Once more he (the countryman) adjured him, crying, “O generous man, take your children and come and behold the pleasures (of the country).”
دست او بگرفت سه کرت بعهد ** کالله الله زو بیا بنمای جهد
He took his hand three times in covenant, saying, “In God's name, come quickly, make the utmost effort!”
بعد ده سال و بهر سالی چنین ** لابه‌ها و وعده‌های شکرین
After ten years—and every year the same sugared entreaties and promises—
کودکان خواجه گفتند ای پدر ** ماه و ابر و سایه هم دارد سفر
The Khwája's children said, “O father, the moon and the clouds and the shadows too have their journeys.
حقها بر وی تو ثابت کرده‌ای ** رنجها در کار او بس برده‌ای260
You have laid obligations on him, you have taken great pains on his account,
او همی‌خواهد که بعضی حق آن ** وا گزارد چون شوی تو میهمان
And he wishes to repay some part of that obligation when you become his guest.
بس وصیت کرد ما را او نهان ** که کشیدش سوی ده لابه‌کنان
He gave us many injunctions in secret: ‘Bring him to the country,’ said he, ‘coaxing (him to come).’”
گفت حقست این ولی ای سیبویه ** اتق من شر من احسنت الیه
He (the townsman) said, “This is true, but, O Síbawayh, be on thy guard against the malice of him to whom thou hast shown kindness.
دوستی تخم دم آخر بود ** ترسم از وحشت که آن فاسد شود
Love is the seed (that bears fruit at the moment) of the last breath: I fear that it may be corrupted by estrangement.”
صحبتی باشد چو شمشیر قطوع ** همچو دی در بوستان و در زروع265
There is a friendship like a cutting sword, (destructive) as December in the gardens and cornfields;
صحبتی باشد چو فصل نوبهار ** زو عمارتها و دخل بی‌شمار
There is a friendship like the season of spring, whence (come) restorations and produce incalculable.
حزم آن باشد که ظن بد بری ** تا گریزی و شوی از بد بری
Prudence is this, that you think evil, so that you may flee and become quit of evil.
حزم س الظن گفتست آن رسول ** هر قدم را دام می‌دان ای فضول
The Prophet has said, “Prudence is (consists in) thinking evil”: know that for every footstep there is a snare, O fool!
روی صحرا هست هموار و فراخ ** هر قدم دامیست کم ران اوستاخ
The surface of the plateau is level and broad, (but at) every step there is a snare: do not advance boldly.
آن بز کوهی دود که دام کو ** چون بتازد دامش افتد در گلو270
The mountain-goat runs on, saying, “Where is the snare?” As it speeds onward, the snare lights on its throat.
آنک می‌گفتی که کو اینک ببین ** دشت می‌دیدی نمی‌دیدی کمین
O thou who saidst “Where?” look and see! Thou sawest the plain, (but) thou didst not see the ambush.
بی کمین و دام و صیاد ای عیار ** دنبه کی باشد میان کشت‌زار
Without ambush and snare and hunter, O cunning one, how should there be a sheep's tail (laid in a trap) amidst the cornfield?
آنک گستاخ آمدند اندر زمین ** استخوان و کله‌هاشان را ببین
They that came along boldly on the earth—see their bones and skulls!
چون به گورستان روی ای مرتضا ** استخوانشان را بپرس از ما مضی
When you go to the graveyard, O you with whom God is pleased, ask their bones concerning that which is past,
تا بظاهر بینی آن مستان کور ** چون فرو رفتند در چاه غرور275
That you may see clearly how those blind intoxicated men went down into the pit of delusion.
چشم اگر داری تو کورانه میا ** ور نداری چشم دست آور عصا
If you have eyes, do not walk blindly; and if you have not eyes, take a staff in your hand.
آن عصای حزم و استدلال را ** چون نداری دید می‌کن پیشوا
When you have not the staff of prudence and judgement, make the (seer's) eye your leader;
ور عصای حزم و استدلال نیست ** بی عصاکش بر سر هر ره مه‌ایست
And if there is no staff of prudence and judgement, do not stand on every road without a guide.
گام زان سان نه که نابینا نهد ** تا که پا از چاه و از سگ وا رهد
Step in the same fashion as a blind man steps, in order that your foot may escape from the pit and the dog.
