که چه باز آورد افسانه‌ی کهن ** کز گزاف و لاف می‌بافد سخن
Saying, ‘What has the falcon brought? An old story. He is weaving words of vanity and idle brag.’
کهنه ایشانند و پوسیده‌ی ابد ** ورنه آن دم کهنه را نو می‌کند
(’Tis) they (that) are old and rotten unto everlasting; otherwise (they would know that) that breath (of prophetic inspiration) makes the old new.
مردگان کهنه را جان می‌دهد ** تاج عقل و نور ایمان می‌دهد
It gives life to the old dead (spirits): it gives the crown of reason and the light of faith.
دل مدزد از دلربای روح‌بخش ** که سوارت می‌کند بر پشت رخش 1160
Do not steal thy heart away from the spirit-bestowing heart-ravisher, for he will mount thee on the back of Rakhsh.
سر مدزد از سر فراز تاج‌ده ** کو ز پای دل گشاید صد گره
Do not steal thy head away from the crown-giving one whose head is exalted, for he will untie a hundred knots from the foot of thy heart.
با کی گویم در همه ده زنده کو ** سوی آب زندگی پوینده کو
Whom shall I tell? Where in the village is any (spiritually) living one? Where is any one that runs towards the Water of Life?
تو به یک خواری گریزانی ز عشق ** تو به جز نامی چه می‌دانی ز عشق
Thou art fleeing from Love because of a single humiliation: what dost thou know of Love except the name?
عشق را صد ناز و استکبار هست ** عشق با صد ناز می‌آید به دست
Love hath a hundred disdains and prides: Love is gained by means of a hundred blandishments.
عشق چون وافیست وافی می‌خرد ** در حریف بی‌وفا می‌ننگرد 1165
Since Love is loyal, it purchases (desires) him that is loyal: it does not look at a disloyal comrade.
چون درختست آدمی و بیخ عهد ** بیخ را تیمار می‌باید به جهد
Man resembles a tree, and the root is the covenant (with God): the root must be cherished with all one's might.
عهد فاسد بیخ پوسیده بود ** وز ثمار و لطف ببریده بود
A corrupt (infirm) covenant is a rotten root and is cut off (deprived) of fruit and grace.
شاخ و برگ نخل گر چه سبز بود ** با فساد بیخ سبزی نیست سود
Although the boughs and leaves of the date-palm are green, greenness is no benefit (when conjoined) with corruption of the root;
ور ندارد برگ سبز و بیخ هست ** عاقبت بیرون کند صد برگ دست
And if it (the bough) have no green leaves, while it hath a (good) root, at the last a hundred leaves will put forth their hands.
تو مشو غره به علمش عهد جو ** علم چون قشرست و عهدش مغز او 1170
Be not duped by his (the learned man's) knowledge; seek (to know whether he keeps) the covenant: knowledge is like a husk, and his covenant is its kernel.
در بیان آنک مرد بدکار چون متمکن شود در بدکاری و اثر دولت نیکوکاران ببیند شیطان شود و مانع خیر گردد از حسد هم‌چون شیطان کی خرمن سوخته همه را خرمن سوخته خواهد ارایت الذی ینهی عبدا اذا صلی
Explaining that when the evil-doer becomes settled in evil-doing and sees the effect of the (spiritual) fortune of the doers of righteousness, he from envy becomes a devil and preventer of good, like Satan; for he whose stack is burnt desires that all (others) should have their stacks burnt: ‘hast thou seen him who forbids a servant (of God) when he performs the (ritual) prayer?’
وافیان را چون ببینی کرده سود ** تو چو شیطانی شوی آنجا حسود
When you see that the loyal have profited, thereat you become envious, like a devil.
هرکرا باشد مزاج و طبع سست ** او نخواهد هیچ کس را تن‌درست
Whenever a man's temperament and constitution is feeble, he does not wish any one to be sound in body.
گر نخواهی رشک ابلیسی بیا ** از در دعوی به درگاه وفا
If you dislike (to have) the jealousy of Iblís, come (away) from the door of pretension (and advance) to the portal of loyalty.
چون وفاات نیست باری دم مزن ** که سخن دعویست اغلب ما و من
When thou hast not loyalty, at least do not talk (presumptuously), for words are for the most part self-assertion—‘we’ and ‘I.’
این سخن در سینه دخل مغزهاست ** در خموشی مغز جان را صد نماست 1175
These words, (whilst they stay) in the breast, are an income consisting of (spiritual) kernels: in silence the spiritual kernel grows a hundredfold.
چون بیامد در زبان شد خرج مغز ** خرج کم کن تا بماند مغز نغز
When it (the word) comes on to the tongue, the kernel is expended: refrain from expending, in order that the goodly kernel may remain (with you).
مرد کم گوینده را فکرست زفت ** قشر گفتن چون فزون شد مغز رفت
The man who speaks little hath strong thoughts: when the husk, namely speech, becomes excessive, the kernel goes.
پوست افزون بود لاغر بود مغز ** پوست لاغر شد چو کامل گشت و نغز
(When) the rind is excessive, the kernel is thin: the rind becomes thin when it (the kernel) becomes perfect and goodly.
بنگر این هر سه ز خامی رسته را ** جوز را و لوز را و پسته را
Look at these three (fruits) when they have passed beyond immaturity: the walnut and the almond and the pistachio.
