در تو نوری کی درآمد ای غوی ** تا تو بیهوشی و ظلمت‌جو شوی
When did any (spiritual) light enter into you, O misguided man, that you should become a seeker of unconsciousness and darkness?
سایه در روزست جستن قاعده ** در شب ابری تو سایه‌جو شده
’Tis the (approved) rule to seek the shadow during the day; (but) you seek the shadow on a cloudy night.
گر حلال آمد پی قوت عوام ** طالبان دوست را آمد حرام
If it (wine) is lawful as sustenance for the common folk, (yet) it is unlawful to those who seek the Beloved.
عاشقان را باده خون دل بود ** چشمشان بر راه و بر منزل بود 3485
The wine for the lovers (of God) is their heart's blood: their eyes are (fixed) upon the Way and upon the Destination.
در چنین راه بیابان مخوف ** این قلاوز خرد با صد کسوف
In this Way across the terrible wilderness the guide, Reason, suffers a hundred eclipses.
خاک در چشم قلاوزان زنی ** کاروان را هالک و گمره کنی
(If) you throw dust in the eyes of the guides, you will cause the caravan to perish and lose the way.
نان جو حقا حرامست و فسوس ** نفس را در پیش نه نان سبوس
In sooth, barley bread is unlawful and injurious to the carnal soul: set (only) bread made of bran before it.
دشمن راه خدا را خوار دار ** دزد را منبر منه بر دار دار
Keep in abject submission the enemy on the Way to God: do not place a pulpit for the robber, (but) keep him on the gibbet.
دزد را تو دست ببریدن پسند ** از بریدن عاجزی دستش ببند 3490
Deem the amputation of the robber's hand desirable: if you are unable to cut his hand off, bind it.
گر نبندی دست او دست تو بست ** گر تو پایش نشکنی پایت شکست
Unless you bind his hand, he will bind yours; unless you break his leg, he will break yours.
تو عدو را می دهی و نی‌شکر ** بهر چه گو زهر خند و خاک خور
You give the enemy wine and sugar-cane—for what reason? Bid him laugh venomously and eat earth.”
زد ز غیرت بر سبو سنگ و شکست ** او سبو انداخت و از زاهد بجست
In his indignation he (the ascetic) hurled a stone at the jug and broke it: he (the slave) let the jug fall and sprang away from the ascetic.
رفت پیش میر و گفتش باده کو ** ماجرا را گفت یک یک پیش او
He went to the Amír, who said to him, “Where is the wine?” He (the slave) related in his presence all that had happened, point by point.
رفتن امیر خشم‌آلود برای گوشمال زاهد
How the enraged Amír set out to punish the ascetic.
میر چون آتش شد و برجست راست ** گفت بنما خانه‌ی زاهد کجاست 3495
The Amír became like fire and jumped straight up. “Show me,” he cried, “where the ascetic's house is,
تا بدین گرز گران کوبم سرش ** آن سر بی‌دانش مادرغرش
That I may pound his head with this heavy club—his ignorant whoreson head.
او چه داند امر معروف از سگی ** طالب معروفی است و شهرگی
What should he know about enjoining (others) to do right? He is currishly seeking notoriety and fame,
تا بدین سالوس خود را جا کند ** تا به چیزی خویشتن پیدا کند
In order that by means of this hypocrisy he may make a position for himself and somehow make himself conspicuous;
کو ندارد خود هنر الا همان ** که تسلس می‌کند با این و آن
For in truth he has no talent save this alone, that he plays the hypocrite to all and sundry.
او اگر دیوانه است و فتنه‌کاو ** داروی دیوانه باشد کیر گاو 3500
If he is mad and bent on mischief, the cure for a madman is an ox-hide whip, [If he is mad and bent on mischief, the cure for a madman is a whip (made from) an ox’s penis,]
تا که شیطان از سرش بیرون رود ** بی‌لت خربندگان خر چون رود
So that the devil may go forth from his head: how should an ass go (forward) without the ass-drivers' blows?”
The Amír dashed out, with a mace in his hand: at midnight he came, half intoxicated, to the ascetic.
خواست کشتن مرد زاهد را ز خشم ** مرد زاهد گشت پنهان زیر پشم
In his rage he wished to kill the ascetic, (but) the ascetic hid beneath (some) wool.
مرد زاهد می‌شنید از میر آن ** زیر پشم آن رسن‌تابان نهان
The ascetic, hidden under the wool belonging to certain rope-makers, heard that (threat) from the Amír.
گفت در رو گفتن زشتی مرد ** آینه تاند که رو را سخت کرد 3505
He said (to himself), “(Only) the mirror that has made its face hard can tell a man to his face that he is ugly.
روی باید آینه‌وار آهنین ** تات گوید روی زشت خود ببین
It needs a steel face, like a mirror, to say to thee, ‘Behold thy ugly face.’”
حکایت مات کردن دلقک سید شاه ترمد را
Story of Dalqak's checkmating the Sayyid, the Sháh of Tirmid.
شاه با دلقک همی شطرنج باخت ** مات کردش زود خشم شه بتاخت
The Sháh was playing chess with Dalqak: he (Dalqak) checkmated him: immediately the Sháh's anger burst out.
