خاک او گردی و مدفون غمش ** تا دمت یابد مددها از دمش

And by becoming His dust and buried in love of Him, so that your breath may gain replenishments from His breath.

گورخانه و قبه‌ها و کنگره ** نبود از اصحاب معنی آن سره

A tomb with domes and turrets—that is not good (approved) on the part of the followers of Reality.

بنگر اکنون زنده اطلس‌پوش را ** هیچ اطلس دست گیرد هوش را

Look now at a living person attired in satin: does the satin help his understanding at all?

در عذاب منکرست آن جان او ** گزدم غم دل دل غمدان او 135

His soul is in hateful torment, the scorpion of grief is in his grief-laden heart.

از برون بر ظاهرش نقش و نگار ** وز درون ز اندیشه‌ها او زار زار

Outside, on his exterior, broideries and decorations; but within he is sorely lamenting from (bitter) thoughts,

و آن یکی بینی در آن دلق کهن ** چون نبات اندیشه و شکر سخن

While you may see another in an old patched frock, his thoughts (sweet) as the sugar-cane and his words (like) sugar.

بازگشتن به حکایت پیل

Returning to the Story of the elephant.

گفت ناصح بشنوید این پند من ** تا دل و جانتان نگردد ممتحن

Said the sincere adviser, “Hearken to this counsel of mine, so that your hearts and souls may not be afflicted.

با گیاه و برگها قانع شوید ** در شکار پیل‌بچگان کم روید

Be content with herbage and leaves, do not go in chase of the young elephants.

من برون کردم ز گردن وام نصح ** جز سعادت کی بود انجام نصح 140

I have put off from my neck (I have discharged) the debt of admonition: how should the end (final result) of admonition be aught but felicity?

من به تبلیغ رسالت آمدم ** تا رهانم مر شما را از ندم

I came to deliver the message, that I may save you from (fruitless) repentance.

هین مبادا که طمع رهتان زند ** طمع برگ از بیخهاتان بر کند

Beware! Let not greed waylay you, let not greed for victual tear you up by the roots!”

این بگفت و خیربادی کرد و رفت ** گشت قحط و جوعشان در راه زفت

This he said, and gave a farewell and departed; their famine and hunger waxed great on the way.

ناگهان دیدند سوی جاده‌ای ** پور پیلی فربهی نو زاده‌ای

Suddenly, in the direction of a highroad, they espied a fat young elephant, newly born.

اندر افتادند چون گرگان مست ** پاک خوردندش فرو شستند دست 145

They fell upon it like furious wolves, ate it clean up, and washed their hands.

آن یکی همره نخورد و پند داد ** که حدیث آن فقیرش بود یاد

One of the fellow-travellers did not eat (of it) and exhorted (the others to abstain), for the sayings of that dervish were remembered by him.

از کبابش مانع آمد آن سخن ** بخت نو بخشد ترا عقل کهن

Those words hindered him from (eating) its roasted flesh: old intelligence bestows on thee a new fortune.

پس بیفتادند و خفتند آن همه ** وان گرسنه چون شبان اندر رمه

Then they all fell down and slept, but the hungry one (was awake) like the shepherd in the flock.

دید پیلی سهمناکی می‌رسید ** اولا آمد سوی حارس دوید

He saw a frightful elephant approaching: first she came and ran towards him who was keeping guard.

بوی می‌کرد آن دهانش را سه بار ** هیچ بویی زو نیامد ناگوار 150

She smelt his mouth thrice: no disagreeable smell came from it.

چند باری گرد او گشت و برفت ** مر ورا نازرد آن شه‌پیل زفت

She paced round him several times and went off: the huge queen-elephant did him no hurt.

مر لب هر خفته‌ای را بوی کرد ** بوی می‌آمد ورا زان خفته مرد

She smelt the lips of every sleeper, and the smell (of her young one's flesh) was coming to her from each of those slumbering men.

از کباب پیل‌زاده خورده بود ** بر درانید و بکشتش پیل زود

He (each man) had eaten of the roasted flesh of the young elephant: the (mother) elephant quickly tore him to pieces and killed him.

در زمان او یک بیک را زان گروه ** می‌درانید و نبودش زان شکوه

At once she set about rending the people of that company one by one, and she had no awe of (doing) it.

بر هوا انداخت هر یک را گزاف ** تا همی‌زد بر زمین می‌شد شکاف 155

She tossed each one in the air recklessly, so that he dashed on the earth and was cloven asunder.

ای خورنده‌ی خون خلق از راه برد ** تا نه آرد خون ایشانت نبرد

O drinker of the people's blood, begone from the way, lest their blood wage war against thee.

مال ایشان خون ایشان دان یقین ** زانک مال از زور آید در یمین

Know for sure that their property is (as) their blood, because property comes into one's hand (is acquired) by strength (of body).

مادر آن پیل‌بچگان کین کشد ** پیل بچه‌خواره را کیفر کشد

The mother of those young elephants will exact vengeance: (her) retribution will slay him that eats the young elephant.

