صبر کن در موزه دوزی تو هنوز ** ور بوی بیصبر گردی پارهدوز
Do thou still have patience in cobbling; for if thou be impatient, thou wilt become a rag-stitcher.
کهنهدوزان گر بدیشان صبر و حلم ** جمله نودوزان شدندی هم به علم
If the stitchers of old clothes had patience and forbearance, all of them too would become stitchers of new garments through (acquisition of) knowledge.
بس بکوشی و بخر از کلال ** هم تو گویی خویش کالعقل عقال
Thou strivest much, and at last even thou thyself sayest in weariness that the intellect is a fetter,
همچو آن مرد مفلسف روز مرگ ** عقل را میدید بس بیبال و برگ
Like the philosopher (who) on the day of his death perceived his intellect to be very poor and feeble,
بیغرض میکرد آن دم اعتراف ** کز ذکاوت راندیم اسپ از گزاف3355
And in that hour disinterestedly confessed (the truth), saying, “(Impelled) by acuteness of mind we galloped in vain.
از غروری سر کشیدیم از رجال ** آشنا کردیم در بحر خیال
In delusion we drew (scornfully) away from the holy men, we swam in the sea of phantasy.”
آشنا هیچست اندر بحر روح ** نیست اینجا چاره جز کشتی نوح
In the spiritual Sea swimming is naught (of no avail): here is no resource but the ship (ark) of Noah.
این چنین فرمود این شاه رسل ** که منم کشتی درین دریای کل
Thus said that king of the prophets, “I am the ship in this universal Sea,
یا کسی کو در بصیرتهای من ** شد خلیفهی راستی بر جای من
Or that person who, in respect of my (inward) clairvoyances, has become a true vicegerent in my stead.”
کشتی نوحیم در دریا که تا ** رو نگردانی ز کشتی ای فتی3360
We (saints) are the ship (ark) of Noah in the Sea, in order that thou mayst not turn thy face away from the ship, O youth.
همچو کنعان سوی هر کوهی مرو ** از نبی لا عاصم الیوم شنو
Go not, like Canaan, to every mountain: hear from the Qur’án (the warning), “There is naught that will protect (thee) to-day.”
مینماید پست این کشتی ز بند ** مینماید کوه فکرت بس بلند
This ship, because of the bandage (on thy vision), seems to thee low, (while) the mountain of (intellectual) thought seems very high.
پست منگر هان و هان این پست را ** بنگر آن فضل حق پیوست را
Beware, beware! Do not regard this “low” with contempt: regard the grace of God that is attached (to it).
در علو کوه فکرت کم نگر ** که یکی موجش کند زیر و زبر
Do not regard the height of the mountain of thought, for a single wave turns it upside down.
گر تو کنعانی نداری باورم ** گر دو صد چندین نصیحت پرورم3365
If thou art (like) Canaan, thou wilt not believe me though I foster (for thy sake) two hundred times as many counsels.
گوش کنعان کی پذیرد این کلام ** که برو مهر خدایست و ختام
How should Canaan's ear accept these words? for God's seal and signet is upon it.
کی گذارد موعظه بر مهر حق ** کی بگرداند حدث حکم سبق
How should admonition pass through God's seal? How should the new (admonition) avert the (eternal) pre-ordainment?
لیک میگویم حدیث خوشپیی ** بر امید آنک تو کنعان نهای
But I am telling the news of good fortune in the hope that thou art not (like) Canaan.
آخر این اقرار خواهی کرد هین ** هم ز اول روز آخر را ببین
Thou wilt make this confession at last. Hark, from the first day do thou behold the last!
میتوانی دید آخر را مکن ** چشم آخربینت را کور کهن3370
Thou canst see the end: do not make blind and old thine eye that sees the end.
هر که آخربین بود مسعودوار ** نبودش هر دم ز ره رفتن عثار
Whosoever is blessedly a seer of the end will never stumble in wayfaring.
گر نخواهی هر دمی این خفتخیز ** کن ز خاک پایی مردی چشم تیز
Unless thou desire this incessant lying down and rising up (this stumbling on the way), sharpen thine eye with the dust on the foot of a holy man.
کحل دیده ساز خاک پاش را ** تا بیندازی سر اوباش را
Make the dust of his foot collyrium for thine eye, that thou mayst strike off the head of the blackguards;
که ازین شاگردی و زین افتقار ** سوزنی باشی شوی تو ذوالفقار
For through this pupilage and this poverty (of spirit), (though) thou be (as) a needle, thou wilt become (a trenchant sword like) Dhu ’l-faqár.
سرمه کن تو خاک هر بگزیده را ** هم بسوزد هم بسازد دیده را3375
Use the dust of every elect one as collyrium: it will both burn the eye and do it good.
