پس بیامد با دو مشک پر روان ** سوی خواجه از نواحی کاروان
Then from the neighbourhood of the caravan he came hastening with two full water-skins to his master.
دیدن خواجه غلام خود را سپید و ناشناختن کی اوست و گفتن کی غلام مرا تو کشته‌ای خونت گرفت و خدا ترا به دست من انداخت
How the master saw his slave white and did not recognise him and said, “Thou hast killed my slave: the murder hath found thee out, and God hath thrown thee into my hands.”
خواجه از دورش بدید و خیره ماند ** از تحیر اهل آن ده را بخواند
The master espied him from afar and remained bewildered: from amazement he called (to his presence) the people of the village.
راویه‌ی ما اشتر ما هست این ** پس کجا شد بنده‌ی زنگی‌جبین
“This,” said he, “is my water-skin and my camel: where, then, is my swart-browed slave gone?
این یکی بدریست می‌آید ز دور ** می‌زند بر نور روز از روش نور
This man coming from afar is (like) a full-moon: the light from his countenance strikes upon (and prevails against) the daylight.
کو غلام ما مگر سرگشته شد ** یا بدو گرگی رسید و کشته شد3180
Where is my slave? Perchance he has lost his way, or a wolf has overtaken him and he has been killed.”
چون بیامد پیش گفتش کیستی ** از یمن زادی و یا ترکیستی
When he came before him, he (the master) said, “Who art thou? Art thou a native of Yemen or a Turcoman?
گو غلامم را چه کردی راست گو ** گر بکشتی وا نما حیلت مجو
Tell (me), what hast thou done to my slave? Speak the truth! If thou hast killed him, declare it! Do not seek evasion.”
گفت اگر کشتم بتو چون آمدم ** چون به پای خود درین خون آمدم
He replied, “If I have killed him, how have I come to thee? How have I come with my own feet into this blood?”
کو غلام من بگفت اینک منم ** کرد دست فضل یزدان روشنم
(He asked again), “Where is my slave?” He (the slave) said, “Lo, I am (he): the hand of God's grace hath made me resplendent.”
هی چه می‌گویی غلام من کجاست ** هین نخواهی رست از من جز براست3185
“Eh, what art thou saying? Where is my slave? Hark, thou wilt not escape from me except by (telling) the truth.”
گفت اسرار ترا با آن غلام ** جمله وا گویم یکایک من تمام
He (the slave) said, “I will relate all thy secret dealings with that slave, one by one;
زان زمانی که خریدی تو مرا ** تا به اکنون باز گویم ماجرا
I will relate what has passed (between us) from the time when thou didst purchase me until now,
تا بدانی که همانم در وجود ** گرچه از شبدیز من صبحی گشود
That thou mayst know I am the same in (my spiritual) existence, though a (bright) dawn has opened forth from my night-hued (body).
رنگ دیگر شد ولیکن جان پاک ** فارغ از رنگست و از ارکان و خاک
The colour is changed; but the pure spirit is free from colour and from the (four) elements and the dust.”
تن‌شناسان زود ما را گم کنند ** آب‌نوشان ترک مشک و خم کنند3190
They that know the body (alone) soon lose us; (but) they that quaff the (spiritual) water abandon the (bodily) water-skin and jar.
جان‌شناسان از عددها فارغ‌اند ** غرقه‌ی دریای بی‌چونند و چند
They that know the spirit are free from numbers (plurality): they are sunk in the Sea that is without quality or quantity.
جان شو و از راه جان جان را شناس ** یار بینش شو نه فرزند قیاس
Become spirit and know spirit by means of spirit: become the friend of vision (clairvoyant), not the child of ratiocination.
چون ملک با عقل یک سررشته‌اند ** بهر حکمت را دو صورت گشته‌اند
Forasmuch as the Angel is one in origin with Intelligence, (and) they have (only) become two (different) forms for the sake of (the Divine) Wisdom—
آن ملک چون مرغ بال و پر گرفت ** وین خرد بگذاشت پر و فر گرفت
The Angel assumed wings and pinions like a bird, while this Intelligence left wings (behind) and assumed (immaterial) splendour—
لاجرم هر دو مناصر آمدند ** هر دو خوش رو پشت همدیگر شدند3195
Necessarily both became co-adjutors: both the beauteous ones became a support to one another.
هم ملک هم عقل حق را واجدی ** هر دو آدم را معین و ساجدی
The Angel as well as the Intelligence is a finder of God: each of the twain is a helper and worshipper of Adam.
نفس و شیطان بوده ز اول واحدی ** بوده آدم را عدو و حاسدی
The Flesh (nafs) and the Devil have (also) been (essentially) one from the first, and have been an enemy and envier of Adam.
آنک آدم را بدن دید او رمید ** و آنک نور متمن دید او خمید
He that regarded Adam as a body fled (from him in disdain), while he that regarded (him as) the trusty Light bowed (in worship).
آن دو دیده‌روشنان بودند ازین ** وین دو را دیده ندیده غیر طین
Those two (the Angel and the Intelligence) were (made) clairvoyant by this (Adam), while the eye of these two (the Flesh and the Devil) saw nothing but clay.
این بیان اکنون چو خر بر یخ بماند ** چون نشاید بر جهود انجیل خواند3200
This discourse is now left (floundering) like an ass on the ice, since it is not fitting to recite the Gospel to Jews.
کی توان با شیعه گفتن از عمر ** کی توان بربط زدن در پیش کر
How can one speak of ‘Umar to Shí‘ites? How can one play a lute before the deaf?
