صد هزار اندر هزار از مرد و زن ** پس چرا محروم ماندند از زمن
Myriads on myriads of men and women—why, then, did they remain deprived of fortune?
صد هزاران قرن ز آغاز جهان ** همچو اژدرها گشاده صد دهان950
From the beginning of the world myriads of generations have opened a hundred mouths, like dragons:
مکرها کردند آن دانا گروه ** که ز بن بر کنده شد ز آن مکر کوه
Those clever people devised plots (of such power) that the mountain thereby was torn up from its foundation.
کرد وصف مکرهاشان ذو الجلال ** لتزول منه اقلال الجبال
The Glorious (God) described their plots (when He said): (though their guile be such) that the tops of the mountains might be moved thereby.
جز که آن قسمت که رفت اندر ازل ** روی ننمود از شکار و از عمل
(But) except the portion which came to pass (was predestined) in eternity, nothing showed its face (accrued to them) from their hunting and doing.
جمله افتادند از تدبیر و کار ** ماند کار و حکم‌‌های کردگار
They all fell from (failed in) plan and act: the acts and decrees of the Maker remained.
کسب جز نامی مدان ای نامدار ** جهد جز وهمی مپندار ای عیار955
O illustrious one, do not regard work as aught but a name! O cunning one, think not that exertion is aught but a vain fancy!”
نگریستن عزراییل بر مردی و گریختن آن مرد در سرای سلیمان و تقریر ترجیح توکل بر جهد و قلت فایده‌‌ی جهد
How ‘Azrá‘íl (Azrael) looked at a certain man, and how that man fled to the palace of Solomon; and setting forth the superiority of trust in God to exertion and the uselessness of the latter.
زاد مردی چاشتگاهی در رسید ** در سرا عدل سلیمان در دوید
One forenoon a freeborn (noble) man arrived and ran into Solomon's hall of justice,
رویش از غم زرد و هر دو لب کبود ** پس سلیمان گفت ای خواجه چه بود
His countenance pale with anguish and both lips blue. Then Solomon said, “Good sir, what is the matter?”
گفت عزراییل در من این چنین ** یک نظر انداخت پر از خشم و کین
He replied, “Azrael cast on me such a look, so full of wrath and hate.”
گفت هین اکنون چه می‌‌خواهی بخواه ** گفت فرما باد را ای جان پناه
“Come,” said the king, “what (boon) do you desire now? Ask (it)!” “O protector of my life,” said he, “command the wind,
تا مرا ز ینجا به هندستان برد ** بو که بنده کان طرف شد جان برد960
To bear me from here to India. Maybe, when thy slave is come thither he will save his life.”
نک ز درویشی گریزانند خلق ** لقمه‌‌ی حرص و امل ز آنند خلق
Lo, the people are fleeing from poverty: hence are they a mouthful for (a prey to) covetousness and expectation.
ترس درویشی مثال آن هراس ** حرص و کوشش را تو هندستان شناس
The fear of poverty is like that (man's) terror: know thou that covetousness and striving are (like) India (in this tale).
باد را فرمود تا او را شتاب ** برد سوی قعر هندستان بر آب
He (Solomon) commanded the wind to bear him quickly over the water to the uttermost part of India.
روز دیگر وقت دیوان و لقا ** پس سلیمان گفت عزراییل را
Next day, at the time of conference and meeting, Solomon said to Azrael:
کان مسلمان را بخشم از چه چنان ** بنگریدی تا شد آواره ز خان965
“Didst thou look with anger on that Moslem in order that he might wander (as an exile) far from his home?”
گفت من از خشم کی کردم نظر ** از تعجب دیدمش در رهگذر
Azrael said, “When did I look (on him) angrily? I saw him as I passed by, (and looked at him) in astonishment,
که مرا فرمود حق که امروز هان ** جان او را تو به هندستان ستان
For God had commanded me, saying, ‘Hark, to-day do thou take his spirit in India.’
از عجب گفتم گر او را صد پر است ** او به هندستان شدن دور اندر است
From wonder I said (to myself), ‘(Even) if he has a hundred wings, ’tis a far journey for him to be in India (to-day).’”
تو همه کار جهان را همچنین ** کن قیاس و چشم بگشا و ببین
In like manner judge of all the affairs of this world and open your eye and see!
از که بگریزیم از خود ای محال ** از که برباییم از حق ای وبال970
From whom shall we flee? From ourselves? Oh, absurdity! From whom shall we take (ourselves) away? From God? Oh, crime!
باز ترجیح‌‌نهادن شیر جهد را بر توکل و فواید جهد را بیان کردن
How the lion again declared exertion to be superior to trust in God and expounded the advantages of exertion.
شیر گفت آری و لیکن هم ببین ** جهدهای انبیا و مومنین
“Yes,” said the lion; “but at the same time consider the exertions of the prophets and the true believers.
حق تعالی جهدشان را راست کرد ** آن چه دیدند از جفا و گرم و سرد
God, exalted is He, prospered their exertion and what they suffered of oppression and heat and cold.
