از میان مشت او هر پاره سنگ ** در شهادت گفتن آمد بیدرنگ
Without delay, from the middle of his (closed) fist every pebble began to pronounce the (Moslem's) profession of faith.
لا إله گفت و إلا الله گفت ** گوهر احمد رسول الله سفت
Each said, “There is no god” and (each) said, “except Allah”; (each) threaded the pearl of “Ahmad is the Messenger of Allah.”
چون شنید از سنگها بو جهل این ** زد ز خشم آن سنگها را بر زمین2160
When Bú Jahl heard this from the pebbles, in his anger he dashed those pebbles on the ground.
بقیهی قصهی مطرب و پیغام رسانیدن عمر به او آن چه هاتف آواز داد
The rest of the story of the minstrel, and how the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, conveyed to him the message spoken by the heavenly voice.
باز گرد و حال مطرب گوش دار ** ز آن که عاجز گشت مطرب ز انتظار
Turn back and hear the plight of the minstrel, for the minstrel had (now) become desperate from waiting (so long).
بانگ آمد مر عمر را کای عمر ** بندهی ما را ز حاجت باز خر
The voice (of God) came to ‘Umar, saying, “O ‘Umar, redeem Our servant from want.
بندهای داریم خاص و محترم ** سوی گورستان تو رنجه کن قدم
We have a servant, a favourite and highly esteemed one: take the trouble to go on foot to the graveyard.
ای عمر برجه ز بیت المال عام ** هفت صد دینار در کف نه تمام
O ‘Umar, spring up and put in thy hand full seven hundred dínárs from the public treasury.
پیش او بر کای تو ما را اختیار ** این قدر بستان کنون معذور دار2165
Carry them to him (and say), ‘O thou who art Our choice, accept this sum now and excuse (Us for offering such a small gift).
این قدر از بهر ابریشم بها ** خرج کن چون خرج شد اینجا بیا
Spend this amount on the price (purchase) of silk: when it is spent, come here (again).’”
پس عمر ز آن هیبت آواز جست ** تا میان را بهر این خدمت ببست
Then ‘Umar in awe of that voice sprang up that he might gird his loins for this service.
سوی گورستان عمر بنهاد رو ** در بغل همیان دوان در جستجو
‘Umar set his face towards the graveyard with the purse under his arm, running in search (of God's favourite).
گرد گورستان دوانه شد بسی ** غیر آن پیر او ندید آن جا کسی
Long did he run round about the graveyard: he saw there no one but that old man.
گفت این نبود دگر باره دوید ** مانده گشت و غیر آن پیر او ندید2170
He said, “This is not he,” and ran once more. He became tired out and saw none but the old man.
گفت حق فرمود ما را بندهای است ** صافی و شایسته و فرخندهای است
He said, “God said, ‘We have a servant: he is a pure and worthy and blessed one.’
پیر چنگی کی بود خاص خدا ** حبذا ای سر پنهان حبذا
How should an old harper be the chosen of God? O Hidden Mystery, how excellent, how excellent art Thou!”
بار دیگر گرد گورستان بگشت ** همچو آن شیر شکاری گرد دشت
Once again he wandered about the graveyard, like the hunting lion about the desert.
چون یقین گشتش که غیر پیر نیست ** گفت در ظلمت دل روشن بسی است
When it became certain to him that none was there except the old man, he said, “Many an illumined heart is (to be found) in darkness.”
آمد او با صد ادب آن جا نشست ** بر عمر عطسه فتاد و پیر جست2175
He came and sat down there (beside him) with a hundred marks of respect. ‘Umar happened to sneeze, and the old man sprang to his feet.
مر عمر را دید و ماند اندر شگفت ** عزم رفتن کرد و لرزیدن گرفت
He saw ‘Umar and stood fixed in amazement: he resolved to go and began to tremble (with fear).
گفت در باطن خدایا از تو داد ** محتسب بر پیرکی چنگی فتاد
He said within himself, “O God, help, I beseech thee! The Inspector has fallen upon a poor old harper.”
چون نظر اندر رخ آن پیر کرد ** دید او را شرمسار و روی زرد
When ‘Umar looked on the old man's countenance, he saw him ashamed and pale.
پس عمر گفتش مترس از من مرم ** کت بشارتها ز حق آوردهام
Then ‘Umar said to him, “Fear not, do not flee from me, for I have brought thee glad tidings from God.
چند یزدان مدحت خوی تو کرد ** تا عمر را عاشق روی تو کرد2180
How often has God praised thy disposition, so that He has made ‘Umar in love with thy face!
پیش من بنشین و مهجوری مساز ** تا به گوشت گویم از اقبال راز
Sit down beside me and do not make separation (between us), that I may say into thine ear the secret (message) from (the Divine) favour.
حق سلامت میکند میپرسدت ** چونی از رنج و غمان بیحدت
God sends thee greeting and asks thee how thou farest in thy distress and boundless sorrows.
نک قراضهی چند ابریشم بها ** خرج کن این را و باز اینجا بیا
Lo, here are some pieces of gold to pay for silk. Spend them and come back to this place.”