چشم اشتر زان بود بس نوربار ** کو خورد از بهر نور چشم خار
The eye of the camel is very luminous because he (the camel) eats thorns for the sake of (increasing) the light of his eye.
قصهی شکایت استر با شتر کی من بسیار در رو میافتم در راه رفتن تو کم در روی میآیی این چراست و جواب گفتن شتر او را
Story of the mule's complaining to the camel (and saying), "I often fall on my face when going along, while you seldom do so: why is this?" and the camel's answer to him.
اشتری را دید روزی استری ** چونک با او جمع شد در آخری
One day a mule saw a camel, since he had been put into a stable with him.
گفت من بسیار میافتم برو ** در گریوه و راه و در بازار و کو
He (the mule) said, “I often fall on my face in hill and road and in market and street.
خاصه از بالای که تا زیر کوه ** در سر آیم هر زمانی از شکوه
Particularly (in descending) from the top of the mountain to the bottom I come down on my head every moment from terror.
کم همیافتی تو در رو بهر چیست ** یا مگر خود جان پاکت دولتیست3380
Thou dost not fall on thy face: why is it? Or maybe in sooth thy pure spirit is destined to felicity.
در سر آیم هر دم و زانو زنم ** پوز و زانو زان خطا پر خون کنم
I come down on my head every instant and strike my knees (on the ground): by that slipping I make muzzle and knees all bloody.
کژ شود پالان و رختم بر سرم ** وز مکاری هر زمان زخمی خورم
My pack-saddle and trappings become awry (lie in disorder) on my head, and I always get a beating from the muleteer;
همچو کم عقلی که از عقل تباه ** بشکند توبه بهر دم در گناه
Like the unintelligent man who, from corrupt understanding, in (the case of his committing) sin continually breaks (his vow of) penitence.
مسخرهی ابلیس گردد در زمن ** از ضعیفی رای آن توبهشکن
Through weakness of resolution that breaker of (vows of) penitence becomes the laughing-stock of Iblís in the world.
در سر آید هر زمان چون اسپ لنگ ** که بود بارش گران و راه سنگ3385
He constantly comes down on his head, like a lame horse, for his load is heavy and the road is (full of) stones.
میخورد از غیب بر سر زخم او ** از شکست توبه آن ادبارخو
He is always getting blows on his head from the Unseen, that man of luckless nature, from breaking (his vows of) penitence.
باز توبه میکند با رای سست ** دیو یک تف کرد و توبهش را سکست
Then again he repents with infirm resolution: the Devil spits (in scorn) and shatters his penitence.
ضعف اندر ضعف و کبرش آنچنان ** که به خواری بنگرد در واصلان
Weakness on weakness! (Yet) his arrogance is such that he regards with contempt those that attain (to God).
ای شتر که تو مثال مومنی ** کم فتی در رو و کم بینی زنی
O camel, thou who art a type of the true believer dost not fall on thy face, nor dost thou turn up thy nose (in disdain).
تو چه داری که چنین بیآفتی ** بیعثاری و کم اندر رو فتی3390
What hast thou that thou art so untouched by bane and free from stumbling and dost not fall on thy face?”
گفت گر چه هر سعادت از خداست ** در میان ما و تو بس فرقهاست
He (the camel) said, “Though every felicity is from God, there are many differences between me and thee.
سر بلندم من دو چشم من بلند ** بینش عالی امانست از گزند
I have a high head, my eyes are high: lofty vision is a protection against injury.
از سر که من ببینم پای کوه ** هر گو و هموار را من توه توه
From the top of the mountain I see the mountain-foot, I see every hollow and level, fold by fold,
همچنانک دید آن صدر اجل ** پیش کار خویش تا روز اجل
Just as that most noble prince (the perfect saint) saw his future destiny till the day of death.
آنچ خواهد بود بعد بیست سال ** داند اندر حال آن نیکو خصال3395
That person of goodly qualities knows at the present time what will happen after twenty years.
حال خود تنها ندید آن متقی ** بلک حال مغربی و مشرقی
That God-fearing man did not see his own destiny only; nay, the destiny of (every) inhabitant of the West and East.
نور در چشم و دلش سازد سکن ** بهر چه سازد پی حب الوطن
The Light makes its abode in his eye and heart. Wherefore does it make (its abode there)? For love of home.
همچو یوسف کو بدید اول به خواب ** که سجودش کرد ماه و آفتاب
(He is) like Joseph, who at first dreamed that the sun and moon bowed in worship before him:
از پس ده سال بلک بیشتر ** آنچ یوسف دید بد بر کرد سر
After ten years, nay, more, that which Joseph had seen came to pass.
نیست آن ینظر به نور الله گزاف ** نور ربانی بود گردون شکاف3400
That (saying), ‘he sees by the Light of God,’ is not vain: the Divine Light rives the sky asunder.