که به از من سروری دیگر بود ** تا که او مسجود چون من کس شود
Saying, “Is there another leader superior to me, so that he should be worshipped by one like me?”
سروری زهر است جز آن روح را ** کاو بود تریاق لانی ز ابتدا
Leadership is poison, except to the spirit that from the beginning hath (in himself) abundance of the antidote.
کوه اگر پر مار شد باکی مدار ** کاو بود در اندرون تریاقزار3465
If the mountain is full of snakes, have no fear, for it is a mine of antidote within.
سروری چون شد دماغت را ندیم ** هر که بشکستت شود خصم قدیم
When leadership has become a bosom-friend to your brain, any one who breaks (thwarts) you becomes (as) an ancient adversary.
چون خلاف خوی تو گوید کسی ** کینهها خیزد ترا با او بسی
When any one contradicts your disposition (habit of mind), many feelings of hatred against him arise in you.
که مرا از خوی من بر میکند ** خویش را بر من چو سرور میکند
“He is tearing me (you say) from my (engrained) disposition, he is making himself like a captain over me.”
چون نباشد خوی بد سرکش در او ** کی فروزد آن خلاف آتش در او
Unless the evil disposition has become headstrong in him, how should the fire (of passion) blaze up in him through being opposed?
با مخالف او مدارایی کند ** در دل او خویش را جایی کند3470
He may show some feigned courtesy to the opponent, he may make a place for himself in his heart,
ز انکه خوی بد بگشته ست استوار ** مور شهوت شد ز عادت همچو مار
(But he really hates him), because the evil disposition has waxed strong: the ant of (worldly) lust has through habit become as a snake.
مار شهوت را بکش در ابتدا ** ور نه اینک گشت مارت اژدها
Kill the snake of lust in tribulation; else, look you, your snake is become a dragon.
لیک هر کس مور بیند مار خویش ** تو ز صاحب دل کن استفسار خویش
But every one deems his own snake an ant: do you (then) seek the explanation of yourself (your real state) from him that is lord of the heart.
تا نشد زر مس نداند من مسم ** تا نشد شه دل نداند مفلسم
Until copper becomes gold, it does not know itself to be copper: until the heart becomes a king, it does not know itself to be an insolvent.
خدمت اکسیر کن مسوار تو ** جور میکش ای دل از دل دار تو3475
Do service to the elixir, like copper: endure oppression, O heart, from him that holds the heart in fee.
کیست دل دار اهل دل نیکو بدان ** که چو روز و شب جهانند از جهان
Who is it that holds the heart in fee? Know well, it is the lords of the heart who, like day and night, are recoiling from the world.
عیب کم گو بندهی الله را ** متهم کم کن به دزدی شاه را
Do not find fault with the Servant of God: do not suspect the King of being a thief.
کرامات آن درویش که در کشتی متهمش کردند
The miracles of the dervish who was suspected of theft in a ship.
بود درویشی درون کشتیی ** ساخته از رخت مردی پشتیی
A dervish was in a ship: he had made a bolster (for himself) from the goods of saintly fortitude.
یاوه شد همیان زر او خفته بود ** جمله را جستند و او را هم نمود
A purse of gold was lost. He was asleep (at the time). They searched all (in the ship) and brought him also to view
کاین فقیر خفته را جوییم هم ** کرد بیدارش ز غم صاحب درم3480
Saying, “Let us search this sleeping mendicant as well.” (So) the owner of the money, (excited) by grief, awakened him.
که در این کشتی حرمدان گمشدست ** جمله را جستیم نتوانی تو رست
“A bag of valuables,” said he, “has been lost in this ship. We have searched the whole company: you cannot escape (suspicion).
دلق بیرون کن برهنه شو ز دلق ** تا ز تو فارغ شود اوهام خلق
Put off your dervish-cloak, strip yourself of it, in order that the people's suspicions may be cleared away from you.”
گفت یا رب مر غلامت را خسان ** متهم کردند فرمان در رسان
He cried, “O Lord, these vile wretches have made an accusation against Thy slave: bring Thy command to pass!”
چون به درد آمد دل درویش از آن ** سر برون کردند هر سو در زمان
When the heart of the dervish was pained by that (suspicion), at once there put forth their heads on every side
صد هزاران ماهی از دریای ژرف ** در دهان هر یکی دری شگرف3485
From the deep sea myriads of fishes, and in the mouth of each (was) a superb pearl:
صد هزاران ماهی از دریای پر ** در دهان هر یکی در و چه در
Myriads of fishes out of the full sea, each with a pearl in its mouth—and what (marvellous) pearls!—
هر یکی دری خراج ملکتی ** کز اله است این ندارد شرکتی
Every pearl the revenue of a kingdom. “These,” they said (to him), “are from God, they have no association (with any one but God).”
