خواست آبی و وضو را تازه کرد ** دست و رو را شست او زان آب سرد

He asked for water and renewed the ablution: he washed his hands and face with that cold water.

هر دو پا شست و به موزه کرد رای ** موزه را بربود یک موزه‌ربای 3240

He washed both his feet and gave attention to (was about to take) his boot: a boot-snatcher carried off the boot.

دست سوی موزه برد آن خوش‌خطاب ** موزه را بربود از دستش عقاب

That man of sweet address moved his hand towards the boot: an eagle snatched the boot from his hand,

موزه را اندر هوا برد او چو باد ** پس نگون کرد و از آن ماری فتاد

And bore it away into the air, (swift) as the wind; then she turned it upside down, and a serpent dropped from it.

در فتاد از موزه یک مار سیاه ** زان عنایت شد عقابش نیکخواه

From the boot dropped a black serpent: on account of that (Divine) care (for the Prophet) the eagle became his benevolent friend.

پس عقاب آن موزه را آورد باز ** گفت هین بستان و رو سوی نماز

Then the eagle brought back the boot and said, “Come, take it and go to prayers.

از ضرورت کردم این گستاخیی ** من ز ادب دارم شکسته‌شاخیی 3245

I did this presumptuous act from necessity: I am abashed by (my feeling of) reverence (for thee).

وای کو گستاخ پایی می‌نهد ** بی ضرورت کش هوا فتوی دهد

Woe to him that steps (behaves) presumptuously without necessity (and only) because vain desire authorises him!”

پس رسولش شکر کرد و گفت ما ** این جفا دیدیم و بود این خود وفا

Then the Prophet thanked her (the eagle) and said, “I deemed this (act of thine) rudeness, but it really was kindness.

موزه بربودی و من درهم شدم ** تو غمم بردی و من در غم شدم

Thou didst carry off the boot, and I was perturbed: thou took’st away my grief, and I was aggrieved.

گرچه هر غیبی خدا ما را نمود ** دل در آن لحظه به خود مشغول بود

Although God hath shown to me every unseen thing, at that moment my heart was occupied with myself.”

گفت دور از تو که غفلت در تو رست ** دیدنم آن غیب را هم عکس تست 3250

She (the eagle) said, “Far be it from thee that forgetfulness grew up in thee: my seeing that invisible thing is (from) thy reflexion.

مار در موزه ببینم بر هوا ** نیست از من عکس تست ای مصطفی

(If) I, in the air, see the serpent in the boot, ’tis not of myself, ’tis thy reflexion, O Mustafá.”

عکس نورانی همه روشن بود ** عکس ظلمانی همه گلخن بود

The reflexion of the man of light is wholly resplendent; the reflexion of the man of darkness is wholly (like) a bath-stove (ash-heap).

عکس عبدالله همه نوری بود ** عکس بیگانه همه کوری بود

The reflexion of the servant of God is wholly luminous; the reflexion of the stranger (to God) is wholly blindness.

عکس هر کس را بدان ای جان ببین ** پهلوی جنسی که خواهی می‌نشین

Know every one's reflexion: see (it plainly), O my soul. (Then) ever sit beside the congener whom thou desirest.

وجه عبرت گرفتن ازین حکایت و یقین دانستن کی ان مع العسر یسرا

The right way of taking a lesson from this story and knowing with certainty that “verily, together with hardship there is ease.”

عبرتست آن قصه ای جان مر ترا ** تا که راضی باشی در حکم خدا 3255

That tale is a lesson to thee, O my soul, to the end that thou mayst acquiesce in the decree of God;

تا که زیرک باشی و نیکوگمان ** چون ببینی واقعه‌ی بد ناگهان

So that thou wilt be quick to understand and wilt have good thoughts (of God) when thou seest a calamity (befall thee) of a sudden.

دیگران گردند زرد از بیم آن ** تو چو گل خندان گه سود و زیان

(While) others turn pale from dread of it, thou (wilt be) laughing in the hour of gain or loss, like the rose.

زانک گل گر برگ برگش می‌کنی ** خنده نگذارد نگردد منثنی

Because the rose, though thou tear it petal by petal, does not leave off laughing and does not become bent (with grief).

گوید از خاری چرا افتم بغم ** خنده را من خود ز خار آورده‌ام

“Why,” it says, “should I fall into grief on account of a thorn? Indeed I have brought laughter (into my possession) by means of the thorn.”

هرچه از تو یاوه گردد از قضا ** تو یقین دان که خریدت از بلا 3260

Whatsoever by (Divine) destiny becomes lost to thee, know for sure that it has redeemed thee from affliction.

ما التصوف قال وجدان الفرح ** فی الفاد عند اتیان الترح

(Some one asked), “What is Súfism?” He (the Shaykh) said, “To feel joy in the heart at the coming of sorrow.”

آن عقابش را عقابی دان که او ** در ربود آن موزه را زان نیک‌خو

Regard His chastisement as the eagle which carried off the boot from that man of excellent disposition,

تا رهاند پاش را از زخم مار ** ای خنک عقلی که باشد بی غبار

That she might save his foot from the serpent's bite. Oh, happy is the understanding that is undimmed.