Saying, “O my Creator, preserve me from its evil: do not deprive me, (but) let me partake, of its good!
رب اوزعنی لشکر ما اری ** لا تعقب حسرة لی ان مضی 3695
O my Lord, prompt me to give thanks for that which I see (receive): do not let me feel any subsequent regret, if it (the benefit received) shall pass away.”
آن ضمیر رو ترش را پاس‌دار ** آن ترش را چون شکر شیرین شمار
Pay watchful regard to the sour-looking thought: deem that sour one to be sweet as sugar.
ابر را گر هست ظاهر رو ترش ** گلشن آرنده‌ست ابر و شوره‌کش
If the cloud apparently has a sour face, (yet) the cloud is the bringer-on of the rose-garden and the destroyer of the nitrous (barren) soil.
فکر غم را تو مثال ابر دان ** با ترش تو رو ترش کم کن چنان
Know that the thought of sorrow is like the cloud: do not look so sourly on the sour!
بوک آن گوهر به دست او بود ** جهد کن تا از تو او راضی رود
It may be that the pearl (of thy desire) is in its hand: endeavour that it may depart from thee well-pleased.
ور نباشد گوهر و نبود غنی ** عادت شیرین خود افزون کنی 3700
And if the pearl be not (in its hand) and it be not rich, (yet) thou wilt increase (strengthen) thy sweet habit.
جای دیگر سود دارد عادتت ** ناگهان روزی بر آید حاجتت
Thy habit will profit thee on another occasion: some day thy need will suddenly be fulfilled.
فکرتی کز شادیت مانع شود ** آن به امر و حکمت صانع شود
The thought that hinders thee from joy comes by the command and wise purpose of the Maker.
تو مخوان دو چار دانگش ای جوان ** بوک نجمی باشد و صاحب‌قران
O youth, do not call it worthless: it may be a (happy) star and endowed with imperial fortune.
تو مگو فرعیست او را اصل گیر ** تا بوی پیوسته بر مقصود چیر
Do not say it is a branch: take it to be the root, in order that thou mayst always be master of thy object of desire;
ور تو آن را فرع گیری و مضر ** چشم تو در اصل باشد منتظر 3705
For if thou take it to be (merely) a branch (derivative) and pernicious, thine eye will be waiting to see the root.
زهر آمد انتظارش اندر چشش ** دایما در مرگ باشی زان روش
Waiting to see is poison to (spiritual) perception: by that method thou wilt remain perpetually in death.
اصل دان آن را بگیرش در کنار ** بازره دایم ز مرگ انتظار
Recognise it as the root, clasp it to thy bosom, and be for ever delivered from the death of waiting to see.
نواختن سلطان ایاز را
How the Sultan (Mahmud) showed favour to Ayáz.
ای ایاز پر نیاز صدق‌کیش ** صدق تو از بحر و از کوهست بیش
“O Ayáz, who art full of humbleness and sincere in all thy ways, thy sincerity is mightier than sea and mountain.
نه به وقت شهوتت باشد عثار ** که رود عقل چو کوهت کاه‌وار
For thee there is no stumbling in the hour of lust, so that thy reason, which resembles a mountain (in solidity), should go (hither and thither) like a straw;
نه به وقت خشم و کینه صبرهات ** سست گردد در قرار و در ثبات 3710
Nor in the hour of anger and vengeance do thy powers of long-suffering fail to hold fast and firm.”
مردی این مردیست نه ریش و ذکر ** ورنه بودی شاه مردان کیر خر
Virilitas haec virilitas est, barba et penis non est; sin minus, rex virorum esset veretrum asini. [Manhood is this manliness, not (just) a beard and a penis; otherwise, an ass’s penis would be the king of men.]
حق کرا خواندست در قرآن رجال ** کی بود این جسم را آنجا مجال
Whom has God in the Qur’an called men? How should there be room for this body there?
روح حیوان را چه قدرست ای پدر ** آخر از بازار قصابان گذر
What worth has the animal soul? O father, come now, pass through the market of the butchers,
صد هزاران سر نهاده بر شکم ** ارزشان از دنبه و از دم کم
(And you will see) a hundred thousand (sheeps’) heads laid on paunches (tripe), of which (heads) the value is less than (that of) the fat caudal part and tail.
