He (God) said, “The time for that favour is not (yet) come, and if thou fall down, thou wilt not die: I will not kill thee.”
او فرو افکند خود را از وداد ** در میان عمق آبی اوفتاد
He, from love (of God), threw himself down: he fell into the depths of a (piece of) water.
چون نمرد از نکس آن جان‌سیر مرد ** از فراق مرگ بر خود نوحه کرد
When he (found that he) was not dead, on account of the shock (of disappointment) that man who was sick of life made lament over himself for having been parted from death;
کین حیات او را چو مرگی می‌نمود ** کار پیشش بازگونه گشته بود
For this (present) life seemed to him like a (state of) death: in his view the thing had become reversed.
موت را از غیب می‌کرد او کدی ** ان فی موتی حیاتی می‌زدی 2675
He was begging death (as a gift) from the Unseen, he was crying, “Verily, my life is in my death.”
موت را چون زندگی قابل شده ** با هلاک جان خود یک دل شده
He had embraced death as (other people embrace) life, he had become in full accord with the destruction of his life.
سیف و خنجر چون علی ریحان او ** نرگس و نسرین عدوی جان او
As (with) ‘Alí, the sword and dagger were his sweet basil, the narcissus and eglantine were his soul's enemies.
بانگ آمد رو ز صحرا سوی شهر ** بانگ طرفه از ورای سر و جهر
A Voice came (to his ear), “Go from the desert to the city”— a wondrous Voice transcending the occult and the manifest.
گفت ای دانای رازم مو به مو ** چه کنم در شهر از خدمت بگو
He cried, “O Thou that knowest my secret, hair by hair, tell me, what service am I to do in the city?”
گفت خدمت آنک بهر ذل نفس ** خویش را سازی تو چون عباس دبس 2680
It (the Voice) said, “The service is this, that for the purpose of self abasement thou shouldst make thyself (like) ‘Abbás (the seller) of date-syrup.
مدتی از اغنیا زر می‌ستان ** پس به درویشان مسکین می‌رسان
For a while take money from the rich and then deliver it to the lowly poor.
خدمتت اینست تا یک چند گاه ** گفت سمعا طاعة ای جان‌پناه
This is the service thou must do for some time.” He replied, “To hear is to obey, O Thou who art my soul's refuge.”
بس سال و بس جواب و ماجرا ** بد میان زاهد و رب الوری
Many questions and answers and much conversation passed between the ascetic and the Lord of mankind,
که زمین و آسمان پر نور شد ** در مقالات آن همه مذکور شد
Whereby earth and heaven were filled with (spiritual) light: all that is recorded in the Maqálát;
لیک کوته کردم آن گفتار را ** تا ننوشد هر خسی اسرار را 2685
But I will cut short that dialogue, in order that every worthless person may not hear (such) mysteries.
آمدن شیخ بعد از چندین سال از بیابان به شهر غزنین و زنبیل گردانیدن به اشارت غیبی و تفرقه کردن آنچ جمع آید بر فقرا هر که را جان عز لبیکست نامه بر نامه پیک بر پیکست چنانک روزن خانه باز باشد آفتاب و ماهتاب و باران و نامه و غیره منقطع نباشد
How after many years the Shaykh came from the desert to the city of Ghazna and carried round the basket (as a beggar) in obedience to the behest from the Unseen and distributed amongst the poor all (the money and food) that was collected. “When any one possesses the spirit of the glory of Labbayka (devoted service), letter on letter and messenger after messenger are (sent to him),” as (when) the window of a house is open, sunbeams and moonbeams and rain and letters and so forth never cease (from coming in).
رو به شهر آورد آن فرمان‌پذیر ** شهر غزنین گشت از رویش منیر
That (Shaykh who was) obedient to the (Divine) command turned his face towards the city; the city of Ghazna became illumined by his face.
از فرح خلقی به استقبال رفت ** او در آمد از ره دزدیده تفت
A (great) multitude joyfully went out to meet him, (but) he entered (the city) in haste and furtively.
جمله اعیان و مهان بر خاستند ** قصرها از بهر او آراستند
All the notables and grandees rose up and made their palaces ready to receive him,
گفت من از خودنمایی نامدم ** جز به خواری و گدایی نامدم
(But) he said, “I do not come from (motives of) self-advertisement: I come not save in humility and beggary.
نیستم در عزم قال و قیل من ** در به در گردم به کف زنبیل من 2690
I have no intention of talking and discoursing: I will go about from door to door with a basket in my hand.
بنده فرمانم که امرست از خدا ** که گدا باشم گدا باشم گدا
I am devoted to the (Divine) edict, for ’tis commanded by God that I should be a beggar, a beggar, a beggar.
در گدایی لفظ نادر ناورم ** جز طریق خس گدایان نسپرم
I will not use choice expressions in begging: I will tread the way of none but the vile beggars,
تا شوم غرقه‌ی مذلت من تمام ** تا سقطها بشنوم از خاص و عام
That I may be completely overwhelmed with abasement, and that I may hear abusive words from high and low.
امر حق جانست و من آن را تبع ** او طمع فرمود ذل من طمع
God's command is my (very) soul, and I am its follower: He has commanded me to be covetous, (for) ‘base is he that covets.’
