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.
گر یکی خلطی فزون شد از عرض ** در تن مردم پدید آید مرض
If by accident (any) one humour become excessive, disease appears in the human body.
بر قرین خویش مفزا در صفت ** کان فراق آرد یقین در عاقبت
Do not exceed in (any) quality him that is thy yoke-fellow, for that will assuredly bring about separation (between you) in the end.
نطق موسی بد بر اندازه و لیک ** هم فزون آمد ز گفت یار نیک3515
The speech of Moses was in measure, but even so it exceeded the words of his good friend.
آن فزونی با خضر آمد شقاق ** گفت رو تو مکثری هذا فراق
That excess resulted in (his) opposing Khadir; and he (Khadir) said, ‘Go, thou art one that talks too much: this is a (cause of) separation (between us).’
موسیا بسیار گویی دور شو ** ور نه با من گنگ باش و کور شو
O (thou who resemblest) Moses, thou art garrulous. Go far off, or else be dumb with me and blind!
ور نرفتی وز ستیزه شستهای ** تو به معنی رفتهای بگسستهای
And if thou goest not, but remainest sitting (here) in despite (of me), thou art gone in reality and severed (from my company).”
چون حدث کردی تو ناگه در نماز ** گویدت سوی طهارت رو به تاز
When suddenly you commit an act of (legal) impurity in the ritual prayer, it (the prayer) says to you, “Go speedily to purify yourself”;
ور نرفتی خشک جنبان میشوی ** خود نمازت رفت بنشین ای غوی3520
And if you go not, you will be moving (exerting yourself) in vain; verily your prayer is gone beforehand (already), O misguided man!
رو بر آنها که هم جفت تواند ** عاشقان و تشنهی گفت تواند
Go to them that are your mates, (them) that are enamoured of your discourse and thirsting for it.
پاسبان بر خوابناکان بر فزود ** ماهیان را پاسبان حاجت نبود
One who keeps watch is superior to those who slumber: the (spiritual) fish have no need of one who keeps watch.
جامه پوشان را نظر بر گازر است ** جان عریان را تجلی زیور است
Those who wear clothes look to the launderer, (but) the soul of the naked hath (Divine) illumination as its adornment.
یا ز عریانان به یک سو باز رو ** یا چو ایشان فارغ از تن جامه شو
Either withdraw (and turn) aside from the naked, or like them become free from body-garments.
ور نمیتانی که کل عریان شوی ** جامه کم کن تا ره اوسط روی3525
And if you cannot become wholly naked, make your garments less, so that you may tread the middle path.
عذر گفتن فقیر به شیخ
How the dervish excused himself to the Shaykh.
پس فقیر آن شیخ را احوال گفت ** عذر را با آن غرامت کرد جفت
Then the dervish told the Shaykh how the case stood, and coupled excuses with the discharge of that obligation.
مر سؤال شیخ را داد او جواب ** چون جوابات خضر خوب و صواب
To the Shaykh's questions he gave answer good and right, like the answers of Khadir—
آن جوابات سؤالات کلیم ** کش خضر بنمود از رب علیم
(Namely) those answers to the questions of Moses which Khadir, (inspired) by the all-knowing Lord, set forth to him,
گشت مشکلهاش حل و افزون زیاد ** از پی هر مشکلش مفتاح داد
(So that) his difficulties became solved, and he (Khadir) gave to him (Moses) the key to every question (in a way) beyond telling.
از خضر درویش هم میراث داشت ** در جواب شیخ همت بر گماشت3530
The dervish also had (a spiritual) inheritance from Khadir; (hence) he bent his will to answering the Shaykh.
گفت راه اوسط ار چه حکمت است ** لیک اوسط نیز هم با نسبت است
He said, “Although the middle path is (the way of) wisdom, yet the middle path too is relative.
آب جو نسبت به اشتر هست کم ** لیک باشد موش را آن همچو یم
Relatively to a camel, the water in the stream is little, but to a mouse it is like the ocean.
هر که را باشد وظیفه چار نان ** دو خورد یا سه خورد هست اوسط آن
If any one has an allowance of four loaves and eats two or three, that is the mean;
ور خورد هر چار دور از اوسط است ** او اسیر حرص مانند بط است
But if he eat all the four, it is far from the mean: he is in bondage to greed, like a duck.
هر که او را اشتها ده نان بود ** شش خورد میدان که اوسط آن بود3535
If one has appetite for ten loaves and eats six, know that that is the mean.
چون مرا پنجاه نان هست اشتهی ** مر ترا شش گرده هم دستیم نی
When I have appetite for fifty loaves, and you for (no more than) six scones, we are not equivalent.
تو به ده رکعت نماز آیی ملول ** من به پانصد در نیایم در نحول
You may be tired by ten rak‘as (of prayer), I may not be worn thin by five hundred.
آن یکی تا کعبه حافی میرود ** و آن یکی تا مسجد از خود میشود
One goes bare-foot (all the way) to the Ka‘ba, and one becomes beside himself (with exhaustion in going) as far as the mosque.
آن یکی در پاکبازی جان بداد ** وین یکی جان کند تا یک نان بداد
One in utter self-devotion gives his life, one is agonised at giving a single loaf.
این وسط در با نهایت میرود ** که مرا آن را اول و آخر بود3540
This mean belongs to (the realm of) the finite, for that (finite) has a beginning and end.
اول و آخر بباید تا در آن ** در تصور گنجد اوسط یا میان
A beginning and end are necessary in order that the mean or middle (point) between them may be conceived in imagination.
بینهایت چون ندارد دو طرف ** کی بود او را میانه منصرف
Inasmuch as the infinite has not (these) two limits, how should the mean be applicable to it?
اول و آخر نشانش کس نداد ** گفت لو کان له البحر مداد
No one has shown it to have beginning or end. He (God) said, ‘If the sea were to become ink for it (the Word of God)…’
هفت دریا گر شود کلی مداد ** نیست مر پایان شدن را هیچ امید
If the Seven Seas should become entirely ink, (still) there is no hope of coming to an end.
باغ و بیشه گر بود یک سر قلم ** زین سخن هرگز نگردد هیچ کم3545
If orchards and forests should become pens altogether, there would never be any decrease in this Word.