روسپی باشد که از جولان کیر ** عقل او موشی شود شهوت چو شیر 3715
Meretrix est (quaevis femina) cui penis impetu mens (tanquam) mus fiat, libido tanquam leo. [A prostitute is (one) who, due to the movement of a penis, (her) intellect becomes a mouse (and her) lust like a lion.]
وصیت کردن پدر دختر را کی خود را نگهدار تا حامله نشوی از شوهرت
How a father enjoined his daughter to take care lest she should become with child by her husband.
خواجه‌ای بودست او را دختری ** زهره‌خدی مه‌رخی سیمین‌بری
There was a Khwája who had a daughter with cheeks like (those of) Venus, a face like the moon, and a breast (white) as silver.
گشت بالغ داد دختر را به شو ** شو نبود اندر کفائت کفو او
(When) she reached maturity, he gave his daughter to a husband: as regards social rank the husband was not a (good) match for her.
خربزه چون در رسد شد آبناک ** گر بنشکافی تلف گردد هلاک
When a melon is ripe it becomes watery and goes to waste and ruin unless you slice it.
چون ضرورت بود دختر را بداد ** او بناکفوی ز تخویف فساد
Since it was (a case of) necessity, he gave his daughter to one who was not (socially) her match, in fear of the evil (that might ensue).
He said to his daughter, “Guard thyself from this new bridegroom, do not become with child;
کز ضرورت بود عقد این گدا ** این غریب‌اشمار را نبود وفا
For thy marriage to this beggar was (dictated) by necessity; there is no constancy in this vagabond fellow.
ناگهان به جهد کند ترک همه ** بر تو طفل او بماند مظلمه
Of a sudden he will jump off and leave all behind: his child will remain on thy hands as a wrong (for which there is no redress).”
گفت دختر کای پدر خدمت کنم ** هست پندت دل‌پذیر و مغتنم
The daughter replied, “O father, I will do service (to thee): thy counsel is acceptable and prized.”
هر دو روزی هر سه روزی آن پدر ** دختر خود را بفرمودی حذر
Every two or three days the father would enjoin his daughter to take precautions;
حامله شد ناگهان دختر ازو ** چون بود هر دو جوان خاتون و شو 3725
(Nevertheless) she suddenly became with child by him (her husband): how should it be (otherwise when) both the wife and the husband are young?.
از پدر او را خفی می‌داشتش ** پنج ماهه گشت کودک یا که شش
She kept it (the child) hidden from her father, (till) the child was five or six months old.
گشت پیدا گفت بابا چیست این ** من نگفتم که ازو دوری گزین
(Then) the discovery was made. “What is this?” asked her father; “did not I tell thee to adopt (the practice of) withdrawal from him?
این وصیتهای من خود باد بود ** که نکردت پند و وعظم هیچ سود
These injunctions of mine were (mere) wind, forsooth! My counsel and exhortations have been of no use to thee.”
گفت بابا چون کنم پرهیز من ** آتش و پنبه‌ست بی‌شک مرد و زن
“Father,” said she, “how should I guard myself? Man and wife, beyond doubt, are (as) fire and cotton.
پنبه را پرهیز از آتش کجاست ** یا در آتش کی حفاظست و تقاست 3730
What means has the cotton of guarding itself from the fire, or when is there (any) carefulness and caution in the fire?”
گفت من گفتم که سوی او مرو ** تو پذیرای منی او مشو
He replied, “I said, ‘noli te viro admovere, noli semen ejus recipere. [He replied, “I said, ‘don’t go to him (for sexual pleasure), don’t accept his sperm.]
در زمان حال و انزال و خوشی ** خویشتن باید که از وی در کشی
Tempore summae voluptatis et emissionis et deliciarum te corpus ab eo retrahere oportet.’” [At the moment of ecstasy, (seminal) emission, and pleasure you must draw yourself away from him.’”]
