جان شور تلخ پیش تیغ بر ** جان چون دریای شیرین را بخر
Bring the briny bitter (animal) soul to the sword: buy the (heavenly) soul that is like a great sweet river.
ور نمیدانی شدن زین آستان ** باری از من گوش کن این داستان
And if you cannot become (one of the frequenters) of this threshold (sublime court), at least hear from me the following tale.
قصهی خلیفه که در کرم در زمان خود از حاتم طایی گذشته بود و نظیر خود نداشت
The story of the Caliph who in his time surpassed Hátim of Tayyi in generosity and had no rival.
یک خلیفه بود در ایام پیش ** کرده حاتم را غلام جود خویش
In former days there was a Caliph who made Hátim the slave of his liberality.
رایت اکرام و داد افراشته ** فقر و حاجت از جهان برداشته2245
He had raised high the banner of munificence and largesse, he had removed poverty and want from the world.
بحر و کان از بخششاش صاف آمده ** داد او از قاف تا قاف آمده
(He was) a sea (of bounty), and the pearls (in it) came pure (untarnished) from his munificence: his largesse reached from Qáf to Qáf.
در جهان خاک ابر و آب بود ** مظهر بخشایش وهاب بود
In this world of dust he was the cloud and the rain: he was the centre wherein the bounty of the Giver of all displayed itself.
از عطایش بحر و کان در زلزله ** سوی جودش قافله بر قافله
His gifts caused sea and mine to quake (tremble with shame): caravan on caravan (were hastening) towards his liberality.
قبلهی حاجت در و دروازهاش ** رفته در عالم به جود آوازهاش
His gate and portal was the point to which Need turned: the fame of his munificence had gone (far and wide) into the world.
هم عجم هم روم هم ترک و عرب ** مانده از جود و سخایش در عجب2250
Persians and Greeks, Turcomans and Arabs, were lost in amazement at his liberality and generosity.
آب حیوان بود و دریای کرم ** زنده گشته هم عرب زو هم عجم
He was the Water of Life and the Ocean of Bounty: by him both Arabs and foreigners were revived.
قصهی اعرابی درویش و ماجرای زن با او به سبب قلت و درویشی
Story of the poor Arab of the desert and his wife's altercation with him because of (their) penury and poverty.
یک شب اعرابی زنی مر شوی را ** گفت و از حد برد گفتوگوی را
One night a Bedouin woman said to her husband—and she carried (her) talk beyond bounds—
کاین همه فقر و جفا ما میکشیم ** جمله عالم در خوشی ما ناخوشیم
“We are suffering all this poverty and hardship: all the world are (living) in happiness, we (alone) are unhappy.
نانمان نی نان خورشمان درد و رشک ** کوزهمان نه آبمان از دیده اشک
We have no bread, our (only) condiment is anguish and envy: we have no jug, our (only) water is the tears (that flow) from our eyes.
جامهی ما روز تاب آفتاب ** شب نهالین و لحاف از ماهتاب2255
Our garment by day is the burning sunshine; at night our bed and coverlet is (made) of the moonbeams.
قرص مه را قرص نان پنداشته ** دست سوی آسمان برداشته
We fancy the disk of the moon is a disk (round cake) of bread and lift up our hands towards the sky.
ننگ درویشان ز درویشی ما ** روز شب از روزی اندیشی ما
The (poorest of the) poor feel shame at our poverty: day is turned to night (darkened) by our anxiety about our daily portion (of food).
خویش و بیگانه شده از ما رمان ** بر مثال سامری از مردمان
Kinsfolk and strangers have come to flee from us in like fashion as Sámirí from men.
گر بخواهم از کسی یک مشت نسک ** مر مرا گوید خمش کن مرگ و جسک
If I beg a handful of lentils from some one, he says to me, ‘Be silent, O death and plague!’
مر عرب را فخر غزو است و عطا ** در عرب تو همچو اندر خط خطا2260
The Arabs take pride in fighting and giving: thou amongst the Arabs art like a fault in writing.”
چه غزا ما بیغزا خود کشتهایم ** ما به تیغ فقر بیسر گشتهایم
What fighting (can we do)? We are killed without fighting, we have been beheaded by the sword of want.
چه عطا ما بر گدایی میتنیم ** مر مگس را در هوا رگ میزنیم
What gifts (can we make)? We are continually in beggary, we are slitting the vein of (slaughtering) the gnat in the air.
گر کسی مهمان رسد گر من منم ** شب بخسبد قصد دلق او کنم
If any guest arrive, if I am I (as sure as I am living) (when) he goes to sleep at night, I will tear the tattered cloak from his body.
مغرور شدن مریدان محتاج به مدعیان مزور و ایشان را شیخ و محتشم و واصل پنداشتن و نقل را از نقد فرق نادانستن و بر بسته را از بر رسته
How disciples (novices in Súfism) are beguiled in their need by false impostors and imagine them to be Shaykhs and venerable personages and (saints) united (with God), and do not know the difference between fact (naqd) and fiction (naql) and between what is tied on (artificially) and what has grown up (naturally).
بهر این گفتند دانایان به فن ** میهمان محسنان باید شدن
For this reason the wise have said with knowledge, ‘One must become the guest of those who confer benefits.’
تو مرید و میهمان آن کسی ** کاو ستاند حاصلت را از خسی2265
Thou art the disciple and guest of one who, from his vileness, robs thee of all thou hast.
نیست چیره چون ترا چیره کند ** نور ندهد مر ترا تیره کند
He is not strong: how should he make thee strong? He does not give light, (nay) he makes thee dark.