گفت این معکوس می‌گویی بدان ** شور و شر از طمع آید سوی جان
He (the ass) replied, “Know that you are speaking (just) the reverse (of the truth), (for) woe and bane come to the soul from cupidity.
از قناعت هیچ کس بی‌جان نشد ** از حریصی هیچ کس سلطان نشد
No one was (ever) deprived of (spiritual) life by contentment; no one was (ever) made a (spiritual) king by covetousness.
نان ز خوکان و سگان نبود دریغ ** کسپ مردم نیست این باران و میغ
(The daily) bread is not withheld (even) from pigs and dogs: this rain and (these) clouds are not earned by Man.
آنچنان که عاشقی بر زرق زار ** هست عاشق رزق هم بر رزق‌خوار 2400
Just as you are pitiably enamoured of the daily bread, so the daily bread is enamoured of its consumer.
در تقریر معنی توکل حکایت آن زاهد کی توکل را امتحان می‌کرد از میان اسباب و شهر برون آمد و از قوارع و ره‌گذر خلق دور شد و ببن کوهی مهجوری مفقودی در غایت گرسنگی سر بر سر سنگی نهاد و خفت و با خود گفت توکل کردم بر سبب‌سازی و رزاقی تو و از اسباب منقطع شدم تا ببینم سببیت توکل را
Exposition of the meaning of trust in God, (which is illustrated by) the Story of the ascetic who, making trial of his trust in God, abandoned his property and (native) town and went far away from the beaten tracks and thoroughfares of men to the foot of a remote and inaccessible mountain, (where) in extreme hunger he laid his head upon a stone and fell asleep, saying to himself, ‘I put trust in Thy providing the means (of livelihood) and daily bread; and I cut myself off from (all) means (secondary causes) in order that I may experience the causation of trust in God.’
آن یکی زاهد شنود از مصطفی ** که یقین آید به جان رزق از خدا
A certain ascetic had heard the saying of Mustafá (Mohammed) that the daily bread surely comes from God to the spirit,
گر بخواهی ور نخواهی رزق تو ** پیش تو آید دوان از عشق تو
(And that), whether you will or no, your daily bread comes running to you because it is (so) fond of you.
از برای امتحان آن مرد رفت ** در بیابان نزد کوهی خفت تفت
By way of trial that man went into the desert and immediately lay down near a mountain,
که ببینم رزق می‌آید به من ** تا قوی گردد مرا در رزق ظن
Saying, ‘I will see whether the daily bread will come to me: (my object is) that my belief in the daily bread may become firm.’
کاروانی راه گم کرد و کشید ** سوی کوه آن ممتحن را خفته دید 2405
A caravan lost its way and marched towards the mountain: (the travellers) saw lying (there) him who was making the trial.
گفت این مرد این طرف چونست عور ** در بیابان از ره و از شهر دور
(One) said (to another), ‘How is this man destitute here in the wilderness, far from road and town?
ای عجب مرده‌ست یا زنده که او ** می‌نترسد هیچ از گرگ و عدو
Oh, I wonder, is he dead or alive? (Evidently) he has no fear of wolves or enemies.’
آمدند و دست بر وی می‌زدند ** قاصدا چیزی نگفت آن ارجمند
They came on and touched him with their hands: that venerable man deliberately said nothing.
هم نجنبید و نجنبانید سر ** وا نکرد از امتحان هم او بصر
He did not stir, he did not even move his head or open his eyes, because he was making a trial.
پس بگفتند این ضعیف بی‌مراد ** از مجاعت سکته اندر اوفتاد 2410
Then they said, ‘This poor disappointed man has had a stroke of apoplexy caused by hunger.’
نان بیاوردند و در دیگی طعام ** تا بریزندش به حلقوم و به کام
They fetched bread and (also) food in a kettle, that they might pour it into his mouth and (down) his throat.
پس بقاصد مرد دندان سخت کرد ** تا ببیند صدق آن میعاد مرد
Thereupon the man purposely clenched his teeth, in order to see (test) the truth of that promise.
رحمشان آمد که این بس بی‌نواست ** وز مجاعت هالک مرگ و فناست
They felt pity for him and said, ‘This man is starving and perishing with hunger and at the point of death’;
کارد آوردند قوم اشتافتند ** بسته دندانهاش را بشکافتند
(So) they brought a knife and hastily made a rift in his closed teeth.
God has given you hands: do some work, earn something, help a friend.
هر کسی در مکسبی پا می‌نهد ** یاری یاران دیگر می‌کند
Every one takes steps to earn something and (thereby) helps other friends (to earn),
زانک جمله کسب ناید از یکی ** هم دروگر هم سقا هم حایکی
Because all the earning is not done by one (craftsman): (there is) a carpenter and also a water-carrier and a weaver.
این بهنبازیست عالم بر قرار ** هر کسی کاری گزیند ز افتقار
By means of this partnership (the order of) the world is maintained: every one, (being impelled) by want, chooses some work.
طبل‌خواری در میانه شرط نیست ** راه سنت کار و مکسب کردنیست
’Tis not right to be a lick-platter (idle parasite) in the midst (of them): the way of the Sunna is to work and earn.”
