از پی این عیش و عشرت ساختن ** صد هزاران جان بشاید باختن
It behoves (us), for the sake of procuring (such) delight and enjoyment, to gamble away (sacrifice) hundreds of thousands of souls (lives).
در شکار بیشهی جان باز باش ** همچو خورشید جهان جانباز باش
In chase of the spiritual forest be (as) a falcon, be one who gambles his soul (life) away, like the sun of this world.
جان فشان افتاد خورشید بلند ** هر دمی تی میشود پر میکنند2220
The lofty sun is life-diffusing: every moment it becomes empty and is filled.
جان فشان ای آفتاب معنوی ** مر جهان کهنه را بنما نوی
O Sun of Reality, diffuse spiritual life, show forth newness to this old world!
در وجود آدمی جان و روان ** میرسد از غیب چون آب روان
Soul and spirit are coming from the Unseen into human existence, like running water.
تفسیر دعای آن دو فرشته که هر روز بر سر هر بازاری منادی میکنند که اللهم أعط کل منفق خلفا اللهم أعط کل ممسک تلفا و بیان کردن که آن منفق مجاهد راه حق است نه مسرف راه هوا
Commentary on the prayer of the two angels who daily make proclamation in every market, saying, “O God, bestow on every prodigal some boon in exchange! O God, bestow on every niggard some bane (in return)”; and an explanation that the prodigal is he that strives earnestly in the Way of God, not he that squanders his wealth in the way of sensuality.
گفت پیغمبر که دایم بهر پند ** دو فرشتهی خوش منادی میکنند
The Prophet said, “For admonishment's sake two goodly angels are always making proclamation,
کای خدایا منفقان را سیر دار ** هر درمشان را عوض ده صد هزار
Saying, ‘O God, keep the prodigals fully satisfied, give hundred-thousandfold recompense for every dirhem that they spend.
ای خدایا ممسکان را در جهان ** تو مده الا زیان اندر زیان2225
O God, do not give the niggards in this world anything but loss upon loss!’”
ای بسا امساک کز انفاق به ** مال حق را جز به امر حق مده
Oh, (there is) many an act of niggardliness that is better than prodigality: do not bestow what belongs to God except by the command of God,
تا عوض یابی تو گنج بیکران ** تا نباشی از عداد کافران
That thou mayst gain infinite treasure in return, and that thou mayst not be numbered among the infidels
کاشتران قربان همیکردند تا ** چیره گردد تیغشان بر مصطفا
Who were offering camels in sacrifice in order that their swords might prevail against Mustafá.
امر حق را باز جو از واصلی ** امر حق را در نیابد هر دلی
Endeavour to find out the command of God from one who is united (with God): not every heart understands the command of God,
چون غلام یاغیی کاو عدل کرد ** مال شه بر باغیان او بذل کرد2230
As (for example) the slave, the enemy (of God), who did justice (in his own opinion, and) bestowed what belonged to the King upon His enemies who rebelled against Him—
در نبی انذار اهل غفلت است ** کان همه انفاقهاشان حسرت است
In the Qur’án there is warning to the heedless that all their spendings are a (cause of) bitter grief to them—
عدل این یاغی و دادش نزد شاه ** چه فزاید دوری و روی سیاه
What increase does the equity and justice of this enemy produce in the sight of the King? Banishment and a black countenance (disgrace).
سروران مکه در حرب رسول ** بودشان قربان به اومید قبول
The chiefs of Mecca (when) at war with the Prophet offered sacrifice in hope of (Divine) favour.
بهر این مومن همیگوید ز بیم ** در نماز اهد الصراط المستقیم
On this account the true believer is saying in his prayer, from fear, “Lead (us) in the right path!”
آن درم دادن سخی را لایق است ** جان سپردن خود سخای عاشق است2235
It beseems the generous man thus to give money, (but) verily the generosity of the lover is the surrender of his soul (life).
نان دهی از بهر حق نانت دهند ** جان دهی از بهر حق جانت دهند
If you give bread for God's sake, you will be given bread (in return); if you give your life for God's sake, you will be given life (in return).
گر بریزد برگهای این چنار ** برگ بیبرگیش بخشد کردگار
If the leaves of this plane-tree drop off, the Creator will bestow on it the provision of leaflessness (spiritual poverty).
گر نماند از جود در دست تو مال ** کی کند فضل خدایت پای مال
If because of your liberality no wealth remains in your hand, how should the bounty of God let you be down-trodden?
هر که کارد گردد انبارش تهی ** لیکش اندر مزرعه باشد بهی
When any one sows, his barn becomes empty (of seed), but there is goodliness in his cornfield;
و آن که در انبار ماند و صرفه کرد ** اشپش و موش و حوادث پاک خورد2240
And, if he leaves it (the seed) in the barn and saves it up, weevils and mice and calamities (of time and decay) devour it entirely.
این جهان نفی است در اثبات جو ** صورتت صفر است در معنات جو
This world is negation (of reality): seek (reality) in affirmation (of God). Your form (body) is void (of reality): seek in your essence.
جان شور تلخ پیش تیغ بر ** جان چون دریای شیرین را بخر
Bring the briny bitter (animal) soul to the sword: buy the (heavenly) soul that is like a great sweet river.
ور نمیدانی شدن زین آستان ** باری از من گوش کن این داستان
And if you cannot become (one of the frequenters) of this threshold (sublime court), at least hear from me the following tale.
