هم‌چو آن دلاله که گفت ای پسر ** نو عروسی یافتم بس خوب‌فر630
As the dallála (go-between) who said, “O son, I have found a very beautiful new bride (for you).
سخت زیبا لیک هم یک چیز هست ** که آن ستیره دختر حلواگرست
(She is) exceedingly pretty, but there is just one thing, that the lady is a confectioner's daughter.”
گفت بهتر این چنین خود گر بود ** دختر او چرب و شیرین‌تر بود
“(All the) better,” said he; “if it is indeed so, his daughter will be fatter and sweeter.”
گر نداری سنگ و سنگت از گلست ** این به و به گل مرا میوه‌ی دلست
“If you have no (proper) weight and your weight is of clay, this is better and better: clay is the fruit (desired) of my heart.”
اندر آن کفه‌ی ترازو ز اعتداد ** او به جای سنگ آن گل را نهاد
He (the druggist) placed the clay, because of its being ready (to his hand), in one scale of the balance instead of the (proper) weight;
پس برای کفه‌ی دیگر به دست ** هم به قدر آن شکر را می‌شکست635
Then, for the other scale, he was breaking with his hand the equivalent amount of sugar.
چون نبودش تیشه‌ای او دیر ماند ** مشتری را منتظر آنجا نشاند
Since he had no pick-axe, he took a long time and made the customer sit waiting.
رویش آن سو بود گل‌خور ناشکفت ** گل ازو پوشیده دزدیدن گرفت
(Whilst) his face was (turned) towards that (sugar), the clay-eater, unable to restrain himself, began covertly to steal the clay from him,
ترس ترسان که نباید ناگهان ** چشم او بر من فتد از امتحان
Terribly frightened lest his (the druggist's) eye should fall upon him of a sudden for the purpose of testing (his honesty).
دید عطار آن و خود مشغول کرد ** که فزون‌تر دزد هین ای روی‌زرد
The druggist saw it, but made himself busy, saying, “Come, steal more, O pale-faced one!
گر بدزدی وز گل من می‌بری ** رو که هم از پهلوی خود می‌خوری640
If you will be a thief and take some of my clay, go on (doing so), for you are eating out of your own side.
تو همی ترسی ز من لیک از خری ** من همی‌ترسم که تو کمتر خوری
You are afraid of me, but (only) because you are a (stupid) ass: I am afraid you will eat less (too little).
گرچه مشغولم چنان احمق نیم ** که شکر افزون کشی تو از نیم
Though I am occupied, I am not such a fool (as to suffer) that you should get too much of my sugar-cane.
چون ببینی مر شکر را ز آزمود ** پس بدانی احمق و غافل کی بود
When you see (find) by experience the (amount of) sugar (which you have bought), then you will know who was foolish and careless.”
مرغ زان دانه نظر خوش می‌کند ** دانه هم از دور راهش می‌زند
The bird looks pleased at the bait; still, the bait, (though) at a distance (from it), is waylaying it.
کز زنای چشم حظی می‌بری ** نه کباب از پهلوی خود می‌خوری645
If you are deriving some pleasure from the eye's cupidity, are not you eating roast-meat from your own side?
این نظر از دور چون تیرست و سم ** عشقت افزون می‌شود صبر تو کم
This looking from a distance is like arrows and poison: your fond passion is increased (thereby) and your self-restraint diminished.
مال دنیا دام مرغان ضعیف ** ملک عقبی دام مرغان شریف
Worldly riches are a trap for the weak birds; the kingdom of the next world is a trap for the noble birds,
تا بدین ملکی که او دامست ژرف ** در شکار آرند مرغان شگرف
To the end that by means of this kingdom, which is a deep trap, the great birds may be ensnared.
من سلیمان می‌نخواهم ملکتان ** بلک من برهانم از هر هلکتان
“I, Solomon, do not desire your kingdom; nay, but I will deliver you from every destruction;
کین زمان هستید خود مملوک ملک ** مالک ملک آنک بجهید او ز هلک650
For at this time ye are indeed slaves to the kingdom; the owner of the kingdom is he that escaped from destruction.”
بازگونه ای اسیر این جهان ** نام خود کردی امیر این جهان
Preposterously, O prisoner of this world, thou hast named thyself prince of this world.
ای تو بنده‌ی این جهان محبوس جان ** چند گویی خویش را خواجه‌ی جهان
O thou slave of this world, thou whose spirit is imprisoned, how long wilt thou call thyself lord of the world?
دلداری کردن و نواختن سلیمان علیه‌السلام مر آن رسولان را و دفع وحشت و آزار از دل ایشان و عذر قبول ناکردن هدیه شرح کردن با ایشان
How Solomon, on whom be peace, showed affection and kindness to the envoys and removed (feelings of) resentment and injury from their hearts and explained to them the reason for declining the gift.
ای رسولان می‌فرستمتان رسول ** رد من بهتر شما را از قبول
“O envoys, I will send you as envoys (to Bilqís): my refusal (of the gift) is better for you than acceptance.
پیش بلقیس آنچ دیدیت از عجب ** باز گویید از بیابان ذهب
Relate to Bilqís what marvellous things ye have seen concerning the desert of gold,
تا بداند که به زر طامع نه‌ایم ** ما زر از زرآفرین آورده‌ایم655
That she may know we do not covet gold: we have gotten gold from the gold-Creator,
آنک گر خواهد همه خاک زمین ** سر به سر زر گردد و در ثمین
At whose will the whole earth’s soil from end to end would become gold and precious pearls.”
