خود نبود از والدینت اختبار ** هم نبودت عبرت از لیل و نهار
Verily thou hast learned nothing from thy parents, nor hast thou taken a lesson from night and day.
مثل
Parable.
عارفی پرسید از آن پیر کشیش ** که توی خواجه مسن‌تر یا که ریش 1780
A (Súfí) gnostic asked an old Christian priest, “Sire, art thou the more advanced in age, or thy beard?”
گفت نه من پیش ازو زاییده‌ام ** بی ز ریشی بس جهان را دیده‌ام
He replied, “Nay; I was born before it: I have seen much of the world without a beard.”
گفت ریشت شد سپید از حال گشت ** خوی زشت تو نگردیدست وشت
He (the Súfí) said, “Thy beard has turned white, it has changed, (but) thy evil disposition has not become good.”
او پس از تو زاد و از تو بگذرید ** تو چنین خشکی ز سودای ثرید
It (thy beard) was born after thee and (yet) it has surpassed thee: thou art so dry (vain and unprofitable) because of thy passion for tharíd.
تو بر آن رنگی که اول زاده‌ای ** یک قدم زان پیش‌تر ننهاده‌ای
Thou art (still) of the same complexion with which thou wast born: thou hast not taken one step forward.
هم‌چنان دوغی ترش در معدنی ** خود نگردی زو مخلص روغنی 1785
Still thou art (as) sour buttermilk in the churn: in sooth thou hast not extracted any oil (butter) from it.
هم خمیری خمر طینه دری ** گرچه عمری در تنور آذری
Still thou art (as) dough in the jar of clay, though thou hast been a (whole) lifetime in the fiery oven.
چون حشیشی پا به گل بر پشته‌ای ** گرچه از باد هوس سرگشته‌ای
Thou art like a herb on a hillock: (thy) foot (is fixed immovably) in the earth, though thy head is tossed (to and fro) by the wind of passion.
هم‌چو قوم موسی اندر حر تیه ** مانده‌ای بر جای چل سال ای سفیه
Like the people of Moses in the heat of the Desert, thou hast remained forty years in (the same) place, O foolish man.
می‌روی هر روز تا شب هروله ** خویش می‌بینی در اول مرحله
Daily thou marchest rapidly till nightfall and findest thyself (still) in the first stage of thy journey.
نگذری زین بعد سیصد ساله تو ** تا که داری عشق آن گوساله تو 1790
Thou wilt never traverse this three hundred years' distance so long as thou hast love for the calf.
تا خیال عجل از جانشان نرفت ** بد بریشان تیه چون گرداب زفت
Until the fancy (illusion) of the calf went out of their hearts, the Desert was to them like a blazing whirlpool.
غیر این عجلی کزو یابیده‌ای ** بی‌نهایت لطف و نعمت دیده‌ای
Besides this calf which thou hast obtained from Him (God), thou hast experienced infinite graces and bounties.
گاو طبعی زان نکوییهای زفت ** از دلت در عشق این گوساله رفت
Thou hast the nature of a cow; hence in thy love for this calf (those) mighty benefits have vanished from thy heart.
باری اکنون تو ز هر جزوت بپرس ** صد زبان دارند این اجزای خرس
Prithee now, ask each part of thee: these dumb parts have a hundred tongues
ذکر نعمتهای رزاق جهان ** که نهان شد آن در اوراق زمان 1795
To recall the bounties of the World-Provider which are hidden in the pages of Time.
روز و شب افسانه‌جویانی تو چست ** جزو جزو تو فسانه‌گوی تست
By day and night thou art eagerly seeking (to hear) stories, while each several part of thee is telling thee the story (of His bounties).
جزو جزوت تا برستست از عدم ** چند شادی دیده‌اند و چند غم
(Ever) since each several part of thee grew up from non-existence, how much joy have they experienced and how much pain!
زانک بی‌لذت نروید هیچ جزو ** بلک لاغر گردد از هی پیچ جزو
For without pleasure no part will grow; on the contrary, at every spasm (of pain) the part (affected) becomes thin (dwindles).
جزو ماند و آن خوشی از یاد رفت ** بل نرفت آن خفیه شد از پنج و هفت
The part remained (in being), but the pleasure vanished from memory; nay, it did not vanish, (though) it became concealed from the five (senses) and the seven (members of the body).
هم‌چو تابستان که از وی پنبه‌زاد ** ماند پنبه رفت تابستان ز یاد 1800
(’Tis) like summer, from which cotton is born: the cotton remains, the summer is no more remembered;
یا مثال یخ که زاید از شتا ** شد شتا پنهان و آن یخ پیش ما
Or like the ice which is born of winter: winter disappears, but the ice is with us.
هست آن یخ زان صعوبت یادگار ** یادگار صیف در دی این ثمار
The ice is a souvenir of the hardships (of winter), and in December these fruits are a souvenir of summer.
