شهر پر دزدست و پر جامه‌کنی ** خواه شحنه باش گو و خواه نی
(If) the city is full of thieves and clothes-robbers, let there be a police-inspector if you will, or let there be none.
امیر کردن رسول علیه‌السلام جوان هذیلی را بر سریه‌ای کی در آن پیران و جنگ آزمودگان بودند
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, appointed a youth of Hudhayl to be commander of an expeditionary force in which there were elders and veteran warriors.
یک سریه می‌فرستادش رسول ** به هر جنگ کافر و دفع فضول
The Prophet was sending a force to fight against the unbelievers and repel insolence.
یک جوانی را گزید او از هذیل ** میر لشکر کردش و سالار خیل
He chose a youth of Hudhayl and appointed him commander of the army and leader of the cavalry.
اصل لشکر بی‌گمان سرور بود ** قوم بی‌سرور تن بی‌سر بود
The foundation of an army is unquestionably the chief in command: a people without a chief are a body without a head.
این همه که مرده و پژمرده‌ای ** زان بود که ترک سرور کرده‌ای1995
That you are (spiritually) dead and decrepit—all this is because you have abandoned the chief.
از کسل وز بخل وز ما و منی ** می‌کشی سر خویش را سر می‌کنی
On account of laziness and avarice and egoism you are drawing your head back (behaving in a headstrong manner) and making yourself the head.
هم‌چو استوری که بگریزد ز بار ** او سر خود گیرد اندر کوهسار
(You are) like the beast that flees from the burden: it takes its head (goes its own way) into the mountains.
صاحبش در پی دوان کای خیره سر ** هر طرف گرگیست اندر قصد خر
Its master is running after it, crying, “O giddy-headed one, on every side there is a wolf in quest of an ass.
گر ز چشمم این زمان غایب شوی ** پیشت آید هر طرف گرگ قوی
If thou disappear now from mine eye, the mighty wolf will approach thee from every direction.
استخوانت را بخاید چون شکر ** که نبینی زندگانی را دگر2000
He will chew thy bones like sugar, so that thou wilt never see life again.
آن مگیر آخر بمانی از علف ** آتش از بی‌هیزمی گردد تلف
(Or) do not suppose that (immediate destruction); at any rate thou wilt be left without fodder: fire is (finally) extinguished by lack of faggots.
هین بمگریز از تصرف کردنم ** وز گرانی بار که جانت منم
Beware! Do not flee from my control and from the heaviness of the burden, for I am thy (rational) soul.”
تو ستوری هم که نفست غالبست ** حکم غالب را بود ای خودپرست
You also are a beast (of burden), for your carnal soul predominates: the predominant (quality) determines (a thing's nature), O worshipper of self.
خر نخواندت اسپ خواندت ذوالجلال ** اسپ تازی را عرب گوید تعال
The Almighty did not call you an ass, He called you a horse: the Arabs say to the Arab horse “ta‘ál” (“come”).
میر آخر بود حق را مصطفی ** بهر استوران نفس پر جفا2005
Mustafá (Mohammed) was God's stable-overseer for the beasts, (which are) the iniquitous carnal soul.
قل تعالوا گفت از جذب کرم ** تا ریاضتتان دهم من رایضم
Moved by lovingkindness, He (God) said, “Say, ‘ta‘álaw (come ye), to the end that I may train you: I am the trainer.’”
نفسها را تا مروض کرده‌ام ** زین ستوران بس لگدها خورده‌ام
(The Prophet said), “Since I have trained the carnal souls, I have suffered many kicks from these beasts.
هر کجا باشد ریاضت‌باره‌ای ** از لگدهااش نباشد چاره‌ای
Wherever there is one fond of training, he hath no means of avoiding kicks.
لاجرم اغلب بلا بر انبیاست ** که ریاضت دادن خامان بلاست
Of necessity the most affliction falls on the prophets, for ’tis an affliction to give training to the raw (ignorant).
سکسکانید از دمم یرغا روید ** تا یواش و مرکب سلطان شوید2010
Ye are stumbling along: at my word (in obedience to my command) go at a jog-trot, that ye may become gentle and be suitable for the king to ride.
قل تعالوا قل تعالو گفت رب ** ای ستوران رمیده از ادب
The Lord said, ‘Say, Come ye, say, Come ye, O beasts that have shied away from discipline.
گر نیایند ای نبی غمگین مشو ** زان دو بی‌تمکین تو پر از کین مشو
If they come not, O Prophet, be not grieved: be not full of hatred on account of those twain without steadfastness.’”
گوش بعضی زین تعالواها کرست ** هر ستوری را صطبلی دیگرست
The ears of some are deaf to these (cries of) ta‘álaw: every beast hath a different stable.
منهزم گردند بعضی زین ندا ** هست هر اسپی طویله‌ی او جدا
Some are put to flight by this call: the stall of every horse is separate.
منقبض گردند بعضی زین قصص ** زانک هر مرغی جدا دارد قفص2015
Some are chagrined by this story, for every bird hath a separate cage.