لیک گر در ده به گوشه یک کسست ** های هویی که برآوردم بسست
But if there is any one (hidden) in a nook in the village, the hue and cry that I have raised is enough.
مستحق شرح را سنگ و کلوخ ** ناطقی گردد مشرح با رسوخ
To him that is worthy to (hear) the exposition, stones and brickbats become an articulate and well-grounded exponent.
بیان آنک حق تعالی هرچه داد و آفرید از سماوات و ارضین و اعیان و اعراض همه باستدعاء حاجت آفرید خود را محتاج چیزی باید کردن تا بدهد کی امن یجیب المضطر اذا دعاه اضطرار گواه استحقاقست
Explaining that whatsoever God most High bestowed and created— the heavens and the earths and the substances and the accidents— He created all (this) at the demand of need, and that one must make one's self in need of a thing, so that He may bestow it; for “… Or He who answers the sorely distressed when he calls unto Him?” Sore distress is the evidence of worthiness (to receive the Divine bounty).
آن نیاز مریمی بودست و درد ** که چنان طفلی سخن آغاز کرد
’Twas Mary's want and pain that made such a babe (as Jesus) begin to speak (in the cradle).
جزو او بی او برای او بگفت ** جزو جزوت گفت دارد در نهفت3205
Part of her spoke on her behalf without her: every part of thee hath speech in secret.
دست و پا شاهد شوندت ای رهی ** منکری را چند دست و پا نهی
Thy hands and feet become witnesses (against thee), O slave: how long wilt thou set hand and foot (strenuously apply thyself) to denial?
ور نباشی مستحق شرح و گفت ** ناطقه‌ی ناطق ترا دید و بخفت
And if thou art not worthy of (hearing) the exposition and the speech, the rational soul of the speaker saw thee (to be unworthy) and went to sleep (refrained from action).
هر چه رویید از پی محتاج رست ** تا بیابد طالبی چیزی که جست
Whatsoever grew has grown for the sake of the needy, in order that a seeker may find the thing he sought.
حق تعالی گر سماوات آفرید ** از برای دفع حاجات آفرید
If God most High has created the heavens, He has created them for the purpose of removing needs.
هر کجا دردی دوا آنجا رود ** هر کجا فقری نوا آنجا رود3210
Wherever a pain is, the cure goes thither; wherever a poverty is, the provision goes thither.
هر کجا مشکل جواب آنجا رود ** هر کجا کشتیست آب آنجا رود
Wherever a difficult question is, the answer goes thither; wherever a ship is, the water goes thither.
آب کم جو تشنگی آور بدست ** تا بجوشد آب از بالا و پست
Do not seek the water, (but) get thirst, so that the water may gush forth from above and below.
تا نزاید طفلک نازک گلو ** کی روان گردد ز پستان شیر او
Until the tender-throated babe is born, how should the milk for it begin to flow from the (mother's) breast?
رو بدین بالا و پستیها بدو ** تا شوی تشنه و حرارت را گرو
Go, run on these hills and dales, to the end that thou mayst become thirsty and a prey to heat;
بعد از آن بانگ زنبور هوا ** بانگ آب جو بنوشی ای کیا3215
After that, from the noise of the hornet of the air (the thundercloud) thou wilt hear the noise of the water of the stream, O king.
حاجت تو کم نباشد از حشیش ** آب را گیری سوی او می‌کشیش
Thy need is not less than (that of) dry plants: thou takest water and art drawing it towards them;
گوش گیری آب را تو می‌کشی ** سوی زرع خشک تا یابد خوشی
Thou takest the water by the ear and drawest it towards the dry crops that they may obtain refreshment.
زرع جان را کش جواهر مضمرست ** ابر رحمت پر ز آب کوثرست
For the spiritual crops, whose essences are concealed, the cloud of (Divine) mercy is full of the water of Kawthar.
تا سقاهم ربهم آید خطاب ** تشنه باش الله اعلم بالصواب
In order that (the words) their Lord gave them to drink may be addressed (to thee), be thirsty! God best knoweth the right course.
آمدن آن زن کافر با طفل شیرخواره به نزدیک مصطفی علیه السلام و ناطق شدن عیسی‌وار به معجزات رسول صلی الله علیه و سلم
How the unbelieving woman came to Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, with a sucking babe, and how it spoke, like Jesus, of the miracles of the Prophet, God bless and save him!
هم از آن ده یک زنی از کافران ** سوی پیغامبر دوان شد ز امتحان3220
A woman of the same village, one of the unbelievers, ran to the Prophet for the sake of testing (him).
پیش پیغامبر در آمد با خمار ** کودکی دو ماه زن را بر کنار
She came in to the Prophet, (her face covered) with the veil: the woman had a two months old infant in her lap.
گفت کودک سلم الله علیک ** یا رسول الله قد جنا الیک
The child said, “God give peace unto thee, O Messenger of Allah! We have come to thee.”
مادرش از خشم گفتش هی خموش ** کیت افکند این شهادت را بگوش
Its mother said to it angrily, “Hey, be silent! Who put this testimony into thine ear?
این کیت آموخت ای طفل صغیر ** که زبانت گشت در طفلی جریر
Who taught thee this, O little child, so that thy tongue became fluent in infancy?”
گفت حق آموخت آنگه جبرئیل ** در بیان با جبرئیلم من رسیل3225
It replied, “God taught (me), then Gabriel: I am Gabriel's accompanist in (this) declaration.”