گر نگوییم آن نیاید راست نرد ** ور بگوییم آن دلت آید به درد
Unless we (answer and) speak, the game will not come out right; and if we speak, thy heart will be grieved.
هم‌چو چغزیم اندر آب از گفت الم ** وز خموشی اختناقست و سقم
We are like frogs in the water: ’tis painful to speak, while the result of silence is suffocation and illness.
گر نگوییم آتشی را نور نیست ** ور بگوییم آن سخن دستور نیست
If we speak not, (our) friendship (with thee) has no light (of truth); and if we speak, ’tis without leave (from thee).”
در زمان برجست کای خویشان وداع ** انما الدنیا و ما فیها متاع 4390
Straightway he sprang up, crying, “Farewell, O kinsmen: verily this world and all therein is but a passing enjoyment,”
پس برون جست او چو تیری از کمان ** که مجال گفت کم بود آن زمان
And darted away like an arrow from the bow, so that there was no opportunity (for them) to speak at that time.
اندر آمد مست پیش شاه چین ** زود مستانه ببوسید او زمین
He came intoxicated (with love) into the presence of the King of China and at once kissed the earth frenziedly (at his feet).
شاه را مکشوف یک یک حالشان ** اول و آخر غم و زلزالشان
To the King their (his lovers') feelings, their passion and agitation, were (an) open (book) in every detail from first to last.
میش مشغولست در مرعای خویش ** لیک چوپان واقفست از حال میش
The sheep are busy in their pasture, but the shepherd knows all about the sheep.
کلکم راع بداند از رمه ** کی علف‌خوارست و کی در ملحمه 4395
(Any one of those of whom the Prophet said), “Each of you is a shepherd,” knows which of the flock is feeding and which is (engaged) in combat.
گرچه در صورت از آن صف دور بود ** لیک چون دف در میان سور بود
Although apparently he was far from those ranks, yet he was (in their midst) like the tambourine at a wedding-feast.
واقف از سوز و لهیب آن وفود ** مصلحت آن بد که خشک آورده بود
(He was) well acquainted with the burning and flaming (passion) of those who came to his court, (but) in his wisdom he had ignored them and kept silence.
در میان جانشان بود آن سمی ** لک قاصد کرده خود را اعجمی
That exalted (monarch) was in the midst (depths) of their souls, but he had purposely feigned to be unfamiliar (with them).
صورت آتش بود پایان دیگ ** معنی آتش بود در جان دیگ
The form (appearance) of the fire is beneath the kettle; the spirit (reality) of the fire is in the soul of the kettle.
صورتش بیرون و معنیش اندرون ** معنی معشوق جان در رگ چو خون 4400
Its form is outside and its spirit inside: the spirit (real nature) of the soul's Beloved is (in the soul) like blood in the veins.
شاه‌زاده پیش شه زانو زده ** ده معرف شارح حالش شده
The prince knelt before the King, (while) ten announcers gave a description of his state.
گرچه شه عارف بد از کل پیش پیش ** لیک می‌کردی معرف کار خویش
Although the King knew it all long ago, yet the announcer was performing the duties of his office.
در درون یک ذره نور عارفی ** به بود از صد معرف ای صفی
O sincere man, a single atom of the light of (mystic) knowledge within (thee) is better than a hundred announcers.
گوش را رهن معرف داشتن ** آیت محجوبیست و حزر و ظن
To confine one's attention to the announcer is a mark of being debarred (from access to real knowledge) and of (being preoccupied with) conjecture and (mere) opinion.
آنک او را چشم دل شد دیدبان ** دید خواهد چشم او عین العیان 4405
He whose scout is his inward eye—his eye will behold with the very acme of clairvoyance.
با تواتر نیست قانع جان او ** بل ز چشم دل رسد ایقان او
His soul is not content with traditional authority; nay, his feeling of (absolute) certainty comes from the inward eye.
پس معرف پیش شاه منتجب ** در بیان حال او بگشود لب
Then the announcer opened his lips to describe his (the eldest brother's) plight in the presence of the elect King.
گفت شاها صید احسان توست ** پادشاهی کن که بی بیرون شوست
He said, “O King, he is fallen a prey to thy beneficence: show kingly favour (to him), for he has no means of escape.
دست در فتراک این دولت زدست ** بر سر سرمست او بر مال دست
He has clutched the saddle-strap of this empire: stroke his distraught head with thy (royal) hand!”
گفت شه هر منصبی و ملکتی ** که التماسش هست یابد این فتی 4410
The King replied, “This youth will obtain (from me) every high dignity and sovereignty that he seeks.
بیست چندان ملک کو شد زان بری ** بخشمش اینجا و ما خود بر سری
I will bestow on him here (and now) twenty times as many kingdoms as he has relinquished, and myself into the bargain.”
گفت تا شاهیت در وی عشق کاشت ** جز هوای تو هوایی کی گذاشت
He (the announcer) said, “Since thy royal majesty sowed in him the seed of love, how could it leave (in him) any passion except passion for thee?
