گفت پیغمبر که حق فرموده است ** من نگنجم هیچ در بالا و پست
The Prophet said that God has said, ‘I am not contained at all in “high” and “low” (spatial dimensions);
در زمین و آسمان و عرش نیز ** من نگنجم این یقین دان ای عزیز
I am not contained in earth or heaven or even in the empyrean—know this for certain, O noble one;
در دل مومن بگنجم ای عجب ** گر مرا جویی در آن دلها طلب2655
(But) I am contained in the true believer's heart: oh, how wonderful! If thou seekest Me, search in those hearts.’
گفت ادخل فی عبادی تلتقی ** جنة من رؤیتی یا متقی
He (God) said (also), ‘Enter among My servants, thou wilt meet with a Paradise (consisting) of vision of Me, O God-fearing one.’
عرش با آن نور با پهنای خویش ** چون بدید آن را برفت از جای خویش
The empyrean, notwithstanding its wide (far-extending) light, when it beheld that (spirit of Adam), was confounded.
خود بزرگی عرش باشد بس مدید ** لیک صورت کیست چون معنی رسید
Truly, the magnitude of the empyrean is very great, but who (what) is form when reality has arrived?
هر ملک میگفت ما را پیش از این ** الفتی میبود بر گرد زمین
Every angel was saying (to Adam), ‘Before this (time) we had a friendship (with thee) on the face of the earth.
تخم خدمت بر زمین میکاشتیم ** ز آن تعلق ما عجب میداشتیم2660
On the earth we were sowing the seed of service (worship): we were marveling at that connexion,
کاین تعلق چیست با این خاکمان ** چون سرشت ما بده ست از آسمان
Marvelling what connexion we had with this dust, inasmuch as our nature is of heaven.
الف ما انوار با ظلمات چیست ** چون تواند نور با ظلمات زیست
(We said), Why (this) friendship in us, who are light, with darkness? How can light live with darkness?
آدما آن الف از بوی تو بود ** ز آن که جسمت را زمین بد تار و پود
O Adam, that friendship was owing to the scent of thee, because earth was the woof and warp of thy body.
جسم خاکت را از اینجا بافتند ** نور پاکت را در اینجا یافتند
From this place (the earth) thy earthly body was woven, in this place thy pure light was found.
این که جان ما ز روحت یافته ست ** پیش پیش از خاک آن میتافته ست2665
This (light) that our souls have obtained from thy spirit shone erstwhile from the dust.
در زمین بودیم و غافل از زمین ** غافل از گنجی که در وی بد دفین
We were in the earth, and heedless of the earth, heedless of the treasure that lay buried there.
چون سفر فرمود ما را ز آن مقام ** تلخ شد ما را از آن تحویل کام
When He (God) bade us journey from that place of abode our palates were soured (we were bitterly grieved) by the change,
تا که حجتها همیگفتیم ما ** که بجای ما کی آید ای خدا
So that we were arguing (and saying), ‘O God, who will come in our stead?
نور این تسبیح و این تهلیل را ** میفروشی بهر قال و قیل را
Wilt Thou sell the splendour of the praise with which we glorify and magnify Thee for babble and palaver?’
حکم حق گسترد بهر ما بساط ** که بگویید از طریق انبساط2670
The decree of God spread for us the carpet (of indulgence), (and He said), ‘Speak ye, in the way of boldness
هر چه آید بر زبانتان بیحذر ** همچو طفلان یگانه با پدر
(And) without fear, whatever comes upon your tongues, like only children with their father;
ز آن که این دمها چه گر نالایق است ** رحمت من بر غضب هم سابق است
For what if these words (of yours) are unseemly? My mercy likewise is prior (superior) to My wrath.
از پی اظهار این سبق ای ملک ** در تو بنهم داعیهی اشکال و شک
In order to manifest this priority, O angel, I will put in thee incitement to perplexity and doubt,
تا بگویی و نگیرم بر تو من ** منکر حلمم نیارد دم زدن
That thou mayst speak and I not take offence at thee, (so that) none who denies My clemency may dare to utter a word.
صد پدر صد مادر اندر حلم ما ** هر نفس زاید در افتد در فنا2675
Within My (infinite) clemency (the clemencies of) a hundred fathers and a hundred mothers at every moment are born and vanish.
حلم ایشان کف بحر حلم ماست ** کف رود آید ولی دریا به جاست
Their clemency is (but) the foam of the sea of My clemency: the foam comes and goes, but the sea is (always) there.’’
خود چه گویم پیش آن در این صدف ** نیست الا کف کف کف کف
What indeed shall I say? Compared with that pearl (Divine clemency) this oyster-shell (human clemency) is naught but the foam of the foam of the foam of foam.
حق آن کف حق آن دریای صاف ** که امتحانی نیست این گفت و نه لاف
By the truth of that foam, by the truth of that pure sea, (I swear) that these words (of mine) are not (meant to make) trial of thee and are not vain.
از سر مهر و صفاء است و خضوع ** حق آن کس که بدو دارم رجوع
They are from (inspired by) love and sincerity and humbleness, (I swear) by the truth of that One to whom I turn.
