گفت یک نک خاصیت در پنجه‌ام ** که کمندی افکنم طول علم
Another said, “Look here, my specialty lies in my fist: I can throw a lasso to the height of a mountain,
هم‌چو احمد که کمند انداخت جانش ** تا کمندش برد سوی آسمانش
Like Ahmad (Mohammed), whose spirit threw a lasso so (high) that his lasso bore him to Heaven,
گفت حقش ای کمندانداز بیت ** آن ز من دان ما رمیت اذ رمیت 2835
And God said to him, ‘O thrower of the lasso (of thy aspiration) at the (celestial) House, deem that (act of throwing) to be from Me: thou didst not throw when thou threwest.’”
پس بپرسیدند زان شه کای سند ** مر ترا خاصیت اندر چه بود
Then they (the thieves) asked the King, saying, “O man of authority, in what may thy special talent consist?”
گفت در ریشم بود خاصیتم ** که رهانم مجرمان را از نقم
He replied, “My specialty lies in my beard: I can save criminals from punishment.
مجرمان را چون به جلادان دهند ** چون بجنبد ریش من زیشان رهند
When criminals are handed over to the executioners, as soon as my beard moves they are saved.
چون بجنبانم به رحمت ریش را ** طی کنند آن قتل و آن تشویش را
When I move my beard in mercy, they (the executioners) put an end to the killing and (all) the trouble.”
قوم گفتندش که قطب ما توی ** که خلاص روز محنتمان شوی 2840
The company said to him, “Thou art our qutb (supreme chief), for thou wilt be the (means of our) deliverance on the day of tribulation.”
بعد از آن جمله به هم بیرون شدند ** سوی قصرآن شه میمون شدند
Afterwards they all set out together and went towards the palace of the fortunate king.
چون سگی بانگی بزد از سوی راست ** گفت می‌گوید که سلطان با شماست
When a dog barked on the right, (one of them) said, “It says ‘The Sultan is with you.’”
خاک بو کرد آن دگر از ربوه‌ای ** گفت این هست از وثاق بیوه‌ای
Another smelt the ground from (the top of) a hill and said, “This belongs to the house of a widow.”
پس کمند انداخت استاد کمند ** تا شدند آن سوی دیوار بلند
Then the skilful master of the lasso threw his lasso, so that (by means of it) they got over the lofty wall.
جای دیگر خاک را چون بوی کرد ** گفت خاک مخزن شاهیست فرد 2845
When he (the thief who had previously smelt from the hill) smelt the earth in this other place, he said, “’Tis the earth (site) of the treasury of a peerless king.”
نقب‌زن زد نقب در مخزن رسید ** هر یکی از مخزن اسبابی کشید
The tunneller made a tunnel and reached the treasury: every one carried off some goods from the treasury.
بس زر و زربفت و گوهرهای زفت ** قوم بردند و نهان کردند تفت
The band took away much gold and gold-embroidered cloth and big pearls and quickly concealed them.
شه معین دید منزل‌گاهشان ** حلیه و نام و پناه و راهشان
The King saw distinctly their lodging-place and (noticed) their personal appearance and names and (where they took) refuge and (what) way (they went).
خویش را دزدید ازیشان بازگشت ** روز در دیوان بگفت آن سرگذشت
He stole away from them and returned (to the palace), and (next) day related his adventure (to the ministers) in council.
پس روان گشتند سرهنگان مست ** تا که دزدان را گرفتند و ببست 2850
Thereupon furious officers rushed away to arrest and pinion the thieves.
دست‌بسته سوی دیوان آمدند ** وز نهیب جان خود لرزان شدند
They (the thieves) came handcuffed into the council-chamber, and they were trembling in fear for their lives.
چونک استادند پیش تخت شاه ** یار شبشان بود آن شاه چو ماه
When they stood before the King's throne, that moon-like King was their (last) night's companion.
آنک چشمش شب بهرکه انداختی ** روز دیدی بی شکش بشناختی
He (the thief) who could without hesitation recognise by day any one on whom he had cast his eye by night
شاه را بر تخت دید و گفت این ** بود با ما دوش شب‌گرد و قرین
Saw the King on the throne and said, “This man was going about with us last night and was our comrade.
آنک چندین خاصیت در ریش اوست ** این گرفت ما هم از تفتیش اوست 2855
He who has such a great talent in his beard—our arrest is the result of his enquiry.”
عارف شه بود چشمش لاجرم ** بر گشاد از معرفت لب با حشم
His (the thief's) eye was a knower of the King: consequently he opened his lips (to speak) of (mystic) knowledge to his followers.
گفت و هو معکم این شاه بود ** فعل ما می‌دید و سرمان می‌شنود
He said, “This King was (the subject of) and He is with you: he was seeing our actions and hearing our secret.
چشم من ره برد شب شه را شناخت ** جمله شب با روی ماهش عشق باخت
My eye made its way (to him), recognised the King by night, and all night long played the game of love with his moon-like face.
