تا رهد از مرگ تا یابد نجات ** زانک دید دوستست آب حیات

To the end that he may escape from death and gain deliverance, because the sight of the beloved is the Water of Life.

هر که دید او نباشد دفع مرگ ** دوست نبود که نه میوه‌ستش نه برگ

Any one the sight of whom does not repel death is not the beloved, for he hath neither fruit nor leaf.

کار آن کارست ای مشتاق مست ** کاندر آن کار ار رسد مرگت خوشست

The (essential) matter, O intoxicated longing lover, is that matter in which death, if it thee, is sweet.

شد نشان صدق ایمان ای جوان ** آنک آید خوش ترا مرگ اندر آن

O youth, the token of sincerity of faith is that (matter) in which death comes sweet to thee.

گر نشد ایمان تو ای جان چنین ** نیست کامل رو بجو اکمال دین 4610

If thy faith, O (dear) soul, is not like this, it is not perfect: go, seek to make (thy) religion perfect.

هر که اندر کار تو شد مرگ‌دوست ** بر دل تو بی کراهت دوست اوست

Whosoever in (this) matter of thine has become death-loving (and desires thy death) without dislike (without being hateful) to thy heart, he is (thy) beloved.

چون کراهت رفت آن خود مرگ نیست ** صورت مرگست و نقلان کردنیست

When dislike is gone, verily ‘tis not death: ‘tis (only) the semblance of death, and (in reality) ‘tis a migration.

چون کراهت رفت مردن نفع شد ** پس درست آید که مردن دفع شد

When dislike is gone, dying becomes advantageous; hence it comes true that death is repelled.

دوست حقست و کسی کش گفت او ** که توی آن من و من آن تو

The beloved is God and the person to whom He hath said, “Thou art Mine and I am thine.”

گوش دار اکنون که عاشق می‌رسد ** بسته عشق او را به حبل من مسد 4615

Now listen, for the lover is coming whom Love bound with a cord of palm-fibre.

چون بدید او چهره‌ی صدر جهان ** گوییا پریدش از تن مرغ جان

When he beheld the countenance of the Sadr-i Jahán, you might say the bird, his spirit, flew out of his body.

همچو چوب خشک افتاد آن تنش ** سرد شد از فرق جان تا ناخنش

His body fell like dry wood: his vital spirit became cold from the crown of his head to his toes.

هرچه کردند از بخور و از گلاب ** نه بجنبید و نه آمد در خطاب

Whatsoever they applied of incense and rose-water, he neither stirred nor spoke.

شاه چون دید آن مزعفر روی او ** پس فرود آمد ز مرکب سوی او

When the King saw his saffron-coloured (pallid) face, he dismounted from his steed (and came) towards him.

گفت عاشق دوست می‌جوید بتفت ** چونک معشوق آمد آن عاشق برفت 4620

He said, “The lover hotly seeks the beloved: when the beloved comes, the lover is gone.”

عاشق حقی و حق آنست کو ** چون بیاید نبود از تو تای مو

Thou art a lover of God, and God is such that when He comes there is not a single hair of thee (remaining).

صد چو تو فانیست پیش آن نظر ** عاشقی بر نفی خود خواجه مگر

At that look (of His) a hundred like thee vanish away: me-thinks, sire, thou art in love with self-naughting .

سایه‌ای و عاشقی بر آفتاب ** شمس آید سایه لا گردد شتاب

Thou art a shadow and in love with the sun: the sun comes, the shadow is naughted speedily.

داد خواستن پشه از باد به حضرت سلیمان علیه السلام

How, in the presence of Solomon, on whom be peace, the gnat appealed for justice against the Wind.

پشه آمد از حدیقه وز گیاه ** وز سلیمان گشت پشه دادخواه

The gnat came from the garden and the grass, and the gnat began to demand justice from Solomon,

کای سلیمان معدلت می‌گستری ** بر شیاطین و آدمی‌زاد و پری 4625

Saying, “O Solomon, thou dealest out justice to the devils and the children of men and the Jinn.

مرغ و ماهی در پناه عدل تست ** کیست آن گم‌گشته کش فضلت نجست

Bird and fish are under the protection of thy justice: who is the lost one whom thy bounty hath not sought out?

داد ده ما را که بس زاریم ما ** بی‌نصیب از باغ و گلزاریم ما

Give justice to us, for we are very miserable: we are deprived of the orchard and the rose-garden.

مشکلات هر ضعیفی از تو حل ** پشه باشد در ضعیفی خود مثل

The difficulties of every weakling are solved by thee: the gnat in sooth is the (proverbial) similitude for weakness.

شهره ما در ضعف و اشکسته‌پری ** شهره تو در لطف و مسکین‌پروری

We are celebrated for weakness and frailty: thou art celebrated for kindness and care of the lowly.

ای تو در اطباق قدرت منتهی ** منتهی ما در کمی و بی‌رهی 4630

O thou who hast reached the limit in (traversing) the stages of Power, (while) we have reached the limit in failure and aberration,

داد ده ما را ازین غم کن جدا ** دست گیر ای دست تو دست خدا

Do justice, relieve us from this sorrow, take our hand (to help us), O thou whose hand is the hand of God.”

