تا مرا بوبکر نام از شهرتان ** هدیه نارید ای رمیده امتان
Unless ye bring to me as a gift from your city one whose name is Abú Bakr, O people who have fled (from righteousness),
بدرومتان هم‌چو کشت ای قوم دون ** نه خراج استانم و نه هم فسون
I will mow you down like corn, O vile folk: I will accept neither tribute nor blandishments.”
بس جوال زر کشیدندش به راه ** کز چنین شهری ابوبکری مخواه
They offered him many sacks of gold, saying, “Do not demand an Abú Bakr from a city like this.
کی بود بوبکر اندر سبزوار ** یا کلوخ خشک اندر جویبار
How should there be an Abú Bakr in Sabzawár, or a dry sod in the river?”
رو بتابید از زر و گفت ای مغان ** تا نیاریدم ابوبکر ارمغان 855
He averted his face from the gold and said, “O Magians (infidels), unless ye bring me an Abú Bakr as an offering,
هیچ سودی نیست کودک نیستم ** تا به زر و سیم حیران بیستم
’Tis of no avail. I am not a child that I should stand dumbfounded (fascinated) by gold and silver.”
تا نیاری سجده نرهی ای زبون ** گر بپیمایی تو مسجد را به کون
Unless thou prostrate thyself (in humble submission to God), thou wilt not escape (from punishment), O wretch, (even) if thou traverse the (whole) mosque on thy séant.
منهیان انگیختند از چپ و راست ** که اندرین ویرانه بوبکری کجاست
They (the inhabitants of Sabzawár) despatched emissaries, (to inquire) where in this desolate (corrupt) place an Abú Bakr was (to be found).
بعد سه روز و سه شب که اشتافتند ** یک ابوبکری نزاری یافتند
After three days and three nights, during which they made haste (in searching), they found an emaciated Abú Bakr.
ره گذر بود و بمانده از مرض ** در یکی گوشه‌ی خرابه پر حرض 860
He was a wayfarer and, on account of sickness, had remained in the corner of a ruin, in utter exhaustion.
خفته بود او در یکی کنجی خراب ** چون بدیدندش بگفتندش شتاب
He was lying in a ruined nook. When they espied him, they said to him hurriedly,
خیز که سلطان ترا طالب شدست ** کز تو خواهد شهر ما از قتل رست
“Arise! The Sultan has demanded thee: by thee our city will be saved from slaughter.”
گفت اگر پایم بدی یا مقدمی ** خود به راه خود به مقصد رفتمی
He replied, “If I had the foot (power to walk) or any (means of) arrival, I myself would have gone by my own road to my destination.
اندرین دشمن‌کده کی ماندمی ** سوی شهر دوستان می‌راندمی
How should I have remained in this abode of my enemies? I would have pushed on towards the city of my friends.”
تخته‌ی مرده‌کشان بفراشتند ** وان ابوبکر مرا برداشتند 865
They raised the corpse-bearers' board and lifted our Abú Bakr (upon it).
سوی خوارمشاه حمالان کشان ** می‌کشیدندش که تا بیند نشان
The carriers were taking him along to Khwárizmsháh, that he (the Sultan) might behold the token (which he desired).
سبزوارست این جهان و مرد حق ** اندرین جا ضایعست و ممتحق
Sabzawár is this world, and in this place the man of God is wasted and goodfor- naught.
Khwárizmsháh is God Almighty: He demands from this wicked folk the (pure) heart.
گفت لا ینظر الی تصویرکم ** فابتغوا ذا القلب فی‌تدبیر کم
He (the Prophet) said, “He (God) doth not regard your (outward) form: therefore in your devising seek ye the owner of the Heart.”
من ز صاحب‌دل کنم در تو نظر ** نه به نقش سجده و ایثار زر 870
(God says), “I regard thee through the owner of the Heart, not because of the (external) marks of prostration (in prayer) and the giving away of gold (in charities).”
تو دل خود را چو دل پنداشتی ** جست و جوی اهل دل بگذاشتی
Since thou hast deemed thy heart to be the Heart, thou hast abandoned the search after those who possess the Heart—
دل که گر هفصد چو این هفت آسمان ** اندرو آید شود یاوه و نهان
The Heart into which if seven hundred (heavens) like these Seven Heavens should enter, they would be lost and hidden (from view).
این چنین دل ریزه‌ها را دل مگو ** سبزوار اندر ابوبکری بجو
Do not call such fragments of heart as these “the Heart”: do not seek an Abú Bakr in Sabzawár!
صاحب دل آینه‌ی شش‌رو شود ** حق ازو در شش جهت ناظر بود
The owner of the Heart becomes a six-faced mirror: through him God looks upon (all) the six directions.
هر که اندر شش جهت دارد مقر ** نکندش بی‌واسطه‌ی او حق نظر 875
Whosoever hath his dwelling-place in (the world of) six directions God doth not look upon him except through the mediation of him (the owner of the Heart).
