پس ز جنس خویش آموز سخن ** بی‌خبر از مکر آن گرگ کهن
Therefore it learns (human) speech from one of its own kind, being unaware of the cunning of that old wolf.
از پس آیینه می‌آموزدش ** ورنه ناموزد جز از جنس خودش
He is teaching it behind the mirror; otherwise (it would not talk, for) it does not learn except from its congeners.
گفت را آموخت زان مرد هنر ** لیک از معنی و سرش بی‌خبر 1435
It (really) learned to talk from that accomplished man, but it is ignorant of his meaning and mystery.
از بشر بگرفت منطق یک به یک ** از بشر جز این چه داند طوطیک
It received speech, word by word, from Man; (but) what should the little parrot know of Man except this?
هم‌چنان در آینه‌ی جسم ولی ** خویش را بیند مردی ممتلی
Similarly, the disciple full (of egoism) sees himself in the mirror of the Shaykh's body.
از پس آیینه عقل کل را ** کی ببیند وقت گفت و ماجرا
How should he see Universal Reason behind the mirror at the time of speech and discourse?
او گمان دارد که می‌گوید بشر ** وان گر سرست و او زان بی‌خبر
He supposes that a man is speaking; and the other (Universal Reason) is a mystery of which he is ignorant.
حرف آموزد ولی سر قدیم ** او نداند طوطی است او نی ندیم 1440
He learns the words, but the eternal mystery he cannot know, for he is a parrot, not a boon-companion.
هم صفیر مرغ آموزند خلق ** کین سخن کار دهان افتاد و حلق
Likewise, people learn the note of birds, for this speech (of birds) is an affair of the mouth and throat;
لیک از معنی مرغان بی‌خبر ** جز سلیمان قرانی خوش‌نظر
But (all are) ignorant of the birds' meaning, except an august Solomon of goodly insight.
حرف درویشان بسی آموختند ** منبر و محفل بدان افروختند
Many learned the language of (true) dervishes and gave lustre therewith to the pulpit and assembly-place.
یا به جز آن حرفشان روزی نبود ** یا در آخر رحمت آمد ره نمود
Either nothing was bestowed upon them except those (formal) expressions, or at last (the Divine) mercy came and revealed the (right) way.
صاحب‌دلی دید سگ حامله در شکم آن سگ‌بچگان بانگ می‌کردند در تعجب ماند کی حکمت بانگ سگ پاسبانیست بانگ در اندرون شکم مادر پاسبانی نیست و نیز بانگ جهت یاری خواستن و شیر خواستن باشد و غیره و آنجا هیچ این فایده‌ها نیست چون به خویش آمد با حضرت مناجات کرد و ما یعلم تاویله الا الله جواب آمد کی آن صورت حال قومیست از حجاب بیرون نیامده و چشم دل باز ناشده دعوی بصیرت کنند و مقالات گویند از آن نی ایشان را قوتی و یاریی رسد و نه مستمعان را هدایتی و رشدی
A mystic saw a bitch big with young, in whose womb the young were barking. He remained in amazement, saying, “The reason of a dog's barking is to keep watch (against strangers): to bark in the mother's womb is not (for the purpose of) keeping watch; and, again, barking may be a call for help, or its cause may be a desire for milk, etc.; and there is no such purpose in this case.” When he came to himself, he made supplication to God—and none knoweth the interpretation thereof except Allah. Answer came: “It represents the state of a party who pretend to (spiritual) insight and utter (mystical) sayings without having come forth from the veil (of materiality) and before the eyes of their hearts have been opened. Thence neither to themselves do strength and support accrue, nor to their hearers any guidance and right direction.”
آن یکی می‌دید خواب اندر چله ** در رهی ماده سگی بد حامله 1445
During a chila (forty days' religious seclusion), a certain man dreamed that he saw a bitch big with young on a road.
ناگهان آواز سگ‌بچگان شنید ** سگ‌بچه اندر شکم بد ناپدید
Suddenly he heard the cry of puppies: the puppies were in the womb, invisible.
بس عجب آمد ورا آن بانگها ** سگ‌بچه اندر شکم چون زد ندا
The yelps astonished him exceedingly: (he wondered) how the puppies called out in the womb.
سگ‌بچه اندر شکم ناله کنان ** هیچ‌کس دیدست این اندر جهان
Puppies howling in the womb—“has any one,” (he thought), “ever seen this in the world?”
