گفت گفتم من چنین عذری و او ** گفت نه من نیستم اسباب جو
She (the wife) said, ‘I gave such an excuse, but she said, No, I am not one who seeks (worldly) means.
ما ز مال و زر ملول و تخمه‌ایم ** ما به حرص و جمع نه چون عامه‌ایم
We are sick and surfeited with possessions and gold; we are not like the common folk in regard to coveting and amassing (wealth).
قصد ما سترست و پاکی و صلاح ** در دو عالم خود بدان باشد فلاح200
Our quest is (for) modesty and purity and virtue: truly, welfare in both worlds depends on that.’
باز صوفی عذر درویشی بگفت ** و آن مکرر کرد تا نبود نهفت
The Súfí once more made the excuse of poverty and repeated it, so that it should not be hidden.
گفت زن من هم مکرر کرده‌ام ** بی‌جهازی را مقرر کرده‌ام
The wife replied, ‘I too have repeated it and have explained our lack of household goods;
اعتقاد اوست راسختر ز کوه ** که ز صد فقرش نمی‌آید شکوه
(But) her resolution is firmer than a mountain, for she is not dismayed by a hundred poverties.
او همی‌گوید مرادم عفتست ** از شما مقصود صدق و همتست
She keeps saying, What I want is chastity: the thing sought from you is sincerity and high-mindedness.’
گفت صوفی خود جهاز و مال ما ** دید و می‌بیند هویدا و خفا205
The Súfí said, ‘In sooth she has seen and is seeing our household goods and possessions, (both) the overt and the covert—
خانه‌ی تنگی مقام یک تنی ** که درو پنهان نماند سوزنی
A narrow house, a dwelling-place for a single person, where a needle would not remain hid.
باز ستر و پاکی و زهد و صلاح ** او ز ما به داند اندر انتصاح
Moreover, she in (her) guilelessness knows better than we (what is) modesty and purity and renunciation and virtue.
به ز ما می‌داند او احوال ستر ** وز پس و پیش و سر و دنبال ستر
She knows better than we (all) the aspects of modesty, and the rear and front and head and tail of modesty.
ظاهرا او بی‌جهاز و خادمست ** وز صلاح و ستر او خود عالمست
Evidently she (our daughter) is without household goods and servant, and she (the lady) herself is well-acquainted with virtue and modesty.
شرح مستوری ز بابا شرط نیست ** چون برو پیدا چو روز روشنیست210
It is not required of a father to dilate on (his daughter's) modesty, when in her it is manifest as a bright day.’
این حکایت را بدان گفتم که تا ** لاف کم بافی چو رسوا شد خطا
I have told this story with the intent that thou mayst not weave idle talk when the offence is glaring.
مر ترا ای هم به دعوی مستزاد ** این بدستت اجتهاد و اعتقاد
O thou who art likewise excessive in thy pretension, to thee (in thy case) there has been this (same hypocritical) exertion and (vain) belief.
چون زن صوفی تو خاین بوده‌ای ** دام مکر اندر دغا بگشوده‌ای
Thou hast been unfaithful, like the Súfí's wife: thou hast opened in fraud the snare of cunning,
که ز هر ناشسته رویی کپ زنی ** شرم داری وز خدای خویش نی
For thou art ashamed before every dirty braggart, and not before thy God.
غرض از سمیع و بصیر گفتن خدا را
The purpose for which God is called Samí‘ (Hearing) and Basír (Seeing).
از پی آن گفت حق خود را بصیر ** که بود دید ویت هر دم نذیر215
God has called Himself Basír (Seeing), in order that His seeing thee may at every moment be a deterrent (against sin).
از پی آن گفت حق خود را سمیع ** تا ببندی لب ز گفتار شنیع
God has called Himself Samí‘ (Hearing), in order that thou mayst close thy lips (and refrain) from foul speech.
از پی آن گفت حق خود را علیم ** تا نیندیشی فسادی تو ز بیم
God has called Himself ‘Alím (Knowing), in order that thou mayst fear to meditate a wicked deed.
نیست اینها بر خدا اسم علم ** که سیه کافور دارد نام هم
These are not proper names applicable to God: (proper names are merely designations), for even a negro may have the name Káfúr (Camphor).
اسم مشتقست و اوصاف قدیم ** نه مثال علت اولی سقیم
The Names (of God) are derivative and (denote) Eternal Attributes: (they are) not unsound like (the doctrine of) the First Cause.
ورنه تسخر باشد و طنز و دها ** کر را سامع ضریران را ضیا220
Otherwise, it would be ridicule and mockery and deception, (like calling) a deaf person Samí‘ (Hearer) and blind men Ziyá (Radiance);
یا علم باشد حیی نام وقیح ** یا سیاه زشت را نام صبیح
Or (as though) Hayí (Bashful) should be the proper name of an impudent fellow, or Sabíh (Beautiful) the name of a hideous blackamoor.
