پیش این شاهان هماره جان کنی ** بی‌خبر ایشان ز غدر و روشنی
You continually work yourself to death in the service of these (worldly) kings, (yet) they are ignorant of (the difference between) treachery and honesty.
گفت غمازی که بد گوید ترا ** ضایع آرد خدمتت را سالها
The words of a tale-bearer who speaks ill of you will cause your service (rendered) during (many) years to be wasted;
پیش شاهی که سمیعست و بصیر ** گفت غمازان نباشد جای‌گیر
(But) the words of tale-bearers do not take their abode in the presence of the King who is hearing and seeing.
جمله غمازان ازو آیس شوند ** سوی ما آیند و افزایند پند
All the tale-bearers are reduced to despair by Him: they come to us and increase (our) bondage.
بس جفا گویند شه را پیش ما ** که برو جف القلم کم کن وفا 3150
They speak much abuse of the King before us, saying, ‘Go! The Pen has dried (after writing your destiny). (Therefore) do not keep faith (with Him).’
معنی جف القلم کی آن بود ** که جفاها با وفا یکسان بود
How should the meaning of ‘the Pen has dried’ be (this), that acts of perfidy and acts of faithfulness are alike?
بل جفا را هم جفا جف القلم ** وآن وفا را هم وفا جف القلم
Nay, perfidy (in return) for acts of perfidy: the Pen has dried (on that); and faithfulness (in return) for those acts of faithfulness: the Pen has dried (on that).
عفو باشد لیک کو فر امید ** که بود بنده ز تقوی روسپید
(True), there may be pardon (for the sinner), but where (for him) is the glorious hope that through piety the servant of God may be (spiritually) illumined?
دزد را گر عفو باشد جان برد ** کی وزیر و خازن مخزن شود
If a robber be pardoned, he saves his life, (but) how should he become a vizier and keeper of the treasury?
ای امین الدین ربانی بیا ** کز امانت رست هر تاج و لوا 3155
Come, O godly Amínu’ddín, for every tiara and ensign has grown from trustworthiness (amánat).
پور سلطان گر برو خاین شود ** آن سرش از تن بدان باین شود
If the Sultan's son become a traitor to him, on that account his head will be severed from his body;
وز غلامی هندوی آرد وفا ** دولت او را می‌زند طال بقا
And if a Hindú slave show faithfulness, sovereignty will applaud him (and cry), ‘Long may he live!’
چه غلام ار بر دری سگ باوفاست ** در دل سالار او را صد رضاست
What of a slave? If a dog is faithful (in keeping watch) at a door, there are a hundred feelings of satisfaction with him in the heart of the master (of the house).
زین چو سگ را بوسه بر پوزش دهد ** گر بود شیری چه پیروزش کند
Since, because of this (faithfulness), he kisses the mouth of a dog, if he (the faithful one) be a lion, how triumphant he will make him!
جز مگر دزدی که خدمتها کند ** صدق او بیخ جفا را بر کند 3160
(Robbers get nothing but pardon), except, to be sure, the robber who performs acts of service (to God) and whose sincerity uproots his (former) perfidy,
چون فضیل ره‌زنی کو راست باخت ** زانک ده مرده به سوی توبه تاخت
Like Fudayl, the brigand who played straight, because he ran with the strength of ten men towards repentance;
وآنچنان که ساحران فرعون را ** رو سیه کردند از صبر و وفا
And as the magicians (who) blackened the face of Pharaoh by their fortitude and faithfulness.
دست و پا دادند در جرم قود ** آن به صد ساله عبادت کی شود
They gave their hands and feet (to be cut off as a penalty) for the crime that entailed retaliation: how should that (degree of faithfulness) be attained by means of a hundred years' devotional service?
تو که پنجه سال خدمت کرده‌ای ** کی چنین صدقی به دست آورده‌ای
You who have served (Him) for fifty years, when have you brought into your possession such a sincerity as this?
حکایت آن درویش کی در هری غلامان آراسته‌ی عمید خراسان را دید و بر اسبان تازی و قباهای زربفت و کلاهای مغرق و غیر آن پرسید کی اینها کدام امیرانند و چه شاهانند گفت او را کی اینها امیران نیستند اینها غلامان عمید خراسانند روی به آسمان کرد کی ای خدا غلام پروردن از عمید بیاموز آنجا مستوفی را عمید گویند
Story of the dervish who saw at Herát the well-equipped slaves of the ‘Amíd of Khurásán, mounted on Arab horses and wearing gold-embroidered coats, caps richly ornamented (with silver or gems), etc. He asked, ‘What princes and what kings are these?’ On being told that they were not princes, but the slaves of the ‘Amíd of Khurásán, he turned his face to Heaven, crying, ‘O God, learn from the ‘Amíd how to take care of slaves!’ There (in Khurásán) the State-accountant (Mustawfí) is called ‘Amíd.
آن یکی گستاخ رو اندر هری ** چون بدیدی او غلام مهتری 3165
A certain unmannerly (dervish) at Herát, when he saw a nobleman's slave
جامه‌ی اطلس کمر زرین روان ** روی کردی سوی قبله‌ی آسمان
Going about in satin raiment with a belt of gold, would turn his face to Heaven,
کای خدا زین خواجه‌ی صاحب منن ** چون نیاموزی تو بنده داشتن
And cry, ‘O God, why dost not Thou learn from this bountiful Khwája how to keep (Thy) slave?
بنده پروردن بیاموز ای خدا ** زین رئیس و اختیار شاه ما
O God, let this ra’ís (high dignitary) and chosen (minister) of our king teach Thee how to care for Thy slave.’