چون بجست از واقعه آمد به خویش ** حیرت او دم به دم می‌گشت بیش
When he sprang up from his dream and came to himself, his perplexity was increasing at every moment.
در چله کس نی که گردد عقده حل ** جز که درگاه خدا عز و جل 1450
During the chila there was none by whom the knot should be untied except the Presence of God Almighty and Glorious.
گفت یا رب زین شکال و گفت و گو ** در چله وا مانده‌ام از ذکر تو
He said, “O Lord, on account of this difficulty and debate I am deprived of recollection (dhikr) of Thee during the chila.
پر من بگشای تا پران شوم ** در حدیقه‌ی ذکر و سیبستان شوم
Loose my wings, that I may soar and enter the garden of recollection and the apple-orchard (of gnosis).”
آمدش آواز هاتف در زمان ** که آن مثالی دان ز لاف جاهلان
At once (in reply) there came to him a mysterious voice, saying, “Know that it is an emblem of the idle talk of the ignorant,
کز حجاب و پرده بیرون نامده ** چشم بسته بیهده گویان شده
Who, without having come forth from the veil and curtain, (being) blindfold have begun to speak in vain.”
بانگ سگ اندر شکم باشد زیان ** نه شکارانگیز و نه شب پاسبان 1455
The yelp of the dog in the womb is (useless) loss: (in such a case) he is neither a starter of hunted animals nor a keeper of watch by night.
گرگ نادیده که منع او بود ** دزد نادیده که دفع او شود
He has not seen the wolf, so as to prevent him; he has not seen the robber, so as to repel him.
از حریصی وز هوای سروری ** در نظر کند و بلافیدن جری
He (a man of this sort), because of covetousness and desire for eminence, is dull as regards (spiritual) vision and bold in prating.
از هوای مشتری و گرم‌دار ** بی بصیرت پا نهاده در فشار
From desire for the purchaser and warm admirer, (being) devoid of insight, he begins to talk nonsense.
ماه نادیده نشانها می‌دهد ** روستایی را بدان کژ می‌نهد
Without having seen the Moon, he gives indications: thereby he perverts (misleads) the (ignorant) countryman.
از برای مشتری در وصف ماه ** صد نشان نادیده گوید بهر جاه 1460
On account of the purchaser he gives a hundred indications describing the Moon which he has never seen, for the sake of (gaining) power.
مشتری کو سود دارد خود یکیست ** لیک ایشان را درو ریب و شکیست
There is in truth one Purchaser who is profitable, but concerning Him they (these impostors) have a (great) suspicion and doubt.
از هوای مشتری بی‌شکوه ** مشتری را باد دادند این گروه
In their desire for the inglorious purchaser, these people have thrown the (real) Purchaser to the winds.
مشتری ماست الله اشتری ** از غم هر مشتری هین برتر آ
He is our Purchaser—God hath purchased: hark, rise above anxiety for any (other) purchaser.
مشتریی جو که جویان توست ** عالم آغاز و پایان توست
Seek the Purchaser who is seeking thee, One who knows thy beginning and end.
هین مکش هر مشتری را تو به دست ** عشق‌بازی با دو معشوقه بدست 1465
Beware, do not try to win every purchaser: ’tis bad to make love to two sweethearts.
زو نیابی سود و مایه گر خرد ** نبودش خود قیمت عقل و خرد
Thou wilt not get interest or capital from him, if he purchase (thee): in sooth he has not the price for (thy) reason and intellect.
نیست او را خود بهای نیم نعل ** تو برو عرضه کنی یاقوت و لعل
He has not even the price of half a horseshoe, and thou art offering him (what is precious as) corundum and rubies.
حرص کورت کرد و محرومت کند ** دیو هم‌چون خویش مرجومت کند
Cupidity hath blinded thee and will deprive thee (of blessedness): the Devil will make thee accursed like himself.
هم‌چنانک اصحاب فیل و قوم لوط ** کردشان مرجوم چون خود آن سخوط
Just as that wrathful (fiend) made accursed like himself the Fellows of the Elephant and the people of Lot.
مشتری را صابران در یافتند ** چون سوی هر مشتری نشتافتند 1470
The patient (devout and self-denying) have gained the Purchaser, since they did not hasten towards every purchaser.