طفلک نوزاده را حاجی لقب ** یا لقب غازی نهی بهر نسب
You may confer the title of Hájjí (Pilgrim) or Ghází (Holy Warrior) on a newborn child for the purpose of (indicating his) lineage;
گر بگویند این لقبها در مدیح ** تا ندارد آن صفت نبود صحیح
(But) if these titles are used in praise, they are not correct unless he (the person so described) possess that (particular) quality.
تسخر و طنزی بود آن یا جنون ** پاک حق عما یقول الظالمون
(Otherwise), it would be a ridicule and mockery (so to use them), or madness: God is clear of (untouched by) what the unrighteous say.
من همی دانستمت پیش از وصال ** که نکورویی ولیکن بدخصال225
I knew, before (our meeting), that thou art good-looking but evil-natured;
من همی دانستمت پیش از لقا ** کز ستیزه راسخی اندر شقا
I knew, before coming face to face (with thee), that by reason of contumacy thou art set fast in damnation.
چونک چشمم سرخ باشد در غمش ** دانمش زان درد گر کم بینمش
When my eye is red in ophthalmia, I know it (the redness) is from the disease, (even) if I do not see it (the redness).
تو مرا چون بره دیدی بی شبان ** تو گمان بردی ندارم پاسبان
Thou deemedst me as a lamb without the shepherd, thou thoughtest that I have none keeping watch (over me).
عاشقان از درد زان نالیده‌اند ** که نظر ناجایگه مالیده‌اند
The cause why lovers have moaned in grief is that they have rubbed their eyes malapropos.
بی‌شبان دانسته‌اند آن ظبی را ** رایگان دانسته‌اند آن سبی را230
They have regarded that Gazelle as being shepherdless, they have regarded that Captive as (one who may be taken) cost-free,
تا ز غمزه تیر آمد بر جگر ** که منم حارس گزافه کم نگر
Till (suddenly) an arrow from the glance (of Divine jealousy) comes (descends) upon the heart, (as though) to say, ‘I am the Keeper: do not look wantonly.
کی کم از بره کم از بزغاله‌ام ** که نباشد حارس از دنباله‌ام
How am I meaner than a lamb, meaner than a kid, that there should not be a keeper behind me?
حارسی دارم که ملکش می‌سزد ** داند او بادی که آن بر من وزد
I have a Keeper whom it beseems to hold dominion: He knoweth the wind that blows upon me.
سرد بود آن باد یا گرم آن علیم ** نیست غافل نیست غایب ای سقیم
Whether that wind was cold or hot, that Knowing One is not unaware, is not absent, O infirm man.
نفس شهوانی ز حق کرست و کور ** من به دل کوریت می‌دیدم ز دور235
The appetitive soul is deaf and blind to God: I with my heart was seeing thy blindness from afar.
هشت سالت زان نپرسیدم به هیچ ** که پرت دیدم ز جهل پیچ پیچ
For eight years I did not inquire after thee at all, because I saw thee (to be) full of ignorance, fold on fold.
خود چه پرسم آنک او باشد بتون ** که تو چونی چون بود او سرنگون
Why, indeed, should I inquire after one who is in t he bath-stove (of lust), and say (to him) ‘How art thou?’ when he is (plunged) headlong (in sensuality)?
مثال دنیا چون گولخن و تقوی چون حمام
Comparison of this world to a bath-stove and of piety to the bath.
شهوت دنیا مثال گلخنست ** که ازو حمام تقوی روشنست
The lust of this world is like the bath-stove by which the bath, piety, is (made) resplendent;
لیک قسم متقی زین تون صفاست ** زانک در گرمابه است و در نقاست
But the pious man's portion from this stove is (naught but) purity, because he is in the hot-bath and in cleanliness.
اغنیا ماننده‌ی سرگین‌کشان ** بهر آتش کردن گرمابه‌بان240
The rich resemble those who carry dung for the bath-keeper's fire-making.
اندریشان حرص بنهاده خدا ** تا بود گرمابه گرم و با نوا
God hath implanted cupidity in them, in order that the bath may be hot and well-provided.
ترک این تون گوی و در گرمابه ران ** ترک تون را عین آن گرمابه دان
Abandon this stove and advance into the hot-bath: know that abandonment of the stove is the very essence of that bath.
هر که در تونست او چون خادمست ** مر ورا که صابرست و حازمست
Any one who is in the stove is as a servant to him that is self-denying and on his guard.
هر که در حمام شد سیمای او ** هست پیدا بر رخ زیبای او
Whosoever has entered the bath, his (characteristic) sign is visible upon his comely face.
تونیان را نیز سیما آشکار ** از لباس و از دخان و از غبار245
The signs of the stokers are conspicuous too—in their dress and in the smoke and dust (which blacken them).
ور نبینی روش بویش را بگیر ** بو عصا آمد برای هر ضریر
And if you see not his (the stoker's) face, smell him; smell is (as) a staff for every one that is blind;
ور نداری بو در آرش در سخن ** از حدیث نو بدان راز کهن
And if you have not (the sense of) smell, induce him to speak, and from the new talk learn the old secret.