Whoever sows is in quest of wheat; the chaff comes to him indeed, (but only) secondarily.
هر که کارد قصد گندم باشدش ** کاه خود اندر تبع میآیدش
If you sow chaff, no wheat will come up: seek a man, seek a man, a man!
که بکاری بر نیاید گندمی ** مردمی جو مردمی جو مردمی
When it is the season of pilgrimage, go in quest of the Ka‘ba; when you have gone (with that purpose), Mecca also will be seen.2225
قصد کعبه کن چو وقت حج بود ** چون که رفتی مکه هم دیده شود
In the Mi‘ráj (Ascension of the Prophet) the quest was (for) vision of the Beloved; ’twas but secondarily that the empyrean and the angels were also shown.
قصد در معراج دید دوست بود ** در تبع عرش و ملایک هم نمود
Story.
حکایت
A novice one day built a new house; the Pír came (and) saw his house.
خانهی نو ساخت روزی نو مرید ** پیر آمد خانهی او را بدید
The Shaykh said to his new disciple—he put to the test him that had good thoughts—
گفت شیخ آن نو مرید خویش را ** امتحان کرد آن نکو اندیش را
“Wherefore hast thou made a window, O comrade?” Said he, “In order that light may come in by this way.”
روزن از بهر چه کردی ای رفیق ** گفت تا نور اندر آید زین طریق
He (the Shaykh) said, “That is (only) the branch (secondary object); (thy) want (desire) must be this, (namely) that through this channel thou mayst hear the call to prayer.”2230
گفت آن فرع است این باید نیاز ** تا از این ره بشنوی بانگ نماز
Báyazíd, on his journey (to the Ka‘ba), sought much to find some one that was the Khizr of his time.
بایزید اندر سفر جستی بسی ** تا بیابد خضر وقت خود کسی
He espied an old man with a stature (bent) like the new moon; he saw in him the majesty and (lofty) speech of (holy) men;
دید پیری با قدی همچون هلال ** دید در وی فر و گفتار رجال