لیک بعضی رو سوی دم کرده‌اند ** گرچه سر اصلست سر گم کرده‌اند
But some have set their face towards the tail and have lost the Head, although the Head is the principal;
لیک آن سر پیش این ضالان گم ** می‌دهد داد سری از راه دم
But (nevertheless) that Head is bestowing on these lost and erring ones the bounty proper to Headship by way of the tail.
آن ز سر می‌یابد آن داد این ز دم ** قوم دیگر پا و سر کردند گم
That one obtains the bounty from the Head, this one from the tail; another company (of mystics) have lost (both) foot and head.
چونک گم شد جمله جمله یافتند ** از کم آمد سوی کل بشتافتند
Since all has been lost, they have gained all: through dwindling away (to naught) they have sped towards the Whole.
دیدن ایشان در قصر این قلعه‌ی ذات الصور نقش روی دختر شاه چین را و بیهوش شدن هر سه و در فتنه افتادن و تفحص کردن کی این صورت کیست
How in the pavilion of the fortress adorned with pictures they (the princes) saw a portrait of the daughter of the King of China and how all three lost their senses and fell into distraction and made inquiries, asking, “Whose portrait is this?”
این سخن پایان ندارد آن گروه ** صورتی دیدند با حسن و شکوه 3760
This topic is endless. The company (of three) espied a beauteous and majestic portrait.
خوب‌تر زان دیده بودند آن فریق ** لیک زین رفتند در بحر عمیق
The (travelling) party had seen (pictures) more beautiful than that, but at (the sight of) this one they were plunged in the deep sea,
Because opium came to them in this cup: the cups are visible, but the opium is unseen.
کرد فعل خویش قلعه‌ی هش‌ربا ** هر سه را انداخت در چاه بلا
The fortress, (named) the destroyer of reason, wrought its work: it cast them, all three, into the pit of tribulation.
تیر غمزه دوخت دل را بی‌کمان ** الامان و الامان ای بی‌امان
Without a bow the arrow-like glances (of Love) pierce the heart—mercy, mercy, O merciless one!
قرنها را صورت سنگین بسوخت ** آتشی در دین و دلشان بر فروخت 3765
(Adoration of) a stone image consumed the (past) generations and kindled a fire (of love for it) in their religion and their hearts.
چونک روحانی بود خود چون بود ** فتنه‌اش هر لحظه دیگرگون بود
When it (the image) is spiritual, how (ravishing) must it be! Its fascination changes at every moment.
عشق صورت در دل شه‌زادگان ** چون خلش می‌کرد مانند سنان
Since love of the pictured form was stabbing the hearts of the princes like a spear-point,
اشک می‌بارید هر یک هم‌چو میغ ** دست می‌خایید و می‌گفت ای دریغ
Each (of them) was shedding tears, like a cloud, and gnawing his hands and crying, “Oh, alas!
ما کنون دیدیم شه ز آغاز دید ** چندمان سوگند داد آن بی‌ندید
Now we see (what) the King saw at the beginning. How often did that peerless one adjure us!”
انبیا را حق بسیارست از آن ** که خبر کردند از پایانمان 3770
The prophets have conferred a great obligation (on us) because they have made us aware of the end,
کاینچ می‌کاری نروید جز که خار ** وین طرف پری نیابی زو مطار
Saying, “That which thou art sowing will produce naught but thorns; and (if) thou fly in this (worldly) direction thou wilt find there no room to fly (beyond).
تخم از من بر که تا ریعی دهد ** با پر من پر که تیر آن سو جهد
Get the seed from me, that it may yield a (good) crop; fly with my wings, that the arrow may speed Yonder.
تو ندانی واجبی آن و هست ** هم تو گویی آخر آن واجب بدست
(If) thou dost not recognise the necessity and (real) existence of that (flight to God), yet in the end thou wilt confess that it was necessary.”
او توست اما نه این تو آن توست ** که در آخر واقف بیرون‌شوست
He (the prophet) is thou, but not this (unreal) “thou”: (he is) that “thou” which in the end is conscious of escape (from the world of illusion).
توی آخر سوی توی اولت ** آمدست از بهر تنبیه و صلت 3775
Thy last (unreal) “thou” has come to thy first (real) “thou” to receive admonition and gifts.
توی تو در دیگری آمد دفین ** من غلام مرد خودبینی چنین
Thy (real) “thou” is buried in another (unreal “thou”): I am the (devoted) slave of a man who thus (truly) sees himself.
آنچ در آیینه می‌بیند جوان ** پیر اندر خشت بیند بیش از آن
That which the youth sees in the mirror the Elder sees beforehand in the (crude iron) brick.
ز امر شاه خویش بیرون آمدیم ** با عنایات پدر یاغی شدیم
(The princes said), “We have transgressed the command of our King, we have rebelled against the favours of our father.
سهل دانستیم قول شاه را ** وان عنایت‌های بی اشباه را
We have lightly esteemed the King's word and those incomparable favours.
نک در افتادیم در خندق همه ** کشته و خسته‌ی بلا بی ملحمه 3780
Lo, we all are fallen into the moat, killed and wounded by affliction without combat.
تکیه بر عقل خود و فرهنگ خویش ** بودمان تا این بلا آمد به پیش
We relied on our own intelligence and wisdom, so that this tribulation has come to pass.
بی‌مرض دیدیم خویش و بی ز رق ** آنچنان که خویش را بیمار دق
We regarded ourselves as being without disease and emancipated (from fear of death), just as one suffering from phthisis regards himself.