پیل‌بچه می‌خوری ای پاره‌خوار ** هم بر آرد خصم پیل از تو دمار

O eater of bribes, thou eatest the young elephant: from thee too the Master of the elephant will wring the breath.

بوی رسوا کرد مکر اندیش را ** پیل داند بوی طفل خویش را 160

The smell put to shame the deviser of fraud: the elephant knows the smell of her child.

آنک یابد بوی حق را از یمن ** چون نیابد بوی باطل را ز من

He that perceives the smell of God from (distant) Yemen, how should not he perceive the smell of falsehood from me?

مصطفی چون برد بوی از راه دور ** چون نیابد از دهان ما بخور

Inasmuch as Mustafá (Mohammed) smelt (this) from far away, how should not he smell the odour from our mouths?

هم بیابد لیک پوشاند ز ما ** بوی نیک و بد بر آید بر سما

He does smell it, but he conceals (the fact) from us: the good and bad smells go up to Heaven.

تو همی‌خسپی و بوی آن حرام ** می‌زند بر آسمان سبزفام

Thou art sleeping, and (meanwhile) the smell of that unlawful deed (of thine) is beating on the azure sky.

همره انفاس زشتت می‌شود ** تا به بوگیران گردون می‌رود 165

It accompanies thy foul breaths, it ascends to the smellers (examiners) in the celestial sphere.

بوی کبر و بوی حرص و بوی آز ** در سخن گفتن بیاید چون پیاز

The smell of pride and the smell of greed and the smell of concupiscence will become, in speaking, like (the smell of) onions.

گر خوری سوگند من کی خورده‌ام ** از پیاز و سیر تقوی کرده‌ام

If thou take oath, saying, “When have I eaten them? I have abstained from onions and garlic,”

آن دم سوگند غمازی کند ** بر دماغ همنشینان بر زند

The breath of thy oath will inform (against thee) and will strike upon the noses of those who sit beside thee.

پس دعاها رد شود از بوی آن ** آن دل کژ می‌نماید در زبان

Prayers, then, are rejected because of the smell thereof: the corrupt heart shows in the tongue.

اخسا آید جواب آن دعا ** چوب رد باشد جزای هر دغا 170

The answer to such a prayer is “Get ye gone”: the requital for every knave is the cudgel of repulse.

گر حدیثت کژ بود معنیت راست ** آن کژی لفظ مقبول خداست

(But) if thy words be wrong and thy meaning right, that wrongness of expression is acceptable to God.

بیان آنک خطای محبان بهترست از صواب بیگانگان بر محبوب

Explaining that in the sight of the Beloved a fault committed by lovers is better than the correctness of strangers.

آن بلال صدق در بانگ نماز ** حی را هی همی‌خواند از نیاز

The veracious Bilál in (uttering) the call to prayer used, from ardent feeling, to pronounce hayya as hayya,

تا بگفتند ای پیمبر راست نیست ** این خطا اکنون که آغاز بناست

So that they (some people) said, “O Messenger (of God), this fault is not right (permissible) now when ’tis the beginning of the edifice (of Islam).

ای نبی و ای رسول کردگار ** یک مذن کو بود افصح بیار

O Prophet and Messenger of the Creator, get a muezzin who speaks more correctly.

عیب باشد اول دین و صلاح ** لحن خواندن لفظ حی عل فلاح 175

At the commencement of religion and piety, it is a disgrace to mispronounce hayy ‘ala ’l-faláh.”

خشم پیغامبر بجوشید و بگفت ** یک دو رمزی از عنایات نهفت

The Prophet's wrath boiled up, and he gave one or two indications of the hidden favours (which God had bestowed upon Bilál),

کای خسان نزد خدا هی بلال ** بهتر از صد حی و خی و قیل و قال

Saying, “O base men, in God's sight the (mispronounced) hayy of Bilál is better than a hundred há's and khá's and words and phrases.

وا مشورانید تا من رازتان ** وا نگویم آخر و آغازتان

Do not stir me to anger, lest I divulge your secret—(both) your end and your beginning.”

گر نداری تو دم خوش در دعا ** رو دعا می‌خواه ز اخوان صفا

If thou hast not a sweet breath in prayer, go and beg a prayer from the pure (in heart).

امر حق به موسی علیه السلام که مرا به دهانی خوان کی بدان دهان گناه نکرده‌ای

How God most High commanded Moses, on whom be peace, saying, “Call unto Me with a mouth with which thou hast not sinned.”

گفت ای موسی ز من می‌جو پناه ** با دهانی که نکردی تو گناه 180

He (God) said, “O Moses, beseech Me for protection with a mouth thou hast not sinned withal.”

گفت موسی من ندارم آن دهان ** گفت ما را از دهان غیر خوان

Moses said, “I have not such a mouth.” God said, “Call unto Me by the mouth of others.”