لیک چون تو یاغیی من مستعار ** می‌کنم خدمت ترا روزی سه چار
But since thou art rebellious and I am (only) taken on loan to serve thee for three or four days,
پس چو عادت سرنگونی‌ها دهم ** ز اسپه تو یاغیانه بر جهم
Therefore I will lay thee low, like ‘Ád, and dash away in revolt from thy army,
تا به غیب ایمان تو محکم شود ** آن زمان که ایمانت مایه‌ی غم شود
In order that thy faith in the Unseen may become firm at the moment when thy faith is (only) a source of woe.”
آن زمان خود جملگان مؤمن شوند ** آن زمان خود سرکشان بر سر دوند
(For) at that moment, in sooth, all become believers: at that moment even the (most) headstrong run on their heads.
آن زمان زاری کنند و افتقار ** هم‌چو دزد و راه‌زن در زیر دار 4700
At that moment they cry piteously and make humble supplication, like robbers and brigands under the gibbet.
لیک گر در غیب گردی مستوی ** مالک دارین و شحنه‌ی خود توی
But if you become upright in (your faith in) the Unseen, you are owner of the two worlds and a magistrate (exercising sovereign authority) over yourself.
شحنگی و پادشاهی مقیم ** نه دو روزه و مستعارست و سقیم
The abiding (spiritual) magistracy and kingship is not (something) taken on loan for two days and ailing (perishable).
رستی از بیگار و کار خود کنی ** هم تو شاه و هم تو طبل خود زنی
(Possessing that) you are delivered from strife and can act for yourself: you are king and at the same time beating your own drum.
چون گلو تنگ آورد بر ما جهان ** خاک خوردی کاشکی حلق و دهان
When the World squeezes our throats tightly, would that our gullets and mouths had eaten (only) earth!
این دهان خود خاک‌خواری آمدست ** لیک خاکی را که آن رنگین شدست 4705
This mouth, indeed, has (always) been an eater of earth; but an earth that has been coloured.
این کباب و این شراب و این شکر ** خاک رنگینست و نقشین ای پسر
This roast-meat and this wine and this sugar are (merely) coloured and painted earth, O son.
چونک خوردی و شد آن لحم و پوست ** رنگ لحمش داد و این هم خاک کوست
When you have eaten or drunk (them) and they have become flesh and skin, He gives them the colour of flesh, but they are still the earth of (His) street.
هم ز خاکی بخیه بر گل می‌زند ** جمله را هم باز خاکی می‌کند
’Tis from a bit of earth that He stitches the (body of) clay, and then makes the whole (fabric) a bit of earth again.
هندو و قفچاق و رومی و حبش ** جمله یک رنگ‌اند اندر گور خوش
Hindús and Qifcháq (Turks) and Greeks and Abyssinians— all have quite the same colour in the grave.
تا بدانی کان همه رنگ و نگار ** جمله روپوشست و مکر و مستعار 4710
So you may know that all those colours and pictures are entirely a mask and deceit and borrowed (ephemeral).
رنگ باقی صبغة الله است و بس ** غیر آن بر بسته دان هم‌چون جرس
The only lasting colour is the dye of Allah: know that all the rest are tied (stuck) on (superficially) like a bell.
رنگ صدق و رنگ تقوی و یقین ** تا ابد باقی بود بر عابدین
The colour of sincerity and the colour of piety and intuitive faith will endure in the (devout) worshippers for evermore;
رنگ شک و رنگ کفران و نفاق ** تا ابد باقی بود بر جان عاق
And the colour of doubt and the colour of ingratitude and hypocrisy will endure in the undutiful soul for evermore;
چون سیه‌رویی فرعون دغا ** رنگ آن باقی و جسم او فنا
Like wicked Pharaoh's blackness of face, the colour whereof is enduring, though his body passes away.
برق و فر روی خوب صادقین ** تن فنا شد وان به جا تو یومن دین 4715
(And so with) the radiance and glory in the beauteous faces of the sincere (believers): their bodies pass away, but that remains till the Day of Judgement.
زشت آن زشتست و خوب آن خوب و بس ** دایم آن ضحاک و این اندر عبس
The only ugly one is that (eternally) ugly one; the only beautiful one is that (eternally) beautiful one: this one is always laughing and that one scowling.
خاک را رنگ و فن و سنگی دهد ** طفل‌خویان را بر آن جنگی دهد
He (God) gives to earth a certain colour and variety and value, and causes childish folk to wrangle over it.
از خمیری اشتر وشیری پزند ** کودکان از حرص آن کف می‌گزند
(When) a piece of dough is baked in the shape of a camel or lion, (these) children bite their fingers (excitedly) in their greed for it.
شیر و اشتر نان شود اندر دهان ** در نگیرد این سخن با کودکان
The lion or camel turns to bread in the mouth, but it is futile to tell this to children.
کودک اندر جهل و پندار و شکیست ** شکر باری قوت او اندکیست 4720
The child is in a (state of) ignorance and fancy and doubt: at any rate, thank God, his strength is (but) little.