بندگی تش چنان درخورد شد ** که شهی اندر دل او سرد شد
’Tis so agreeable to him to be thy slave that kingship has become cold comfort to his heart.
شاهی و شه‌زادگی در باختست ** از پی تو در غریبی ساختست
He has gambled away kingship and princedom: for thy sake he has put up with living in exile.
صوفیست انداخت خرقه وجد در ** کی رود او بر سر خرقه دگر 4415
He is a Súfí: he has flung away his mantle in ecstasy: how should he turn again to his mantle?
میل سوی خرقه‌ی داده و ندم ** آنچنان باشد که من مغبون شدم
To hanker for the given away mantle and repent (of having given it) is as much as to say, ‘I have been swindled:
باز ده آن خرقه این سو ای قرین ** که نمی‌ارزید آن یعنی بدین
Put the mantle back here, O comrade, for that (ecstasy) was not worth it, that is, (not worth) this (mantle).’
دور از عاشق که این فکر آیدش ** ور بیاید خاک بر سر بایدش
Far be it from a lover that such a thought should occur to him; and if it do, dust ought to be (sprinkled) on his head.
عشق ارزد صد چو خرقه کالبد ** که حیاتی دارد و حس و خرد
Love is worth a hundred mantles like that of the body, which contains a (principle of) life and sensation and reason;
خاصه خرقه‌ی ملک دنیا کابترست ** پنج دانگ مستیش درد سرست 4420
Especially the mantle of worldly dominion, which is cut short (exiguous): a pennyworth of intoxication with it is (results in) headache.
ملک دنیا تن‌پرستان را حلال ** ما غلام ملک عشق بی‌زوال
Worldly dominion is lawful (only) to those who indulge the body: we (lovers) are devoted to the everlasting kingdom of Love.
عامل عشقست معزولش مکن ** جز به عشق خویش مشغولش مکن
He (the prince) is Love's agent: do not deprive him of his employment, do not let him be employed in aught but loving thee.
The office (business) that veils me from (the sight of) thy face is the very essence of unemployment, though it is called ‘office.’
موجب تاخیر اینجا آمدن ** فقد استعداد بود و ضعف فن
The cause of (his) delay in coming hither was lack of capability and defect of skill.”
بی ز استعداد در کانی روی ** بر یکی حبه نگردی محتوی 4425
(If) you go into a mine without (having) capability, you will not gain possession of a single grain (of gold),
هم‌چو عنینی که بکری را خرد ** گرچه سیمین‌بر بود کی بر خورد
Tanquam vir veneri inhabilis qui virginem emit: ea, etsi pectus argenteum (candidum) sit, frui quo pacto poterit? [Like an impotent man who buys a virgin (for a slave): even if she is a silver-breasted (beauty), how can he enjoy (her sexually)?]
چون چراغی بی ز زیت و بی فتیل ** نه کثیرستش ز شمع و نه قلیل
(The incapable man is) like a lamp without oil or wick that gets neither much nor little from the (flaming) taper.
در گلستان اندر آید اخشمی ** کی شود مغزش ز ریحان خرمی
(If) one who cannot smell enter a garden, how should his brain (nose) be delighted by the fragrant herbs?—
هم‌چو خوبی دلبری مهمان غر ** بانگ چنگ و بربطی در پیش کر
Tanquam formosa et venusta hospita viri debilis; (and) like the sound of a harp or lute in the ears of the deaf; [Like a beautiful (and) charming woman (who is) the guest of a feeble (impotent) man; (and like) the sound of a harp or lute in the ears of the deaf;]
هم‌چو مرغ خاک که آید در بحار ** زان چه یابد جز هلاک و جز خسار 4430
(And) like the land-bird that falls into great waters: what should it find there but death and perdition?
هم‌چو بی‌گندم شده در آسیا ** جز سپیدی ریش و مو نبود عطا
(And) like one who, having no wheat, goes to a mill: nothing will be given to him except the whitening of his beard and hair (with flour).
آسیای چرخ بر بی‌گندمان ** موسپیدی بخشد و ضعف میان
The celestial mill bestows on those who have no wheat (only) whiteness of hair and weakness in the loins;
لیک با باگندمان این آسیا ** ملک‌بخش آمد دهد کار و کیا
But on those who bring wheat with them this mill bestows empire and gives them sovereign power.
اول استعداد جنت بایدت ** تا ز جنت زندگانی زایدت
You must first be qualified for Paradise in order that from Paradise the (everlasting) life may be born to you.
طفل نو را از شراب و از کباب ** چه حلاوت وز قصور و از قباب 4435
What pleasure has the new-born child in wine and roast-meat and palaces and domes?
حد ندارد این مثل کم جو سخن ** تو برو تحصیل استعداد کن
These parables have no limit: do not seek (more) words (of this kind): go and acquire capability!