ور بخسپی مشتری بینی به خواب ** چغد بد کی خواب بیند جز خراب
And if thou fall asleep thou seest the purchaser in thy dreams: how should the ill-omened owl dream of aught but a wilderness?
مشتری خواهی بهر دم پیچ پیچ ** تو چه داری که فروشی هیچ هیچ
At every moment thou wantest a purchaser cringing (before thee): what hast thou to sell? Nothing, nothing.
گر دلت را نان بدی یا چاشتی ** از خریداران فراغت داشتی
If thy heart had any (spiritual) bread or breakfast, it would have been empty of (desire for worldly) purchasers.
قصه‌ی آن شخص کی دعوی پیغامبری می‌کرد گفتندش چه خورده‌ای کی گیج شده‌ای و یاوه می‌گویی گفت اگر چیزی یافتمی کی خوردمی نه گیج شدمی و نه یاوه گفتمی کی هر سخن نیک کی با غیر اهلش گویند یاوه گفته باشند اگر چه در آن یاوه گفتن مامورند
Story of the person who claimed to be a prophet. They said to him, “What hast thou eaten that thou hast become crazy and art talking in vain?” He replied, “If I had found anything to eat, I should not have become crazy and talked in vain”; for whenever they (the prophets and saints) speak goodly words to people unworthy to hear them, they will have talked in vain, although they are (divinely) commanded to talk thus in vain.
آن یکی می‌گفت من پیغامبرم ** از همه پیغامبران فاضلترم
A certain man was saying, “I am a prophet: I am superior to all the prophets.”
گردنش بستند و بردندش به شاه ** کین همی گوید رسولم از اله 1120
They bound his neck and took him to the king, saying, “This man says he is a prophet sent by God.”
خلق بر وی جمع چون مور و ملخ ** که چه مکرست و چه تزویر و چه فخ
The people (were) gathered round him (thick) as ants and locusts, crying, “What deceit and imposture and trap is (this)?
گر رسول آنست که آید از عدم ** ما همه پیغامبریم و محتشم
If he that comes from (the realm of) non-existence is a prophet, we all are prophets and grand (in spiritual eminence).
ما از آنجا آمدیم اینجا غریب ** تو چرا مخصوص باشی ای ادیب
We (too) came hither as strangers from that place (realm): why shouldst thou be specially endowed (with prophecy), O accomplished one?”
نه شما چون طفل خفته آمدیت ** بی‌خبر از راه وز منزل بدیت
(He replied), “Did not ye come like a sleeping child? Ye were ignorant of the way and the destination.
از منازل خفته بگذشتید و مست ** بی‌خبر از راه و از بالا و پست 1125
Ye passed through the (different) stages asleep and intoxicated, unconscious of the way and (its) ups and downs;
ما به بیداری روان گشتیم و خوش ** از ورای پنج و شش تا پنج و شش
(But) we (prophets) set out in wakefulness and well (aware) from beyond the five (senses) and the six (directions) to (this world of) the five and six,
دیده منزلها ز اصل و از اساس ** چون قلاووز آن خبیر و ره‌شناس
Having perceived (all) the stages from the source and foundation, possessed of experience and knowing the way like (skilled) guides.”
شاه را گفتند اشکنجه‌ش بکن ** تا نگوید جنس او هیچ این سخن
They said to the king, “Put him to the rack, that a person of his sort may never (again) speak such words.”
شاه دیدش بس نزار و بس ضعیف ** که به یک سیلی بمیرد آن نحیف
The king saw that he was very thin and infirm, so that such an emaciated man would die at a single blow.
کی توان او را فشردن یا زدن ** که چو شیشه گشته است او را بدن 1130
(He thought to himself), “How is it possible to torture or beat him, since his body has become as (fragile as) a glass?
لیک با او گویم از راه خوشی ** که چرا داری تو لاف سر کشی
But I will speak to him kindly and say, ‘Why dost thou boast of (this) high estate?’
که درشتی ناید اینجا هیچ کار ** هم به نرمی سر کند از غار مار
For here harshness is of no use: ’tis by gentleness that the snake puts forth its head (is induced to come forth) from the hole.”
مردمان را دور کرد از گرد وی ** شه لطیفی بود و نرمی ورد وی
He caused the people to withdraw from around him (the claimant): the king was a gracious man, and gentleness was his way.
پس نشاندش باز پرسیدش ز جا ** که کجا داری معاش و ملتجی
Then he bade him be seated, and asked him concerning his dwelling-place, saying, “Where hast thou thy means of livelihood and refuge?”
گفت ای شه هستم از دار السلام ** آمده از ره درین دار الملام 1135
He replied, “O king, I belong to the Abode of Peace: I have come from the road (after having journeyed) to this Abode of Blame.
نه مرا خانه‌ست و نه یک همنشین ** خانه کی کردست ماهی در زمین
I have neither home nor any companion: when has a fish made its home on the earth?”
باز شه از روی لاغش گفت باز ** که چه خوردی و چه داری چاشت‌ساز
Again the king answered him, saying by way of jest, “What (food) hast thou eaten and what provision hast thou (made) for the morning meal?
اشتهی داری چه خوردی بامداد ** که چنین سرمستی و پر لاف و باد
Hast thou appetite? What didst thou eat at daybreak that thou art so intoxicated and boastful and blustering?”
گفت اگر نانم بدی خشک و طری ** کی کنیمی دعوی پیغامبری
He replied, “If I had bread, (whether) dry or moist, how should I lay claim to prophecy?
دعوی پیغامبری با این گروه ** هم‌چنان باشد که دل جستن ز کوه 1140
To claim to be a prophet amongst these people is like seeking a heart from a mountain.