گفت شه شه و آن شه کبرآورش ** یک یک از شطرنج می‌زد بر سرش
He (Dalqak) cried, “Checkmate, checkmate!” and the haughty monarch threw the chessmen, one by one, at his head,
که بگیر اینک شهت ای قلتبان ** صبر کرد آن دلقک و گفت الامان
Saying, “Take (it)! Here is ‘checkmate’ for you, O scoundrel.” Dalqak restrained himself and (only) said, “Mercy!”
دست دیگر باختن فرمود میر ** او چنان لرزان که عور از زمهریر 3510
The Prince commanded him to play a second game: he (Dalqak) was trembling like a naked man in bitter cold.
باخت دست دیگر و شه مات شد ** وقت شه شه گفتن و میقات شد
He played the second game, and the Sháh was defeated: (when) the time and moment for saying “checkmate, checkmate” arrived,
بر جهید آن دلقک و در کنج رفت ** شش نمد بر خود فکند از بیم تفت
Dalqak jumped up and ran into a corner and in his fear hastily flung six rugs over himself.
زیر بالشها و زیر شش نمد ** خفت پنهان تا ز زخم شه رهد
(There) he lay hidden beneath (several) cushions and six rugs, that he might escape from the Sháh's blows.
گفت شه هی هی چه کردی چیست این ** گفت شه شه شه شه ای شاه گزین
The Sháh exclaimed, “Hi, hi! what have you done? What is this?” He replied, “Checkmate, checkmate, checkmate, checkmate, O excellent Sháh!
کی توان حق گفت جز زیر لحاف ** با تو ای خشم‌آور آتش‌سجاف 3515
How can one tell the truth to thee except under cover, O wrathful man who art wrapped in fire,
ای تو مات و من ز زخم شاه مات ** می‌زنم شه شه به زیر رختهات
O thou who art defeated (by me), while I, defeated by thy Majesty's blows, am crying ‘checkmate, checkmate’ under thy house-furnishings?”
چون محله پر شد از هیهای میر ** وز لگد بر در زدن وز دار و گیر
When the (whole) quarter became filled with the furious shouts of the Amír and his kicking the (ascetic's) door and holding and seizing,
خلق بیرون جست زود از چپ و راست ** کای مقدم وقت عفوست و رضاست
The people quickly rushed out from left and right, crying, “O Prince, ’tis the hour for pardon and grace.
مغز او خشکست و عقلش این زمان ** کمترست از عقل و فهم کودکان
His brain is dry, and at this time his intelligence is inferior to the intelligence and understanding of children.
زهد و پیری ضعف بر ضعف آمده ** واندر آن زهدش گشادی ناشده 3520
Asceticism and old age have come on the top of each other, and no (spiritual) revelation has been given to him in his asceticism.
رنج دیده گنج نادیده ز یار ** کارها کرده ندیده مزد کار
He has suffered the pain but never seen the gain (that comes) from the Beloved: he has done (many) works (of devotion) but never seen the wages for his work.
یا نبود آن کار او را خود گهر ** یا نیامد وقت پاداش از قدر
Either the essential thing was not in his work at all, or by (Divine) decree the hour for the reward has not yet arrived.
یا که بود آن سعی چون سعی جهود ** یا جزا وابسته‌ی میقات بود
Either his labour has been like the labour of the Jews, or the recompense has been connected with (deferred till) the appointed season.
مر ورا درد و مصیبت این بس است ** که درین وادی پر خون بی‌کس است
For him ’tis sorrow and misfortune enough that he is without any one (to succour him) in this vale full of blood.
چشم پر درد و نشسته او به کنج ** رو ترش کرده فرو افکنده لنج 3525
His eyes are painful, and he sits in a corner, sour-faced and chop-fallen.
نه یکی کحال کو را غم خورد ** نیش عقلی که به کحلی پی برد
There is no oculist to sympathise with him, nor has he any intelligence that he should find the way to a collyrium.
اجتهادی می‌کند با حزر و ظن ** کار در بوکست تا نیکو شدن
He is making a (great) effort with (the help of) conjecture and opinion: the matter rests in ‘maybe’ till it turn out well.
زان رهش دورست تا دیدار دوست ** کو نجوید سر رئیسیش آرزوست
Far is the road he must travel ere he sees the Beloved, because he does not seek the head; his desire is headship.
ساعتی او با خدا اندر عتاب ** که نصیبم رنج آمد زین حساب
At one time he is (engaged) in reproach, saying (to God), ‘The portion allotted to me from this calculation (of mine) is (nothing but) pain.’
ساعتی با بخت خود اندر جدال ** که همه پران و ما ببریده بال 3530
At another time he is (engaged) in a quarrel with his own luck, saying, ‘All (the others) are flying, and we have our wings cut off.’”
هر که محبوس است اندر بو و رنگ ** گرچه در زهدست باشد خوش تنگ
Whoever is imprisoned in scent and colour, his spirit is oppressed, (even) though he is (occupied) in (the practice of) asceticism.