امت خود را بخواهم من ازو ** کو نگرداند ز عارف هیچ رو
I will beg (forgiveness for) my people from him, for he never averts his face from the knower.
چشم عارف دان امان هر دو کون ** که بدو یابید هر بهرام عون 2860
Deem the eye of the knower to be the salvation of the two worlds, whereby every Bahrám (sovereign) obtained help.
زان محمد شافع هر داغ بود ** که ز جز شه چشم او مازاغ بود
Mohammed was the intercessor for every brand (of disgrace) because his eye did not swerve for aught except God.
در شب دنیا که محجوبست شید ** ناظر حق بود و زو بودش امید
In the night of this world, where the sun (of Reality) is veiled, he was beholding God, and (all) his hope was in Him.
از الم نشرح دو چشمش سرمه یافت ** دید آنچ جبرئیل آن بر نتافت
His eyes received collyrium from Did not We expand (thy breast)? He saw that which Gabriel could not endure.
مر یتیمی را که سرمه حق کشد ** گردد او در یتیم با رشد
The orphan to whom (to whose eyes) God applies collyrium becomes the orphan (unique) pearl endowed with (Divine) guidance.
نور او بر ذره‌ها غالب شود ** آن‌چنان مطلوب را طالب شود 2865
Its light overpowers (that of all other) pearls, (because) it desires such an (exalted) object of desire.
در نظر بودش مقامات العباد ** لاجرم نامش خدا شاهد نهاد
(All) the (spiritual) stations (attainments) of God's servants were visible to him (the Prophet): consequently God named him ‘The Witness.’
آلت شاهد زبان و چشم تیز ** که ز شب‌خیزش ندارد سر گریز
The weapons of the Witness are a trenchant (veracious) tongue and a keen eye, whose nightly vigil no secret can elude.
گر هزاران مدعی سر بر زند ** گوش قاضی جانب شاهد کند
Though a thousand pretenders (false witnesses) may raise their heads, the Judge turns his ear towards the Witness.
قاضیان را در حکومت این فنست ** شاهد ایشان را دو چشم روشنست
This is the practice of judges in dealing justice: to them the (truthful) witness is (like) two clear eyes.
گفت شاهد زان به جای دیده است ** کو بدیده‌ی بی‌غرض سر دیده است 2870
The words (testimony) of the Witness are equivalent to the eye because he has seen the secret (of Reality) with a disinterested eye.
مدعی دیده‌ست اما با غرض ** پرده باشد دیده‌ی دل را غرض
The pretender (false witness) has seen it (too), but with self-interest: self-interest is a veil upon the eye of the heart.
حق همی‌خواهد که تو زاهد شوی ** تا غرض بگذاری و شاهد شوی
God desires that you should become an ascetic (záhid) in order that you may abandon self-interest and become a Witness (sháhid);
کین غرضها پرده‌ی دیده بود ** بر نظر چون پرده پیچیده بود
For these motives of self-interest are a veil upon the eye: they enfold (muffle) the sight, like a veil.
پس نبیند جمله را با طم و رم ** حبک الاشیاء یعمی و یصم
Therefore he (the self-interested man) does not see the whole in (all its) various aspects: your love of (created) things makes you blind and deaf.
در دلش خورشید چون نوری نشاند ** پیشش اختر را مقادیری نماند 2875
Since the (Divine) Sun caused a light to dwell in his (the Witness's) heart, the stars no longer had any values for him.
پس بدید او بی‌حجاب اسرار را ** سیر روح مومن و کفار را
Therefore he beheld the mysteries without veil: (he beheld) the journey of the spirit of the true believers and the infidels.
در زمین حق را و در چرخ سمی ** نیست پنهان‌تر ز روح آدمی
God hath not (created) in the earth or in the lofty heaven anything more occult than the spirit of Man.
باز کرد از رطب و یابس حق نورد ** روح را من امر ربی مهر کرد
God hath unfolded (the mystery of all things) moist or dry, (but) He hath sealed (the mystery of) the spirit: ‘(it is) of the amr of my Lord.’
پس چو دید آن روح را چشم عزیز ** پس برو پنهان نماند هیچ چیز
Therefore, since the august eye (of the Witness) beheld that spirit, nothing remains hidden from him.
شاهد مطلق بود در هر نزاع ** بشکند گفتش خمار هر صداع 2880
He is the absolute witness in every dispute: his word crushes the crop-sickness (which is the cause) of every headache.
نام حق عدلست و شاهد آن اوست ** شاهد عدلست زین رو چشم دوست
God is named ‘the Just,’ and the Witness belongs to Him: for this reason the just Witness is the eye of the Beloved.
منظر حق دل بود در دو سرا ** که نظر در شاهد آید شاه را
The object of God's regard in both worlds is the (pure) heart, for the king's gaze is fixed upon the favourite.