Then the shamefully exposed copper is left (looking black) like smoke, and its lover is left looking blacker than it.
عشق بینایان بود بر کان زر ** لاجرم هر روز باشد بیشتر
(But) the love of them that have (spiritual) insight is (fixed) on the gold-mine; necessarily it is (grows) greater every day,
زانک کان را در زری نبود شریک ** مرحبا ای کان زر لاشک فیک 980
Because the mine hath no partner in aureity. Hail, O Gold-mine (of Reality), Thou concerning whom there is no doubt!
هر که قلبی را کند انباز کان ** وا رود زر تا بکان لامکان
If any one let a base coin become a sharer with the Mine (in his affection), the gold goes back to the Mine (which is) beyond locality,
عاشق و معشوق مرده ز اضطراب ** مانده ماهی رفته زان گرداب آب
(And then) the lover and his beloved are dead (left to die) in agony: the fish is left (writhing), the water is gone from the whirlpool.
عشق ربانیست خورشید کمال ** امر نور اوست خلقان چون ظلال
The Divine Love is the Sun of perfection: the (Divine) Word is its light, the creatures are as shadows.
مصطفی زین قصه چون خوش برشکفت ** رغبت افزون گشت او را هم بگفت
When Mustafá (Mohammed) expanded with joy on (hearing) this story, his (the Siddíq's) desire to speak (of Bilál) increased also.
مستمع چون یافت هم‌چون مصطفی ** هر سر مویش زبانی شد جدا 985
Since he found a hearer like Mustafá, every hair of him became a separate tongue.
مصطفی گفتش که اکنون چاره چیست ** گفت این بنده مر او را مشتریست
Mustafá said to him, “Now what is the remedy?” He (the Siddíq) replied, “This servant (of God) is going to buy him.
هر بها که گوید او را می‌خرم ** در زیان و حیف ظاهر ننگرم
I will buy him at whatever price he (the Jew) may name: I will not regard the apparent loss (of money) and the extortion;
کو اسیر الله فی الارض آمدست ** سخره‌ی خشم عدو الله شدست
For he is God's captive on the earth, and he has become subjected to the anger of God's enemy.”
وصیت کردن مصطفی علیه‌السلام صدیق را رضی الله عنه کی چون بلال را مشتری می‌شوی هر آینه ایشان از ستیز بر خواهند در بها فزود و بهای او را خواهند فزودن مرا درین فضیلت شریک خود کن وکیل من باش و نیم بها از من بستان
How Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, enjoined the Siddíq, may God be pleased with him, saying, “Since thou art going to purchase Bilál, they (the Jews) will certainly raise his price by wrangling (with thee): make me thy partner in this merit, be my agent, and receive from me half the purchase-money.”
مصطفی گفتش کای اقبال‌جو ** اندرین من می‌شوم انباز تو
Mustafá said to him, “O seeker of (spiritual) fortune, I will be thy partner in this (enterprise).
تو وکیلم باش نیمی بهر من ** مشتری شو قبض کن از من ثمن 990
Be my agent, buy a half share (in him) on my account, and receive the payment from me.”
گفت صد خدمت کنم رفت آن زمان ** سوی خانه‌ی آن جهود بی‌امان
He replied, “I will do my utmost to serve thee.” Then he went to the house of the merciless Jew.
گفت با خود کز کف طفلان گهر ** پس توان آسان خریدن ای پدر
He said to himself, “From the hands of children one can buy pearls very cheaply, O father.”
عقل و ایمان را ازین طفلان گول ** می‌خرد با ملک دنیا دیو غول
From these foolish children the ghoul-like Devil is buying their reason and faith in exchange for the kingdom of this world.
آنچنان زینت دهد مردار را ** که خرد زیشان دو صد گلزار را
He decks out the carcase so finely that (with it) he buys from them two hundred rose-gardens.
آنچنان مهتاب پیماید به سحر ** کز خسان صد کیسه برباید به سحر 995
By magic he produces such moonshine that by means of (his) magic he carries off from worthless folk a hundred purses (of money).
انبیاشان تاجری آموختند ** پیش ایشان شمع دین افروختند
The prophets taught them to trade (in the spiritual market) and lighted the candle of the (true) religion before them;
دیو و غول ساحر از سحر و نبرد ** انبیا را در نظرشان زشت کرد
(But) by means of magic and in despite the devilish and ghoulish Magician caused the prophets to appear ugly in their eyes.
زشت گرداند به جادویی عدو ** تا طلاق افتد میان جفت و شو
By (his) sorcery the Foe causes ugliness (to appear), so that divorce takes place between the wife and (her) husband.
دیده‌هاشان را به سحر می‌دوختند ** تا چنین جوهر به خس بفروختند
Their eyes have been sealed by a (mighty) enchantment, so that they have sold such a (precious) pearl for rubbish.