گفت کی دانم که انزالش کیست ** این نهانست و بغایت دوردست
She said, “Quando sit ejus emissio quomodo intelligam? hoc enim occultum et valde difficile est.” [She said, “How may I know when his emission is? It is hidden and is very remote (difficult to predict).”]
گفت چشمش چون کلاپیسه شود ** فهم کن که آن وقت انزالش بود
He replied, “Cum res eo redierit ut oculi ejus volvantur, intellige id esse tempus emissionis.” [He replied, “When his eyes start to roll (and show whiteness), know that it is the moment of his emission.”]
گفت تا چشمش کلاپیسه شدن ** کور گشتست این دو چشم کور من 3735
She said, “Eo usque donec oculi ejus volvantur, hi mei oculi caeci occaecati sunt.” [She said, “Up to (when) his eyes start to roll, these two blind eyes of mine have been blinded (by passion).” ]
نیست هر عقلی حقیری پایدار ** وقت حرص و وقت خشم و کارزار
Not every despicable understanding remains steadfast in the hour of desire and anger and combat.
وصف ضعیف دلی و سستی صوفی سایه پرورد مجاهده ناکرده درد و داغ عشق ناچشیده به سجده و دست‌بوس عام و به حرمت نظر کردن و بانگشت نمودن ایشان کی امروز در زمانه صوفی اوست غره شده و بوهم بیمار شده هم‌چون آن معلم کی کودکان گفتند کی رنجوری و با این وهم کی من مجاهدم مرا درین ره پهلوان می‌دانند با غازیان به غزا رفته کی به ظاهر نیز هنر بنمایم در جهاد اکبر مستثناام جهاد اصغر خود پیش من چه محل دارد خیال شیر دیده و دلیریها کرده و مست این دلیری شده و روی به بیشه نهاده به قصد شیر و شیر به زبان حال گفته کی کلا سوف تعلمون ثم کلا سوف تعلمون
Description of the pusillanimity and weakness of the Súfí who has been brought up in ease and has never struggled with himself or experienced the pain and searing anguish of (Divine) love, and has been deluded by the homage and hand-kissing of the vulgar and their gazing on him with veneration and pointing at him with their fingers and saying, “He is the (most famous) Súfí in the world to-day”; and has been made sick by vain imagination, like the teacher who was told by the children that he was ill. In the conceit of being a (spiritual) warrior and regarded as a hero in this (spiritual) Way, he goes on campaign with the soldiers engaged in the war against the infidels. “I will show my valour outwardly too,” says he; “I am unparalleled in the Greater Warfare: what difficulty, forsooth, should the Lesser Warfare present to me?” He has beheld the phantasm of a lion and performed (imaginary) feats of bravery and become intoxicated with this bravery and has set out for the jungle to seek the lion. (But) the lion says with mute eloquence, “Nay, ye will see! and again, nay, ye will see!”
رفت یک صوفی به لشکر در غزا ** ناگهان آمد قطاریق و وغا
A Súfí went with the army to fight the infidels: suddenly came the clangours and din of war.
ماند صوفی با بنه و خیمه و ضعاف ** فارسان راندند تا صف مصاف
The Súfí stayed behind with the baggage-train and tents and invalids, (while) the horsemen rode into the line of battle.
مثقلان خاک بر جا ماندند ** سابقون السابقون در راندند
The earth-bound heavies remained in their place; the foremost in the march, the foremost in the march, rode on.
جنگها کرده مظفر آمدند ** باز گشته با غنایم سودمند 3740
After the combat, they came (back) victorious: they returned in possession of profit and (laden) with spoils.
ارمغان دادند کای صوفی تو نیز ** او برون انداخت نستد هیچ چیز
They gave (him) a present (from the battle-field), saying, “Thou too, O Súfí!” (but) he cast it out (of the tent) and would not take anything.
پس بگفتندش که خشمینی چرا ** گفت من محروم ماندم از غزا
Then they said to him, “Why art thou angry?” He answered, “I have been deprived of (my share in) the fighting.”
زان تلطف هیچ صوفی خوش نشد ** که میان غزو خنجر کش نشد
The Súfí was not at all pleased with that act of kindness, because he had not drawn the sword in the holy war.