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
He is not strong: how should he make thee strong? He does not give light, (nay) he makes thee dark.
نیست چیره چون ترا چیره کند ** نور ندهد مر ترا تیره کند
Since he had no light (in himself), how in association (with him) should others obtain light from him?
چون و را نوری نبود اندر قران ** نور کی یابند از وی دیگران
(He is) like the half-blind healer of eyes: what should he put in (people's) eyes except jasper?
همچو اعمش کو کند داروی چشم ** چه کشد در چشمها الا که یشم
Such is our state in poverty and affliction: may no guest be beguiled by us!
حال ما این است در فقر و عنا ** هیچ مهمانی مبا مغرور ما
If thou hast never seen a ten years' famine in (visible) forms, open thine eyes and look at us.2270
قحط ده سال ار ندیدی در صور ** چشمها بگشا و اندر ما نگر
Our outward appearance is like the inward reality of the impostor: darkness in his heart, his tongue flashy (plausible).
ظاهر ما چون درون مدعی ** در دلش ظلمت زبانش شعشعی
He has no scent or trace of God, (but) his pretension is greater than (that of) Seth and the Father of mankind (Adam).
از خدا بویی نه او را نی اثر ** دعویش افزون ز شیث و بو البشر
The Devil (is so ashamed of him that he) has not shown to him even his portrait, (yet) he (the impostor) is saying, ‘We are of the Abdál and are more (we are superior even to them).’
دیو ننموده و را هم نقش خویش ** او همیگوید ز ابدالیم و بیش
He has stolen many an expression used by dervishes, in order that he himself may be thought to be a (holy) personage.
حرف درویشان بدزدیده بسی ** تا گمان آید که هست او خود کسی
In his talk he cavils at Báyazíd, (although) Yazíd would be ashamed of his inward (thoughts and feelings).2275
خرده گیرد در سخن بر بایزید ** ننگ دارد از درون او یزید
(He is) without (any) portion of the bread and viands of Heaven: God did not throw a single bone to him.
بینوا از نان و خوان آسمان ** پیش او ننداخت حق یک استخوان
He has proclaimed, ‘I have laid out the dishes, I am the Vicar of God, I am the son of the (spiritual) Khalífa:
او ندا کرده که خوان بنهادهام ** نایب حقم خلیفه زادهام
Welcome (to the feast), O simple-hearted ones, tormented (with hunger), that from my bounteous table ye may eat your fill’—of nothing.
الصلا ساده دلان پیچ پیچ ** تا خورید از خوان جودم سیر هیچ
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