پیش چه بود یاد مرگ و نزع خویش ** پس چه باشد مردن یاران ز پیش
What is (meant by looking) forward? To think of thy own death and last agony. What is (meant by looking) backward? (To remember) the predecease of thy friends.
نه ترا بر ظلم توبه‌ی پر خروش ** ای دغا گندم‌نمای جوفروش 1830
Thou hast (in thy record) no wailful penitence for thy injustice, O rogue who showest wheat and sellest barley.
چون ترازوی تو کژ بود و دغا ** راست چون جویی ترازوی جزا
Since thy scales were wrong and false, how shouldst thou require the scales of thy retribution to be right?
چونک پای چپ بدی در غدر و کاست ** نامه چون آید ترا در دست راست
Since thou wert a left foot (wert going to the left) in fraud and dishonesty, how should the scroll come into thy right hand?
چون جزا سایه‌ست ای قد تو خم ** سایه‌ی تو کژ فتد در پیش هم
Since retribution is (like) the shadow, accordingly thy shadow, O man of bent figure, falls crookedly before thee.’”
زین قبل آید خطابات درشت ** که شود که را از آن هم کوز پشت
(To him) from this quarter (Heaven) come (such) harsh words of rebuke that even the back of a mountain would be bowed by them.
بنده گوید آنچ فرمودی بیان ** صد چنانم صد چنانم صد چنان 1835
The servant (of God) answers: “I am a hundred, hundred, hundred times as much as that which Thou hast declared.
خود تو پوشیدی بترها را به حلم ** ورنه می‌دانی فضیحتها به علم
Verily, in Thy forbearance Thou hast thrown a veil over worse things (than those mentioned); otherwise (Thou mightst have declared them, for) Thou knowest with Thy knowledge (all my) shameful deeds;
لیک بیرون از جهاد و فعل خویش ** از ورای خیر و شر و کفر و کیش
But, outside of my own exertion and action, beyond good and evil and religion and infidelity,
وز نیاز عاجزانه‌ی خویشتن ** وز خیال و وهم من یا صد چو من
And beyond my feeble supplication and the fancy and imagination of myself or a hundred like me,
بودم اومیدی به محض لطف تو ** از ورای راست باشی یا عتو
Beyond living righteously or behaving disobediently—I had a (great) hope in Thy pure lovingkindness.
I had hope in the pure bounty (flowing) from Thy spontaneous loving kindness, O Gracious Disinterested One.
رو سپس کردم بدان محض کرم ** سوی فعل خویشتن می‌ننگرم
I turn my face back to that pure grace: I am not looking towards my own actions.
سوی آن اومید کردم روی خویش ** که وجودم داده‌ای از پیش بیش
I turn my face towards that hope, for Thou hast given me existence older than of old.
خلعت هستی بدادی رایگان ** من همیشه معتمد بودم بر آن
Thou gavest (me) existence, free of cost, as a robe of honour: I have always relied upon that (generosity).”
چون شمارد جرم خود را و خطا ** محض بخشایش در آید در عطا
When he recounts his sins and trespasses, the Pure Bounty begins to show munificence,
کای ملایک باز آریدش به ما ** که بدستش چشم دل سوی رجا 1845
Saying, “O angels, bring him back to Us, for his inward eye has (ever) been (turned) towards hope.
لاابالی وار آزادش کنیم ** وآن خطاها را همه خط بر زنیم
Like one who recks of naught, We will set him free and cancel all his trespasses.
لا ابالی مر کسی را شد مباح ** کش زیان نبود ز غدر و از صلاح
(To say) ‘I reck not’ is permitted to that One (alone) who loses nothing by perfidy and (gains nothing) by probity.
آتشی خوش بر فروزیم از کرم ** تا نماند جرم و زلت بیش و کم
We will kindle up a goodly fire of grace, in order that no sin and fault, great or small, may endure—
آتشی کز شعله‌اش کمتر شرار ** می‌بسوزد جرم و جبر و اختیار
Such a fire that the least spark of the flame thereof is consuming (all) sin and necessity and free-will.
شعله در بنگاه انسانی زنیم ** خار را گلزار روحانی کنیم 1850
We will set fire to the tenement of Man and make the thorns (in it) a spiritual garden of roses.
ما فرستادیم از چرخ نهم ** کیمیا یصلح لکم اعمالکم
We have sent from the Ninth Sphere (the highest Heaven) the elixir (namely), He will rectify for you your actions.”
خود چه باشد پیش نور مستقر ** کر و فر اختیار بوالبشر
What in sooth is Adam's (Man's) sovereignty and power of choice beside the Light of the Everlasting Abode?
گوشت‌پاره آلت گویای او ** پیه‌پاره منظر بینای او
His speaking organ is a piece of flesh; the seat of his vision is a piece of fat;
مسمع او آن دو پاره استخوان ** مدرکش دو قطره خون یعنی جنان
The seat of his hearing consists of two pieces of bone; the seat of his (intellectual) perception is two drops of blood, that is to say, the heart.
