گفت گفتی بشنو از چاکر جواب ** تا نمانی در تحیر و اضطراب
He replied, “You have said (your say): (now) hear the answer from your (humble) servant, that you may not remain in bewilderment and confusion.
گرچه هست این دم بر تو نیم‌شب ** نزد من نزدیک شد صبح طرب
Although in your opinion this moment is midnight, in my view the dawn of delight is near at hand.
هر شکستی پیش من پیروز شد ** جمله شبها پیش چشمم روز شد
In my sight every defeat has been turned to victory, in my eyes all nights have been turned to day.
پیش تو خونست آب رود نیل ** نزد من خون نیست آبست ای نبیل 855
To you the water of the river Nile seems blood; to me it is not blood, ’tis water, O noble one.
در حق تو آهنست آن و رخام ** پیش داود نبی مومست و رام
In regard to you, that (object) is iron or marble, (but) to the prophet David it is (soft as) wax and tractable.
پیش تو که بس گرانست و جماد ** مطربست او پیش داود اوستاد
To you the mountain is exceedingly heavy (solid) and inanimate, (but) to David it is a master-musician.
پیش تو آن سنگ‌ریزه ساکتست ** پیش احمد او فصیح و قانتست
To you the gravel is silent; to Ahmad (Mohammed) it is eloquent and making supplication (to God).
پیش تو استون مسجد مرده‌ایست ** پیش احمد عاشقی دل برده‌ایست
To you the pillar of the mosque is a dead thing; to Ahmad it is (like) a lover who has lost his heart.
جمله اجزای جهان پیش عوام ** مرده و پیش خدا دانا و رام 860
To the vulgar all the particles of the world seem dead, but before God they are possessed of knowledge and submissive (to His commands).
آنچ گفتی کاندرین خانه و سرا ** نیست کس چون می‌زنی این طبل را
As for your saying, ‘There is nobody in this house and palace: why art thou beating this drum?’—
بهر حق این خلق زرها می‌دهند ** صد اساس خیر و مسجد می‌نهند
(I reply that) this (Moslem) people are giving (large) sums of gold for God's sake, founding hundreds of pious institutions and mosques,
مال و تن در راه حج دوردست ** خوش همی‌بازند چون عشاق مست
And, like intoxicated lovers, gladly risking their property and lives on their way to (perform) the distant Pilgrimage:
هیچ می‌گویند کان خانه تهیست ** بلک صاحب‌خانه جان مختبیست
Do they ever say, ‘The House (Ka‘ba) is empty’? Nay, (they know that) the Lord of the House is the Spirit invisible.
پر همی‌بیند سرای دوست را ** آنک از نور الهستش ضیا 865
He that is illumined by the Light of God deems the House of the Beloved to be full (of Him).
بس سرای پر ز جمع و انبهی ** پیش چشم عاقبت‌بینان تهی
In the eyes of those who see the end, many a palace filled with a crowd and throng (of people) is empty.
هر که را خواهی تو در کعبه بجو ** تا بروید در زمان او پیش رو
Seek in the (spiritual) Ka‘ba whomsoever you please, that he may at once grow (rise into view) before your face.
صورتی کو فاخر و عالی بود ** او ز بیت الله کی خالی بود
How should the form (of the Perfect Man), which is splendid and sublime, (ever) be absent from the House of God?
او بود حاضر منزه از رتاج ** باقی مردم برای احتیاج
He is (always) present (there), exempt from exclusion, (while) the rest of mankind (are there only) on account of (their occasional) need.
هیچ می‌گویند کین لبیکها ** بی‌ندایی می‌کنیم آخر چرا 870
Do they (the pilgrims) ever say, ‘We are crying Labbayka without (receiving) any response. Pray, why (is this)’?
بلک توفیقی که لبیک آورد ** هست هر لحظه ندایی از احد
Nay, the Divine blessing which causes (their cries of) Labbayka is (in truth) a response (coming) from the One (God) at every moment.
من ببو دانم که این قصر و سرا ** بزم جان افتاد و خاکش کیمیا
I know by intuition that this pavilion and palace is the banquet of the soul, and that its dust is an elixir.
مس خود را بر طریق زیر و بم ** تا ابد بر کیمیااش می‌زنم
I will strike my copper on its elixir unto everlasting in the mode of treble and bass,
تا بجوشد زین چنین ضرب سحور ** در درافشانی و بخشایش به حور
That, from (my) playing the sahúr tune in this fashion, the seas (of Divine mercy) may surge (and be roused) to scatter (their) pearls and (lavish their) bounty.
خلق در صف قتال و کارزار ** جان همی‌بازند بهر کردگار 875
Men hazard their lives in the line of battle and in fighting for the Creator's sake.
آن یکی اندر بلا ایوب‌وار ** وان دگر در صابری یعقوب‌وار
One is like Job in tribulation; another like Jacob in patience.
صد هزاران خلق تشنه و مستمند ** بهر حق از طمع جهدی می‌کنند
Hundreds of thousands of people, thirsty and sorrowful, are doing some sore toil for God's sake in desire (of pleasing Him).
من هم از بهر خداوند غفور ** می‌زنم بر در به اومیدش سحور
I too, for the merciful Lord's sake and in hope of Him, am drumming the sahúr-call at the gate.”
مشتری خواهی که از وی زر بری ** به ز حق کی باشد ای دل مشتری
(If) you want a customer from whom you will get gold, how should there be a better customer than God, O (my) heart?
