مر شما را نیز در سوداگری ** دست کی جنبد چو نبود مشتری
Ye (worldly folk) also (who are engaged) in commerce—how should your hands move (to sell anything) when there is no buyer?
کی نظاره اهل بخریدن بود ** آن نظاره گول گردیدن بود
How should (idle) looking-on be capable of buying? The fool's looking-on is (not for buying, but merely for) loitering.
پرس پرسان کین به چند و آن به چند ** از پی تعبیر وقت و ریش‌خند
(He strolls about) continually asking, “How much is this?” and “How much is that?” for the sake of pastime and mockery.
از ملولی کاله می‌خواهد ز تو ** نیست آن کس مشتری و کاله‌جو
(’Tis only) from boredom (that) he asks you (to show him) your goods: that person is not a buyer and customer.
کاله را صد بار دید و باز داد ** جامه کی پیمود او پیمود باد 835
He inspects the article a hundred times and hands it back (to you): when did he (ever) measure a piece of cloth? He measured wind (and nothing else).
کو قدوم و کر و فر مشتری ** کو مزاح گنگلی سرسری
What a distance between the approach and bargaining of a purchaser and the pleasantries of a silly joker?
چونک در ملکش نباشد حبه‌ای ** جز پی گنگل چه جوید جبه‌ای
Since there is not a mite in his possession, how should he seek (to buy) a coat except in jest?
در تجارت نیستش سرمایه‌ای ** پس چه شخص زشت او چه سایه‌ای
He has no capital for trading: what, then, is the difference between his ill-favoured person and a shadow?
مایه در بازار این دنیا زرست ** مایه آنجا عشق و دو چشم ترست
The capital (required) for the market of this world is gold; there (in the next world) the capital is love and two eyes wet (with tears).
هر که او بی‌مایه‌ی بازار رفت ** عمر رفت و بازگشت او خام تفت 840
Whoever went to market without any capital, his life passed and he speedily returned in disappointment.
هی کجا بودی برادر هیچ جا ** هی چه پختی بهر خوردن هیچ با
“Oh, where hast thou been, brother?” “Nowhere.” “Oh, what hast thou cooked to eat?” “No (good) soup.”
مشتری شو تا بجنبد دست من ** لعل زاید معدن آبست من
Become a buyer, that my hand may move (to sell to thee), and that my pregnant mine may bring forth the ruby.
مشتری گرچه که سست و باردست ** دعوت دین کن که دعوت واردست
Though the buyer is slack and lukewarm, (yet) call (him) to the (true) religion, for the (command to) call hath come down (from God).
باز پران کن حمام روح گیر ** در ره دعوت طریق نوح گیر
Let the falcon fly and catch the spiritual dove: in calling (to God) take the way of Noah.
خدمتی می‌کن برای کردگار ** با قبول و رد خلقانت چه کار 845
Perform an act of service for the Creator's sake: what hast thou to do with being accepted or rejected by the people?
داستان آن شخص کی بر در سرایی نیم‌شب سحوری می‌زد همسایه او را گفت کی آخر نیم‌شبست سحر نیست و دیگر آنک درین سرا کسی نیست بهر کی می‌زنی و جواب گفتن مطرب او را
Story of the person who was giving the drum-call for the sahúr at the gate of a certain palace at midnight. A neighbour said to him, “Why, it is midnight, it is not (yet) dawn; and besides, there is no one in this palace: for whose sake are you drumming?”—and the minstrel's reply to him.
آن یکی می‌زد سحوری بر دری ** درگهی بود و رواق مهتری
A certain man was drumming at a certain gate to announce the sahúr: ’twas a court-house and the pavilion of a grandee.
نیم‌شب می‌زد سحوری را به جد ** گفت او را قایلی کای مستمد
(Whilst) he was beating his drum vigorously at midnight, some one said to him, “O thou who art seeking (the means of) support,
اولا وقت سحر زن این سحور ** نیم‌شب نبود گه این شر و شور
Firstly, give this call to the sahúr at daybreak: midnight is not the time for (making) this disturbance;
دیگر آنک فهم کن ای بوالهوس ** که درین خانه درون خود هست کس
And secondly, observe, O man of vain desire, whether in fact there is any one inside this house at midnight.
کس درینجا نیست جز دیو و پری ** روزگار خود چه یاوه می‌بری 850
There is nobody here except demons and spirits: why art thou trifling thy time away?
بهر گوشی می‌زنی دف گوش کو ** هوش باید تا بداند هوش کو
Thou art beating thy tambourine for the sake of an ear: where is the ear? Intelligence is needed in order to know (thy purpose): where is the intelligence?”
گفت گفتی بشنو از چاکر جواب ** تا نمانی در تحیر و اضطراب
He replied, “You have said (your say): (now) hear the answer from your (humble) servant, that you may not remain in bewilderment and confusion.
گرچه هست این دم بر تو نیم‌شب ** نزد من نزدیک شد صبح طرب
Although in your opinion this moment is midnight, in my view the dawn of delight is near at hand.
هر شکستی پیش من پیروز شد ** جمله شبها پیش چشمم روز شد
In my sight every defeat has been turned to victory, in my eyes all nights have been turned to day.