طفل را استیزه و صد آفتست ** شکر این که بی‌فن و بی‌قوتست
The child is quarrelsome and very mischievous: thank God for his lack of skill and strength.
وای ازین پیران طفل ناادیب ** گشته از قوت بلای هر رقیب
(But) alas for these childish undisciplined elders who in their strength have become an affliction to every guardian!
چون سلاح و جهل جمع آید به هم ** گشت فرعونی جهان‌سوز از ستم
When weapons and ignorance are brought together, he (such an one) becomes in his tyranny a world-consuming Pharaoh.
شکر کن ای مرد درویش از قصور ** که ز فرعونی رهیدی وز کفور
O poor man, thank God for thy deficiency (of means), for (thereby) thou art delivered from being a Pharaoh and ungrateful (for Divine blessings).
شکر که مظلومی و ظالم نه‌ای ** آمن از فرعونی و هر فتنه‌ای 4725
Thank God that thou art the oppressed, not the oppressor: thou art secure from acting like Pharaoh and from every temptation.
اشکم تی لاف اللهی نزد ** که آتشش را نیست از هیزم مدد
An empty belly never bragged of Divinity, for it has no faggots to feed its fire.
اشکم خالی بود زندان دیو ** کش غم نان مانعست از مکر و ریو
An empty belly is the Devil's prison, because anxiety for bread prevents him from plotting and deceiving.
اشکم پر لوت دان بازار دیو ** تاجران دیو را در وی غریو
Know that a belly full of viands is the Devil's market, where the Devil's merchants raise a clamour:
تاجران ساحر لاشی‌فروش ** عقل‌ها را تیره کرده از خروش
Merchants who practise sorcery and sell worthless goods and obfuscate (men's) wits by vociferation.
خم روان کرده ز سحری چون فرس ** کرده کرباسی ز مهتاب و غلس 4730
By a (trick of) sorcery they cause a vat to run like a horse and make a piece of linen out of moonshine and twilight.
چون بریشم خاک را برمی‌تنند ** خاک در چشم ممیز می‌زنند
They weave earth like silk and throw earth (dust) in the eyes of the discerning.
چندلی را رنگ عودی می‌دهند ** بر کلوخیمان حسودی می‌دهند
They give to a bit of (fragrant) sandal-wood the appearance of a piece of (common) wood; they put in us the envious desire for a clod.
پاک آنک خاک را رنگی دهد ** هم‌چو کودکمان بر آن جنگی دهد
(But) holy is He who giveth (mere) earth a (specious) colour and causes us to quarrel over it like children.
دامنی پر خاک ما چون طفلکان ** در نظرمان خاک هم‌چون زر کان
(The world is) a skirtful of earth, and we are like little children: in our sight the earth is as gold of the mine.
طفل را با بالغان نبود مجال ** طفل را حق کی نشاند با رجال 4735
There is no room for a child beside (grown-up) men: how should God let a child sit with men?
میوه گر کهنه شود تا هست خام ** پخته نبود غوره گویندش به نام
If fruit become old, (yet) so long as it is immature and not ripe it is called ghúra (unripe grapes).
گر شود صدساله آن خام ترش ** طفل و غوره‌ست او بر هر تیزهش
Though (one resembling) immature and sour (fruit) reach the age of a hundred years, he is (still) a child and unripe (ghúra) in the opinion of every sagacious person.
گرچه باشد مو و ریش او سپید ** هم در آن طفلی خوفست و امید
Though his hair and beard be white, he is still in the childish state of fear and hope,
که رسم یا نارسیده مانده‌ام ** ای عجب با من کند کرم آن کرم
Saying, “Shall I attain (to maturity), or am I (to be) left immature? Oh, I wonder, will the Vine bestow that bounty on me?
با چنین ناقابلی و دوریی ** بخشد این غوره‌ی مرا انگوریی 4740
Notwithstanding such an incapacity and remoteness (from God), will He confer on these unripe grapes (ghúra) of mine a perfection like that of the ripe grape (angúr)?
نیستم اومیدوار از هیچ سو ** وان کرم می‌گویدم لا تیاسوا
I have no hopes from any quarter, but that (Divine) Bounty is saying to me, ‘Do not ye despair!’”
دایما خاقان ما کردست طو ** گوشمان را می‌کشد لا تقنطوا
Our Kháqán (Emperor) has made a perpetual feast (for us): He is always pulling our ears (drawing us thither and saying), “Do not lose hope!”
گرچه ما زین ناامیدی در گویم ** چون صلا زد دست اندازان رویم
Although we are in the ditch (and overwhelmed) by this despair, let us go dancing along since He has invited us.
دست اندازیم چون اسپان سیس ** در دویدن سوی مرعای انیس
Let us dance (along) like mettlesome horses galloping towards the familiar pasturage.
گام اندازیم و آن‌جا گام نی ** جام پردازیم و آن‌جا جام نی 4745
Let us toss our feet, though no foot is there; let us drain the cup, though no cup is there,