لذت از جوعست نه از نقل نو ** با مجاعت از شکر به نان جو
The pleasure (of eating) is (derived) from hunger, not from new dessert (viands): hunger makes barley-bread more delicious than sugar.
پس ز بی‌جوعیست وز تخمه‌ی تمام ** آن ملالت نه ز تکرار کلام
That weariness, then, is caused by lack of hunger (ardour) and complete (spiritual) indigestion, not by repetition of the discourse.
چون ز دکان و مکاس و قیل و قال ** در فریب مردمت ناید ملال
How is it that you are not weary of your shop and of haggling and disputing in order to cheat people?
چون ز غیبت و اکل لحم مردمان ** شصت سالت سیریی نامد از آن
How is it that you have not been surfeited by speaking ill of men in their absence and backbiting them for sixty years?
عشوه‌ها در صید شله‌ی کفته تو ** بی ملولی بارها خوش گفته تو 4300
Time after time, without wearying, you have gaily spoken false words of flattery in pursuit of a vile woman; [Time after time, without wearying, you have gaily spoken false words of flattery in pursuit of a ruptured (deflowered) vulva;]
بار آخر گوییش سوزان و چست ** گرم‌تر صد بار از بار نخست
And the last time you utter them with fire and energy, a hundred times more ardently than the first time.
درد داروی کهن را نو کند ** درد هر شاخ ملولی خو کند
Passion makes the old medicine new; passion lops every bough of weariness.
کیمیای نو کننده دردهاست ** کو ملولی آن طرف که درد خاست
Passion is the elixir that makes (things) new: how (can there be) weariness where passion has arisen?
هین مزن تو از ملولی آه سرد ** درد جو و درد جو و درد درد
Oh, do not sigh heavily from weariness: seek passion, seek passion, passion, passion!
خادع دردند درمان‌های ژاژ ** ره‌زنند و زرستانان رسم باژ 4305
Vain remedies (only) beguile (true) passion: they are (like) brigands and those who extort money in the form of tolls.
آب شوری نیست در مان عطش ** وقت خوردن گر نماید سرد و خوش
A briny water is no remedy for thirst: (even) if it seem cold and delicious at the moment of drinking,
لیک خادع گشته و مانع شد ز جست ** ز آب شیرینی کزو صد سبزه رست
Yet it beguiles (you) and prevents (you) from seeking the sweet water by which a hundred plants are made to grow.
هم‌چنین هر زر قلبی مانعست ** از شناس زر خوش هرجا که هست
Likewise every piece of spurious gold prevents (you) from recognising the good (genuine) gold wherever it is (to be found).
پا و پرت را به تزویری برید ** که مراد تو منم گیر ای مرید
It (the spurious gold) cuts off your feet and (clips) your wings by imposture, saying, “I am what you seek: take me, O seeker.”
گفت دردت چینم او خود درد بود ** مات بود ار چه به ظاهر برد بود 4310
It says, “I will remove thy passion,” (but) in truth it is (worthless as) dregs: it is (really) checkmate (defeat) though it is victory in appearance.
رو ز درمان دروغین می‌گریز ** تا شود دردت مصیب و مشک‌بیز
Go, always be fleeing from the false remedy, in order that thy passion may be successful and rich in perfume.
گفت نه دزدی تو و نه فاسقی ** مرد نیکی لیک گول و احمقی
He (the night-patrol) said, “You are not a thief and you are not a reprobate: you are a good man, but you are foolish and silly.
بر خیال و خواب چندین ره کنی ** نیست عقلت را تسوی روشنی
You make such a long journey, (relying) on a phantasy and (mere) dream: your intelligence has not the least spark of brightness.
بارها من خواب دیدم مستمر ** که به بغدادست گنجی مستتر
I have dreamed many times, continuously, that there is a concealed treasure at Baghdád,
در فلان سوی و فلان کویی دفین ** بود آن خود نام کوی این حزین 4315
Buried in such-and-such a quarter and such-and-such a street” —the name, in fact, was that of the street where this sorrowful man lived.
هست در خانه‌ی فلانی رو بجو ** نام خانه و نام او گفت آن عدو
“It is in so-and-so's house: go and seek it!”—the enemy (the night-patrol) named the house and mentioned his (the treasure-seeker's) name.
دیده‌ام خود بارها این خواب من ** که به بغدادست گنجی در وطن
“I myself have often dreamed that there is a treasure in the dwelling-place at Baghdád.
هیچ من از جا نرفتم زین خیال ** تو به یک خوابی بیایی بی‌ملال
I never left my home on account of this phantasy, (but) you in consequence of a single dream come (hither) without thinking of the fatigue.
خواب احمق لایق عقل ویست ** هم‌چو او بی‌قیمتست و لاشیست
The dreams of a fool are suitable to his intelligence: like it, they are worthless and good-for-nothing.
خواب زن کمتر ز خواب مرد دان ** از پی نقصان عقل و ضعف جان 4320
Know that a woman's dreams are inferior to those of a man because of her deficiency of intelligence and weakness of soul.
خواب ناقص‌عقل و گول آید کساد ** پس ز بی‌عقلی چه باشد خواب باد
The dreams of one deficient in intelligence and foolish are of little value: what, then, must be the dreams produced by (entire) lack of intelligence? (Mere) wind!”
