At whose song the bird of the soul would take wing, and at whose note the mind of the spirit would be distraught—
از نوایش مرغ دل پران شدی ** وز صدایش هوش جان حیران شدی
When time passed and he grew old, from weakness the falcon, his soul, became a catcher of gnats.
چون بر آمد روزگار و پیر شد ** باز جانش از عجز پشهگیر شد
His back became bent like the back of a wine-jar, the brows over his eyes like a crupper-strap.2075
پشت او خم گشت همچون پشت خم ** ابروان بر چشم همچون پالدم
His charming soul-refreshing voice became ugly and worth nothing to any one.
گشت آواز لطیف جان فزاش ** زشت و نزد کس نیرزیدی به لاش
The tone that had (once) been the envy of Zuhra (Venus) was now like the bray of an old donkey.
آن نوای رشک زهره آمده ** همچو آواز خر پیری شده
Truly, what sweet one is there that did not become unsweet, or what roof that did not become a carpet?—
خود کدامین خوش که او ناخوش نشد ** یا کدامین سقف کان مفرش نشد
Except the voices of holy men in their breasts, from the repercussion of whose breath is the blast of the trumpet (of Resurrection).
غیر آواز عزیزان در صدور ** که بود از عکس دمشان نفخ صور
(Theirs is) the heart by which (all) hearts are made drunken, (theirs is) the nonexistence whereby these existences of ours are made existent.2080
اندرونی کاندرونها مست از اوست ** نیستی کاین هستهامان هست از اوست
He (the saint) is the amber (magnet) of (all) thought and of every voice; he is the (inward) delight of revelation and inspiration and (Divine) mystery.
کهربای فکر و هر آواز او ** لذت الهام و وحی و راز او
When the minstrel grew older and feeble, through not earning (anything) he became indebted for a single loaf of bread.
چون که مطرب پیرتر گشت و ضعیف ** شد ز بیکسبی رهین یک رغیف
He said, “Thou hast given me long life and respite: O God, Thou hast bestowed (many) favours on a vile wretch.
گفت عمر و مهلتم دادی بسی ** لطفها کردی خدایا با خسی
For seventy years I have been committing sin, (yet) not for one day hast Thou withheld Thy bounty from me.
معصیت ورزیدهام هفتاد سال ** باز نگرفتی ز من روزی نوال
I (can) earn nothing: to-day I am Thy guest, I will play the harp for Thee, I am Thine.”2085
نیست کسب امروز مهمان توام ** چنگ بهر تو زنم آن توام
He took up his harp and went in search of God to the graveyard of Medina, crying “Alas!”
چنگ را برداشت و شد الله جو ** سوی گورستان یثرب آه گو
He said, “I crave of God the price of silk (for harpstrings), for He in His kindness accepts adulterated coin.”
گفت خواهم از حق ابریشم بها ** کاو به نیکویی پذیرد قلبها
When he had played a long while and (then), weeping, laid his head down: he made the harp his pillow and dropped on a tomb.
چون که زد بسیار و گریان سر نهاد ** چنگ بالین کرد و بر گوری فتاد
Sleep overtook him: the bird, his soul, escaped from captivity, it let harp and harper go and darted away.
خواب بردش مرغ جانش از حبس رست ** چنگ و چنگی را رها کرد و بجست
It became freed from the body and the pain of this world in the simple (purely spiritual) world and the vast region of the soul.2090
گشت آزاد از تن و رنج جهان ** در جهان ساده و صحرای جان
There his soul was singing what had befallen (it), saying, “If they would but let me stay here,
جان او آن جا سرایان ماجرا ** کاندر اینجا گر بماندندی مرا
Happy would be my soul in this garden and springtide, drunken with this (far stretching) plain and mystic anemone-field.
خوش بدی جانم در این باغ و بهار ** مست این صحرا و غیبی لالهزار
Without wing or foot I would be journeying, without lip or tooth I would be eating sugar.
بیپر و بیپا سفر میکردمی ** بیلب و دندان شکر میخوردمی
With a memory and thought free from brain-sickness, I would frolic with the dwellers in Heaven.
ذکر و فکری فارغ از رنج دماغ ** کردمی با ساکنان چرخ لاغ
With eye shut I would be seeing a (whole) world, without a hand I would be gathering roses and basil.”2095
چشم بسته عالمی میدیدمی ** ورد و ریحان بیکفی میچیدمی
The water-bird (his soul) was plunged in a sea of honey— the fountain of Job, to drink and wash in,
مرغ آبی غرق دریای عسل ** عین ایوبی شراب و مغتسل
Whereby Job, from his feet to the crown of his head, was purged of afflictions (and made pure) like the light of the sunrise.
که بدو ایوب از پا تا به فرق ** پاک شد از رنجها چون نور شرق