حق برای آن کند ای زرگزین ** روز محشر این زمین را نقره گین
On that account, O thou who choosest gold, God will make this earth silvern on the Day of Resurrection.
فارغیم از زر که ما بس پر فنیم ** خاکیان را سر به سر زرین کنیم
“We have no need of gold, for we are very skilful: we make earthly beings entirely golden.
از شما کی کدیه‌ی زر می‌کنیم ** ما شما را کیمیاگر می‌کنیم
How shall we beg gold of you? We (can) make you (spiritual) alchemists.
ترک آن گیرید گر ملک سباست ** که برون آب و گل بس ملکهاست660
Abandon (all) that, (even) if it is the kingdom of Saba, for beyond (this) water and earth there are many kingdoms.”
تخته‌بندست آن که تختش خوانده‌ای ** صدر پنداری و بر در مانده‌ای
That which thou hast called a throne is (really) a splint- bandage: thou deemest (it) the seat of honour, but (in truth) thou hast remained at the door.
پادشاهی نیستت بر ریش خود ** پادشاهی چون کنی بر نیک و بد
(If) thou hast not sovereignty over thine own beard, how wilt thou exercise sovereignty over good and evil?
بی‌مراد تو شود ریشت سپید ** شرم دار از ریش خود ای کژ امید
Without thy wish, thy beard grows white: be ashamed of thy beard, O thou whose hopes are perverse.
مالک الملک است هر کش سر نهد ** بی‌جهان خاک صد ملکش دهد
He (God) is the Possessor of the Kingdom: whosoever lays his head before Him, to him He gives a hundred kingdoms without the terrestrial world;
لیک ذوق سجده‌ای پیش خدا ** خوشتر آید از دو صد دولت ترا665
But the (inward) savour of a single prostration before God will be more sweet to thee than two hundred empires:
پس بنالی که نخواهم ملکها ** ملک آن سجده مسلم کن مرا
Then thou wilt cry (in humble entreaty), “I desire not kingdoms: commit unto me the kingdom of that prostration.”
پادشاهان جهان از بدرگی ** بو نبردند از شراب بندگی
The kings of the world, because of their evil nature, got no scent of the wine of service (to God);
ورنه ادهم‌وار سرگردان و دنگ ** ملک را برهم زدندی بی‌درنگ
Otherwise, dizzy and dumbfounded like (Ibráhim son of) Adham, without delay they would have dashed their sovereignty to pieces.
لیک حق بهر ثبات این جهان ** مهرشان بنهاد بر چشم و دهان
But (this they do not inasmuch as), for the maintenance of this world, God set a seal upon their eyes and mouths,
تا شود شیرین بریشان تخت و تاج ** که ستانیم از جهانداران خراج670
To the end that throne and crown should be sweet to them, "for" (they say) "we will exact tribute from the rulers of the world."
از خراج ار جمع آری زر چو ریگ ** آخر آن از تو بماند مردریگ
If by way of tribute thou amass gold as (though it were) sand, at last it will be left behind thee as an inheritance.
همره جانت نگردد ملک و زر ** زر بده سرمه ستان بهر نظر
Sovereignty and gold will not accompany thy spirit on its journey: give thy gold away, get collyrium for thy sight,
تا ببینی کین جهان چاهیست تنگ ** یوسفانه آن رسن آری به چنگ
In order that thou mayst see that this world is a narrow well, and that, like Joseph, thou mayst grasp that rope,
تا بگوید چون ز چاه آیی به بام ** جان که یا بشرای هذا لی غلام
So that, when thou comest from the well (up) to the roof, the Soul will say, “Oh, good news for met This is a youth for me.”
هست در چاه انعکاسات نظر ** کمترین آنک نماید سنگ زر675
In the well (of this world) there are optical inversions, the least (of which is) that stones appear to be gold.
وقت بازی کودکان را ز اختلال ** می‌نماید آن خزفها زر و مال
To children at play-time, from infirmity (of mind), those potsherds (with which they play) appear to be gold and riches.
عارفانش کیمیاگر گشته‌اند ** تا که شد کانها بر ایشان نژند
His (God’s) knowers have become alchemists, so that mines (of gold) have become worthless in their eyes.
دیدن درویش جماعت مشایخ را در خواب و درخواست کردن روزی حلال بی‌مشغول شدن به کسب و از عبادت ماندن و ارشاد ایشان او را و میوه‌های تلخ و ترش کوهی بر وی شیرین شدن به داد آن مشایخ
How a dervish saw in dream a company of Shaykhs and begged for a daily portion of lawful food (which he should receive) without being occupied with earning (it) and being (thereby) incapacitated from devotional service; and how they directed him, and how the sour and bitter mountain-fruit became sweet to him through the bounty of those Shaykhs.
آن یکی درویش گفت اندر سمر ** خضریان را من بدیدم خواب در
A certain dervish said in the night-talk, “I saw in dream those (saints who are) connected with Khizr.
گفتم ایشان را که روزی حلال ** از کجا نوشم که نبود آن وبال
I said to them, ‘Whence shall I (get to) eat a daily portion of lawful food that is not pernicious?’