پیش تو خونست آب رود نیل ** نزد من خون نیست آبست ای نبیل 855
To you the water of the river Nile seems blood; to me it is not blood, ’tis water, O noble one.
در حق تو آهنست آن و رخام ** پیش داود نبی مومست و رام
In regard to you, that (object) is iron or marble, (but) to the prophet David it is (soft as) wax and tractable.
پیش تو که بس گرانست و جماد ** مطربست او پیش داود اوستاد
To you the mountain is exceedingly heavy (solid) and inanimate, (but) to David it is a master-musician.
پیش تو آن سنگ‌ریزه ساکتست ** پیش احمد او فصیح و قانتست
To you the gravel is silent; to Ahmad (Mohammed) it is eloquent and making supplication (to God).
پیش تو استون مسجد مرده‌ایست ** پیش احمد عاشقی دل برده‌ایست
To you the pillar of the mosque is a dead thing; to Ahmad it is (like) a lover who has lost his heart.
جمله اجزای جهان پیش عوام ** مرده و پیش خدا دانا و رام 860
To the vulgar all the particles of the world seem dead, but before God they are possessed of knowledge and submissive (to His commands).
آنچ گفتی کاندرین خانه و سرا ** نیست کس چون می‌زنی این طبل را
As for your saying, ‘There is nobody in this house and palace: why art thou beating this drum?’—
بهر حق این خلق زرها می‌دهند ** صد اساس خیر و مسجد می‌نهند
(I reply that) this (Moslem) people are giving (large) sums of gold for God's sake, founding hundreds of pious institutions and mosques,
مال و تن در راه حج دوردست ** خوش همی‌بازند چون عشاق مست
And, like intoxicated lovers, gladly risking their property and lives on their way to (perform) the distant Pilgrimage:
هیچ می‌گویند کان خانه تهیست ** بلک صاحب‌خانه جان مختبیست
Do they ever say, ‘The House (Ka‘ba) is empty’? Nay, (they know that) the Lord of the House is the Spirit invisible.
پر همی‌بیند سرای دوست را ** آنک از نور الهستش ضیا 865
He that is illumined by the Light of God deems the House of the Beloved to be full (of Him).
بس سرای پر ز جمع و انبهی ** پیش چشم عاقبت‌بینان تهی
In the eyes of those who see the end, many a palace filled with a crowd and throng (of people) is empty.
هر که را خواهی تو در کعبه بجو ** تا بروید در زمان او پیش رو
Seek in the (spiritual) Ka‘ba whomsoever you please, that he may at once grow (rise into view) before your face.
صورتی کو فاخر و عالی بود ** او ز بیت الله کی خالی بود
How should the form (of the Perfect Man), which is splendid and sublime, (ever) be absent from the House of God?
او بود حاضر منزه از رتاج ** باقی مردم برای احتیاج
He is (always) present (there), exempt from exclusion, (while) the rest of mankind (are there only) on account of (their occasional) need.
هیچ می‌گویند کین لبیکها ** بی‌ندایی می‌کنیم آخر چرا 870
Do they (the pilgrims) ever say, ‘We are crying Labbayka without (receiving) any response. Pray, why (is this)’?
بلک توفیقی که لبیک آورد ** هست هر لحظه ندایی از احد
Nay, the Divine blessing which causes (their cries of) Labbayka is (in truth) a response (coming) from the One (God) at every moment.
من ببو دانم که این قصر و سرا ** بزم جان افتاد و خاکش کیمیا
I know by intuition that this pavilion and palace is the banquet of the soul, and that its dust is an elixir.
مس خود را بر طریق زیر و بم ** تا ابد بر کیمیااش می‌زنم
I will strike my copper on its elixir unto everlasting in the mode of treble and bass,
تا بجوشد زین چنین ضرب سحور ** در درافشانی و بخشایش به حور
That, from (my) playing the sahúr tune in this fashion, the seas (of Divine mercy) may surge (and be roused) to scatter (their) pearls and (lavish their) bounty.
خلق در صف قتال و کارزار ** جان همی‌بازند بهر کردگار 875
Men hazard their lives in the line of battle and in fighting for the Creator's sake.
آن یکی اندر بلا ایوب‌وار ** وان دگر در صابری یعقوب‌وار
One is like Job in tribulation; another like Jacob in patience.
صد هزاران خلق تشنه و مستمند ** بهر حق از طمع جهدی می‌کنند
Hundreds of thousands of people, thirsty and sorrowful, are doing some sore toil for God's sake in desire (of pleasing Him).
من هم از بهر خداوند غفور ** می‌زنم بر در به اومیدش سحور
I too, for the merciful Lord's sake and in hope of Him, am drumming the sahúr-call at the gate.”
مشتری خواهی که از وی زر بری ** به ز حق کی باشد ای دل مشتری
(If) you want a customer from whom you will get gold, how should there be a better customer than God, O (my) heart?
می‌خرد از مالت انبانی نجس ** می‌دهد نور ضمیری مقتبس 880
He buys a dirty bag from your (stock of) goods, and gives (you in return) an inner light that borrows (its splendour from Himself).