از جماد بی‌خبر سوی نما ** وز نما سوی حیات و ابتلا 800
From inanimateness (thou didst move) unconsciously towards (vegetal) growth, and from (vegetal) growth towards (animal) life and tribulation;
باز سوی عقل و تمییزات خوش ** باز سوی خارج این پنج و شش
Again, towards reason and goodly discernments; again, towards (what lies) outside of these five (senses) and six (directions).
تا لب بحر این نشان پایهاست ** پس نشان پا درون بحر لاست
These footprints are (extend) as far as the shore of the Ocean; then the footprints disappear in the Ocean;
زانک منزلهای خشکی ز احتیاط ** هست دهها و وطنها و رباط
Because, from (Divine) precaution, the resting-places (appointed for the traveller) on the dry land are (like) villages and dwellings and caravanserays,
باز منزلهای دریا در وقوف ** وقت موج و حبس بی‌عرصه و سقوف
(While) on the contrary the resting-places of the Ocean, when its billows swell, have no floor or roof (to shelter the traveller) during (his) stay and detention.
نیست پیدا آن مراحل را سنام ** نه نشانست آن منازل را نه نام 805
These (Oceanic) stages have no visible beacon: these resting-places have neither sign nor name.
هست صد چندان میان منزلین ** آن طرف که از نما تا روح عین
Between every two resting-places Yonder there is (a distance) a hundred times as much as from the vegetal state to the Essential Spirit.
در فناها این بقاها دیده‌ای ** بر بقای جسم چون چفسیده‌ای
Thou hast seen this life (to be implicit) in (previous) deaths: how, (then), art thou (so) attached to the life of the body?
هین بده ای زاغ این جان باز باش ** پیش تبدیل خدا جانباز باش
Come, O crow, give up this (animal) soul! Be a falcon, be self-sacrificing in the presence of the Divine transmutation.
تازه می‌گیر و کهن را می‌سپار ** که هر امسالت فزونست از سه پار
Take the new and surrender the old, for every “this year” of thine is superior to three “last years.”
گر نباشی نخل‌وار ایثار کن ** کهنه بر کهنه نه و انبار کن 810
If thou wilt not be lavish (of thyself) like the date-palm, (then) pile old rags on old rags and make a heap,
کهنه و گندیده و پوسیده را ** تحفه می‌بر بهر هر نادیده را
And offer the stinking and rotten old rags to every blind man.
آنک نو دید او خریدار تو نیست ** صید حقست او گرفتار تو نیست
He that hath seen the new is not thy customer: he is God's prey, he is not thy captive.
هر کجا باشند جوق مرغ کور ** بر تو جمع آیند ای سیلاب شور
(But) wherever is a flock of blind birds, they will gather around thee, O brackish flood-water,
تا فزاید کوری از شورابها ** زانک آب شور افزاید عمی
That (their) blindness may be increased by (thy) brackish waters; for brackish water increases blindness.
اهل دنیا زان سبب اعمی‌دل‌اند ** شارب شورابه‌ی آب و گل‌اند 815
Hence the worldly are blind of heart: they are drinkers of the brackish water of clay.
شور می‌ده کور می‌خر در جهان ** چون نداری آب حیوان در نهان
Continue to give brackish water and buy (the favour of) the blind in the world, since thou hast not the Water of Life within thee.
با چنین حالت بقا خواهی و یاد ** هم‌چو زنگی در سیه‌رویی تو شاد
In such a (despicable) state (as has been described) thou wouldst fain live and be remembered: in blackness of face (shame and opprobrium), like a negro, thou art rejoicing.
در سیاهی زنگی زان آسوده است ** کو ز زاد و اصل زنگی بوده است
The negro in (his) blackness is pleased (with himself), for he has (always) been a negro by birth and nature;
آنک روزی شاهد و خوش‌رو بود ** گر سیه‌گردد تدارک‌جو بود
(But) he that (even) for a day is beloved and beautiful, if he become black, will seek to repair (the misfortune).
مرغ پرنده چو ماند در زمین ** باشد اندر غصه و درد و حنین 820
When the bird that can fly remains (helpless) on the earth, it is in anguish and grief and lamentation;
مرغ خانه بر زمین خوش می‌رود ** دانه‌چین و شاد و شاطر می‌دود
(But) the domestic fowl walks complacently on the earth: it runs about picking grain and happy and bold,
زآنک او از اصل بی‌پرواز بود ** وآن دگر پرنده و پرواز بود
Because by nature it was (always) without (the power of) flight, while the other (bird) was (naturally) a flier and open-winged.
قال النبی علیه‌السلام ارحموا ثلاثا عزیز قوم ذل و غنی قوم افتقر و عالما یلعب به الجهال
The Prophet, on whom be peace, said, “Pity three (classes of men): the mighty man of a people who is abased, and the rich man of a people who is impoverished, and a learned man whom the ignorant make sport of.”
گفت پیغامبر که رحم آرید بر ** جان من کان غنیا فافتقر
The Prophet said, “Take pity on the soul of him who was rich and then became poor,
والذی کان عزیزا فاحتقر ** او صفیا عالما بین المضر
And on him who was mighty and became despised, or on one (who is) virtuous and learned (dwelling) amongst the (people of) Mudar.”
گفت پیغامبر که با این سه گروه ** رحم آرید ار ز سنگید و ز کوه 825
The Prophet said, “Show pity to these three classes (of men), (even) if ye are of (the hardness of) rock and mountain:
آنک او بعد از رئیسی خوار شد ** وآن توانگر هم که بی‌دینار شد
(Namely), him who was made lowly after having been a chief, and the rich man, too, who became impecunious,
وآن سوم آن عالمی که اندر جهان ** مبتلی گردد میان ابلهان
And, thirdly, the learned man who in this world becomes afflicted (by living amongst) the foolish;
زانک از عزت به خواری آمدن ** هم‌چو قطع عضو باشد از بدن
For to come (fall) from high to low estate is like the amputation of a limb from the body.”
