Knowledge (‘ilm) is an ocean without bound or shore: the seeker of knowledge is (like) the diver in (those) seas.
گر هزاران سال باشد عمر او ** او نگردد سیر خود از جست و جو
Though his life be a thousand years, never will he become weary of seeking,
کان رسول حق بگفت اندر بیان ** اینک منهومان هما لا یشبعان
For the Messenger of God said in explanation (thereof) this (saying)—“There are two greedy ones who are never satisfied.”
در تفسیر این خبر کی مصطفی صلوات‌الله علیه فرمود منهومان لا یشبعان طالب الدنیا و طالب العلم کی این علم غیر علم دنیا باید تا دو قسم باشد اما علم دنیا هم دنیا باشد الی آخره و اگر هم‌چنین شود کی طالب الدنیا و طالب الدنیا تکرار بود نه تقسیم مع تقریره
Commentary on the Tradition that Mustafá (Mohammed)—the blessings of God be upon him!—said, “There are two greedy ones who will never be satisfied: the seeker of the present world and the seeker of knowledge.” This “knowledge” must be different from “knowledge of the present world,” in order that there may be the two (separate) classes (mentioned in the Tradition); but “knowledge of the present world” is just the same (in effect) as “the present world,” etc.; and if it (the double phrase used above) be equivalent to “the seeker of the present world and the seeker of the present world,” that would be repetition, not division (into two categories). With the exposition thereof.
طالب الدنیا و توفیراتها ** طالب العلم و تدبیراتها
(The two classes mentioned are) the seeker of the present world and its abundant opportunities for acquisition, and the seeker of knowledge and the considerations proper to it.
پس درین قسمت چو بگماری نظر ** غیر دنیا باشد این علم ای پدر 3885
Now, when you fix your attention on this division, (you will see that) this knowledge must be other than the present world, O father.
غیر دنیا پس چه باشد آخرت ** کت کند زینجا و باشد رهبرت
What, then, is other than the present world? The next world, (the knowledge of) which will take you away from here and be your guide (to God).
بحث کردن آن سه شه‌زاده در تدبیر آن واقعه
How the three princes discussed the (best) plan to adopt in view of what had occurred.
رو به هم کردند هر سه مفتتن ** هر سه را یک رنج و یک درد و حزن
The three afflicted ones put their heads together: all three felt the same grief and pain and sorrow.
هر سه در یک فکر و یک سودا ندیم ** هر سه از یک رنج و یک علت سقیم
All three were comrades in one meditation and one passion; all three were sick with one disease and one malady.
در خموشی هر سه را خطرت یکی ** در سخن هم هر سه را حجت یکی
At the time of silence all three had one thought; at the time of speech, too, all three had one argument.
یک زمانی اشک‌ریزان جمله‌شان ** بر سر خوان مصیبت خون‌فشان 3890
At one moment they all were shedding tears and weeping blood on the dining-table of calamity;
یک زمان از آتش دل هر سه کس ** بر زده با سوز چون مجمر نفس
At another moment all three, from the fire in their hearts, heaved burning sighs as (hot as) a chafing-pan.
مقالت برادر بزرگین
The discourse of the eldest brother.
آن بزرگین گفت ای اخوان خیر ** ما نه نر بودیم اندر نصح غیر
The eldest said, “O men of probity, were not we masculine (vigorous and bold) in giving counsel to others?
از حشم هر که به ما کردی گله ** از بلا و فقر و خوف و زلزله
Whenever one of the (King's) retainers complained to us of affliction and poverty and fear and agitation,
ما همی‌گفتیم کم نال از حرج ** صبر کن کالصبر مفتاح الفرج
We used to say, ‘Do not bewail thy hardships: be patient, for patience (fortitude) is the key to relief from pain.’
این کلید صبر را اکنون چه شد ** ای عجب منسوخ شد قانون چه شد 3895
What has become now of this key, (namely) fortitude? Wonderful! The rule (which we laid down for others) is null and void (for us): what has become of it?
ما نمی‌گفتیم که اندر کش مکش ** اندر آتش هم‌چو زر خندید خوش
Did not we always say, ‘In the (hour of) struggle laugh happily like gold in the fire’?
مر سپه را وقت تنگاتنگ جنگ ** گفته ما که هین مگردانید رنگ
We said to the soldiers at the time of conflict in battle, ‘Hark, do not change colour (lose courage)!’
آن زمان که بود اسپان را وطا ** جمله سرهای بریده زیر پا
At the time when the ground trodden underfoot by the horses was entirely (composed of) severed heads,
ما سپاه خویش را هی هی کنان ** که به پیش آیید قاهر چون سنان
We were shouting to our troops, ‘On, on! Advance irresistibly like the spearpoint!’
جمله عالم را نشان داده به صبر ** زانک صبر آمد چراغ و نور صدر 3900
We preached fortitude to all the world, because fortitude (we said) is a lamp and light in the breast.
نوبت ما شد چه خیره‌سر شدیم ** چون زنان زشت در چادر شدیم
Now it is our turn. Why have we become distracted and gone under the chádar (veil) like cowardly women?”
ای دلی که جمله را کردی تو گرم ** گرم کن خود را و از خود دار شرم
O heart that didst inspire all (others) with ardour, inspire thyself with ardour and be ashamed of thyself!
ای زبان که جمله را ناصح بدی ** نوبت تو گشت از چه تن زدی
O tongue that wert a mentor to all (others), now ’tis thy turn: why art thou silent?
ای خرد کو پند شکرخای تو ** دور تست این دم چه شد هیهای تو
O reason, where is thy eloquent and persuasive counsel? Now ’tis thy turn: what has become of thy (former) admonitions?
