Were there not a testing of every vicious person, every effeminate would be a Rustam in the fray.
خود مخنث را زره پوشیده گیر ** چون ببیند زخم گردد چون اسیر
Even suppose that the effeminate has put on a coat of mail: as soon as he feels the blow, he will become as a captive.
مست حق هشیار چون شد از دبور ** مست حق ناید به خود تا نفخ صور
How will he that is intoxicated with God be restored to his senses by (the soft breath of) the west-wind? The God-intoxicated man will not come to himself till the blast of the trumpet (of Resurrection).
باده‌ی حق راست باشد بی دروغ ** دوغ خوردی دوغ خوردی دوغ دوغ
The wine of God is true, not false: thou hast drunk buttermilk, thou hast drunk buttermilk, buttermilk, buttermilk!
ساختی خود را جنید و بایزید ** رو که نشناسم تبر را از کلید690
Thou hast made thyself out to be a Junayd or a Báyazíd, (saying), “Begone, for I do not know a hatchet from a key.”
بدرگی و منبلی و حرص و آز ** چون کنی پنهان بشید ای مکرساز
How by means of hypocrisy, O contriver of fraud, wilt thou conceal depravity of nature and (spiritual) sloth and greed and concupiscence?
خویش را منصور حلاجی کنی ** آتشی در پنبه‌ی یاران زنی
Thou makest thyself a Mansúr-i Halláj and settest fire to the cotton of thy friends,
که بنشناسم عمر از بولهب ** باد کره‌ی خود شناسم نیمشب
Saying, “I do not know ‘Umar from Bú Lahab, (but) I know the wind of my ass-colt at midnight.”
ای خری کین از تو خر باور کند ** خویش را بهر تو کور و کر کند
Oh, the ass that would believe this from an ass like thee, and would make himself blind and deaf for thy sake!
خویش را از ره‌روان کمتر شمر ** تو حریف ره‌ریانی گه مخور695
Do not count thyself one of the travellers on the Way; thou art a comrade of them that defile the Way: do not eat dung (do not talk rubbish)!
باز پر از شید سوی عقل تاز ** کی پرد بر آسمان پر مجاز
Fly back from hypocrisy, hasten towards Reason: how shall the wing of the phenomenal (unreal) soar to Heaven?
خویشتن را عاشق حق ساختی ** عشق با دیو سیاهی باختی
Thou hast feigned to be a lover of God, (but in truth) thou hast played the game of love with a black devil.
عاشق و معشوق را در رستخیز ** دو بدو بندند و پیش آرند تیز
At the Resurrection lover and beloved shall be tied in couples and quickly brought forward (to judgement).
تو چه خود را گیج و بی‌خود کرده‌ای ** خون رز کو خون ما را خورده‌ای
Why hast thou made thyself crazy and senseless? Where is the blood of the vine? Thou hast drunk our blood,
رو که نشناسم ترا از من بجه ** عارف بی‌خویشم و بهلول ده700
(Saying), “Begone, I do not know thee: spring away from me. I am a gnostic who is beside himself and (I am) the Buhlúl of the village.”
تو توهم می‌کنی از قرب حق ** که طبق‌گر دور نبود از طبق
Thou art conceiving a false opinion of thy nearness to God, thinking that the Tray-maker is not far from the tray;
این نمی‌بینی که قرب اولیا ** صد کرامت دارد و کار و کیا
(And) thou dost not see this, that the nearness of the saints (to God) hath a hundred miracles and pomps and powers.
آهن از داوود مومی می‌شود ** موم در دستت چو آهن می‌بود
By David iron is made (soft as) a piece of wax; in thy hand wax is (hard) as iron.
قرب خلق و رزق بر جمله‌ست عام ** قرب وحی عشق دارند این کرام
Nearness (to God) in respect of (His) creating and sustaining (us) is common to all, (but only) these noble ones possess the nearness (consisting) of the inspiration of Love.
قرب بر انواع باشد ای پدر ** می‌زند خورشید بر کهسار و زر705
Nearness is of various kinds, O father: the sun strikes (both) on the mountains and on the gold (in the mine);
لیک قربی هست با زر شید را ** که از آن آگه نباشد بید را
But between the sun and the gold there is a nearness (affinity) of which the bíd-tree hath no knowledge.
شاخ خشک و تر قریب آفتاب ** آفتاب از هر دو کی دارد حجاب
(Both) the dry and fresh bough are near to the sun: how should the sun be screened off from either?
لیک کو آن قربت شاخ طری ** که ثمار پخته از وی می‌خوری
But where is the nearness of the sappy bough, from which you eat ripe fruit?
شاخ خشک از قربت آن آفتاب ** غیر زوتر خشک گشتن گو بیاب
From nearness to the sun let the dry bough get (if it can) anything besides withering sooner!
آنچنان مستی مباش ای بی‌خرد ** که به عقل آید پشیمانی خورد710
O man without wisdom, do not be an inebriate of the sort that (when) he comes (back) to his wits he feels sorry;
بلک از آن مستان که چون می می‌خورند ** عقلهای پخته حسرت می‌برند
Nay, be one of those inebriates on account of whom, whilst they are drinking the wine (of Divine Love), mature (strong) intellects suffer regret.
