چون انیس طمع تو آن نیستیست ** از فنا و نیست این پرهیز چیست
Since that non-existence is congenial to your desire, why this avoidance of nonentity and non-existence?
گر انیس لا نه‌ای ای جان به سر ** در کمین لا چرایی منتظر 1375
O (dear) soul, if you are not inwardly congenial to non-existence, why are you waiting in ambush for non-existence?
زانک داری جمله دل برکنده‌ای ** شست دل در بحر لا افکنده‌ای
You have torn your heart away from all that you own, you have cast the net of your heart into the sea of non-existence.
پس گریز از چیست زین بحر مراد ** که بشستت صد هزاران صید داد
Wherefore, then, (this) flight from this sea of (heart's) desire that has put hundreds of thousands of prey into your net?
از چه نام برگ را کردی تو مرگ ** جادوی بین که نمودت مرگ برگ
Wherefore have you given the name “death” to (what is really) provision (for the spirit)? Observe the sorcery that has caused the provision (barg) to seem to you death (marg).
هر دو چشمت بست سحر صنعتش ** تا که جان را در چه آمد رغبتش
The magic of His (God's) doing has bound both your eyes, so that desire for the (worldly) pit has come over your soul.
در خیال او ز مکر کردگار ** جمله صحرا فوق چه زهرست و مار 1380
Through the contrivance of the Creator, in its (your soul's) fancy all the expanse above the pit is (full of) poison and snakes;
لاجرم چه را پناهی ساختست ** تا که مرگ او را به چاه انداختست
Consequently it has made the pit a refuge (for itself), so that (fear of) death has cast it into the pit.
اینچ گفتم از غلطهات ای عزیز ** هم برین بشنو دم عطار نیز
(Having heard) what I have said concerning your misapprehensions, O dear friend, hear also the utterance of ‘Attár on this same (subject).
قصه‌ی سلطان محمود و غلام هندو
Story of Sultan Mahmúd and the Hindú boy.
رحمة الله علیه گفته است ** ذکر شه محمود غازی سفته است
He, God have mercy upon him, has told it: he has strung together the tale of King Mahmúd, the Ghází—
کز غزای هند پیش آن همام ** در غنیمت اوفتادش یک غلام
How, amongst the booty of his campaign in India, (there was) a boy (who) was brought into the presence of that sovereign.
پس خلیفه‌ش کرد و بر تختش نشاند ** بر سپه بگزیدش و فرزند خواند 1385
Afterwards he made him his vicegerent and seated him on the throne and gave him preferment above (the rest of) the army and called him “son.”
طول و عرض و وصف قصه تو به تو ** در کلام آن بزرگ دین بجو
Seek the length and breadth and all particulars of the story in the discourse of that prince of the Faith.
حاصل آن کودک برین تخت نضار ** شسته پهلوی قباد شهریار
In short, the lad was seated on this throne of gold beside the King-emperor.
گریه کردی اشک می‌راندی بسوز ** گفت شه او را کای پیروز روز
He wept and shed tears in burning grief. The King said to him, “O thou whose day (fortune) is triumphant,
از چه گریی دولتت شد ناگوار ** فوق املاکی قرین شهریار
Wherefore shouldst thou weep? Has thy fortune become disagreeable to thee? Thou art above kings, (thou art) the familiar companion of the Emperor.
تو برین تخت و وزیران و سپاه ** پیش تختت صف زده چون نجم و ماه 1390
Thou art (seated) on this throne, while the viziers and soldiers are ranged in file before thy throne, like the stars and the moon.”
گفت کودک گریه‌ام زانست زار ** که مرا مادر در آن شهر و دیار
The boy said, “The cause of my weeping bitterly is that in yonder city and country my mother
از توم تهدید کردی هر زمان ** بینمت در دست محمود ارسلان
Was always threatening me with thee, (saying), ‘May I see you in the hands of the lion, Mahmúd!’
پس پدر مر مادرم را در جواب ** جنگ کردی کین چه خشمست و عذاب
Then my father would wrangle with my mother (and say) in reply, ‘What wrath and torment is this (that you would inflict on him)?
می‌نیابی هیچ نفرینی دگر ** زین چنین نفرین مهلک سهلتر
Cannot you find any other curse lighter than this deadly curse?
سخت بی‌رحمی و بس سنگین‌دلی ** که به صد شمشیر او را قاتلی 1395
You are very pitiless and exceedingly hard-hearted, for you are (virtually) killing him with a hundred swords.’
من ز گفت هر دو حیران گشتمی ** در دل افتادی مرا بیم و غمی
I used to be dismayed by the talk of both: a (great) terror and pain would come into my heart,
تا چه دوزخ‌خوست محمود ای عجب ** که مثل گشتست در ویل و کرب
(Thinking), ‘Oh, wonderful! What a hellish person Mahmúd must be, since he has become proverbial for woe and anguish!’