ای ز دلها برده صد تشویش را ** نوبت تو شد بجنبان ریش را 3905
O thou who hast removed a hundred anxieties from (other) hearts, now ’tis thy turn: wag thy beard!
از غری ریش ار کنون دزدیده‌ای ** پیش ازین بر ریش خود خندیده‌ای
If now, in thy vile poltroonery, thou hast (only) stolen a beard (art devoid of real manhood), formerly thou must have been laughing at thy beard (making a mock display of manly virtue).
وقت پند دیگرانی های های ** در غم خود چون زنانی وای وای
When thou exhortest others, (thy cry is), “Come on! come on!” In thine own anguish (thou criest), “Alas, alas!” like women.
چون به درد دیگران درمان بدی ** درد مهمان تو آمد تن زدی
Since thou wert a cure for others' pain, (how is it that) thou art silent when pain has become thy guest?
بانگ بر لشکر زدن بد ساز تو ** بانگ بر زن چه گرفت آواز تو
’Twas thy fashion to shout at the soldiers (to encourage them): (now) shout (at thyself): why is thy voice choked?
آنچ پنجه سال بافیدی به هوش ** زان نسیج خود بغلتانی بپوش 3910
For fifty years thou hast woven on (the loom of) thy intelligence: (now) put on an undervest of the fabric which thou thyself hast woven.
از نوایت گوش یاران بود خوش ** دست بیرون آر و گوش خود بکش
The ears of thy friends were delighted by thy song: (now) put forth thy hand and pull thine own ear.
سر بدی پیوسته خود را دم مکن ** پا و دست و ریش و سبلت گم مکن
(Formerly) thou wert always a head (leader): do not make thyself a tail, do not lose thy feet and hands and beard and moustache.
بازی آن تست بر روی بساط ** خویش را در طبع آر و در نشاط
(Now) ’tis for thee to make a move on the (chess-) board: restore thyself to thy normal state (of spiritual health) and thy (natural) vigour.
ذکر آن پادشاه که آن دانشمند را به اکراه در مجلس آورد و بنشاند ساقی شراب بر دانشمند عرضه کرد ساغر پیش او داشت رو بگردانید و ترشی و تندی آغاز کرد شاه ساقی را گفت کی هین در طبعش آر ساقی چندی بر سرش کوفت و شرابش در خورد داد الی آخره
Anecdote of a king who brought a learned doctor into his banquet-hall by force and made him sit down. (When) the cup-bearer offered him wine and held out the goblet to him, the doctor averted his face and began to look sour and behave rudely. The king said to the cup-bearer, “Come, put him in a good humour.” The cup-bearer beat him on the head several times and made him drink the wine, etc.
پادشاهی مست اندر بزم خوش ** می‌گذشت آن یک فقیهی بر درش
(Whilst) a drunken king was feasting merrily, a certain jurist passed by his gate.
کرد اشارت کش درین مجلس کشید ** وان شراب لعل را با او چشید 3915
He gave directions, saying, “Bring him into this hall and give him a drink of the ruby wine.”
پس کشیدندش به شه بی‌اختیار ** شست در مجلس ترش چون زهر و مار
So they brought him to the king, (for) he had no choice (power to resist): he sat down in the hall, (looking) sour as poison and snakes.
عرضه کردش می نپذرفت او به خشم ** از شه و ساقی بگردانید چشم
(When) he (the cup-bearer) offered him wine, he angrily refused it and averted his eyes from the king and the cup-bearer,
که به عمر خود نخوردستم شراب ** خوشتر آید از شرابم زهر ناب
Saying, “I have never drunk wine in my life: rank poison would please me better than wine.
هین به جای می به من زهری دهید ** تا من از خویش و شما زین وا رهید
Hey, give me some poison instead of the wine, that I may be delivered from myself and ye from this (impoliteness).”
می نخورده عربده آغاز کرد ** گشته در مجلس گران چون مرگ و درد 3920
Without having drunk wine, he began to make a row and became as disagreeable to the company as death and (its) pangs.
هم‌چو اهل نفس و اهل آب و گل ** در جهان بنشسته با اصحاب دل
(This is) like (the behaviour of) carnal earthly-minded people in the world when they sit (associate) with spiritual folk.
حق ندارد خاصگان را در کمون ** از می احرار جز در یشربون
God keeps His elect (ever) drinking secretly the wine of the free.
عرضه می‌دارند بر محجوب جام ** حس نمی‌یابد از آن غیر کلام
They offer the cup to one who is veiled (uninitiated), (but his) perception apprehends naught thereof except the (literal) words.
رو همی گرداند از ارشادشان ** که نمی‌بیند به دیده دادشان
He averts his face from their guidance because he does not see their gift with his eye.
گر ز گوشش تا به حلقش ره بدی ** سر نصح اندر درونشان در شدی 3925
If there were a passage from his ear to his throat, the hidden meaning of their admonition would have entered his inward parts.
چون همه نارست جانش نیست نور ** که افکند در نار سوزان جز قشور
Inasmuch as his spirit is wholly fire, not light, who would throw anything but husks into a blazing fire?
مغز بیرون ماند و قشر گفت رفت ** کی شود از قشر معده گرم و زفت
The kernel remains outside and the husk, (consisting of mere) words, goes (in): how should the stomach be made warm and stout by husks?
نار دوزخ جز که قشر افشار نیست ** نار را با هیچ مغزی کار نیست
The Fire of Hell torments only the husks: the Fire has nothing to do with any kernel;
ور بود بر مغز ناری شعله‌زن ** بهر پختن دان نه بهر سوختن
And if a fire should dart its flames at the kernel, know that ’tis in order to cook it, not to burn it.
تا که باشد حق حکیم این قاعده ** مستمر دان در گذشته و نامده 3930
So long as God is the Wise, know that this law is perpetual (both) in the past and in the time that has not (yet) come.