پس سلیمان گفت ای انصاف‌جو ** داد و انصاف از که میخواهی بگو

Then Solomon said, “O seeker of equity, tell (me), against whom art thou demanding justice and equity?

کیست آن کالم که از باد و بروت ** ظلم کردست و خراشیدست روت

Who is the oppressor that in (his) insolence has done thee injury and scratched thy face?

ای عجب در عهد ما ظالم کجاست ** کو نه اندر حبس و در زنجیر ماست

Oh, wonderful! Where, in Our epoch, is the oppressor that is not in Our prison and chains?

چونک ما زادیم ظلم آن روز مرد ** پس بعهد ما کی ظلمی پیش برد 4635

When We were born, on that day Injustice died: who, then, hath produced (committed) in Our epoch an act of injustice?

چون بر آمد نور ظلمت نیست شد ** ظلم را ظلمت بود اصل و عضد

When the light dawned, the darkness vanished: darkness is the origin and support of injustice.

نک شیاطین کسب و خدمت می‌کنند ** دیگران بسته باصفادند و بند

Look, (some of) the devils are doing work and service; the others are bound in shackles and bonds.

اصل ظلم ظالمان از دیو بود ** دیو در بندست استم چون نمود

The origin of the injustice of the oppressors was from the devil: the devil is in bondage: how did violence appear?

ملک زان دادست ما را کن فکان ** تا ننالد خلق سوی آسمان

(The Divine Will uttered in) ‘Be, and it was’ hath bestowed the kingdom on Us, that the people may not cry out in lament to Heaven;

تا به بالا بر نیاید دودها ** تا نگردد مضطرب چرخ و سها 4640

That burning sighs may not soar upward; that the sky and the stars may not be shaken;

تا نلرزد عرش از ناله یتیم ** تا نگردد از ستم جانی سقیم

That the empyrean may not tremble at the orphan's wail; that no (living) soul may be marred by violence.

زان نهادیم از ممالک مذهبی ** تا نیاید بر فلکها یا ربی

We established a law (of justice) throughout the kingdoms (of the earth), to the end that no (cry of) ‘O Lord!’ should go up to the skies.

منگر ای مظلوم سوی آسمان ** کاسمانی شاه داری در زمان

O oppressed one, do not look to Heaven, for thou hast a heavenly king in the temporal world.”

گفت پشه داد من از دست باد ** کو دو دست ظلم بر ما بر گشاد

The gnat said, “My appeal is against the hand (might) of the Wind, for he opened the two hands of oppression against us.

ما ز ظلم او به تنگی اندریم ** با لب بسته ازو خون می‌خوریم 4645

Through his oppression we are in sore straits: with closed lips we are drinking blood (suffering torment) from him.”

امرکردن سلیمان علیه السلام پشه‌ی متظلم را به احضار خصم به دیوان حکم

How Solomon, on whom be peace, commanded the plaintiff gnat to bring its adversary to the court of judgement.

پس سلیمان گفت ای زیبادوی ** امر حق باید که از جان بشنوی

Then Solomon said, “O thou with the pretty voice, it behoves thee to hearken with (all thy) soul to the command of God.

حق به من گفتست هان ای دادور ** مشنو از خصمی تو بی خصمی دگر

God hath said to me, ‘Beware, O Judge! Do not hear one litigant without the other litigant.

تانیاید هر دو خصم اندر حضور ** حق نیاید پیش حاکم در ظهور

Until both litigants come into the presence, the truth does not come to light before the judge.

خصم تنها گر بر آرد صد نفیر ** هان و هان بی خصم قول او مگیر

If the (one) litigant alone raise a hundred clamours, beware, beware! Do not accept his word without (hearing) his adversary.’

من نیارم رو ز فرمان تافتن ** خصم خود را رو بیاور سوی من 4650

I dare not avert my face from the (Divine) command. Go, bring thy adversary before me.”

گفت قول تست برهان و درست ** خصم من بادست و او در حکم تست

It (the gnat) said, “Thy words are an argument (conclusive) and sound. My adversary is the Wind, and he is in thy jurisdiction.”

بانگ زد آن شه که ای باد صبا ** پشه افغان کرد از ظلمت بیا

The King shouted, “O East-wind, the gnat complains of thy injustice: come!

هین مقابل شو تو و خصم و بگو ** پاسخ خصم و بکن دفع عدو

Hark, come face to face with thy adversary and reply to thy adversary and rebut thy opponent.”

باد چون بشنید آمد تیز تیز ** پشه بگرفت آن زمان راه گریز

When the Wind heard (the summons), he came very rapidly: the gnat at once took to flight.

پس سلیمان گفت ای پشه کجا ** باش تا بر هر دو رانم من قضا 4655

Then Solomon said, “O gnat, where (art thou going)? Stop, that I may pass judgement on (you) both.”