من همی‌لرزیدمی از بیم تو ** غافل از اکرام و از تعظیم تو
I used to tremble in fear of thee, being ignorant of thy gracious treatment and high regard.
مادرم کو تا ببیند این زمان ** مر مرا بر تخت ای شاه جهان
Where is my mother, that she might see me now (seated) on the throne, O King of the world?”
فقر آن محمود تست ای بی‌سعت ** طبع ازو دایم همی ترساندت 1400
(Spiritual) poverty is your Mahmúd, O man without affluence: your (sensual) nature is always making you afraid of it.
گر بدانی رحم این محمود راد ** خوش بگویی عاقبت محمود باد
If you come to know the mercifulness of this noble Mahmúd, you will cry joyously, “May the end be praised (mahmúd)!”
فقر آن محمود تست ای بیم‌دل ** کم شنو زین مادر طبع مضل
Poverty is your Mahmúd, O craven-hearted one: do not listen to this mother, namely, your misguiding nature.
چون شکار فقر کردی تو یقین ** هم‌چوکودک اشک باری یوم دین
When you become a prey to poverty, you will certainly shed tears (of delight), like the Hindú boy, on the Day of Judgement.
گرچه اندر پرورش تن مادرست ** لیک از صد دشمنت دشمن‌ترست
Although the body is (like) a mother in fostering (the spirit), yet it is more inimical to you than a hundred enemies.
تن چو شد بیمار داروجوت کرد ** ور قوی شد مر ترا طاغوت کرد 1405
When your body falls ill it makes you seek medicine; and if it grows strong it makes you an outrageous devil.
چون زره دان این تن پر حیف را ** نی شتا را شاید و نه صیف را
Know that this iniquitous body is like a coat of mail: it serves neither for winter nor summer.
یار بد نیکوست بهر صبر را ** که گشاید صبر کردن صدر را
(Yet) the bad associate is good (for you) because of the patience (which you must show in overcoming its desires), for the exercise of patience expands the heart (with spiritual peace).
صبر مه با شب منور داردش ** صبر گل با خار اذفر داردش
The patience shown by the moon to the (dark) night keeps it illumined; the patience shown by the rose to the thorn keeps it fragrant.
صبر شیر اندر میان فرث و خون ** کرده او را ناعش ابن اللبون
The patience shown by the milk (chyle) betwixt the faeces (in the intestine) and the blood enables it to rear the camel-foal till he has entered on his third year.
صبر جمله‌ی انبیا با منکران ** کردشان خاص حق و صاحب‌قران 1410
The patience shown by all the prophets to the unbelievers made them the elect of God and lords of the planetary conjunction.
هر که را بینی یکی جامه درست ** دانک او آن را به صبر و کسب جست
When you see any one wearing goodly raiment, know that he has gained it by patience and work.
هرکه را دیدی برهنه و بی‌نوا ** هست بر بی‌صبری او آن گوا
If you have seen any one naked and destitute, that is a testimony of his lack of patience.
هرکه مستوحش بود پر غصه جان ** کرده باشد با دغایی اقتران
Any one who feels lonely and whose soul is full of anguish must have associated with an impostor.
صبر اگر کردی و الف با وفا ** ار فراق او نخوردی این قفا
If he had shown patience and loyal friendship (to God), he would not have suffered this affliction through being separated from Him.
خوی با حق نساختی چون انگبین ** با لبن که لا احب الافلین 1415
He would have consorted with God as honey with milk, saying, “I love not them that set.”
لاجرم تنها نماندی هم‌چنان ** که آتشی مانده به راه از کاروان
(Then) assuredly he would not have remained alone, even as a fire left on the road by caravaneers.
چون ز بی‌صبری قرین غیر شد ** در فراقش پر غم و بی‌خیر شد
(But) since from lack of patience he associated himself with others (than God), in separation from Him he became sorrowful and deprived of good.
صحبتت چون هست زر ده‌دهی ** پیش خاین چون امانت می‌نهی
Since your friendship is (precious) as pure gold, how are you placing it in trust with a traitor?
خوی با او کن که امانتهای تو ** آمن آید از افول و از عتو
Consort with Him with whom your trusts are safe from loss and violation.
خوی با او کن که خو را آفرید ** خویهای انبیا را پرورید 1420
Consort with Him who created (human) nature and fostered the natures of the prophets.
بره‌ای بدهی رمه بازت دهد ** پرورنده‌ی هر صفت خود رب بود
(If) you give (Him) a lamb, He will give you back a (whole) flock (of sheep): verily the Lord is the fosterer of every (good) quality.
بره پیش گرگ امانت می‌نهی ** گرگ و یوسف را مفرما همرهی
Will you entrust the lamb to the wolf? (Nay), do not tell the wolf and Joseph to travel in company with each other.
گرگ اگر با تو نماید روبهی ** هین مکن باور که ناید زو بهی
If the wolf show foxiness towards you (fawn upon you), beware, do not believe (him), for no goodness comes from him.