gnostics.
هر هلاک امت پیشین که بود ** زانک چندل را گمان بردند عود
Every destruction of an olden people that there was—(it was) because they deemed sandal-wood to be (common) wood.
بودشان تمییز کان مظهر کند ** لیک حرص و آز کور و کر کند1705
They had the discernment that should make that (difference) evident, but greed and cupidity make (men) blind and deaf.
کوری کوران ز رحمت دور نیست ** کوری حرص است که آن معذور نیست
The blindness of the (physically) blind is not far from (the Divine) mercy; ’tis the blindness of greed that is inexcusable.
چارمیخ شه ز رحمت دور نی ** چار میخ حاسدی مغفور نی
Crucifixion (tribulation) inflicted by the King (God) is not far from mercy; the crucifixion (torment) of envy is not forgiven (by God).
ماهیا آخر نگر بنگر بشست ** بدگلویی چشم آخربینت بست
O fish, regard the end; do not regard the hook: evil appetite has bandaged (blindfolded) thine eye that sees the end.
با دو دیده اول و آخر ببین ** هین مباش اعور چو ابلیس لعین
See the beginning and the end with both eyes: beware, do not be one-eyed like the accursed Iblís.
اعور آن باشد که حالی دید و بس ** چون بهایم بی‌خبر از بازپس1710
The one-eyed man is he who saw only the present—ignorant, like the beasts, of (what comes) after.
چون دو چشم گاو در جرم تلف ** هم‌چو یک چشمست کش نبود شرف
Since the two eyes of an ox are (rated) as one eye (of a man) in (the case of) damages for (their) destruction—for it (the ox) hath no excellence—
نصف قیمت ارزد آن دو چشم او ** که دو چشمش راست مسند چشم تو
Its two eyes are worth (only) a half of its value, inasmuch as thine eye is the support for its two eyes.
ور کنی یک چشم آدم‌زاده‌ای ** نصف قیمت لایقست از جاده‌ای
But if thou destroy one eye of a son of Adam, by a statute (of the Law) thou must pay half of his value,
زانک چشم آدمی تنها به خود ** بی دو چشم یار کاری می‌کند
Because the human eye works alone by itself without (assistance from) the two eyes of a friend.
چشم خر چون اولش بی آخرست ** گر دو چشمش هست حکمش اعورست1715
Since (the power of) the donkey's eye (to see) the beginning is not accompanied by (power to see) the end, it (the donkey) is in the same case as the one-eyed man, (even) if it has two eyes.
این سخن پایان ندارد وان خفیف ** می‌نویسد رقعه در طمع رغیف
This topic hath no limit—and that light-minded (foolish) one is writing a letter in hope of loaves.
بقیه‌ی نوشتن آن غلام رقعه به طلب اجری
The rest of the story of the slave’s writing a petition for his allowance.
رفت پیش از نامه پیش مطبخی ** کای بخیل از مطبخ شاه سخی
Before (writing) the letter he went to the kitchen-stewerd and said, “O niggard of the kitchen of the generous king,
دور ازو وز همت او کین قدر ** از جری‌ام آیدش اندر نظر
‘Tis far from him and from his magnanimity that this (small) amount (matter) of my allowance should come into his consideration.”
گفت بهر مصلحت فرموده است ** نه برای بخل و نه تنگی دست
He (the steward) said, “He has ordered (so) for a good object, not on account of stinginess or close-fistedness.”
گفت دهلیزیست والله این سخن ** پیش شه خاکست هم زر کهن1720
“By God,” he replied, “this is a canard: even old gold is as dust in the king’s eyes.”
مطبخی ده گونه حجت بر فراشت ** او همه رد کرد از حرصی که داشت
The steward raised up manifold arguments: he rejected them all because of the greed which he had (in him).
چون جری کم آمدش در وقت چاشت ** زد بسی تشنیع او سودی نداشت
When, at the time of the forenoon meal, his (usual) allowance was reduced, he uttered much revilement, (but) it was of no avail.
گفت قاصد می‌کنید اینها شما ** گفت نه که بنده فرمانیم ما
He said, “Ye are doing these things on purpose.” “Nay,” said the other, “we obey the (royal) command.
این مگیر از فرع این از اصل گیر ** بر کمان کم زن که از بازوست تیر
Do not regard this (as proceeding) from the branch (sub ordinate): regard it (as proceeding) from the root (principal); do not strike at the bow, for the arrow is (really) from the arm.
ما رمیت اذ رمیت ابتلاست ** بر نبی کم نه گنه کان از خداست1725
(The words) thou didst not throw when thou threwest are a trial (of men’s understandings): do not lay the fault on the Prophet, for that (throwing) is (an act which proceeded) from God.
آب از سر تیره است ای خیره‌خشم ** پیشتر بنگر یکی بگشای چشم
The water is turbid from the source: O thou who art angry in vain, look farther on, open thine eye once!”
شد ز خشم و غم درون بقعه‌ای ** سوی شه بنوشت خشمین رقعه‌ای
(Moved) by anger and resentment he went into a certain place and wrote an angry letter to the king.
اندر آن رقعه ثنای شاه گفت ** گوهر جود و سخای شاه سفت
In that letter he lauded the king and threaded the pearl of (descanted e on) the king’s munificence and generosity,
کای ز بحر و ابر افزون کف تو ** در قضای حاجت حاجات‌جو
Saying, “O thou whose hand exceeds the sea and the clouds in (liberally) fulfilling the want of the suitor,