This world is negation (of reality): seek (reality) in affirmation (of God). Your form (body) is void (of reality): seek in your essence.
این جهان نفی است در اثبات جو ** صورتت صفر است در معنات جو
Bring the briny bitter (animal) soul to the sword: buy the (heavenly) soul that is like a great sweet river.
جان شور تلخ پیش تیغ بر ** جان چون دریای شیرین را بخر
And if you cannot become (one of the frequenters) of this threshold (sublime court), at least hear from me the following tale.
ور نمیدانی شدن زین آستان ** باری از من گوش کن این داستان
The story of the Caliph who in his time surpassed Hátim of Tayyi in generosity and had no rival.
قصهی خلیفه که در کرم در زمان خود از حاتم طایی گذشته بود و نظیر خود نداشت
In former days there was a Caliph who made Hátim the slave of his liberality.
یک خلیفه بود در ایام پیش ** کرده حاتم را غلام جود خویش
He had raised high the banner of munificence and largesse, he had removed poverty and want from the world.2245
رایت اکرام و داد افراشته ** فقر و حاجت از جهان برداشته
(He was) a sea (of bounty), and the pearls (in it) came pure (untarnished) from his munificence: his largesse reached from Qáf to Qáf.
بحر و کان از بخششاش صاف آمده ** داد او از قاف تا قاف آمده
In this world of dust he was the cloud and the rain: he was the centre wherein the bounty of the Giver of all displayed itself.
در جهان خاک ابر و آب بود ** مظهر بخشایش وهاب بود
His gifts caused sea and mine to quake (tremble with shame): caravan on caravan (were hastening) towards his liberality.
از عطایش بحر و کان در زلزله ** سوی جودش قافله بر قافله
His gate and portal was the point to which Need turned: the fame of his munificence had gone (far and wide) into the world.
قبلهی حاجت در و دروازهاش ** رفته در عالم به جود آوازهاش
Persians and Greeks, Turcomans and Arabs, were lost in amazement at his liberality and generosity.2250
هم عجم هم روم هم ترک و عرب ** مانده از جود و سخایش در عجب
He was the Water of Life and the Ocean of Bounty: by him both Arabs and foreigners were revived.
آب حیوان بود و دریای کرم ** زنده گشته هم عرب زو هم عجم
Story of the poor Arab of the desert and his wife's altercation with him because of (their) penury and poverty.
قصهی اعرابی درویش و ماجرای زن با او به سبب قلت و درویشی
One night a Bedouin woman said to her husband—and she carried (her) talk beyond bounds—
یک شب اعرابی زنی مر شوی را ** گفت و از حد برد گفتوگوی را
“We are suffering all this poverty and hardship: all the world are (living) in happiness, we (alone) are unhappy.
کاین همه فقر و جفا ما میکشیم ** جمله عالم در خوشی ما ناخوشیم
We have no bread, our (only) condiment is anguish and envy: we have no jug, our (only) water is the tears (that flow) from our eyes.
نانمان نی نان خورشمان درد و رشک ** کوزهمان نه آبمان از دیده اشک
Our garment by day is the burning sunshine; at night our bed and coverlet is (made) of the moonbeams.2255
جامهی ما روز تاب آفتاب ** شب نهالین و لحاف از ماهتاب
We fancy the disk of the moon is a disk (round cake) of bread and lift up our hands towards the sky.
قرص مه را قرص نان پنداشته ** دست سوی آسمان برداشته
The (poorest of the) poor feel shame at our poverty: day is turned to night (darkened) by our anxiety about our daily portion (of food).
ننگ درویشان ز درویشی ما ** روز شب از روزی اندیشی ما
Kinsfolk and strangers have come to flee from us in like fashion as Sámirí from men.
خویش و بیگانه شده از ما رمان ** بر مثال سامری از مردمان
If I beg a handful of lentils from some one, he says to me, ‘Be silent, O death and plague!’
گر بخواهم از کسی یک مشت نسک ** مر مرا گوید خمش کن مرگ و جسک
The Arabs take pride in fighting and giving: thou amongst the Arabs art like a fault in writing.”2260
مر عرب را فخر غزو است و عطا ** در عرب تو همچو اندر خط خطا
What fighting (can we do)? We are killed without fighting, we have been beheaded by the sword of want.
چه غزا ما بیغزا خود کشتهایم ** ما به تیغ فقر بیسر گشتهایم
What gifts (can we make)? We are continually in beggary, we are slitting the vein of (slaughtering) the gnat in the air.
چه عطا ما بر گدایی میتنیم ** مر مگس را در هوا رگ میزنیم
If any guest arrive, if I am I (as sure as I am living) (when) he goes to sleep at night, I will tear the tattered cloak from his body.
گر کسی مهمان رسد گر من منم ** شب بخسبد قصد دلق او کنم
How disciples (novices in Súfism) are beguiled in their need by false impostors and imagine them to be Shaykhs and venerable personages and (saints) united (with God), and do not know the difference between fact (naqd) and fiction (naql) and between what is tied on (artificially) and what has grown up (naturally).
مغرور شدن مریدان محتاج به مدعیان مزور و ایشان را شیخ و محتشم و واصل پنداشتن و نقل را از نقد فرق نادانستن و بر بسته را از بر رسته
For this reason the wise have said with knowledge, ‘One must become the guest of those who confer benefits.’
بهر این گفتند دانایان به فن ** میهمان محسنان باید شدن
Thou art the disciple and guest of one who, from his vileness, robs thee of all thou hast.2265
تو مرید و میهمان آن کسی ** کاو ستاند حاصلت را از خسی