- (But) when he persists (in sin) and makes a practice of evil, and puts dust in the eye of meditation,
- چون کند اصرار و بد پیشه کند ** خاک اندر چشم اندیشه کند
- He thinks of penitence no more: that sin becomes so sweet to his heart that (in the end) he comes to be without the Faith (he turns infidel).
- توبه نندیشد دگر شیرین شود ** بر دلش آن جرم تا بیدین شود
- That repenting and (crying) “O Lord!” are gone from him: fivefold rust has settled on the mirror (of his heart). 3380
- آن پشیمانی و یا رب رفت از او ** شست بر آیینه زنگ پنج تو
- The coats of rust have began to eat his iron (mirror): the rust has begun to lessen its sheen.
- آهنش را زنگها خوردن گرفت ** گوهرش را زنگ کم کردن گرفت
- When you write upon white paper, that writing may be read at sight.
- چون نویسی کاغذ اسپید بر ** آن نبشته خوانده آید در نظر
- When you write script over that which has been (already) written, it is not understood: the reading of it will be erroneous;
- چون نویسی بر سر بنوشته خط ** فهم ناید خواندنش گردد غلط
- For that (second) blackness has fallen (been made) upon blackness; (hence) both scripts have become obscure and have given no meaning.
- کان سیاهی بر سیاهی اوفتاد ** هر دو خط شد کور و معنیی نداد
- And if you write a third time on the top of it, then you make it black as a soul full of wickedness. 3385
- ور سوم باره نویسی بر سرش ** پس سیه کردی چو جان کافرش
- What help is there, then, but (to take) refuge with (God) the Helper? Despair is copper, and the elixir for it is (God's) regard.
- پس چه چاره جز پناه چارهگر ** ناامیدی مس و اکسیرش نظر
- Lay your despairs before Him, that ye may escape from irremediable pain.
- ناامیدیها به پیش او نهید ** تا ز درد بیدوا بیرون جهید
- When Shu‘ayb had told him these deep sayings, at that breath of the spirit roses blossomed in his heart.
- چون شعیب این نکتهها با او بگفت ** ز آن دم جان در دل او گل شکفت
- His soul hearkened to the inspiration from Heaven; he said, (however), “If He hath punished me, where is the sign?”
- جان او بشنید وحی آسمان ** گفت اگر بگرفت ما را کو نشان
- He (Shu‘ayb) cried, “O Lord, he rebuts me, he seeks the sign of that punishment.” 3390
- گفت یا رب دفع من میگوید او ** آن گرفتن را نشان میجوید او
- He (God) said, “I am the Coverer (of sins): I will not tell his secrets, (I will give) but one indication for the sake of trying him.
- گفت ستارم نگویم رازهاش ** جز یکی رمز از برای ابتلاش
- One sign of My punishing him is this, that he has (to his credit) pious acts of fasting and orison
- یک نشان آن که میگیرم و را ** آن که طاعت دارد از صوم و دعا
- And ritual prayer and almsgiving et cetera, but he has not one atom of spiritual savour.
- و ز نماز و از زکات و غیر آن ** لیک یک ذره ندارد ذوق جان
- He performs high acts and deeds of devotion, but he has not one atom of (spiritual) relish.
- میکند طاعات و افعال سنی ** لیک یک ذره ندارد چاشنی
- His devotions are good (in form), but the spirit is not good: the walnuts are many, but there is no kernel therein.” 3395
- طاعتش نغز است و معنی نغز نی ** جوزها بسیار و در وی مغز نی
- Spiritual savour is required, in order that devotions may yield fruit: a kernel is required, in order that the berry may produce a tree.
- ذوق باید تا دهد طاعات بر ** مغز باید تا دهد دانه شجر
- How shall a berry without kernel become a sapling? The soulless form is naught but phantasy.
- دانهی بیمغز کی گردد نهال ** صورت بیجان نباشد جز خیال
- Remainder of the story of the stranger’s reviling the Shaykh.
- بقیهی قصهی طعنه زدن آن مرد بیگانه در شیخ
- That malign wretch was gabbling silly nonsense about the Shaykh: the perverted intellect is always squinting (envious).
- آن خبیث از شیخ میلایید ژاژ ** کژنگر باشد همیشه عقل کاژ
- (He said), “I saw him amidst a company (of revellers): he is one denuded and destitute of piety.
- که منش دیدم میان مجلسی ** او ز تقوی عاری است و مفلسی
- And if you do not believe it, arise (and go) to-night, that you may see plainly your Shaykh’s depravity.” 3400
- ور که باور نیستت خیز امشبان ** تا ببینی فسق شیخت را عیان
- At night he took him to a window and said, “Behold a (fine) debauch and merry-making!
- شب ببردش بر سر یک روزنی ** گفت بنگر فسق و عشرت کردنی
- Behold such hypocrisy by day and profligacy by night!––in the daytime (he is) like Mustafá (Mohammed), at night (like) Bú Lahab.
- بنگر آن سالوس روز و فسق شب ** روز همچون مصطفی شب بو لهب