این گهر از هر دو عالم برترست ** هین بخر زین طفل جاهل کو خرست 1000
This pearl is superior to both the worlds: hark, buy (it) from this ignorant child, for he is an ass.
پیش خر خرمهره و گوهر یکیست ** آن اشک را در در و دریا شکیست
To the ass a cowrie and a pearl are alike: the ass has a (great) doubt concerning the (spiritual) pearl and the Sea.
منکر بحرست و گوهرهای او ** کی بود حیوان در و پیرایه‌جو
He disbelieves in the Sea and its pearls: how should an animal be a seeker of pearls and adornments?
در سر حیوان خدا ننهاده است ** کو بود در بند لعل و درپرست
God has not put it into the animal's head to be engrossed with rubies and devoted to pearls.
مر خران را هیچ دیدی گوش‌وار ** گوش و هوش خر بود در سبزه‌زار
Have you ever seen asses with ear-rings? The ear and mind of the ass are (set) on the meadow.
احسن التقویم در والتین بخوان ** که گرامی گوهرست ای دوست جان 1005
Read in (the Súra entitled) Wa’l-Tín (the words), (We created Man) in the best proportion, for the spirit, O friend, is a precious pearl.
احسن التقویم از عرش او فزون ** احسن التقویم از فکرت برون
(That spirit created) in the best proportion surpasses the empyrean: (that spirit created) in the best proportion is beyond (the range of) thought.
گر بگویم قیمت این ممتنع ** من بسوزم هم بسوزد مستمع
If I declare the value of this inaccessible (pearl), I shall be consumed, and the hearer too will be consumed.
لب ببند اینجا و خر این سو مران ** رفت این صدیق سوی آن خران
At this point close thy lips and proceed no further. This Siddíq went to those asses (the Jews).
حلقه در زد چو در را بر گشود ** رفت بی‌خود در سرای آن جهود
He knocked the door-ring, and when the Jew opened the door he (the Siddíq) went into his house, beside himself (with indignation).
بی‌خود و سرمست و پر آتش نشست ** از دهانش بس کلام تلخ جست 1010
He sat down, beside himself and furious and full of fire: from his mouth leaped many bitter words—
کین ولی الله را چون می‌زنی ** این چه حقدست ای عدو روشنی
“Why art thou beating this friend of God? What hatred is this, O enemy of the Light?
گر ترا صدقیست اندر دین خود ** ظلم بر صادق دلت چون می‌دهد
If thou art steadfast in thy own religion, how is thy heart consenting to maltreat him who is steadfast (in his religion)?
ای تو در دین جهودی ماده‌ای ** کین گمان داری تو بر شه‌زاده‌ای
O thou effeminate in Judaism, who dost impute this (same effeminacy) to a (spiritual) prince!
در همه ز آیینه‌ی کژساز خود ** منگر ای مردود نفرین ابد
Do not view all (things) in the distorting mirror of thy selfhood, O thou who art banned with an everlasting curse!”
آنچ آن دم از لب صدیق جست ** گر بگویم گم کنی تو پای و دست 1015
If I should tell what burst from the lips of the Siddíq at that moment, you would lose (both) foot and hand.
آن ینابیع الحکم هم‌چون فرات ** از دهان او دوان از بی‌جهات
(Coming) from (the world) beyond spatial relations, the fountains of wisdom (copious) as the Euphrates were running from his mouth,
هم‌چو از سنگی که آبی شد روان ** نه ز پهلو مایه دارد نه از میان
As from the rock whence gushed a (great) water, (the rock) having no source of supply in (its own) side or interior;
اسپر خود کرده حق آن سنگ را ** بر گشاده آب مینارنگ را
(For) God made that rock a shield (veil) for Himself and opened (a way for) the blue crystalline water,
هم‌چنانک از چشمه‌ی چشم تو نور ** او روان کردست بی‌بخل و فتور
Even as He hath caused the light to flow from the fountain of your eye without stint or abatement:
نه ز پیه آن مایه دارد نه ز پوست ** روی‌پوشی کرد در ایجاد دوست 1020
It has no source of supply either in the fat (the white of the eye) or in the coating (retina); (but) the Beloved made (these) a veil (for Himself) when bringing (the light) into existence.
در خلای گوش باد جاذبش ** مدرک صدق کلام و کاذبش
The attracting air in the cavity of the ear apprehends that which is spoken, (whether) true or false.
آن چه بادست اندر آن خرد استخوان ** کو پذیرد حرف و صوت قصه‌خوان
What is that air within that little bone, (that air) which receives the words and sounds uttered by the story-teller?
استخوان و باد روپوشست و بس ** در دو عالم غیر یزدان نیست کس
The bone and the air are only a veil: in the two worlds there is none except God.