پیر لرزان گشت چون این را شنید ** دست میخایید و بر خود میتپید
The old man trembled when he heard this, biting his hand and quivering all over,
بانگ میزد کای خدای بینظیر ** بس که از شرم آب شد بیچاره پیر2185
Crying, “O God who hast no like!” inasmuch as the poor old man was melted with shame.
چون بسی بگریست و از حد رفت درد ** چنگ را زد بر زمین و خرد کرد
After he had wept long and his grief had gone beyond (all) bounds, he dashed his harp on the earth and broke it to bits.
گفت ای بوده حجابم از اله ** ای مرا تو راه زن از شاه راه
He said, “O thou (harp) that hast been to me a curtain (debarring me) from God, O thou (that hast been) to me a brigand (cutting me off) from the King's highway,
ای بخورده خون من هفتاد سال ** ای ز تو رویم سیه پیش کمال
O thou that hast drunk my blood for seventy years, O thou because of whom my face is black (disgraced) before (the Divine) perfection!
ای خدای با عطای با وفا ** رحم کن بر عمر رفته در جفا
Have mercy, O bounteous God who keepest faith, on a life passed in iniquity!
داد حق عمری که هر روزی از آن ** کس نداند قیمت آن در جهان2190
God gave (me) a life, the value of every single day whereof none in the world can know.
خرج کردم عمر خود را دمبهدم ** در دمیدم جمله را در زیر و بم
I have spent my life, breath by breath: I have breathed it all away in treble and bass.
آه کز یاد ره و پردهی عراق ** رفت از یادم دم تلخ فراق
Ah me, that in minding the (musical) mode and rhythm of ‘Iráq the bitter moment of parting (from this world) went out of my mind (was forgotten).
وای کز تری زیر افکند خرد ** خشک شد کشت دل من دل بمرد
Alas that from the liquid freshness of the minor zírafgand the seed sown in my heart dried up, and my heart died.
وای کز آواز این بیست و چهار ** کاروان بگذشت و بیگه شد نهار
Alas that from (my preoccupation with) the sound of these four-and-twenty (melodies) the caravan passed and the day grew late.”
ای خدا فریاد زین فریادخواه ** داد خواهم نه ز کس زین داد خواه2195
O God, help (me) against this (self of mine) that is seeking help (from Thee): I seek justice (redress) from no one (else, but only) from this justice-seeking (self).
داد خود از کس نیابم جز مگر ** ز آن که او از من به من نزدیکتر
I shall not get justice for myself from any one except, surely, from Him who is nearer to me than I;
کاین منی از وی رسد دم دم مرا ** پس و را بینم چو این شد کم مرا
For this “I-hood” comes to me from Him moment by moment: therefore when this has failed me, I see (only) Him,
همچو آن کاو با تو باشد زر شمر ** سوی او داری نه سوی خود نظر
As (when you are with) one who is counting out gold to you, you keep your gaze (directed) towards him, not towards yourself.
گردانیدن عمر نظر او را از مقام گریه که هستی است به مقام استغراق که نیستی است
How ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, bade him (the harper) turn his gaze from the stage of weeping, which is (self-) existence, to the stage of absorption (in God).
پس عمر گفتش که این زاری تو ** هست هم آثار هشیاری تو
Then ‘Umar said to him, “This wailing of thine is also (one of) the marks of thy sobriety (self-consciousness).
راه فانی گشته راهی دیگر است ** ز آن که هشیاری گناهی دیگر است2200
The way of him that has passed away (from self-consciousness) is another way, because sobriety is another sin.
هست هشیاری ز یاد ما مضی ** ماضی و مستقبلت پردهی خدا
Sobriety exists (arises) from recollection of what is past: past and future are to thee a curtain (separating thee) from God.
آتش اندر زن به هر دو تا به کی ** پر گره باشی از این هر دو چو نی
Cast fire on them both: how long, because of these twain, wilt thou be full of knots (joints) like a reed?
تا گره با نی بود هم راز نیست ** همنشین آن لب و آواز نیست
Whilst the reed is knotted, it is not a sharer of secrets: it is not the companion of the (flute-player's) lip and voice.
چون به طوفی خود به طوفی مرتدی ** چون به خانه آمدی هم با خودی
When thou art (engaged) in going about (seeking God) thou art indeed wrapped in (thy) going about: when thou hast come home, thou art still with thyself (self-conscious).
ای خبرهات از خبر ده بیخبر ** توبهی تو از گناه تو بتر2205
O thou whose knowledge is without knowledge of the Giver of knowledge, thy repentance is worse than thy sin.
ای تو از حال گذشته توبه جو ** کی کنی توبه از این توبه بگو
O thou that seekest to repent of a state that is past, say, when wilt thou repent of this repentance?
گاه بانگ زیر را قبله کنی ** گاه گریهی زار را قبله زنی
At one time thou turnest to the (low) sound of the treble, at another thou dost kiss (art in love with) weeping and wailing.”