علت پنهان کنون شد آشکار ** بعد از آنک بند گشتیم و شکار
Now, after we have been made prisoners and a prey, the hidden malady has become apparent.”
سایه‌ی رهبر بهست از ذکر حق ** یک قناعت به که صد لوت و طبق
The shadow (protection) of the (spiritual) Guide is better than praising God (by one's self): a single (feeling of) contentment is better than a hundred viands and trays (of food).
چشم بینا بهتر از سیصد عصا ** چشم بشناسد گهر را از حصا 3785
A seeing eye is better than three hundred (blind men's) staves: the eye knows (can distinguish) pearls from pebbles.
در تفحص آمدند از اندهان ** صورت کی بود عجب این در جهان
(Moved) by sorrows (pains of love) they began to make inquiry, saying, “Who in the world, we wonder, is she of whom this is the portrait?”
بعد بسیاری تفحص در مسیر ** کشف کرد آن راز را شیخی بصیر
After much inquiry in (the course of their) travel, a Shaykh endowed with insight disclosed the mystery,
نه از طریق گوش بل از وحی هوش ** رازها بد پیش او بی روی‌پوش
Not (verbally) by way of the ear, but (silently) by inspiration (derived) from Reason: to him (all) mysteries were unveiled.
گفت نقش رشک پروینست این ** صورت شه‌زاده‌ی چینست این
He said, “This is the portrait of (her who is) an object of envy to the Pleiades: this is the picture of the Princess of China.
هم‌چو جان و چون جنین پنهانست او ** در مکتم پرده و ایوانست او 3790
She is hidden like the spirit and like the embryo: she is (kept) in a secret bower and palace.
سوی او نه مرد ره دارد نه زن ** شاه پنهان کرد او را از فتن
Neither man nor woman is admitted to her (presence): the King has concealed her on account of her fascinations.
غیرتی دارد ملک بر نام او ** که نپرد مرغ هم بر بام او
The King has a (great) jealousy for her (good) name, so that not even a bird flies above her roof.”
وای آن دل کش چنین سودا فتاد ** هیچ کس را این چنین سودا مباد
Alas for the heart that such an insane passion has stricken: may no one feel a passion like this!
این سزای آنک تخم جهل کاشت ** وآن نصیحت را کساد و سهل داشت
This is the retribution due to him who sowed the seed of ignorance and held light and cheap that (precious) counsel,
اعتمادی کرد بر تدبیر خویش ** که برم من کار خود با عقل پیش 3795
And put a (great) trust in his own management, saying, “By dint of intelligence I will carry my affair to success.”
نیم ذره زان عنایت به بود ** که ز تدبیر خرد سیصد رصد
Half a mite of the (King's) favour is better than three hundred spells (expedients) devised by the intellect.
ترک مکر خویشتن گیر ای امیر ** پا بکش پیش عنایت خوش بمیر
Abandon your own cunning, O Amír: draw back your foot before the (Divine) favour and gladly die.
این به قدر حیله‌ی معدود نیست ** زین حیل تا تو نمیری سود نیست
This is not (to be gained) by a certain amount of contrivance: nothing avails until you die to (all) these contrivings.
حکایت صدر جهان بخارا کی هر سایلی کی به زبان بخواستی از صدقه‌ی عام بی‌دریغ او محروم شدی و آن دانشمند درویش به فراموشی و فرط حرص و تعجیل به زبان بخواست در موکب صدر جهان از وی رو بگردانید و او هر روز حیله‌ی نو ساختی و خود را گاه زن کردی زیر چادر وگاه نابینا کردی و چشم و روی خود بسته به فراستش بشناختی الی آخره
Story of the Sadr-i Jahán of Bukhárá. (It was his custom that) any beggar who begged with his tongue was excluded from his universal and unstinted charity. A certain poor savant, forgetting (this rule) and being excessively eager and in a hurry, begged (alms) with his tongue (while the Sadr was passing) amidst his cavalcade. The Sadr-i Jahán averted his face from him, and (though) he contrived a new trick every day and disguised himself, now as a woman veiled in a chádar and now as a blind man with bandaged eyes and face, he (the Sadr) always had discernment enough to recognize him, etc.
در بخارا خوی آن خواجیم اجل ** بود با خواهندگان حسن عمل
It was the habit of that most noble lord in Bukhárá to deal kindly with beggars.
داد بسیار و عطای بی‌شمار ** تا به شب بودی ز جودش زر نثار 3800
His great bounty and immeasurable munificence were always scattering gold till nightfall.
زر به کاغذپاره‌ها پیچیده بود ** تا وجودش بود می‌افشاند جود
The gold was wrapped in bits of paper: he continued to lavish bounty as long as he lived.
هم‌چو خورشید و چو ماه پاک‌باز ** آنچ گیرند از ضیا بدهند باز
(He was) like the sun and the spendthrift moon; (for) they give back (all) the radiance that they receive (from God).
خاک را زربخش کی بود آفتاب ** زر ازو در کان و گنج اندر خراب
Who bestows gold on the earth? The sun. Through him, gold is in the mine and treasure in the ruin.
هر صباحی یک گره را راتبه ** تا نماند امتی زو خایبه
Every morning an allowance (was distributed) to a (different) set of people, in order that no class should be left disappointed by him.
مبتلایان را بدی روزی عطا ** روز دیگر بیوگان را آن سخا 3805
On one day his gifts were made to those afflicted (by disease); next day the same generosity (was shown) to widows;