بود محتاج و برهنه و بی‌نوا ** در زمستان لرز لرزان از هوا
He (the dervish) was needy and naked and without food: (’twas) in winter (and) he was trembling exceedingly from the (cold) air.
انبساطی کرد آن از خود بری ** جراتی بنمود او از لمتری 3170
That man (who was) beside himself (with cold and hunger) committed an impertinence: from grossness (of disposition) he displayed an (impious) audacity.
اعتمادش بر هزاران موهبت ** که ندیم حق شد اهل معرفت
He relied on the thousands (infinite number) of (God's) gifts, saying (to himself) that the gnostic has become God's boon-companion.
گر ندیم شاه گستاخی کند ** تو مکن آنک نداری آن سند
If the king's boon-companion take a liberty, (yet) do not thou behave so, who hast not the same support.
حق میان داد و میان به از کمر ** گر کسی تاجی دهد او داد سر
God gave the waist, and the waist is better than the belt: if any one give (thee) a tiara, (yet) He gave the head (that bears it).
تا یکی روزی که شاه آن خواجه را ** متهم کرد و ببستش دست و پا
(The dervish continued his reproaches) till a certain day when the king accused the Khwája (of dishonesty) and bound him hand and foot,
آن غلامان را شکنجه می‌نمود ** که دفینه‌ی خواجه بنمایید زود 3175
(While) he put those slaves to the rack, saying, ‘Show (to me) at once the Khwája's buried treasure;
سر او با من بگویید ای خسان ** ورنه برم از شما حلق و لسان
Tell me his secret; O ye rascals, or I will cut your throats and (cut out) your tongues.’
مدت یک ماهشان تعذیب کرد ** روز و شب اشکنجه و افشار و درد
He tortured them during a (whole) month: (’twas) the rack, torment, and anguish by day and by night.
پاره پاره کردشان و یک غلام ** راز خواجه وا نگفت از اهتمام
He rent them to pieces, but from their anxiety (for their master) not one slave betrayed the Khwája's secret.
گفتش اندر خواب هاتف کای کیا ** بنده بودن هم بیاموز و بیا
A voice from Heaven said to him (the dervish) in his dream, ‘O sir, do thou also learn how to be a slave, and (then) come (to Me).’
ای دریده پوستین یوسفان ** گر بدرد گرگت آن از خویش دان 3180
O you who have torn the coats of the (spiritual) Josephs, know that it is your own fault if the wolf tear you.
زانک می‌بافی همه‌ساله بپوش ** زانک می‌کاری همه ساله بنوش
Wear, all the year round, (a garment) of that (cloth) which you are weaving; eat and drink, all the year round, of that (crop) which you are sowing.
فعل تست این غصه‌های دم به دم ** این بود معنی قد جف القلم
These continual pangs (which you are suffering) are (the effect of) your own action: this is the meaning of ‘the Pen has dried,’
که نگردد سنت ما از رشد ** نیک را نیکی بود بد راست بد
(Namely, that God says), ‘My Law (Sunna) does not turn aside from rectitude: good shall befall the good, evil the evil.’
کار کن هین که سلیمان زنده است ** تا تو دیوی تیغ او برنده است
Beware, do (good) works, for Solomon is alive: so long as you are a devil, his sword is cutting;
چون فرشته گشته از تیغ آمنیست ** از سلیمان هیچ او را خوف نیست 3185
When he (the devil) becomes an angel, he is safe from the sword and has no dread of Solomon.
حکم او بر دیو باشد نه ملک ** رنج در خاکست نه فوق فلک
His (Solomon's) sway is over the devil, not (over) the angel: pain is on the earth, not above the sky.
ترک کن این جبر را که بس تهیست ** تا بدانی سر سر جبر چیست
Abandon this Necessitarianism, which is very empty (of good), in order that you may know what is the inmost secret of Necessity.
ترک کن این جبر جمع منبلان ** تا خبر یابی از آن جبر چو جان
Abandon this Necessitarianism of the idle party, in order that you may gain knowledge of the Necessity that is (dear) as the soul.
ترک معشوقی کن و کن عاشقی ** ای گمان برده که خوب و فایقی
Abandon the state of being loved (by men) and adopt the practice of loving (God), O you who think that you are excellent and pre-eminent.
ای که در معنی ز شب خامش‌تری ** گفت خود را چند جویی مشتری 3190
O you who really are more silent than Night, how long will you seek a purchaser for your words?
سر بجنبانند پیشت بهر تو ** رفت در سودای ایشان دهر تو
They (your hearers) nod their heads in your presence for (the purpose of assenting to) you: your time is wasted in the passionate desire of (attracting) them.
تو مرا گویی حسد اندر مپیچ ** چه حسد آرد کسی از فوت هیچ
You say to me, ‘Don't indulge in envy,’ (but) how should any one feel envy in consequence of losing naught?
هست تعلیم خسان ای چشم‌شوخ ** هم‌چو نقش خرد کردن بر کلوخ
O impudent man, instruction given to the worthless is like drawing a little design on a clod of earth.
خویش را تعلیم کن عشق و نظر ** که آن بود چون نقش فی جرم الحجر
Instruct thyself in love (of God) and (spiritual) insight; for that is like a design (engraved) on a solid mass of stone.
نفس تو با تست شاگرد وفا ** غیر فانی شد کجا جویی کجا 3195
Your own self is the (only) pupil that is (really) faithful to you: (all) the others perish: where will you seek them, where?