گر به پیشت امتحان است این هوس ** امتحان را امتحان کن یک نفس2680
If this affection (which I am showing) seems to thee a trial, do thou for one moment put the (supposed) trial (of thee) to the test.
سر مپوشان تا پدید آید سرم ** امر کن تو هر چه بر وی قادرم
Do not hide thy secret (but reveal it), in order that mine may be revealed: command anything that I am able to do.
دل مپوشان تا پدید آید دلم ** تا قبول آرم هر آن چه قابلم
Do not hide thy heart (but reveal it), in order that mine may be revealed and that I may accept whatever I am capable of (performing).
چون کنم در دست من چه چاره است ** در نگر تا جان من چه کاره است
How shall I do? What remedy is in my power? Look what a plight my soul is in.”
تعیین کردن زن طریق طلب روزی کدخدای خود را و قبول کردن او
How the wife specified to her husband the way to earn daily bread and how he accepted (her proposal).
گفت زن یک آفتابی تافته ست ** عالمی زو روشنایی یافته ست
The wife said, “A sun has shone forth, a (whole) world has received light from him—
نایب رحمان خلیفهی کردگار ** شهر بغداد است از وی چون بهار2685
The Vicar of the Merciful (God), the Khalífa of the Creator: through him the city of Baghdád is (gay and happy) as the season of spring.
گر بپیوندی بدان شه شه شوی ** سوی هر ادبار تا کی میروی
If thou gain access to that King, thou wilt become a king: how long wilt thou go after every (kind of) misfortune?”
همنشینی مقبلان چون کیمیاست ** چون نظرشان کیمیایی خود کجاست
Companionship with kings is like the Elixir: indeed, how is an Elixir like (to be compared with) their looks (of favour)?
چشم احمد بر ابو بکری زده ** او ز یک تصدیق صدیق آمده
The eye of Ahmad (Mohammed) was cast upon an Abú Bakr: he by a single act of faith became a Siddíq.
گفت من شه را پذیرا چون شوم ** بیبهانه سوی او من چون روم
Said the husband, “How should I go to meet the King? How should I go to him without a pretext?
نسبتی باید مرا یا حیلتی ** هیچ پیشه راست شد بیآلتی2690
I must have some reference or device: is any handicraft right (possible) without tools?
همچو آن مجنون که بشنید از یکی ** که مرض آمد به لیلی اندکی
As (to mention a similar case) the famous Majnún, when he heard from some one that Laylá was a little unwell,
گفت آوه بیبهانه چون روم ** ور بمانم از عیادت چون شوم
Cried, ‘Ah, how shall I go (to her) without a pretext? And if I fail to visit her when she is ill, how (wretched) shall I be!
لیتنی کنت طبیبا حاذقا ** کنت أمشی نحو لیلی سابقا
Would that I were a skilled physician! I would have gone on foot to Laylá first of all (before any one else).’
قل تعالوا گفت حق ما را بدان ** تا بود شرم اشکنی ما را نشان
God said to us, ‘Say, Come ye,’ in order to signify to us the (means of) vanquishing our feeling of shame.
شب پران را گر نظر و آلت بدی ** روزشان جولان و خوش حالت بدی2695
If bats had sight and means (ability to bear the sunshine), they would fly about and enjoy themselves by day.”
گفت چون شاه کرم میدان رود ** عین هر بیآلتی آلت شود
The wife said, “When the gracious King goes into the field (maydán), the essence of every lack of means (inability) becomes a means (ability),
ز آن که آلت دعوی است و هستی است ** کار در بیآلتی و پستی است
Because the means (ability) is (involves) pretension and self-existence: the (pith of the) matter lies in lack of means (inability) and non-existence.”
گفت کی بیآلتی سودا کنم ** تا نه من بیآلتی پیدا کنم
“How,” said he, “should I do business without means, unless I make it manifest that I (really) have no means?
پس گواهی بایدم بر مفلسی ** تا شهم رحمی کند یا مونسی
Therefore I must needs have attestation of my want of means, that the King who wants naught may take pity on me.
تو گواهی غیر گفتوگو و رنگ ** وانما تا رحم آرد شاه شنگ2700
Do thou produce some attestation besides talk and show, so that the beauteous King may take pity,
کاین گواهی که ز گفت و رنگ بد ** نزد آن قاضی القضاة آن جرح شد
For the testimony that consisted of talk and show was (ever) invalidated before that Supreme Judge.
صدق میخواهد گواه حال او ** تا بتابد نور او بیقال او
He requires truth (veracity) as witness to his (the indigent man's) state, so that his (inner) light shall shine forth (and proclaim his indigence) without any words of his.”
هدیه بردن عرب سبوی آب باران از میان بادیه سوی بغداد به نزد خلیفه بر پنداشت آن که آن جا هم قحط آب است
How the Arab carried a jug of rain-water from the midst of the desert as a gift to the Commander of the Faithful at Baghdád, in the belief that in that town also there was a scarcity of water.