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
By day his name has become ‘Abdullah (the servant of God); by night––God save us! And (see), the wine-cup in his hand!”
روز عبد الله او را گشته نام ** شب نعوذ بالله و در دست جام
He (the disciple) saw a full glass in the Shaykh’s hand. “O Shaykh,” said he, “is there a tumour even in thee?
دید شیشه در کف آن پیر پر ** گفت شیخا مر ترا هم هست غر
Nonne dicebas?— ‘In vini poculo mingit Diabolus festinans lente’.” [Did you not say, ‘The Devil pees into the wine cup quickly (but) without hurry?’]3405
تو نمیگفتی که در جام شراب ** دیو میمیزد شتابان ناشتاب
He (the Shaykh) replied, “They have made my cup so full that there is not room in it for a single rue-seed.
گفت جامم را چنان پر کردهاند ** کاندر او اندر نگنجد یک سپند
Look, is there any room here for a single mote? A deluded man has wrongly apprehended this matter.”
بنگر اینجا هیچ گنجد ذرهای ** این سخن را کژ شنیده غرهای
This is not the apparent cup (or) the apparent wine: deem this (allegation) far from (far below the dignity of) the Shaykh who sees the Unseen.
جام ظاهر خمر ظاهر نیست این ** دور دار این را ز شیخ غیب بین
The wine-cup, O fool, is the being of the Shaykh, in qua (essentia) urina Diaboli non continetur.” [The wine cup, O fool, is the being of the Shaykh, in which the Devil’s urine is not contained.]
جام می هستی شیخ است ای فلیو ** کاندر او اندر نگنجد بول دیو
He is full and brimming with the Light of God: he has shattered the bodily cup, he is the Absolute Light.3410
پر و مالامال از نور حق است ** جام تن بشکست نور مطلق است