چون رخت را نیست در خوبی امید ** خواه گلگونه نه و خواهی مداد
Since your face hath no hope of (acquiring) beauty, you may either put rouge (on it) or, if you wish, ink.
حکایت آن رنجور کی طبیب درو اومید صحت ندید
Story of the sick man of whose recovery the physician despaired.
آن یکی رنجور شد سوی طبیب ** گفت نبضم را فرو بین ای لبیب
A certain sick man went to a physician and said, “Feel my pulse, O sagacious one,
که ز نبض آگه شوی بر حال دل ** که رگ دستست با دل متصل
That by (feeling) the pulse you may diagnose the state of my heart, for the hand-vein is connected with the heart.”
چونک دل غیبست خواهی زو مثال ** زو بجو که با دلستش اتصال 1295
Since the heart is invisible, if you want a symbol of it, seek (it) from him who hath connexion with the heart.
باد پنهانست از چشم ای امین ** در غبار و جنبش برگش ببین
The wind is hidden from the eye, O trusty (friend), (but) see it in the dust and in the movement of the leaves,
کز یمینست او وزان یا از شمال ** جنبش برگت بگوید وصف حال
(And observe) whether it is blowing from the right or from the left: the movement of the leaves will describe its condition to you.
مستی دل را نمی‌دانی که کو ** وصف او از نرگس مخمور جو
(If) you know not intoxication of the heart (and ask) where (it is), seek the description of it from the inebriated (languid) eye.
چون ز ذات حق بعیدی وصف ذات ** باز دانی از رسول و معجزات
Since you are far from (knowing) the Essence of God, you may recognise the description of the Essence in the Prophet and (his) evidentiary miracles.
معجزاتی و کراماتی خفی ** بر زند بر دل ز پیران صفی 1300
Certain secret miracles and graces (proceeding) from the elect (Súfí) Elders impress the heart (of the disciple);
که درونشان صد قیامت نقد هست ** کمترین آنک شود همسایه مست
For within them (those Elders) there are a hundred immediate (spiritual) resurrections, (of which) the least is this, that their neighbour becomes intoxicated;
پس جلیس الله گشت آن نیک‌بخت ** کو به پهلوی سعیدی برد رخت
Hence that fortunate (disciple) who has devoted himself to a blessed (saint) has become the companion of God.
معجزه کان بر جمادی زد اثر ** یا عصا با بحر یا شق‌القمر
The evidentiary miracle that produced an effect upon something inanimate (is) either (like) the rod (of Moses) or (the passage of) the sea (by the Israelites) or the splitting of the moon.
گر ترا بر جان زند بی‌واسطه ** متصل گردد به پنهان رابطه
If it (the evidentiary miracle) produces an immediate effect upon the soul, (the reason is that) it (the soul) is brought into connexion (with the producer of the effect) by means of a hidden link.
بر جمادات آن اثرها عاریه‌ست ** از پی روح خوش متواریه‌ست 1305
The effects produced upon inanimate objects are (only) accessory: they are (really) for the sake of the fair invisible spirit,
تا از آن جامد اثر گیرد ضمیر ** حبذا نان بی‌هیولای خمیر
In order that the inmost heart may be affected by means of that inanimate object. (But) how (much more) excellent is bread (produced) without the substance (of bread), (namely), dough!
How excellent is the Messiah's table of food without stint! How excellent is Mary's fruit (that was produced) without an orchard!
بر زند از جان کامل معجزات ** بر ضمیر جان طالب چون حیات
Miracles (proceeding) from the spirit of the perfect (saint) affect the soul of the seeker as life (bestowed on the dead).
معجزه بحرست و ناقص مرغ خاک ** مرغ آبی در وی آمن از هلاک
The miracle is (like) the sea, and the deficient (heedless) man is (like) the land-bird (which perishes in the sea); (but) the water-bird is safe from destruction there.
عجزبخش جان هر نامحرمی ** لیک قدرت‌بخش جان هم‌دمی 1310
It (the miracle) bestows infirmity on any one that is uninitiated, but it bestows power on the spirit of an intimate.
چون نیابی این سعادت در ضمیر ** پس ز ظاهر هر دم استدلال گیر
Since you do not feel this bliss in your inmost heart, then continually seek the clue to it from outside,
که اثرها بر مشاعر ظاهرست ** وین اثرها از مثر مخبرست
For effects are apparent to the senses, and these effects give information concerning their producer.
هست پنهان معنی هر داروی ** هم‌چو سحر و صنعت هر جادوی
The virtue of every drug is hidden like magic and the art of any sorcerer;
چون نظر در فعل و آثارش کنی ** گرچه پنهانست اظهارش کنی
(But) when you regard its action and effects, you bring it to light (even) though it is hidden.
قوتی کان اندرونش مضمرست ** چون به فعل آید عیان و مظهرست 1315
The potency that is concealed within it is clearly seen and made manifest when it comes into action.
چون به آثار این همه پیدا شدت ** چون نشد پیدا ز تاثیر ایزدت
Since all these things are revealed to you by means of effects, how is not God revealed to you by the production of effects?