هم‌چنان هر جزو جزوت ای فتی ** در تنت افسانه گوی نعمتی
Similarly, O youth, every single part in thy body is telling the story of a (past) bounty,
چون زنی که بیست فرزندش بود ** هر یکی حاکی حال خوش بود
As, (in the case of) a woman who has twenty children, each (child) is telling of a (past) delight.
حمل نبود بی ز مستی و ز لاغ ** بی بهاری کی شود زاینده باغ 1805
There is no pregnancy without (past) rapture and amorous sport: how should the orchard produce (fruit) without a Spring?
حاملان و بچگانشان بر کنار ** شد دلیل عشق‌بازی با بهار
The pregnant (trees) and the children on their laps are evidence of dalliance with the Spring.
هر درختی در رضاع کودکان ** هم‌چو مریم حامل از شاهی نهان
Every tree (engaged) in suckling its children is impregnated, like Mary, by a King unseen.
گرچه صد در آب آتشی پوشیده شد ** صد هزاران کف برو جوشیده شد
Although in (boiling) water the heat of fire is concealed (from view), a hundred thousand bubbles froth upon it,
And though the fire works very secretly, the froth indicates (its presence) with ten fingers.
هم‌چنین اجزای مستان وصال ** حامل از تمثالهای حال و قال 1810
In like manner (all) the parts of those intoxicated with union are pregnant with the (ideal) forms of (ecstatic) feelings and words.
در جمال حال وا مانده دهان ** چشم غایب گشته از نقش جهان
Their mouths remain gaping (in amazement) at the beauty of (that) ecstasy, (while) their eyes are absent (withdrawn) from the forms of this world.
آن موالید از زه این چار نیست ** لاجرم منظور این ابصار نیست
Those (spiritual) progenies are not (produced) by means of these four (elements); consequently they are not seen by these eyes.
آن موالید از تجلی زاده‌اند ** لاجرم مستور پرده‌ی ساده‌اند
Those progenies are born of (Divine) illumination; consequently they are covered (from sight) by a pure veil.
زاده گفتیم و حقیقت زاد نیست ** وین عبارت جز پی ارشاد نیست
We said “born,” but in reality they are not born, and this expression is only (used) in order to guide (the understanding).
هین خمش کن تا بگوید شاه قل ** بلبلی مفروش با این جنس گل 1815
Hark, be silent that the King of Say may speak: do not play the nightingale with a Rose of this kind.
این گل گویاست پر جوش و خروش ** بلبلا ترک زبان کن باش گوش
This eloquent Rose is full of song and cry: O nightingale, let thy tongue cease, be (all) ear!
هر دو گون تمثال پاکیزه‌مثال ** شاهد عدل‌اند بر سر وصال
Both (these) kinds of pure ideal forms are valid (trustworthy) witnesses to the mystery of union.
هر دو گون حسن لطیف مرتضی ** شاهد احبال و حشر ما مضی
Both (these) kinds of subtle and delectable beauty are witnesses to (spiritual) pregnancies and growing big (with child) in the past,
هم‌چو یخ کاندر تموز مستجد ** هر دم افسانه‌ی زمستان می‌کند
Like ice that in the brilliant (month of) Tamúz is ever telling the story of winter
ذکر آن اریاح سرد و زمهریر ** اندر آن ازمان و ایام عسیر 1820
And recalling the cold winds and intense frost in those hard days and times;
هم‌چو آن میوه که در وقت شتا ** می‌کند افسانه‌ی لطف خدا
(Or) like fruit that in winter-time tells the story of God's lovingkindness
قصه‌ی دور تبسمهای شمس ** وآن عروسان چمن را لمس و طمس
And the tale of the season when the sun was smiling and embracing the brides of the orchard. [And the tale of the season when the sun was (enjoying) touching and copulating (with) the brides of the orchard.]
حال رفت و ماند جزوت یادگار ** یا ازو واپرس یا خود یاد آر
The ecstasy is gone but thy (every) part remains as a souvenir: either inquire of it, or thyself recall (the ecstasy) to mind.
When grief takes possession of thee, if thou art a fit (alert and capable) person thou wouldst question that moment of despair
گفتییش ای غصه‌ی منکر به حال ** راتبه‌ی انعامها را زان کمال 1825
And wouldst say to it, “O Sorrow that deniest implicitly the allowance of favours (bestowed upon thee) by that Perfection,
گر بهر دم نت بهار و خرمیست ** هم‌چو چاش گل تنت انبار چیست
If Spring and (its) fresh gladness are not always thine, (then) of what is thy body, (which is) like a heap of roses, the storehouse?
چاش گل تن فکر تو هم‌چون گلاب ** منکر گل شد گلاب اینت عجاب
Thy body is a heap of roses, thy thought is like rose-water; the rose-water denies the rose: lo, here is a marvel!”
از کپی‌خویان کفران که دریغ ** بر نبی‌خویان نثار مهر و میغ
(Even) straw is refused to those who apishly show ingratitude, (while) sun and cloud (sunshine and rain) are lavished on those who resemble the prophets in disposition.