ای گرفته همچو گربه موش پیر ** گر از آن می شیرگیری شیر گیر
O thou who, like a cat, hast caught (nothing better than) an old mouse, if thou art pot-valiant with that wine (of Love), catch the Lion!
ای بخورده از خیالی جام هیچ ** همچو مستان حقایق بر مپیچ
O thou who hast quaffed the cup of Naught from a phantom, do not reel like them that are intoxicated with the (Divine) realities.
می‌فتی این سو و آن سو مست‌وار ** ای تو این سو نیستت زان سو گذار
Thou art falling to this side and that, like the drunken: O thou (who art) on this side, there is no passage for thee on that side.
گر بدان سو راه یابی بعد از آن ** گه بدین سو گه بدان سو سر فشان715
If thou (ever) find the way to that side, thenceforth toss thy head now to this side, now to that!
جمله این سویی از آن سو کپ مزن ** چون نداری مرگ هرزه جان مکن
Thou art all on this side, (therefore) do not idly boast of that side: since thou hast not (died) the death (to self), do not agonise thyself in vain.
آن خضرجان کز اجل نهراسد او ** شاید ار مخلوق را نشناسد او
He with the soul of Khadir, (he) that does not shrink from death—if he know not the created (world), ’tis fitting.
کام از ذوق توهم خوش کنی ** در دمی در خیک خود پرش کنی
Thou sweetenest thy palate with the savour of false imagination; thou blowest into the bag of selfhood and fillest it:
پس به یک سوزن تهی گردی ز باد ** این چنین فربه تن عاقل مباد
Then, at one prick of a needle thou art emptied of wind— may no intelligent man's body be fat (swollen) like this!
کوزه‌ها سازی ز برف اندر شتا ** کی کند چون آب بیند آن وفا720
Thou makest pots of snow in winter: when they see the water how shall they maintain that (former) constancy?
افتادن شغال در خم رنگ و رنگین شدن و دعوی طاوسی کردن میان شغالان
How the jackal fell into the dyeing-vat and was dyed with many colours and pretended amongst the jackals that he was a peacock.
آن شغالی رفت اندر خم رنگ ** اندر آن خم کرد یک ساعت درنگ
A certain jackal went into the dyeing-vat, stayed in the vat for a while,
پس بر آمد پوستش رنگین شده ** که منم طاووس علیین شده
And then arose, his skin having become particoloured, saying, ‘I have become the Peacock of ‘Illiyyín.’’
پشم رنگین رونق خوش یافته ** آفتاب آن رنگها بر تافته
His coloured fur had gained a charming brilliance, and the sun shone upon those colours.
دید خود را سبز و سرخ و فور و زرد ** خویشتن را بر شغالان عرضه کرد
He beheld himself green and red and roan and yellow, (so) he presented himself (gleefully) to the jackals.
جمله گفتند ای شغالک حال چیست ** که ترا در سر نشاطی ملتویست725
They all said, “O little jackal, what is the matter, that thou hast in thy head manifold exultation?
از نشاط از ما کرانه کرده‌ای ** این تکبر از کجا آورده‌ای
Because of exultation thou hast turned aside from us (with disdain): whence hast thou brought this arrogance?”
یک شغالی پیش او شد کای فلان ** شید کردی یا شدی از خوش‌دلان
One of the jackals went to him and said, “O so-and-so, hast thou acted deceitfully or hast thou (really) become one of those whose hearts rejoice (in God)?
شید کردی تا به منبر بر جهی ** تا ز لاف این خلق را حسرت دهی
Thou hast acted deceitfully to the end that thou mayest jump on to the pulpit and by thy palaver give this folk (the feeling of) regret.
بس بکوشیدی ندیدی گرمیی ** پس ز شید آورده‌ای بی‌شرمیی
Thou hast striven much, (but) thou hast not felt any (spiritual) ardour; hence from deceit thou hast exhibited a piece of impudence.”
گرمی آن اولیا و انبیاست ** باز بی‌شرمی پناه هر دغاست730
(Spiritual) ardour belongs to the saints and prophets; on the other hand, impudence is the refuge of every impostor;
که التفات خلق سوی خود کشند ** که خوشیم و از درون بس ناخوشند
For they draw the people's attention to themselves, saying, “We are happy (with God),” though within (at heart) they are exceedingly unhappy.
چرب کردن مرد لافی لب و سبلت خود را هر بامداد به پوست دنبه و بیرون آمدن میان حریفان کی من چنین خورده‌ام و چنان
How a braggart greased his lips and moustache every morning with the skin of a fat sheep's tail and came amongst his companions, saying, “I have eaten such and such (viands).”
پوست دنبه یافت شخصی مستهان ** هر صباحی چرب کردی سبلتان
A person, who (on account of his poverty) was lightly esteemed, used to grease his moustaches every morning
در میان منعمان رفتی که من ** لوت چربی خورده‌ام در انجمن
And go amongst the munificent (the rich), saying, “I have eaten some wellgreased food at the party.”
دست بر سبلت نهادی در نوید ** رمز یعنی سوی سبلت بنگرید
He would gaily put his hand on his moustache as a sign, meaning, “Look at my moustache!
کین گواه صدق گفتار منست ** وین نشان چرب و شیرین خوردنست735
For this is the witness to the truth of my words, and this is the token of my eating greasy and delicious food.”