نه سببها و اثرها مغز و پوست ** چون بجویی جملگی آثار اوست
Causes and effects, (both) kernel and husk—are not the whole (of them), when you investigate, effects produced by Him?
دوست گیری چیزها را از اثر ** پس چرا ز آثاربخشی بی‌خبر
You make friends with things because of the effect (which they produce): why, then, are you ignorant of Him who produces (all) effects?
از خیالی دوست گیری خلق را ** چون نگیری شاه غرب و شرق را
You make friends with people on the ground of a phantasy: why do not you make friends with the King of west and east?
این سخن پایان ندارد ای قباد ** حرص ما را اندرین پایان مباد 1320
This topic hath no end. O (spiritual) emperor, may there be no end to our desire for this (mystic knowledge)!
رجوع به قصه‌ی رنجور
Returning to the Story of the sick man.
باز گرد و قصه‌ی رنجور گو ** با طبیب آگه ستارخو
Return (from the digression) and tell the story of the sick man and the wise physician whose nature was to palliate.
نبض او بگرفت و واقف شد ز حال ** که امید صحت او بد محال
He felt his pulse and ascertained his state (of health): (he saw) that it was absurd to hope for his recovery.
گفت هر چت دل بخواهد آن بکن ** تا رود از جسمت این رنج کهن
He said, “Do whatever your heart desires, in order that this old malady may quit your body.
هرچه خواهد خاطر تو وا مگیر ** تا نگردد صبر و پرهیزت زحیر
Do not withhold anything that your inclination craves, lest your self-restraint and abstinence turn to gripes.
صبر و پرهیز این مرض را دان زیان ** هرچه خواهد دل در آرش در میان 1325
Know that self-restraint and abstinence are injurious to this disease: proffer to your heart whatever it may desire.
این چنین رنجور را گفت ای عمو ** حق تعالی اعملوا ما شتم
O uncle, (it was) in reference to a sick man like this (that) God most High said, ‘Do what ye will.”
گفت رو هین خیر بادت جان عم ** من تماشای لب جو می‌روم
He (the sick man) said, “(Now) go; look you, my dear nephew, I am going for a walk on the bank of the river.”
بر مراد دل همی‌گشت او بر آب ** تا که صحت را بیابد فتح باب
He was strolling beside the water, as his heart desired, in order that he might find the door to health opened to him.
بر لب جو صوفیی بنشسته بود ** دست و رو می‌شست و پاکی می‌فزود
On the river-bank a Súfí was seated, washing his hands and face and cleansing himself more and more.
او قفااش دید چون تخییلیی ** کرد او را آرزوی سیلیی 1330
He saw the nape of his (the Súfí's) neck and, like a crazy man, felt a longing to give it a slap;
بر قفای صوفی حمزه‌پرست ** راست می‌کرد از برای صفع دست
(So) he raised his hand to inflict a blow on the nape of the pottage-worshipping Súfí,
کارزو را گر نرانم تا رود ** آن طبیبم گفت کان علت شود
Saying (to himself), “The physician told me it would make me ill if I would not let my desire have its way.
سیلیش اندر برم در معرکه ** زانک لا تلقوا بایدی تهلکه
I will give him a slap in quarrel, for (God hath said), ‘Do not cast yourselves with your own hands into destruction.’
تهلکه‌ست این صبر و پرهیز ای فلان ** خوش بکوبش تن مزن چون دیگران
O such-and-such, this self-restraint and abstinence is (thy) destruction: give him a good blow, do not keep quiet like the others.”
چون زدش سیلی برآمد یک طراق ** گفت صوفی هی هی ای قواد عاق 1335
When he slapped him, there was the sound of a crack: the Súfí cried, “Hey, hey, O rascally pimp!”
خواست صوفی تا دو سه مشتش زند ** سبلت و ریشش یکایک بر کند
The Súfí was about to give him two or three blows with his fist and tear out his moustache and beard piecemeal (but refrained from doing so).
خلق رنجور دق و بیچاره‌اند ** وز خداع دیو سیلی باره‌اند
Mankind are (like) sufferers from phthisis and without a remedy (for their disease), and through the Devil's deception they are passionately addicted to slapping (each other).
جمله در ایذای بی‌جرمان حریص ** در قفای همدگر جویان نقیص
All (of them) are eager to injure the innocent and are seeking (to find) fault behind each others' backs.
ای زننده بی‌گناهان را قفا ** در قفای خود نمی‌بینی جزا
O you who strike the napes of the guiltless, don't you see the retribution (that is coming) behind you?
ای هوا را طب خود پنداشته ** بر ضعیفان صفع را بگماشته 1340
O you who fancy that (indulgence of) desire is your (right) medicine and inflict slaps on the weak,
بر تو خندید آنک گفتت این دواست ** اوست که آدم را به گندم رهنماست
He who told you that this is the cure (for your disease) mocked at you: ’tis he that guided Adam to the wheat,