عضو گردد مرده کز تن وا برید ** نو بریده جنبد اما نی مدید
The limb that is cut off from the body becomes dead: (when) newly cut off, it moves, but not for long.
هر که از جام الست او خورد پار ** هستش امسال آفت رنج و خمار 830
(Similarly) he who drank of the cup of Alast last year, this year he suffers the pain and headache (in consequence of having drunk),
وآنک چون سگ ز اصل کهدانی بود ** کی مرورا حرص سلطانی بود
While he who, like a dog, is by nature attached to the kennel —how should he have the desire for (spiritual) sovereignty?
توبه او جوید که کردست او گناه ** آه او گوید که گم کردست راه
(Only) he that has sinned seeks to repent; (only) he that has lost the (right) way cries “Alas!”
قصه‌ی محبوس شدن آن آهوبچه در آخر خران و طعنه‌ی آن خران ببر آن غریب گاه به جنگ و گاه به تسخر و مبتلی گشتن او به کاه خشک کی غذای او نیست و این صفت بنده‌ی خاص خداست میان اهل دنیا و اهل هوا و شهوت کی الاسلام بدا غریبا و سیعود غریبا فطوبی للغرباء صدق رسول الله
Story of the young gazelle being confined in the donkey-stable, and how the donkey assailed the stranger, now with hostility and now with mockery, and how it was afflicted by (having to eat) dry straw which is not its (proper) food. And this is a description of the chosen servant of God amongst worldlings and those addicted to passion and sensuality; for “Islam (was) strange (when it first) appeared, and will become strange again, and blessed are the strangers.” The Messenger of Allah spake the truth.
آهوی را کرد صیادی شکار ** اندر آخر کردش آن بی‌زینهار
A hunter captured a gazelle: the merciless man put it into a stable.
آخری را پر ز گاوان و خران ** حبس آهو کرد چون استمگران
(Acting) like oppressors, he made a stable full of cows and donkeys the prison of the gazelle.
آهو از وحشت به هر سو می‌گریخت ** او به پیش آن خران شب کاه ریخت 835
The gazelle, wild with terror, was fleeing in every direction: at night he (the hunter) poured (pieces of chopped) straw before the donkeys.
از مجاعت و اشتها هر گاو و خر ** کاه را می‌خورد خوشتر از شکر
(Moved) by hunger and (ravenous) appetite, every cow and donkey was devouring the straw, (as though it were) sweeter than sugar.
گاه آهو می‌رمید از سو به سو ** گه ز دود و گرد که می‌تافت رو
Now the gazelle would run in fright from side to side, now it would turn its face away from the smoke and dust of the straw.
هرکرا با ضد خود بگذاشتند ** آن عقوبت را چو مرگ انگاشتند
Whosoever is left (in company) with his opposite, they (who are wise) have deemed that punishment (terrible) as death,
تا سلیمان گفت که آن هدهد اگر ** هجر را عذری نگوید معتبر
So that Solomon said, “Unless the hoopoe make a respectable excuse for his absence,
بکشمش یا خود دهم او را عذاب ** یک عذاب سخت بیرون از حساب 840
I will kill him or inflict upon him a torment, a torment severe beyond (all) calculation.”
هان کدامست آن عذاب این معتمد ** در قفص بودن به غیر جنس خود
Hark, what is that torment, O trusted (friend)? To be in a cage without thy congener.
زین بدن اندر عذابی ای بشر ** مرغ روحت بسته با جنسی دگر
O Man, thou art in torment on account of this body: the bird, thy spirit, is imprisoned with one of another kind.
روح بازست و طبایع زاغها ** دارد از زاغان و چغدان داغها
The spirit is a falcon, and the (bodily) properties are crows: it has (receives) painful brands from the crows and owls.
او بمانده در میانشان زارزار ** هم‌چو بوبکری به شهر سبزوار
It remains amongst them in sore misery, like an Abú Bakr in the city of Sabzawár.
حکایت محمد خوارزمشاه کی شهر سبزوار کی همه رافضی باشند به جنگ بگرفت اما جان خواستند گفت آنگه امان دهم کی ازین شهر پیش من به هدیه ابوبکر نامی بیارید
Story of Mohammed Khwárizmsháh who took by war (force) the city of Sabzawár, where all (the inhabitants) are Ráfizís (extreme Shí‘ites). (When) they begged him to spare their lives, he said, “I will grant (you) security as soon as ye produce from this city a man named Abú Bakr and present him to me.”
شد محمد الپ الغ خوارزمشاه ** در قتال سبزوار پر پناه 845
Mohammed Alp Ulugh Khwárizmsháh marched to battle against Sabzawár, (the city) full of refuge (for the wicked).
تنگشان آورد لشکرهای او ** اسپهش افتاد در قتل عدو
His troops reduced them (the inhabitants) to straits; his army fell to killing the foe.
سجده آوردند پیشش کالامان ** حلقه‌مان در گوش کن وا بخش جان
They prostrated themselves before him, crying, “Mercy! Make us thy thralls, (but) spare our lives!
هر خراج و صلتی که بایدت ** آن ز ما هر موسمی افزایدت
Whatever thou requirest (in the way of) tribute or presents will come to thee from us with increase (abundantly) at every fixed time (of payment).
جان ما آن توست ای شیرخو ** پیش ما چندی امانت باش گو
Our lives are thine, O lion-natured (prince): let them be on deposit with us for a (little) while.”