حیله‌‌هاشان جمله حال آمد لطیف ** کل شی‌‌ء من ظریف هو ظریف
Their plans were excellent in all circumstances: everything done by a goodly man is goodly.
دامهاشان مرغ گردونی گرفت ** نقصهاشان جمله افزونی گرفت
Their snares caught the Heavenly bird, all their deficiencies turned to increment.”
جهد می‌‌کن تا توانی ای کیا ** در طریق انبیا و اولیا975
O master, exert thyself so long as thou canst in (following) the way of the prophets and saints!
با قضا پنجه زدن نبود جهاد ** ز آن که این را هم قضا بر ما نهاد
Endeavour is not a struggle with Destiny, because Destiny itself has laid this (endeavour) upon us.
کافرم من گر زیان کرده ست کس ** در ره ایمان و طاعت یک نفس
I am an infidel if any one has suffered loss a single moment (while walking) in the way of faith and obedience.
سر شکسته نیست این سر را مبند ** یک دو روزک جهد کن باقی بخند
Your head is not broken: do not bandage this head. Exert yourself (in doing good works) for one or two little days (i.e. during this brief life), and laugh unto everlasting!
بد محالی جست کاو دنیا بجست ** نیک حالی جست کاو عقبی بجست
An evil resort sought he that sought this world; a good state sought he that sought the world to come.
مکرها در کسب دنیا بارد است ** مکرها در ترک دنیا وارد است980
Plots for gaining (the things of) this world are worthless, (but) plots for renouncing this world are inspired (by God).
مکر آن باشد که زندان حفره کرد ** آن که حفره بست آن مکری ست سرد
The (right) plot is that he (the prisoner) digs a hole in his prison (in order to escape); if he blocks up the hole, that is a foolish plot.
این جهان زندان و ما زندانیان ** حفره کن زندان و خود را وارهان
This world is the prison, and we are the prisoners: dig a hole in the prison and let yourself out!
چیست دنیا از خدا غافل بدن ** نی قماش و نقره و میزان و زن
What is this world? To be forgetful of God; it is not merchandise and silver and weighing-scales and women.
مال را کز بهر دین باشی حمول ** نعم مال صالح خواندش رسول
As regards the wealth that you carry for religion's sake, “How good is righteous wealth (for the righteous man)!” as the Prophet recited.
آب در کشتی هلاک کشتی است ** آب اندر زیر کشتی پشتی است985
Water in the boat is the ruin of the boat, (but) water underneath the boat is a support.
چون که مال و ملک را از دل براند ** ز آن سلیمان خویش جز مسکین نخواند
Since he cast out from his heart (the desire for) wealth and possessions, on that account Solomon did not call himself (by any name) but “poor.”
کوزه‌‌ی سر بسته اندر آب زفت ** از دل پر باد فوق آب رفت
The stoppered jar, (though) in rough water, floated on the water because of its wind-filled (empty) heart.
باد درویشی چو در باطن بود ** بر سر آب جهان ساکن بود
When the wind of poverty is within (any one), he rests at peace on the surface of the water of the world;
گر چه جمله‌‌ی این جهان ملک وی است ** ملک در چشم دل او لا شی است
Although the whole of this world is his kingdom, in the eye of his heart the kingdom is nothing.
پس دهان دل ببند و مهر کن ** پر کنش از باد کبر من لدن990
Therefore stopper and seal the mouth of your heart, and fill it from the Divine ventilator.
جهد حق است و دوا حق است و درد ** منکر اندر نفی جهدش جهد کرد
Exertion is a reality, and medicine and disease are realities: the sceptic in his denial of exertion practised (and thereby affirmed) exertion.
مقرر شدن ترجیح جهد بر توکل
How the superiority of exertion to trust in God was established.
زین نمط بسیار برهان گفت شیر ** کز جواب آن جبریان گشتند سیر
The lion gave many proofs in this style, so that those necessitarians became tired of answering (him).
روبه و آهو و خرگوش و شغال ** جبر را بگذاشتند و قیل و قال
Fox and deer and hare and jackal abandoned (the doctrine of) necessity and (ceased from) disputation.
عهدها کردند با شیر ژیان ** کاندر این بیعت نیفتد در زیان
They made covenants with the furious lion, (ensuring) that he should incur no loss in this bargain,
قسم هر روزش بیاید بی‌‌جگر ** حاجتش نبود تقاضای دگر995
(That) the daily ration should come to him without trouble, and that he should not need to make a further demand.
قرعه بر هر که فتادی روز روز ** سوی آن شیر او دویدی همچو یوز
Day by day the one on whom the lot fell would run to the lion as (swiftly as) a cheetah.
چون به خرگوش آمد این ساغر به دور ** بانگ زد خرگوش کاخر چند جور
When this cup (of death) came round to the hare, the hare cried out, “Why, how long (are we to endure this) injustice?”
انکار کردن نخجیران بر خرگوش در تاخیر رفتن بر شیر
How the beasts of chase blamed the hare for his delay in going to the lion.
قوم گفتندش که چندین گاه ما ** جان فدا کردیم در عهد و وفا
The company (of beasts) said to him: “All this time we have sacrificed our lives in troth and loyalty.