هر که او عصیان کند شیطان شود ** که حسود دولت نیکان شود 1180
Whoever disobeys (God) becomes a devil, for he becomes envious of the fortune of the righteous.
چونک در عهد خدا کردی وفا ** از کرم عهدت نگه دارد خدا
When you have acted loyally in (keeping) your covenant with God, God will graciously keep His covenant with you.
از وفای حق تو بسته دیده‌ای ** اذکروا اذکرکم نشنیده‌ای
You have shut your eyes to keeping faith with God, you have not hearkened to (the words) remember Me, I will remember you.
گوش نه اوفوا به عهدی گوش‌دار ** تا که اوفی عهدکم آید ز یار
Give ear, listen to (the words) keep My covenant, in order that (the words) I will keep your covenant may come from the Friend.
عهد و قرض ما چه باشد ای حزین ** هم‌چو دانه‌ی خشک کشتن در زمین
What is our covenant and loan, O sorrowful one? (It is) like sowing a dry seed in the earth.
نه زمین را زان فروغ و لمتری ** نه خداوند زمین را توانگری 1185
From that (sowing) neither do glory and grandeur accrue to the earth, nor riches to the owner of the earth.
جز اشارت که ازین می‌بایدم ** که تو دادی اصل این را از عدم
(’Tis nothing) except an indication, as though to say, ‘I need this kind (of produce), the origin whereof Thou didst create from non-existence.
خوردم و دانه بیاوردم نشان ** که ازین نعمت به سوی ما کشان
I ate, and (now) I bring the seed as a token, begging Thee to send to us such bounty (as before).’
پس دعای خشک هل ای نیک‌بخت ** که فشاند دانه می‌خواهد درخت
Abandon, then, the dry (verbal) prayer, O fortunate one; for the tree demands (presupposes) the scattering of seed.
گر نداری دانه ایزد زان دعا ** بخشدت نخلی که نعم ما سعی
(But) if you have no seed, on account of that prayer God will bestow on you a palm-tree, saying, ‘How well did he labour!’
هم‌چو مریم درد بودش دانه نی ** سبز کرد آن نخل را صاحب‌فنی 1190
Like Mary: she had (heartfelt) pain, but no seed: an artful One made green that (withered) palm-tree (for her sake).
زانک وافی بود آن خاتون راد ** بی‌مرادش داد یزدان صد مراد
Because that noble Lady was loyal (to God), God gave unto her a hundred desires without desire on her part.
آن جماعت را که وافی بوده‌اند ** بر همه اصنافشان افزوده‌اند
The company who have been loyal are given superiority over all (other) sorts (of men).
گشت دریاها مسخرشان و کوه ** چار عنصر نیز بنده‌ی آن گروه
Seas and mountains are made subject to them; the four elements also are the slaves of that class.
این خود اکرامیست از بهر نشان ** تا ببینند اهل انکار آن عیان
This (miraculous power) is only a favour (conferred on them) for a sign, to the end that the disbelievers may see it plainly.
آن کرامتهای پنهانشان که آن ** در نیاید در حواس و در بیان 1195
Those hidden graces of theirs, which come not into (the perception of) the senses or into description—
کار آن دارد خود آن باشد ابد ** دایما نه منقطع نه مسترد
Those are the (real) matter: those are enduring for ever, they are neither cut off nor reclaimed.
مناجات
Prayer.
ای دهنده‌ی قوت و تمکین و ثبات ** خلق را زین بی‌ثباتی ده نجات
O Giver of (spiritual) nutriment and steadfastness and stability, give Thy creatures deliverance from this instability.
اندر آن کاری که ثابت بودنیست ** قایمی ده نفس را که منثنیست
Grant unto the soul—for it is bent (crooked)—to stand upright (to persevere with rectitude) in the work wherein it ought to be stable.
صبرشان بخش و کفه‌ی میزان گران ** وا رهانشان از فن صورتگران
Bestow patience upon them and heavy balance-scales: deliver them from the guile of impostors;
وز حسودی بازشان خر ای کریم ** تا نباشند از حسد دیو رجیم 1200
And redeem them from envy, O Gracious One, lest from envy they be devils accursed.
در نعیم فانی مال و جسد ** چون همی‌سوزند عامه از حسد
How do the vulgar burn with envy for the fleeting happiness of riches and (pleasures of) the body!
پادشاهان بین که لشکر می‌کشند ** از حسد خویشان خود را می‌کشند
Behold the kings, how they lead armies (to battle) and slay their own kinsmen because of envy.
عاشقان لعبتان پر قذر ** کرده قصد خون و جان همدگر
The lovers of filthy dolls (darlings) have sought each other's blood and life.
ویس و رامین خسرو و شیرین بخوان ** که چه کردند از حسد آن ابلهان
Read Wís and Rámín and Khusraw and Shírín: (you will see) what those fools did because of envy.
که فنا شد عاشق و معشوق نیز ** هم نه چیزند و هواشان هم نه چیز 1205
(You will see) that the lover perished and the beloved too: they are naught and their passion also is naught.
پاک الهی که عدم بر هم زند ** مر عدم را بر عدم عاشق کند
Holy is the God who brings non-existence into collision with itself and makes non-existence to be in love with non-existence.