Companionship with kings is like the Elixir: indeed, how is an Elixir like (to be compared with) their looks (of favour)?
همنشینی مقبلان چون کیمیاست ** چون نظرشان کیمیایی خود کجاست
The eye of Ahmad (Mohammed) was cast upon an Abú Bakr: he by a single act of faith became a Siddíq.
چشم احمد بر ابو بکری زده ** او ز یک تصدیق صدیق آمده
Said the husband, “How should I go to meet the King? How should I go to him without a pretext?
گفت من شه را پذیرا چون شوم ** بیبهانه سوی او من چون روم
I must have some reference or device: is any handicraft right (possible) without tools?2690
نسبتی باید مرا یا حیلتی ** هیچ پیشه راست شد بیآلتی
As (to mention a similar case) the famous Majnún, when he heard from some one that Laylá was a little unwell,
همچو آن مجنون که بشنید از یکی ** که مرض آمد به لیلی اندکی
Cried, ‘Ah, how shall I go (to her) without a pretext? And if I fail to visit her when she is ill, how (wretched) shall I be!
گفت آوه بیبهانه چون روم ** ور بمانم از عیادت چون شوم
Would that I were a skilled physician! I would have gone on foot to Laylá first of all (before any one else).’
لیتنی کنت طبیبا حاذقا ** کنت أمشی نحو لیلی سابقا
God said to us, ‘Say, Come ye,’ in order to signify to us the (means of) vanquishing our feeling of shame.
قل تعالوا گفت حق ما را بدان ** تا بود شرم اشکنی ما را نشان
If bats had sight and means (ability to bear the sunshine), they would fly about and enjoy themselves by day.”2695
شب پران را گر نظر و آلت بدی ** روزشان جولان و خوش حالت بدی
The wife said, “When the gracious King goes into the field (maydán), the essence of every lack of means (inability) becomes a means (ability),
گفت چون شاه کرم میدان رود ** عین هر بیآلتی آلت شود
Because the means (ability) is (involves) pretension and self-existence: the (pith of the) matter lies in lack of means (inability) and non-existence.”
ز آن که آلت دعوی است و هستی است ** کار در بیآلتی و پستی است
“How,” said he, “should I do business without means, unless I make it manifest that I (really) have no means?
گفت کی بیآلتی سودا کنم ** تا نه من بیآلتی پیدا کنم
Therefore I must needs have attestation of my want of means, that the King who wants naught may take pity on me.
پس گواهی بایدم بر مفلسی ** تا شهم رحمی کند یا مونسی
Do thou produce some attestation besides talk and show, so that the beauteous King may take pity,2700
تو گواهی غیر گفتوگو و رنگ ** وانما تا رحم آرد شاه شنگ
For the testimony that consisted of talk and show was (ever) invalidated before that Supreme Judge.
کاین گواهی که ز گفت و رنگ بد ** نزد آن قاضی القضاة آن جرح شد
He requires truth (veracity) as witness to his (the indigent man's) state, so that his (inner) light shall shine forth (and proclaim his indigence) without any words of his.”
صدق میخواهد گواه حال او ** تا بتابد نور او بیقال او
How the Arab carried a jug of rain-water from the midst of the desert as a gift to the Commander of the Faithful at Baghdád, in the belief that in that town also there was a scarcity of water.
هدیه بردن عرب سبوی آب باران از میان بادیه سوی بغداد به نزد خلیفه بر پنداشت آن که آن جا هم قحط آب است
The wife said, “When with all thy might thou dost (endeavour to) rise up entirely purged of self-existence—that is veracity.
گفت زن صدق آن بود کز بود خویش ** پاک برخیزی تو از مجهود خویش
We have the rain-water in the jug: ’tis thy property and capital and means.
آب باران است ما را در سبو ** ملکت و سرمایه و اسباب تو
Take this jug of water and depart, make it a gift and go into the presence of the King of kings.2705
این سبوی آب را بردار و رو ** هدیه ساز و پیش شاهنشاه شو
Say, ‘We have no means except this: in the desert there is nothing better than this water.’
گو که ما را غیر این اسباب نیست ** در مفازه هیچ به زین آب نیست
If his treasury is full of splendid merchandise, (yet) he will have no water like this: ’tis rare.”
گر خزینهش پر متاع فاخر است ** این چنین آبش نباشد نادر است
What is that jug? Our confined body: within it is the briny water of our senses.
چیست آن کوزه تن محصور ما ** اندر او آب حواس شور ما
O Lord, accept this jar and jug of mine by the grace of “God hath purchased (from the believers their lives and wealth in return for Paradise).”
ای خداوند این خم و کوزهی مرا ** در پذیر از فضل الله اشتری
(’Tis) a jug with five spouts, the five senses: keep this water pure (and safe) from every filth,2710
کوزهای با پنج لولهی پنج حس ** پاک دار این آب را از هر نجس
That there may be from this jug a passage to the sea, and that my jug may assume the nature of the sea,
تا شود زین کوزه منفذ سوی بحر ** تا بگیرد کوزهی من خوی بحر