Some persons, (relying) on the promise of ‘To-morrow,’ have wandered for years around that door, (but) ‘To-morrow’ never comes.
سالها بر وعدهی فردا کسان ** گرد آن در گشته فردا نارسان
It needs a long time for the inmost conscience of a man to become evident, more and less (both in great and small matters),2280
دیر باید تا که سر آدمی ** آشکارا گردد از بیش و کمی
(So that we may know whether) beneath the wall of his body there is treasure, or whether there is the house of snake and ant and dragon.
زیر دیوار بدن گنج است یا ** خانهی مار است و مور و اژدها
When it became clear that he was naught (worthless), (by that time) the life of the seeker (disciple) had passed: what use (was) the knowledge (to him)?
چون که پیدا گشت کاو چیزی نبود ** عمر طالب رفت آگاهی چه سود
Explaining how it may happen, (though) rarely, that a disciple sincerely puts his faith in a false impostor (and believes) that he is a (holy) personage, and by means of this faith attains unto a (spiritual) degree which his Shaykh has never (even) dreamed of, and (then) fire and water do him no hurt, though they hurt his Shaykh; but this occurs very seldom.
در بیان آن که نادر افتد که مریدی در مدعی مزور اعتقاد به صدق ببندد که او کسی است و بدین اعتقاد به مقامی برسد که شیخش در خواب ندیده باشد و آب و آتش او را گزند نکند و شیخش را گزند کند و لیکن به نادر نادر
But exceptionally comes (the case of) a disciple to whom, because of his (spiritual) illumination, that falsehood (of the impostor) is beneficial.
لیک نادر طالب آید کز فروغ ** در حق او نافع آید آن دروغ
He, by his goodly purpose, attains unto a (high) degree, although he fancied (the impostor to be) soul, and that (soul) proved to be (only) body.
او به قصد نیک خود جایی رسد ** گر چه جان پنداشت و آن آمد جسد
(It is) like trying to find the qibla in the heart (depth) of night: the qibla is not (found), but his (the seeker's) prayer is valid.2285
چون تحری در دل شب قبله را ** قبله نی و آن نماز او روا
The impostor has a dearth of soul within, but we have a dearth of bread without.
مدعی را قحط جان اندر سر است ** لیک ما را قحط نان بر ظاهر است
Why should we conceal (our poverty) like the impostor and suffer agony for the sake of false reputation?”
ما چرا چون مدعی پنهان کنیم ** بهر ناموس مزور جان کنیم
How the Bedouin bade his wife be patient and declared to her the excellence of poverty.
صبر فرمودن اعرابی زن خود را و فضیلت صبر و فقر بیان کردن با زن
Her husband said to her, “How long wilt thou seek income and seed-produce? What indeed is left of (our) life? Most (of it) is past.
شوی گفتش چند جویی دخل و کشت ** خود چه ماند از عمر افزونتر گذشت