بانگ سگ اندر شکم باشد زیان ** نه شکارانگیز و نه شب پاسبان 1455
The yelp of the dog in the womb is (useless) loss: (in such a case) he is neither a starter of hunted animals nor a keeper of watch by night.
گرگ نادیده که منع او بود ** دزد نادیده که دفع او شود
He has not seen the wolf, so as to prevent him; he has not seen the robber, so as to repel him.
از حریصی وز هوای سروری ** در نظر کند و بلافیدن جری
He (a man of this sort), because of covetousness and desire for eminence, is dull as regards (spiritual) vision and bold in prating.
از هوای مشتری و گرم‌دار ** بی بصیرت پا نهاده در فشار
From desire for the purchaser and warm admirer, (being) devoid of insight, he begins to talk nonsense.
ماه نادیده نشانها می‌دهد ** روستایی را بدان کژ می‌نهد
Without having seen the Moon, he gives indications: thereby he perverts (misleads) the (ignorant) countryman.
از برای مشتری در وصف ماه ** صد نشان نادیده گوید بهر جاه 1460
On account of the purchaser he gives a hundred indications describing the Moon which he has never seen, for the sake of (gaining) power.
مشتری کو سود دارد خود یکیست ** لیک ایشان را درو ریب و شکیست
There is in truth one Purchaser who is profitable, but concerning Him they (these impostors) have a (great) suspicion and doubt.
از هوای مشتری بی‌شکوه ** مشتری را باد دادند این گروه
In their desire for the inglorious purchaser, these people have thrown the (real) Purchaser to the winds.
مشتری ماست الله اشتری ** از غم هر مشتری هین برتر آ
He is our Purchaser—God hath purchased: hark, rise above anxiety for any (other) purchaser.
مشتریی جو که جویان توست ** عالم آغاز و پایان توست
Seek the Purchaser who is seeking thee, One who knows thy beginning and end.
هین مکش هر مشتری را تو به دست ** عشق‌بازی با دو معشوقه بدست 1465
Beware, do not try to win every purchaser: ’tis bad to make love to two sweethearts.
زو نیابی سود و مایه گر خرد ** نبودش خود قیمت عقل و خرد
Thou wilt not get interest or capital from him, if he purchase (thee): in sooth he has not the price for (thy) reason and intellect.
نیست او را خود بهای نیم نعل ** تو برو عرضه کنی یاقوت و لعل
He has not even the price of half a horseshoe, and thou art offering him (what is precious as) corundum and rubies.
حرص کورت کرد و محرومت کند ** دیو هم‌چون خویش مرجومت کند
Cupidity hath blinded thee and will deprive thee (of blessedness): the Devil will make thee accursed like himself.
هم‌چنانک اصحاب فیل و قوم لوط ** کردشان مرجوم چون خود آن سخوط
Just as that wrathful (fiend) made accursed like himself the Fellows of the Elephant and the people of Lot.
مشتری را صابران در یافتند ** چون سوی هر مشتری نشتافتند 1470
The patient (devout and self-denying) have gained the Purchaser, since they did not hasten towards every purchaser.
آنک گردانید رو زان مشتری ** بخت و اقبال و بقا شد زو بری
He that averted his face from that Purchaser—fortune and felicity and everlasting life are quit of him.
ماند حسرت بر حریصان تا ابد ** هم‌چو حال اهل ضروان در حسد
Grief remains for ever (as a doom) on the covetous, as happened to the people of Zarwán in their envy.
قصه‌ی اهل ضروان و حسد ایشان بر درویشان کی پدر ما از سلیمی اغلب دخل باغ را به مسکینان می‌داد چون انگور بودی عشر دادی و چون مویز و دوشاب شدی عشر دادی و چون حلوا و پالوده کردی عشر دادی و از قصیل عشر دادی و چون در خرمن می‌کوفتی از کفه‌ی آمیخته عشر دادی و چون گندم از کاه جدا شدی عشر دادی و چون آرد کردی عشر دادی و چون خمیر کردی عشر دادی و چون نان کردی عشر دادی لاجرم حق تعالی در آن باغ و کشت برکتی نهاده بود کی همه اصحاب باغها محتاج او بدندی هم به میوه و هم به سیم و او محتاج هیچ کس نی ازیشان فرزندانشان خرج عشر می‌دیدند منکر و آن برکت را نمی‌دیدند هم‌چون آن زن بدبخت که کدو را ندید و خر را دید
Story of the people of Zarwán and their envy of the poor. “Our father,” they said, “from (foolish) sympathy used to give the poor the most part of the produce of his orchard.” When it was grapes, he would give a tithe; and when they were turned into raisins or syrup, he would give a tithe; and whenever he made halwá or pálúda, he would give a tithe; and he would give a tithe of the corn-sheaves, and when he threshed (the corn), he would give a tithe of the unthreshed ears mixed (with straw); and when he separated the wheat from the straw, he would give a tithe, and when he made flour, he would give a tithe; and when he leavened the dough, he would give a tithe; and when he made bread, he would give a tithe. Consequently, God most High had laid such a blessing on his orchard and crops that all the (other) owners of orchards were in need of him, both for fruit and money, while he needed nothing from any of them. His sons saw the repeated payment of tithes, and did not see the blessing, velut illa femina infelix quae veretrum asini vidit, curcurbitam non vidit. [Story of the people of Zarwán…. His sons saw the repeated payment of tithes, and did not see the blessing, just as that unfortunate woman who (only) saw the ass’s penis and did not see the gourd.]
بود مردی صالحی ربانیی ** عقل کامل داشت و پایان دانیی
There was a righteous godly man: he had perfect intelligence and a (great) foresight as to the end.
در ده ضروان به نزدیک یمن ** شهره اندر صدقه و خلق حسن
In the village of Zarwán, near Yemen, (he was) renowned for (his) almsgiving and good disposition.
کعبه‌ی درویش بودی کوی او ** آمدندی مستمندان سوی او 1475
His abode was the Ka‘ba of the poor: the distressed were (always) coming to him.
هم ز خوشه عشر دادی بی‌ریا ** هم ز گندم چون شدی از که جدا
He would give, unostentatiously, a tithe both of the ears of corn and of the wheat when it was separated from the chaff.
آرد گشتی عشر دادی هم از آن ** نان شدی عشر دگر دادی ز نان
(If) it was made into flour, he would give a tithe of that too; if it was made into bread, he would give another tithe of the bread.
عشر هر دخلی فرو نگذاشتی ** چارباره دادی زانچ کاشتی
He would never omit (to give) the tithe of any produce: he would give (the tithe) four times on that which he sowed.
بس وصیتها بگفتی هر زمان ** جمع فرزندان خود را آن جوان
That (generous) young man was continually giving many injunctions to all his sons,