جواب گفتن خر روباه را کی توکل بهترین کسبهاست کی هر کسبی محتاجست به توکل کی ای خدا این کار مرا راست آر و دعا متضمن توکلست و توکل کسبی است کی به هیچ کسبی دیگر محتاج نیست الی آخره
How the ass answered the fox, saying, “Trust in God is the best way of earning a livelihood, for every one needs to trust in God and cry, ‘O God, bring this work of mine to success’; and prayer involves trust in God, and trust in God is the (only) means of livelihood that is independent of any other means, etc.”
گفت من به از توکل بر ربی ** می‌ندانم در دو عالم مکسبی 2425
He (the ass) said, “In the two worlds I do not know any means of livelihood superior to trust in my Lord.
کسب شکرش را نمی‌دانم ندید ** تا کشد رزق خدا رزق و مزید
I know nothing to be compared with the acquisition of thanksgiving to Him, in order that thanksgiving to God may bring (in its train) the daily bread and the increase (thereof).”
بحثشان بسیار شد اندر خطاب ** مانده گشتند از سال و از جواب
Their dispute was prolonged in mutual altercation (till) they became incapable of (further) questioning and answering.
بعد از آن گفتش بدان در مملکه ** نهی لا تلقوا بایدی تهلکه
Afterwards he (the fox) said to him, “Mark in the (Divine) kingdom the prohibition, ‘Do not cast yourselves into destruction.’
صبر در صحرای خشک و سنگ‌لاخ ** احمقی باشد جهان حق فراخ
In a barren desert covered with stones self-denial is folly: God's world is wide.
نقل کن زینجا به سوی مرغزار ** می‌چر آنجا سبزه گرد جویبار 2430
Move from this place towards the meadow, and browse there on the verdure round about the river—
مرغزاری سبز مانند جنان ** سبزه رسته اندر آنجا تا میان
A meadow verdant like Paradise, where the verdure grows up to (as high as) the waist.
خرم آن حیوان که او آنجا شود ** اشتر اندر سبزه ناپیدا شود
Happy the animal that goes thither: amidst the verdure a camel would become invisible.
هر طرف در وی یکی چشمه‌ی روان ** اندرو حیوان مرفه در امان
There, on every side, is a running fountain; there the animals are in comfort and security.”
از خری او را نمی‌گفت ای لعین ** تو از آن‌جایی چرا زاری چنین
From asininity he (the ass) did not say to him, “O accursed one, thou art (come) from there: how art thou so wretched?
کو نشاط و فربهی و فر تو ** چیست این لاغر تن مضطر تو 2435
Where is thy gaiety and fatness and comeliness? What is (the meaning of) this lean starved body of thine?
شرح روضه گر دروغ و زور نیست ** پس چرا چشمت ازو مخمور نیست
If thy description of the meadow is not (mere) falsehood and fiction, then why is thine eye not intoxicated (enraptured) by it?
این گدا چشمی و این نادیدگی ** از گدایی تست نه از بگلربگی
These greedy looks and this blindness are the result of thy beggarliness, not of (spiritual) sovereignty.
چون ز چشمه آمدی چونی تو خشک ** ور تو ناف آهویی کو بوی مشک
Since thou hast come from the fountain, how art thou dry (thirsty)? And if thou art (fragrant like) the gland of the musk-deer, where is the fragrance of musk?
زانک می‌گویی و شرحش می‌کنی ** چون نشانی در تو نامد ای سنی
How is there no trace in thee of that which thou sayest and describest, O exalted one?”
مثل آوردن اشتر در بیان آنک در مخبر دولتی فر و اثر آن چون نبینی جای متهم داشتن باشد کی او مقلدست در آن
Parable of the camel, explaining that when some one tells of his good fortune and you do not perceive in him any appearance or sign of welfare, there is reason to suspect that he is an imitator therein (of those who have really attained to spiritual felicity).
آن یکی پرسید اشتر را که هی ** از کجا می‌آیی ای اقبال پی 2440
A certain man asked a camel, “Hey, whence comest thou, O thou whom fortune attends?
گفت از حمام گرم کوی تو ** گفت خود پیداست در زانوی تو
He replied, “From the hot-bath in thy street.” Said the other, “Truly, ’tis manifest in (the state of) thy knees!”
مار موسی دید فرعون عنود ** مهلتی می‌خواست نرمی می‌نمود
(When) Pharaoh, the obstinate rebel, saw Moses' snake, he begged for a respite and showed meekness.
زیرکان گفتند بایستی که این ** تندتر گشتی چو هست او رب دین
The men of intelligence said, “This man (Pharaoh) ought to have been fiercer, since he is the Lord of the Judgement.
معجزه‌گر اژدها گر مار بد ** نخوت و خشم خدایی‌اش چه شد
Whether the miracle was a dragon or a snake, what has become of the pride and wrath proper to his divinity?
رب اعلی گر ویست اندر جلوس ** بهر یک کرمی چیست این چاپلوس 2445
If he is the Supreme Lord seated on the throne, what is this blandishment on account of a single worm?”
نفس تو تا مست نقلست و نبید ** دانک روحت خوشه‌ی غیبی ندید
So long as your fleshly soul is intoxicated with the dessert and date-wine (of sensuality), know that your spirit has not beheld the cluster belonging to the World Unseen,