لرز لرزان و بترس و احتیاط ** می‌نهد پا تا نیفتد در خباط280
He (the blind man) plants his foot tremblingly and with fear and precaution, so that he may not fall into derangement.
ای ز دودی جسته در ناری شده ** لقمه جسته لقمه‌ی ماری شده
O you who have jumped away from some smoke and fallen into a fire, you who have sought a mouthful (of food) and become a mouthful for a snake,
قصه‌ی اهل سبا و طاغی کردن نعمت ایشان را و در رسیدن شومی طغیان و کفران در ایشان و بیان فضیلت شکر و وفا
(Story of the people of Sabá and how prosperity made them forward.)
تو نخواندی قصه‌ی اهل سبا ** یا بخواندی و ندیدی جز صدا
You have not read the story of the people of Sabá, or you have read it and seen (heard) naught but the echo.
از صدا آن کوه خود آگاه نیست ** سوی معنی هوش که را راه نیست
The mountain itself (which produces the echo) is not aware of the echo: the mind of the mountain hath no way (of access) to the meaning.
او همی بانگی کند بی گوش و هوش ** چون خمش کردی تو او هم شد خموش
Without ear and mind, it goes on making a noise; when you are silent, it also becomes silent.
داد حق اهل سبا را بس فراغ ** صد هزاران قصر و ایوانها و باغ285
God bestowed on the people of Sabá much ease—myriads of castles and palaces and orchards.
شکر آن نگزاردند آن بد رگان ** در وفا بودند کمتر از سگان
(But) those bad-natured ones rendered no thanks for that (bounty): in fidelity they were less than dogs.
مر سگی را لقمه‌ی نانی ز در ** چون رسد بر در همی‌بندد کمر
When to a dog there comes from the door a piece of bread, he will gird up his loins at the door.
پاسبان و حارس در می‌شود ** گرچه بر وی جور و سختی می‌رود
He will become the watcher and guardian of the door, even though violence and hard treatment befall him.
هم بر آن در باشدش باش و قرار ** کفر دارد کرد غیری اختیار
Still will he stay and abide at that door: he will deem it ingratitude to prefer another.
ور سگی آید غریبی روز و شب ** آن سگانش می‌کنند آن دم ادب290
And (again), if a strange dog come by day or night (to a quarter of the town), the dogs there will at once teach him a lesson,
که برو آنجا که اول منزلست ** حق آن نعمت گروگان دلست
Saying, “Begone to the place that is thy first lodging: obligation for that kindness is the heart's pledge (which it must redeem).”
می‌گزندش که برو بر جای خویش ** حق آن نعمت فرو مگذار بیش
They will bite him, saying, “Begone to thy place, do not any more leave (unpaid) the obligation for that kindness.”
از در دل و اهل دل آب حیات ** چند نوشیدی و وا شد چشمهات
From the door of the spirit and spiritual men how long didst thou drink the water of life, and thine eyes were opened!
بس غذای سکر و وجد و بی‌خودی ** از در اهل دلان بر جان زدی
Much food from the door of the spiritual, (in the form) of (mystical) intoxication and ecstasy and selflessness, didst thou cast upon thy soul.
باز این در را رها کردی ز حرص ** گرد هر دکان همی‌گردی ز حرص295
Afterwards, through greed, thou didst abandon that door, and (now), through greed, thou art going round about every shop.
بر در آن منعمان چرب‌دیگ ** می‌دوی بهر ثرید مردریگ
For the sake of worthless tharíd thou art running to the doors of those (worldly) patrons whose pots are (full of) fat.
چربش اینجا دان که جان فربه شود ** کار نااومید اینجا به شود
Know that here (where the saints abide) the (meaning of) “fat” is that the soul becomes fat (flourishing), and (know that) here the plight of the desperate is made good.
جمع آمدن اهل آفت هر صباحی بر در صومعه‌ی عیسی علیه السلام جهت طلب شفا به دعای او
How the smitten would assemble every morning at the door of the (monastic) cell of Jesus, on whom be peace, craving to be healed through his prayer.
صومعه‌ی عیسیست خوان اهل دل ** هان و هان ای مبتلا این در مهل
The table of the spiritual is (like) the cell of Jesus: O afflicted one, beware, beware! Do not forsake this door!
جمع گشتندی ز هر اطراف خلق ** از ضریر و لنگ و شل و اهل دلق
From all sides the people would gather—blind and lame and palsied and clothed in rags—