چون طمع خواهد ز من سلطان دین ** خاک بر فرق قناعت بعد ازین 2695
Since the Sultan of the Judgement desires covetousness from me, dust on the head of contentment henceforth!
او مذلت خواست کی عزت تنم ** او گدایی خواست کی میری کنم
He has desired covetousness: how should I be ambitious of glory? He has desired beggary: how should I exercise sovereignty?
بعد ازین کد و مذلت جان من ** بیست عباس‌اند در انبان من
Henceforth beggary and abasement are my (very) soul: in my wallet are twenty (consummate beggars like) ‘Abbás.”
شیخ بر می‌گشت زنبیلی به دست ** شیء لله خواجه توفیقیت هست
The Shaykh would go about, with a basket in his hand, (saying, “Give) something, Sir, for God's sake, if He prompt you (to be generous).”
برتر از کرسی و عرش اسرار او ** شیء لله شیء لله کار او
His inward experiences were higher than the Footstool and the Throne (of God); his (external) business was (to cry), “Something for God's sake, something for God's sake!”
انبیا هر یک همین فن می‌زنند ** خلق مفلس کدیه ایشان می‌کنند 2700
The prophets, every one, ply this same trade: the people (to whom they are sent) are (really) destitute, (yet) they (the prophets) practise beggary,
اقرضوا الله اقرضوا الله می‌زنند ** بازگون بر انصروا الله می‌تنند
Crying, “Lend to God, lend to God,” and persevering contrariously in (the exhortation) “Help God!”
در به در این شیخ می‌آرد نیاز ** بر فلک صد در برای شیخ باز
This Shaykh is going as a suppliant from door to door, (while) in Heaven a hundred doors are opened for the Shaykh,
که آن گدایی که آن به جد می‌کرد او ** بهر یزدان بود نه از بهر گلو
Because the beggary that he practised (so) diligently was for the sake of God, not for the sake of his gullet;
ور بکردی نیز از بهر گلو ** آن گلو از نور حق دارد غلو
And even if he had done it for the sake of his gullet, that gullet hath (is endowed with) exorbitance by the Light of God.
در حق او خورد نان و شهد و شیر ** به ز چله وز سه روزه‌ی صد فقیر 2705
As regards him, the eating of bread and honey and the drinking of milk is better than the forty days' seclusion and the three days' fast of a hundred dervishes.
نور می‌نوشد مگو نان می‌خورد ** لاله می‌کارد به صورت می‌چرد
He eats Light, do not say he eats bread: he sows anemones (though) in appearance he feeds (on them).
چون شراری کو خورد روغن ز شمع ** نور افزاید ز خوردش بهر جمع
Like the flame that consumes the oil (wax) in a candle, from his eating and drinking there is an increase of light for the company.
نان‌خوری را گفت حق لاتسرفوا ** نور خوردن را نگفتست اکتفوا
God hath said, “Be not immoderate,” in reference to the eating of bread; He hath not said, “Be satisfied,” in reference to the eating of Light.
آن گلوی ابتلا بد وین گلو ** فارغ از اسراف و آمن از غلو
The former was the gullet subject to probation, while this (saintly) gullet was free from immoderation and secure from exorbitance.
امر و فرمان بود نه حرص و طمع ** آن چنان جان حرص را نبود تبع 2710
(In the case of the Shaykh) ’twas (by) the (Divine) command and order, not (from) greed and cupidity: a spirit like that is not a follower of greed.
گر بگوید کیمیا مس را بده ** تو به من خود را طمع نبود فره
If the elixir say to the copper, “Give thyself up to me,” cupidity does not prevail (over it).
گنجهای خاک تا هفتم طبق ** عرضه کرده بود پیش شیخ حق
God had offered to the Shaykh (all) the treasures of the earth down to the seventh tier;
شیخ گفتا خالقا من عاشقم ** گر بجویم غیر تو من فاسقم
(But) the Shaykh said, “O Creator, I am a lover: if I seek aught but Thee, I am impious.
هشت جنت گر در آرم در نظر ** ور کنم خدمت من از خوف سقر
If I should bring into view the Eight Paradises, or if I should serve Thee from fear of Hell,
مومنی باشم سلامت‌جوی من ** زانک این هر دو بود حظ بدن 2715
(Then) I am (only) a believer seeking salvation, for both these (motives) are concerned with the body.”
عاشقی کز عشق یزدان خورد قوت ** صد بدن پیشش نیرزد تره‌توت
A hundred bodies are not worth a bean in the eyes of the lover who has received nutriment from God's love;
وین بدن که دارد آن شیخ فطن ** چیز دگر گشت کم خوانش بدن
And this body which the Shaykh of insight possesses has become something different: do not call it a body.
عاشق عشق خدا وانگاه مزد ** جبرئیل متمن وانگاه دزد
(To be) in love with God's love and then (desire) a wage! (To be) a trusted Gabriel and then a thief!
عاشق آن لیلی کور و کبود ** ملک عالم پیش او یک تره بود
In the eyes of that wretched lover of Laylá the kingdom of the world was (worthless as) a vegetable.
پیش او یکسان شده بد خاک و زر ** زر چه باشد که نبد جان را خطر 2720
Earth and gold were alike in his eyes. What of gold? (Even) his life had no value (for him).