گفت با خود گنج در خانه‌ی منست ** پس مرا آن‌جا چه فقر و شیونست
He (the treasure-seeker) said to himself, “The treasure is in my house: then why am I poverty-stricken and lamenting there?
بر سر گنج از گدایی مرده‌ام ** زانک اندر غفلت و در پرده‌ام
(While living) over the treasure, I have (almost) died of beggary because I am heedless and blind.”
زین بشارت مست شد دردش نماند ** صد هزار الحمد بی لب او بخواند
At this good news he was intoxicated (with joy): his sorrow vanished, and without (opening his) lips he chanted a hundred thousand praises to God.
گفت بد موقوف این لت لوت من ** آب حیوان بود در حانوت من 4325
He said, “My food (fortune) depended on (my suffering) these blows: the Water of life was in my shop (all the time).
رو که بر لوت شگرفی بر زدم ** کوری آن وهم که مفلس بدم
Begone, for I have met with a great piece of fortune, to confound the idea that I was destitute.
خواه احمق‌دان مرا خواهی فرو ** آن من شد هرچه می‌خواهی بگو
Deem me foolish or contemptible as you please: it (the treasure) is mine, say what you like.
من مراد خویش دیدم بی‌گمان ** هرچه خواهی گو مرا ای بددهان
Beyond doubt I have seen my wish (fulfilled): call me anything you please, O foul-mouthed one!
تو مرا پر درد گو ای محتشم ** پیش تو پر درد و پیش خود خوشم
Call me sorrowful, O respected sir: in your view I am sorrowful, but in my view I am happy.
وای اگر بر عکس بودی این مطار ** پیش تو گلزار و پیش خویش راز 4330
Alas, if the case had been reversed (and if I had been like) a rose-garden in your view and miserable in my own!”
مثل
Parable.
گفت با درویش روزی یک خسی ** که ترا این‌جا نمی‌داند کسی
One day a base fellow said to a dervish, “Thou art unknown to any one here.”
گفت او گر می‌نداند عامیم ** خویش را من نیک می‌دانم کیم
He replied, “If the vulgar do not know me, I know very well who I am.
وای اگر بر عکس بودی درد و ریش ** او بدی بینای من من کور خویش
Alas, if the pain and sore (the spiritual malady) had been reversed (bestowed contrariwise) and he (the vulgar man) had seen me (as I really am), while I was blind to myself!”
احمقم گیر احمقم من نیک‌بخت ** بخت بهتر از لجاج و روی سخت
(The treasure-seeker said), “Suppose I am a fool, I am a lucky fool: luck is better than perversity and a hard (impudent) face.
این سخن بر وفق ظنت می‌جهد ** ورنه بختم داد عقلم هم دهد 4335
These words (of yours) express (only) your (false) opinion; for my luck at the same time endows me with all that belongs to (perfect) intelligence.”
بازگشتن آن شخص شادمان و مراد یافته و خدای را شکر گویان و سجده کنان و حیران در غرایب اشارات حق و ظهور تاویلات آن در وجهی کی هیچ عقلی و فهمی بدانجا نرسد
How that person returned (to Baghdád) rejoicing and successful and giving thanks to God and prostrating himself (in prayer) and amazed at the wondrous indications vouchsafed (to him) by God and the coming to light of the interpretations thereof in a way that no mind and understanding can conceive.
باز گشت از مصر تا بغداد او ** ساجد و راکع ثناگر شکرگو
He returned from Cairo to Baghdád, prostrating himself and bowing (in prayer) and giving praise and thanks (to God).
جمله ره حیران و مست او زین عجب ** ز انعکاس روزی و راه طلب
All the way he was bewildered and intoxicated by this marvel, (namely), by the complete change (which had taken place) as regards his daily bread (the treasure) and the method of seeking (it),
کر کجا اومیدوارم کرده بود ** وز کجا افشاند بر من سیم و سود
Saying (to himself), “Whence did He make me hopeful and whence did He shower money and profit upon me!
این چه حکمت بود که قبله‌ی مراد ** کردم از خانه برون گمراه و شاد
What wisdom was this, that the Object of (all) desire caused me to go forth from my home gladly on a fool's errand,
تا شتابان در ضلالت می‌شدم ** هر دم از مطلب جداتر می‌بدم 4340
So that I was hastening to lose the way and at every moment was being farther removed from that which I sought—
باز آن عین ضلالت را به جود ** حق وسیلت کرد اندر رشد و سود
And then God in His munificence made that very aberration the means of (my) reaching the right road and gaining wealth!”
گمرهی را منهج ایمان کند ** کژروی را محصد احسان کند
He maketh losing the way an avenue to (true) faith; He maketh going wrong a field for the harvest of righteousness,
تا نباشد هیچ محسن بی‌وجا ** تا نباشد هیچ خاین بی‌رجا
To the end that no righteous man may be without fear, and that no traitor (sinner) may be without hope.
اندرون زهر تریاق آن حفی ** کرد تا گویند ذواللطف الخفی
The Gracious One hath put an antidote in the poison in order that they may say He is the Lord of hidden grace.
نیست مخفی در نماز آن مکرمت ** در گنه خلعت نهد آن مغفرت 4345
That (Divine) bounty is not mysterious in (the case of) piety; (but) the (Divine) Forgiveness bestows a robe of honour (even) in (the case of) sin.