کار هر نازک‌دلی نبود قتال ** که گریزد از خیالی چون خیال
Fighting is not the business of any faint-heart who runs away from a spectre (hallucination), like a (flitting) spectre.
کار ترکانست نه ترکان برو ** جای ترکان هست خانه خانه شو
’Tis the business of Turks (Turkán), not of (women like) Tarkán. Begone! Home is the place for Tarkán: go home!”
حکایت عیاضی رحمه‌الله کی هفتاد غزو کرده بود سینه برهنه بر امید شهید شدن چون از آن نومید شد از جهاد اصغر رو به جهاد اکبر آورد و خلوت گزید ناگهان طبل غازیان شنید نفس از اندرون زنجیر می‌درانید سوی غزا و متهم داشتن او نفس خود را درین رغبت
Story of ‘Iyádí, may God have mercy on him, who had taken part in seventy campaigns against the infidels and had always fought with his breast bare (unprotected by armour), in the hope that he might become a martyr; and how, despairing of that, he turned from the Lesser Warfare to the Greater Warfare and adopted the practice of (religious) seclusion; and how he suddenly heard the drums of the holy warriors, and the fleshly soul within him urged him violently to take the field; and how he suspected (the motives of) his fleshly soul in desiring this.
گفت عیاضی نود بار آمدم ** تن برهنه بوک زخمی آیدم 3780
‘Iyádí said, “Ninety times I came (into battle) unarmed, that perchance I might be (mortally) wounded.
تن برهنه می‌شدم در پیش تیر ** تا یکی تیری خورم من جای‌گیر
I went unarmed to meet the arrows, in order that I might receive a deep-seated (deadly) arrow-wound.
تیر خوردن بر گلو یا مقتلی ** در نیابد جز شهیدی مقبلی
None but a fortunate martyr attains unto (the happiness of) receiving an arrow-wound in the throat or any vital spot.
بر تنم یک جایگه بی‌زخم نیست ** این تنم از تیر چون پرویز نیست
No place in my body is without wounds: this body of mine is like a sieve from (being pierced with) arrows;
لیک بر مقتل نیامد تیرها ** کار بخت است این نه جلدی و دها
But the arrows never (once) hit a vital spot: this is a matter of luck, not of bravery or cunning.
چون شهیدی روزی جانم نبود ** رفتم اندر خلوت و در چله زود 3785
When (I saw that) martyrdom was not the lot of my spirit, I went immediately into (religious) seclusion and (entered on) a forty days' fast.
در جهاد اکبر افکندم بدن ** در ریاضت کردن و لاغر شدن
I threw myself into the Greater Warfare (which consists) in practising austerities and becoming lean.
بانگ طبل غازیان آمد به گوش ** که خرامیدند جیش غزوکوش
(One day) there reached my ear the sound of the drums of the holy warriors; for the hard-fighting army was on the march.
نفس از باطن مرا آواز داد ** که به گوش حس شنیدم بامداد
My fleshly soul cried out to me from within: at morningtide I heard (its voice) with my sensuous ear,
خیز هنگام غزا آمد برو ** خویش را در غزو کردن کن گرو
(Saying), ‘Arise! ’Tis time to fight. Go, devote thyself to fighting in the holy war!’
گفتم ای نفس خبیث بی‌وفا ** از کجا میل غزا تو از کجا 3790
I answered, ‘O wicked perfidious soul, what hast thou to do with the desire to fight?
راست گوی ای نفس کین حیلت‌گریست ** ورنه نفس شهوت از طاعت بریست
Tell the truth, O my soul! This is trickery. Else (why wouldst thou fight)?—the lustful soul is quit of obedience (to the Divine command).
گر نگویی راست حمله آرمت ** در ریاضت سخت‌تر افشارمت
Unless thou tell the truth, I will attack thee, I will squeeze (torment) thee more painfully (than before) in maceration.’
نفس بانگ آورد آن دم از درون ** با فصاحت بی‌دهان اندر فسون
Thereupon my soul, mutely eloquent, cried out in guile from within me,
که مرا هر روز اینجا می‌کشی ** جان من چون جان گبران می‌کشی
‘Here thou art killing me daily, thou art putting my (vital) spirit (on the rack), like the spirits of infidels.
هیچ کس را نیست از حالم خبر ** که مرا تو می‌کشی بی‌خواب و خور 3795
No one is aware of my plight—how thou art killing me (by keeping me) without sleep and food.
در غزا بجهم به یک زخم از بدن ** خلق بیند مردی و ایثار من
In war I should escape from the body at one stroke, and the people would see my manly valour and self-sacrifice.’
گفتم ای نفسک منافق زیستی ** هم منافق می‌مری تو چیستی
I replied, ‘O wretched soul, a hypocrite thou hast lived and a hypocrite thou wilt die: what (a pitiful thing) art thou!
در دو عالم تو مرایی بوده‌ای ** در دو عالم تو چنین بیهوده‌ای
In both worlds thou hast been a hypocrite, in both worlds thou art such a worthless creature.’
نذر کردم که ز خلوت هیچ من ** سر برون نارم چو زنده‌ست این بدن
I vowed that I would never put my head outside of (come out of) seclusion, seeing that this body is alive,
زانک در خلوت هر آنچ تن کند ** نه از برای روی مرد و زن کند 3800
Because everything that this body does in seclusion it does with no regard to man or woman.
جنبش و آرامش اندر خلوتش ** جز برای حق نباشد نیتش
During seclusion the intention of (all) its movement and rest is for God's sake only.”
این جهاد اکبرست آن اصغرست ** هر دو کار رستمست و حیدرست
This is the Greater Warfare, and that (other) is the Lesser Warfare: both are (fit) work for (men like) Rustam and Haydar (‘Alí).