قصهی خلیفه که در کرم در زمان خود از حاتم طایی گذشته بود و نظیر خود نداشت
The story of the Caliph who in his time surpassed Hátim of Tayyi in generosity and had no rival.
یک خلیفه بود در ایام پیش ** کرده حاتم را غلام جود خویش
In former days there was a Caliph who made Hátim the slave of his liberality.
رایت اکرام و داد افراشته ** فقر و حاجت از جهان برداشته2245
He had raised high the banner of munificence and largesse, he had removed poverty and want from the world.
بحر و کان از بخششاش صاف آمده ** داد او از قاف تا قاف آمده
(He was) a sea (of bounty), and the pearls (in it) came pure (untarnished) from his munificence: his largesse reached from Qáf to Qáf.
در جهان خاک ابر و آب بود ** مظهر بخشایش وهاب بود
In this world of dust he was the cloud and the rain: he was the centre wherein the bounty of the Giver of all displayed itself.
از عطایش بحر و کان در زلزله ** سوی جودش قافله بر قافله
His gifts caused sea and mine to quake (tremble with shame): caravan on caravan (were hastening) towards his liberality.
قبلهی حاجت در و دروازهاش ** رفته در عالم به جود آوازهاش
His gate and portal was the point to which Need turned: the fame of his munificence had gone (far and wide) into the world.
هم عجم هم روم هم ترک و عرب ** مانده از جود و سخایش در عجب2250
Persians and Greeks, Turcomans and Arabs, were lost in amazement at his liberality and generosity.
آب حیوان بود و دریای کرم ** زنده گشته هم عرب زو هم عجم
He was the Water of Life and the Ocean of Bounty: by him both Arabs and foreigners were revived.
قصهی اعرابی درویش و ماجرای زن با او به سبب قلت و درویشی
Story of the poor Arab of the desert and his wife's altercation with him because of (their) penury and poverty.
یک شب اعرابی زنی مر شوی را ** گفت و از حد برد گفتوگوی را
One night a Bedouin woman said to her husband—and she carried (her) talk beyond bounds—
کاین همه فقر و جفا ما میکشیم ** جمله عالم در خوشی ما ناخوشیم
“We are suffering all this poverty and hardship: all the world are (living) in happiness, we (alone) are unhappy.
نانمان نی نان خورشمان درد و رشک ** کوزهمان نه آبمان از دیده اشک
We have no bread, our (only) condiment is anguish and envy: we have no jug, our (only) water is the tears (that flow) from our eyes.
جامهی ما روز تاب آفتاب ** شب نهالین و لحاف از ماهتاب2255
Our garment by day is the burning sunshine; at night our bed and coverlet is (made) of the moonbeams.
قرص مه را قرص نان پنداشته ** دست سوی آسمان برداشته
We fancy the disk of the moon is a disk (round cake) of bread and lift up our hands towards the sky.
ننگ درویشان ز درویشی ما ** روز شب از روزی اندیشی ما
The (poorest of the) poor feel shame at our poverty: day is turned to night (darkened) by our anxiety about our daily portion (of food).
خویش و بیگانه شده از ما رمان ** بر مثال سامری از مردمان
Kinsfolk and strangers have come to flee from us in like fashion as Sámirí from men.
گر بخواهم از کسی یک مشت نسک ** مر مرا گوید خمش کن مرگ و جسک
If I beg a handful of lentils from some one, he says to me, ‘Be silent, O death and plague!’
مر عرب را فخر غزو است و عطا ** در عرب تو همچو اندر خط خطا2260
The Arabs take pride in fighting and giving: thou amongst the Arabs art like a fault in writing.”
چه غزا ما بیغزا خود کشتهایم ** ما به تیغ فقر بیسر گشتهایم
What fighting (can we do)? We are killed without fighting, we have been beheaded by the sword of want.
چه عطا ما بر گدایی میتنیم ** مر مگس را در هوا رگ میزنیم
What gifts (can we make)? We are continually in beggary, we are slitting the vein of (slaughtering) the gnat in the air.
گر کسی مهمان رسد گر من منم ** شب بخسبد قصد دلق او کنم
If any guest arrive, if I am I (as sure as I am living) (when) he goes to sleep at night, I will tear the tattered cloak from his body.
مغرور شدن مریدان محتاج به مدعیان مزور و ایشان را شیخ و محتشم و واصل پنداشتن و نقل را از نقد فرق نادانستن و بر بسته را از بر رسته
How disciples (novices in Súfism) are beguiled in their need by false impostors and imagine them to be Shaykhs and venerable personages and (saints) united (with God), and do not know the difference between fact (naqd) and fiction (naql) and between what is tied on (artificially) and what has grown up (naturally).
بهر این گفتند دانایان به فن ** میهمان محسنان باید شدن
For this reason the wise have said with knowledge, ‘One must become the guest of those who confer benefits.’
تو مرید و میهمان آن کسی ** کاو ستاند حاصلت را از خسی2265
Thou art the disciple and guest of one who, from his vileness, robs thee of all thou hast.
نیست چیره چون ترا چیره کند ** نور ندهد مر ترا تیره کند
He is not strong: how should he make thee strong? He does not give light, (nay) he makes thee dark.
چون و را نوری نبود اندر قران ** نور کی یابند از وی دیگران
Since he had no light (in himself), how in association (with him) should others obtain light from him?