خود ملایک نیز ناهمتا بدند ** زین سبب بر آسمان صف صف شدند
Even the angels too were not peers: for this reason they formed diverse ranks in Heaven.
کودکان گرچه به یک مکتب درند ** در سبق هر یک ز یک بالاترند
Children, though they are at one (the same) school, surpass each other in (their) lessons.
مشرقی و مغربی را حسهاست ** منصب دیدار حس چشم‌راست
Sense-perceptions are possessed by Easterner and Westerner, (but) the function of sight belongs to the ocular sense (alone).
صد هزاران گوشها گر صف زنند ** جمله محتاجان چشم روشن‌اند
Though a hundred thousand ears be arrayed in rank, they all are in need of the clear eye.
باز صف گوشها را منصبی ** در سماع جان و اخبار و نبی2020
Again, the ranks of ears have a (special) function in respect of hearing the (words of the) Spirit and the Traditions (of the Prophet) and the Revelation.
صد هزاران چشم را آن راه نیست ** هیچ چشمی از سماع آگاه نیست
A hundred thousand eyes do not possess that avenue (faculty): no eye is acquainted with hearing.
هم‌چنین هر حس یک یک می‌شمر ** هر یکی معزول از آن کار دگر
Similarly, enumerate each sense, one by one: each one is removed from (incapable of doing) the work of another.
پنج حس ظاهر و پنج اندرون ** ده صف‌اند اندر قیام الصافون
The five external and the five internal senses are (arrayed) in ten ranks in the standing posture of the (angels) ranked (for worship of God).
هر کسی کو از صف دین سرکشست ** می‌رود سوی صفی کان واپسست
Any one who (disobediently) draws back from the rank of (the true) religion will go into the rank that is behind.
تو ز گفتار تعالوا کم مکن ** کیمیای بس شگرفست این سخن2025
Do not make little of the (Divine) Word ta‘álaw (come ye): this Word is an exceedingly great elixir.
گر مسی گردد ز گفتارت نفیر ** کیمیا را هیچ از وی وام گیر
If a copper (a base person) turn away in repugnance from your saying (this Word), by no means withhold the elixir from him.
این زمان گر بست نفس ساحرش ** گفت تو سودش کند در آخرش
If his magician-like soul has bound (cast a spell upon) him at the present time, (yet) your saying will profit him in his latter end.
قل تعالوا قل تعالوا ای غلام ** هین که ان الله یدعوا للسلام
O slave (of God), say, Come ye, say, Come ye: take heed, for verily God inviteth unto the (Abode of) Peace.
خواجه باز آ از منی و از سری ** سروری جو کم طلب کن سروری
Then come back, sire, from egoism and headship: seek a leader, do not desire leadership.
اعتراض کردن معترضی بر رسول علیه‌السلام بر امیر کردن آن هذیلی
How an objector objected to the Prophet's—on whom be peace— appointing the man of Hudhayl to be commander.
چون پیمبر سروری کرد از هذیل ** از برای لشکر منصور خیل2030
When the Prophet appointed a leader from (the tribe of) Hudhayl for the army whose troops were Divinely aided,
بوالفضولی از حسد طاقت نداشت ** اعتراض و لانسلم بر فراشت
An insolent fellow, through envy, could not endure (to keep silence): he raised objection and opposition.
خلق را بنگر که چون ظلمانی‌اند ** در متاع فانیی چون فانی‌اند
Behold humankind, how dark (unenlightened) they are, and how they are perishing in (desire for) a perishable piece of goods.
از تکبر جمله اندر تفرقه ** مرده از جان زنده‌اند از مخرقه
On account of pride they all are in separation (from God), dead to the spirit, living in deception.
این عجب که جان به زندان اندرست ** وانگهی مفتاح زندانش به دست
’Tis wonderful that the spirit is in prison, and then (all that time) the key of the prison is in its hand!
پای تا سر غرق سرگین آن جوان ** می‌زند بر دامنش جوی روان2035
That youth (the spirit) is plunged in dung from head to foot, (whilst) the flowing river is (almost) touching his skirt!
دایما پهلو به پهلو بی‌قرار ** پهلوی آرامگاه و پشت‌دار
(He is) always moving restlessly from side to side beside the place of repose and the couch where he might recline!
نور پنهانست و جست و جو گواه ** کز گزافه دل نمی‌جوید پناه
The (Divine) light is hidden, and search is the evidence (of its existence), for the heart (spirit) does not seek shelter in vain.
گر نبودی حبس دنیا را مناص ** نه بدی وحشت نه دل جستی خلاص
If this world's prison had no refuge, neither would there be any feeling of aversion nor would the heart seek release.
وحشتت هم‌چون موکل می‌کشد ** که بجو ای ضال منهاج رشد
Thy aversion is dragging thee along, like a custodian, saying, “O man astray, seek the path of righteousness.”
هست منهاج و نهان در مکمنست ** یافتش رهن گزافه جستنست2040
The path is there, but it is hidden in a secret place: its discovery is in pawn to (involves) seeking in vain (before it can be found).