در چند انداخت در کشتی و جست ** مر هوا را ساخت کرسی و نشست
He dropped a quantity of pearls on the ship and sprang (aloft): he made the air his high-seat and sate (thereon),
خوش مربع چون شهان بر تخت خویش ** او فراز اوج و کشتیاش به پیش
(Resting) at ease, cross-legged, as kings upon their thrones— he above the zenith, and the ship before him.
گفت رو کشتی شما را حق مرا ** تا نباشد با شما دزد گدا3490
He said, “Begone! The ship for you, God for me, so that a beggarly thief may not be with you!
تا که را باشد خسارت زین فراق ** من خوشم جفت حق و با خلق طاق
Let us see who will be the loser by this separation! I am pleased, (being) paired (united) with God and singled (isolated) from (His) creatures.
نه مرا او تهمت دزدی نهد ** نه مهارم را به غمازی دهد
He does not accuse me of theft, He does not hand me over to (the mercy of) an informer.”
بانگ کردند اهل کشتی کای همام ** از چه دادندت چنین عالی مقام
The people in the ship cried out, “O noble chief, wherefore has such a high estate been given to thee?”
گفت از تهمت نهادن بر فقیر ** و ز حق آزاری پی چیزی حقیر
He answered, “For throwing suspicion on dervishes and offending God on account of a despicable thing (as ye have done)!
حاش لله بل ز تعظیم شهان ** که نبودم در فقیران بد گمان3495
God forbid! Nay, (it was) for showing reverence to (the spiritual) kings, inasmuch as I did not conceive ill thoughts against dervishes—
آن فقیران لطیف خوش نفس ** کز پی تعظیمشان آمد عبس
Those gracious dervishes of sweet breath (pure spirit), for whose magnification (the chapter of the Qur’án entitled) ‘Abasa was revealed.”
آن فقیری بهر پیچا پیچ نیست ** بل پی آن که بجز حق هیچ نیست
That dervishhood is not for the sake of (avoiding) entanglement (with the world); no, (it is) because nothing exists but God.
متهم چون دارم آنها را که حق ** کرد امین مخزن هفتم طبق
How should I hold in suspicion those whom God hath entrusted with the treasury of the Seventh Heaven?
متهم نفس است نه عقل شریف ** متهم حس است نه نور لطیف
The fleshly soul is suspect, not the sublime Reason: the senses are suspect, not the subtle Light.
نفس سوفسطایی آمد میزنش ** کش زدن سازد نه حجت گفتنش3500
The fleshly soul is a sophist: beat it constantly, for beating does it good, not arguing with it.
معجزه بیند فروزد آن زمان ** بعد از آن گوید خیالی بود آن
It sees a miracle (wrought by a prophet), and at the moment it glows (with belief); (but) afterwards it says, “’Twas (only) a phantasy;
ور حقیقت بودی آن دید عجب ** چون مقیم چشم نامد روز و شب
For if that wondrous sight was real, why did it not become abiding, day and night, in the eye?”
آن مقیم چشم پاکان میبود ** نه قرین چشم حیوان میشود
It is abiding in the eyes of the pure, (but) it does not haunt the eyes of animals (sensual men);
کان عجب زین حس دارد عار و ننگ ** کی بود طاوس اندر چاه تنگ
For the miracle is ashamed and scornful of these (bodily) senses: how should a peacock be (confined) in a narrow pit?
تا نگویی مر مرا بسیار گو ** من ز صد یک گویم و آن همچو مو3505
Take heed not to call me garrulous: I say (only) one in a hundred, and that (one) like a hair.
تشنیع صوفیان بر آن صوفی که پیش شیخ بسیار میگوید
How some Súfís abused a certain Súfí, saying that he talked too much in the presence of the Shaykh.
صوفیان بر صوفیی شنعت زدند ** پیش شیخ خانقاهی آمدند
Some Súfís abused a certain Súfí, and came to the Shaykh of the convent,
شیخ را گفتند داد جان ما ** تو از این صوفی بجو ای پیشوا
And said to the Shaykh, “Demand justice for our souls from this Súfí, O Guide!”
گفت آخر چه گله ست ای صوفیان ** گفت این صوفی سه خو دارد گران
He said, “Why, what is the complaint, O Súfís?” He (their spokesman) replied, “This Súfí has three annoying habits:
در سخن بسیار گو همچون جرس ** در خورش افزون خورد از بیست کس
In speech he is garrulous as a bell; in eating he eats more than twenty persons;
ور بخسبد هست چون اصحاب کهف ** صوفیان کردند پیش شیخ زحف3510
And if he sleep, he is like the Men of the Cave.” (Thus) did the Súfís march to war (against him) before the Shaykh.
شیخ رو آورد سوی آن فقیر ** که ز هر حالی که هست اوساط گیر
The Shaykh turned his face towards that dervish, saying, “In every case that exists, take the middle (course).
در خبر خیر الأمور أوساطها ** نافع آمد ز اعتدال أخلاطها
(It is stated) in Tradition that the best things are the mean (those between the two extremes): the (four) humours are beneficial through being in equipoise.