آنک گردانید رو زان مشتری ** بخت و اقبال و بقا شد زو بری
He that averted his face from that Purchaser—fortune and felicity and everlasting life are quit of him.
ماند حسرت بر حریصان تا ابد ** هم‌چو حال اهل ضروان در حسد
Grief remains for ever (as a doom) on the covetous, as happened to the people of Zarwán in their envy.
قصه‌ی اهل ضروان و حسد ایشان بر درویشان کی پدر ما از سلیمی اغلب دخل باغ را به مسکینان می‌داد چون انگور بودی عشر دادی و چون مویز و دوشاب شدی عشر دادی و چون حلوا و پالوده کردی عشر دادی و از قصیل عشر دادی و چون در خرمن می‌کوفتی از کفه‌ی آمیخته عشر دادی و چون گندم از کاه جدا شدی عشر دادی و چون آرد کردی عشر دادی و چون خمیر کردی عشر دادی و چون نان کردی عشر دادی لاجرم حق تعالی در آن باغ و کشت برکتی نهاده بود کی همه اصحاب باغها محتاج او بدندی هم به میوه و هم به سیم و او محتاج هیچ کس نی ازیشان فرزندانشان خرج عشر می‌دیدند منکر و آن برکت را نمی‌دیدند هم‌چون آن زن بدبخت که کدو را ندید و خر را دید
Story of the people of Zarwán and their envy of the poor. “Our father,” they said, “from (foolish) sympathy used to give the poor the most part of the produce of his orchard.” When it was grapes, he would give a tithe; and when they were turned into raisins or syrup, he would give a tithe; and whenever he made halwá or pálúda, he would give a tithe; and he would give a tithe of the corn-sheaves, and when he threshed (the corn), he would give a tithe of the unthreshed ears mixed (with straw); and when he separated the wheat from the straw, he would give a tithe, and when he made flour, he would give a tithe; and when he leavened the dough, he would give a tithe; and when he made bread, he would give a tithe. Consequently, God most High had laid such a blessing on his orchard and crops that all the (other) owners of orchards were in need of him, both for fruit and money, while he needed nothing from any of them. His sons saw the repeated payment of tithes, and did not see the blessing, velut illa femina infelix quae veretrum asini vidit, curcurbitam non vidit. [Story of the people of Zarwán…. His sons saw the repeated payment of tithes, and did not see the blessing, just as that unfortunate woman who (only) saw the ass’s penis and did not see the gourd.]
بود مردی صالحی ربانیی ** عقل کامل داشت و پایان دانیی
There was a righteous godly man: he had perfect intelligence and a (great) foresight as to the end.
در ده ضروان به نزدیک یمن ** شهره اندر صدقه و خلق حسن
In the village of Zarwán, near Yemen, (he was) renowned for (his) almsgiving and good disposition.
کعبه‌ی درویش بودی کوی او ** آمدندی مستمندان سوی او 1475
His abode was the Ka‘ba of the poor: the distressed were (always) coming to him.
هم ز خوشه عشر دادی بی‌ریا ** هم ز گندم چون شدی از که جدا
He would give, unostentatiously, a tithe both of the ears of corn and of the wheat when it was separated from the chaff.
آرد گشتی عشر دادی هم از آن ** نان شدی عشر دگر دادی ز نان
(If) it was made into flour, he would give a tithe of that too; if it was made into bread, he would give another tithe of the bread.
عشر هر دخلی فرو نگذاشتی ** چارباره دادی زانچ کاشتی
He would never omit (to give) the tithe of any produce: he would give (the tithe) four times on that which he sowed.
بس وصیتها بگفتی هر زمان ** جمع فرزندان خود را آن جوان
That (generous) young man was continually giving many injunctions to all his sons,
الله الله قسم مسکین بعد من ** وا مگیریدش ز حرص خویشتن 1480
Saying, “For God's sake, for God's sake, after I am gone, do not on account of your covetousness withhold the portion of the poor,
تا بماند بر شما کشت و ثمار ** در پناه طاعت حق پایدار
So that the crops and fruit may remain (as a) permanent (blessing bestowed) on you under the safeguard of your obedience to God.”
دخلها و میوه‌ها جمله ز غیب ** حق فرستادست بی‌تخمین و ریب
Without surmise or doubt, (it is) God (who) hath sent all produce and fruits from the Unseen.