گر کند رد از برای او کند ** ور قبول آرد همو باشد سند
If He (God) reject (any one), He does it for his sake; and if He accept (any one), he likewise is the authority.
بی‌ازو ندهد کسی را حق نوال ** شمه‌ای گفتم من از صاحب‌وصال
Without him God does not bestow bounty on any one. I have told (only) one sample of (the sublimity of) the possessor of union (with God).
موهبت را بر کف دستش نهد ** وز کفش آن را به مرحومان دهد
He (God) lays His gift on the palm of his hand, and from his palm dispenses it to those who are the objects of His mercy.
با کفش دریای کل را اتصال ** هست بی‌چون و چگونه و بر کمال
The unitedness of the Universal Sea (of Bounty) with his palm is unqualified and unconditional and perfect.
اتصالی که نگنجد در کلام ** گفتنش تکلیف باشد والسلام 880
A unitedness that is not containable in words—to speak of it were a vain task, so farewell.
صد جوال زر بیاری ای غنی ** حق بگوید دل بیار ای منحنی
O rich man, (if) thou bring a hundred sacks of gold, God will say, “Bring the Heart, O thou that art bent (in devotion).
گر ز تو راضیست دل من راضیم ** ور ز تو معرض بود اعراضیم
If the Heart be pleased with thee, I am pleased; and if it be averse to thee, I am averse.
ننگرم در تو در آن دل بنگرم ** تحفه او را آر ای جان بر درم
I do not regard thee, I regard that Heart: bring it, O soul, as a gift to My door!
با تو او چونست هستم من چنان ** زیر پای مادران باشد جنان
According as it is in relation to thee, so am I: Paradise is under the feet of mothers.”
مادر و بابا و اصل خلق اوست ** ای خنک آنکس که داند دل ز پوست 885
It (the Heart) is the mother and father and origin of (all) the creatures: oh, blest is that one who knows the Heart from the skin.
تو بگویی نک دل آوردم به تو ** گویدت پرست ازین دلها قتو
Thou wilt say, “Lo, I have brought unto Thee a heart”: He (God) will say to thee, “Qutú is full of these hearts.
آن دلی آور که قطب عالم اوست ** جان جان جان جان آدم اوست
Bring the Heart that is the Qutb (Pole) of the world and the soul of the soul of the soul of the soul of Adam.”
از برای آن دل پر نور و بر ** هست آن سلطان دلها منتظر
The Sultan of (all) hearts is waiting expectantly for that Heart full of light and goodness.
تو بگردی روزها در سبزوار ** آنچنان دل را نیابی ز اعتبار
Thou mayst wander (many) days in Sabzawár, (but) thou wilt not find (there) a Heart like that by (the most) careful observation.
پس دل پژمرده‌ی پوسیده‌جان ** بر سر تخته نهی آن سو کشان 890
Then thou wilt lay upon a bier the corrupt heart, whose soul is rotten, to carry (it) Yonder,
که دل آوردم ترا ای شهریار ** به ازین دل نبود اندر سبزوار
And say, “I bring Thee a heart, O King: there is no better heart than this in Sabzawár.”
گویدت این گورخانه‌ست ای جری ** که دل مرده بدینجا آوری
He (God) will answer thee, saying, “O audacious man, is this a graveyard that thou shouldst bring a dead heart hither?
رو بیاور آن دلی کو شاه‌خوست ** که امان سبزوار کون ازوست
Go, bring the Heart that is kingly, from which is (derived) the security of the Sabzawár of (mundane) existence.”
گویی آن دل زین جهان پنهان بود ** زانک ظلمت با ضیا ضدان بود
You may say that that Heart is hidden from this world, because darkness and light are opposites.
دشمنی آن دل از روز الست ** سبزوار طبع را میراثی است 895
From the Day of Alast there is an hereditary enmity of that Heart to the Sabzawár of the carnal nature;
زانک او بازست و دنیا شهر زاغ ** دیدن ناجنس بر ناجنس داغ
For it is a falcon, while this world is the city of the crow: the sight of one who is uncongenial inflicts pain upon him who is not his congener;
ور کند نرمی نفاقی می‌کند ** ز استمالت ارتفاقی می‌کند
And if he (the worldling) behave with mildness (complaisance), he is acting hypocritically: he is seeking an advantage for himself by conciliating (the owner of the Heart).
می‌کند آری نه از بهر نیاز ** تا که ناصح کم کند نصح دراز
He assents, not on account of sincere feeling, (but) in order that the admonisher may curtail his long admonition;
زانک این زاغ خس مردارجو ** صد هزاران مکر دارد تو به تو
For this vile carrion-seeking crow hath a hundred thousand manifold tricks.
گر پذیرند آن نفاقش را رهید ** شد نفاقش عین صدق مستفید 900
If they (the saints) accept his hypocrisy, he is saved: his hypocrisy becomes identical with the sincerity of him who benefits by instruction,