کرمکی و از قذر آکنده‌ای ** طمطراقی در جهان افکنده‌ای 1855
Thou art a little worm and art stuffed with filth; (yet) thou hast made a (great) display of pomp in the world.
از منی بودی منی را واگذار ** ای ایاز آن پوستین را یاد دار
Thou wert (originally composed) of seed: relinquish egoism! O Ayáz, keep in mind that sheepskin jacket!
قصه‌ی ایاز و حجره داشتن او جهت چارق و پوستین و گمان آمدن خواجه تاشانس را کی او را در آن حجره دفینه است به سبب محکمی در و گرانی قفل
The Story of Ayáz and his having a chamber for his rustic shoon and sheepskin jacket; and how his fellow-servants thought he had a buried treasure in that room, because the door was so strong and the lock so heavy.
آن ایاز از زیرکی انگیخته ** پوستین و چارقش آویخته
Impelled by sagacity, Ayáz hung up his sheepskin jacket and rustic shoon.
می‌رود هر روز در حجره‌ی خلا ** چارقت اینست منگر درعلا
Every day he would go into the private chamber, (saying to himself), “These are thy shoon: do not regard thy (present) eminence.”
شاه را گفتند او را حجره‌ایست ** اندر آنجا زر و سیم و خمره‌ایست
They (his rivals) said to the King (Mahmúd), “He has a chamber, and in it there is gold and silver and a jar (of treasure).
راه می‌ندهد کسی را اندرو ** بسته می‌دارد همیشه آن در او 1860
He admits no one into it: he always keeps the door locked.”
شاه فرمود ای عجب آن بنده را ** چیست خود پنهان و پوشیده ز ما
The King said, “Oh, I wonder what in sooth that servant (of mine) has that is hidden and concealed from me.”
پس اشارت کرد میری را که رو ** نیم‌شب بگشای و اندر حجره شو
Then he gave orders to a certain Amír, saying, “Go at midnight and open (the door) and enter the room.
هر چه یابی مر ترا یغماش کن ** سر او را بر ندیمان فاش کن
Whatever you find is yours: plunder him, expose his secret to the courtiers.
با چنین اکرام و لطف بی‌عدد ** از لیمی سیم و زر پنهان کند
Notwithstanding such innumerable kindnesses and favours (as I have bestowed upon him), does he meanly hide silver and gold (from me)?
می‌نماید او وفا و عشق و جوش ** وانگه او گندم‌نمای جوفروش 1865
He professes loyalty and love and enthusiasm—and then (after all) he is one who shows wheat and sells barley!
هر که اندر عشق یابد زندگی ** کفر باشد پیش او جز بندگی
To any one who finds life in love, aught but (devoted) service would seem infidelity.”
نیم‌شب آن میر با سی معتمد ** در گشاد حجره‌ی او رای زد
At midnight the Amír with thirty trusted (officers) set out to open his chamber,
مشعله بر کرده چندین پهلوان ** جانب حجره روانه شادمان
And all these valiant men, carrying torches, moved joyfully in that direction,
که امر سلطانست بر حجره زنیم ** هر یکی همیان زر در کش کنیم
Saying, “’Tis the Sultan's command: let us raid the room and each of us pocket a purse of gold.”
آن یکی می‌گفت هی چه جای زر ** از عقیق و لعل گوی و از گهر 1870
“Hey!” cried one of them, “why trouble about gold?” Talk (rather) of cornelians and rubies and (all sorts of) jewels.
خاص خاص مخزن سلطان ویست ** بلک اکنون شاه را خود جان ویست
He is the most privileged (keeper) of the Sultan's treasury: nay, he is now (as dear) to the King (as) life itself.”
چه محل دارد به پیش این عشیق ** لعل و یاقوت و زمرد یا عقیق
What worth should rubies and corundums and emeralds or cornelians possess in the eyes of this man (so) beloved (of the King)?
شاه را بر وی نبودی بد گمان ** تسخری می‌کرد بهر امتحان
The King had no evil thoughts of him: he was (only) making a mock (of the courtiers) by way of trial.
پاک می‌دانستش از هر غش و غل ** باز از وهمش همی‌لرزید دل
He knew him to be free from all deceitfulness and guile; (yet) again his heart was shaken with misgiving,
که مبادا کین بود خسته شود ** من نخواهم که برو خجلت رود 1875
Lest this (charge) might be (true) and he (Ayáz) should be wounded (in his feelings). “I do not wish,” (he said), “that shame should come over him.
این نکردست او و گر کرد او رواست ** هر چه خواهد گو بکن محبوب ماست
He has not done this thing; and if he has, ’tis right: let him do whatever he will, (for) he is my beloved.
هر چه محبوبم کند من کرده‌ام ** او منم من او چه گر در پرده‌ام
Whatever my beloved may do, ’tis I have done (it). I am he, he is I: what (matter) though I am (hidden from view) in the veil?”
باز گفتی دور از آن خو و خصال ** این چنین تخلیط ژاژست و خیال
Again he would say, “He is far removed from this disposition and (these bad) qualities: such wild accusations (on their part) are (mere) drivel and fancy.