می‌خرد از مالت انبانی نجس ** می‌دهد نور ضمیری مقتبس 880
He buys a dirty bag from your (stock of) goods, and gives (you in return) an inner light that borrows (its splendour from Himself).
می‌ستاند این یخ جسم فنا ** می‌دهد ملکی برون از وهم ما
He receives the (dissolving) ice of this mortal body, and gives a kingdom beyond our imagination.
می‌ستاند قطره‌ی چندی ز اشک ** می‌دهد کوثر که آرد قند رشک
He receives a few tear-drops, and gives a Kawthar (so delicious) that sugar shows jealousy (of its sweetness).
می‌ستاند آه پر سودا و دود ** می‌دهد هر آه را صد جاه سود
He receives sighs full of melancholy and vaporous gloom, and gives for every sigh a hundred gainful dignities.
باد آهی که ابر اشک چشم راند ** مر خلیلی را بدان اواه خواند
Because of the wind of sighs that drove onward the tearful cloud, He hath called a Khalíl (Abraham) awwáh (sighful).
هین درین بازار گرم بی‌نظیر ** کهنه‌ها بفروش و ملک نقد گیر 885
Hark, sell your old rags in this brisk incomparable market, and receive the sterling (real and genuine) kingdom (in exchange).
ور ترا شکی و ریبی ره زند ** تاجران انبیا را کن سند
And if any doubt and suspicion waylay (assail) you, rely upon the (spiritual) traders, (namely), the prophets.
بس که افزود آن شهنشه بختشان ** می‌نتاند که کشیدن رختشان
Inasmuch as the (Divine) Emperor increased their fortune exceedingly, no mountain can carry their merchandise.
قصه‌ی احد احد گفتن بلال در حر حجاز از محبت مصطفی علیه‌السلام در آن چاشتگاهها کی خواجه‌اش از تعصب جهودی به شاخ خارش می‌زد پیش آفتاب حجاز و از زخم خون از تن بلال برمی‌جوشید ازو احد احد می‌جست بی‌قصد او چنانک از دردمندان دیگر ناله جهد بی‌قصد زیرا از درد عشق ممتلی بود اهتمام دفع درد خار را مدخل نبود هم‌چون سحره‌ی فرعون و جرجیس و غیر هم لایعد و لا یحصی
The Story of Bilál's crying “One! One!” in the heat of the Hijáz, from his love for Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, in the forenoons when his master, (impelled) by Jewish fanaticism, used to flog him with a thorny branch under the (blazing) sun of the Hijáz; and how at (each) blow the blood spurted from Bilál's body, and (the words) “One! One!” escaped (from his lips) involuntarily, just as sobs escape involuntarily from others stricken with grief, because he was (so) full of the passion of love (that) there was no room for any care about relieving the pain of the thorns to enter (his heart). (His case was) like (that of) Pharaoh's magicians and Jirjís and others (who are) innumerable and beyond computation.
تن فدای خار می‌کرد آن بلال ** خواجه‌اش می‌زد برای گوشمال
That Bilál was devoting his body to the (scourge of) thorns: his master was flogging him by way of correction,
که چرا تو یاد احمد می‌کنی ** بنده‌ی بد منکر دین منی
Saying, “Why dost thou celebrate Ahmad (Mohammed)? Wicked slave, thou disbelievest in my religion!”
می‌زد اندر آفتابش او به خار ** او احد می‌گفت بهر افتخار 890
He was beating him in the sun with thorns (while) he (Bilál) cried vauntingly “One!”
تا که صدیق آن طرف بر می‌گذشت ** آن احد گفتن به گوش او برفت
Till (at last) those cries of “One!” reached the ears of the Siddíq (Abú Bakr), who was passing in that neighbourhood.
چشم او پر آب شد دل پر عنا ** زان احد می‌یافت بوی آشنا
His eyes became filled with tears and his heart with trouble, (for) from that “One!” he caught the scent of a loving friend (of God).
بعد از آن خلوت بدیدش پند داد ** کز جهودان خفیه می‌دار اعتقاد
Afterwards he saw him (Bilál) in private and admonished him, saying, “Keep thy belief hidden from the Jews.
عالم السرست پنهان دار کام ** گفت کردم توبه پیشت ای همام
He (God) knows (all) secrets: conceal thy desire.” He (Bilál) said, “I repent before thee, O prince.”
روز دیگر از پگه صدیق تفت ** آن طرف از بهر کاری می‌برفت 895
Early next day, (when) the Siddíq was going quickly in that district on account of some affair,
باز احد بشنید و ضرب زخم خار ** برفروزید از دلش سوز و شرار
He again heard (cries of) “One!” and (the sound of) blows inflicted by the (scourge of) thorns: flames and sparks of fire were kindled in his heart.
باز پندش داد باز او توبه کرد ** عشق آمد توبه‌ی او را بخورد
He admonished him once more, and once more he (Bilál) repented; (but) Love came and consumed his repentance.
توبه کردن زین نمط بسیار شد ** عاقبت از توبه او بیزار شد
There was much repenting of this sort, (till) at last he became quit of repentance,
فاش کرد اسپرد تن را در بلا ** کای محمد ای عدو توبه‌ها
And proclaimed (his faith) and yielded up his body to tribulation, crying, “O Mohammed, O enemy of vows of repentance,
ای تن من وی رگ من پر ز تو ** توبه را گنجا کجا باشد درو 900
O thou with whom my body and (all) my veins are filled—how should there be room therein for repentance?—
توبه را زین پس ز دل بیرون کنم ** از حیات خلد توبه چون کنم
Henceforth I will banish repentance from this heart (of mine): how should I repent of the life everlasting?”