He (the Súfí) said, “I have entrusted the ass to you, I have put you in charge of the ass.545
گفت من خر را به تو بسپردهام ** من ترا بر خر موکل کردهام
Discuss (the matter) with propriety, don't argue: deliver back to me what I delivered to you.
از تو خواهم آن چه من دادم به تو ** باز ده آن چه فرستادم به تو
I demand from you what I gave to you: return that which I sent to you.
بحث با توجیه کن حجت میار ** آن چه بسپردم ترا واپس سپار
The Prophet said that whatever your hand has taken must in the end be restored (to its owner).
گفت پیغمبر که دستت هر چه برد ** بایدش در عاقبت واپس سپرد
And if you, from insolence, are not content with this, look here, let us (go) to the house of the Cadi of (our) religion.”
ور نهای از سرکشی راضی بدین ** نک من و تو خانهی قاضی دین
The servant said, “I was overpowered: the Súfís rushed (on me), and I was in fear for my life.550
گفت من مغلوب بودم صوفیان ** حمله آوردند و بودم بیم جان
Do you throw a liver with the parts next it amongst cats, and (then) seek the trace of it?
تو جگر بندی میان گربگان ** اندر اندازی و جویی ز آن نشان
One cake of bread amongst a hundred hungry people, one wasted (starved) cat before a hundred dogs?”
در میان صد گرسنه گردهای ** پیش صد سگ گربهی پژمردهای
“I suppose,” said the Súfí, “that they took it (the ass) from you by violence, (and thereby) aimed at the life of wretched me;
گفت گیرم کز تو ظلما بستدند ** قاصد خون من مسکین شدند
(And seeing this) you would not come and say to me, ‘They are taking away your ass, O poor man!’
تو نیایی و نگویی مر مرا ** که خرت را میبرند ای بینوا
So that I might buy back the ass from (the purchaser) whoever he is, or else they might divide my money (amongst themselves and return the ass to me).555
تا خر از هر که بود من واخرم ** ور نه توزیعی کنند ایشان زرم
There were a hundred ways of mending (the injury) when they (the Súfís) were present, (but) now each one is gone to a (different) clime.
صد تدارک بود چون حاضر بدند ** این زمان هر یک به اقلیمی شدند
Whom should I seize? Whom should I take to the Cadi? ’Tis from you in sooth that this judgement has come upon me.
من که را گیرم که را قاضی برم ** این قضا خود از تو آمد بر سرم
How wouldn't you come and say (to me), ‘O stranger, such a terrible outrage has occurred’?”
چون نیایی و نگویی ای غریب ** پیش آمد این چنین ظلمی مهیب
“By God,” said he, “I came several times to inform you of these doings,
گفت و الله آمدم من بارها ** تا ترا واقف کنم زین کارها
(But) you were always saying, ‘The ass is gone, O son,’ with more gusto than all (the others) who said it.560
تو همیگفتی که خر رفت ای پسر ** از همه گویندگان با ذوقتر
(So) I was (always) going back, (thinking), ‘He himself is aware; he is satisfied with this (Divine) judgement: he is a man that knows (God)’.”
باز میگشتم که او خود واقف است ** زین قضا راضی است مردی عارف است
The Súfí said, “They all were saying (it) merrily, (so) I also took delight in saying it.
گفت آن را جمله میگفتند خوش ** مر مرا هم ذوق آمد گفتنش
Blind imitation of them has brought me to ruin: two hundred curses be on that imitation!
مر مرا تقلیدشان بر باد داد ** که دو صد لعنت بر آن تقلید باد
Especially (on) imitation of such good-for-nothing rascals— the wrath of Abraham be on them that sink!
خاصه تقلید چنین بیحاصلان ** خشم ابراهیم با بر آفلان
The delight of that company (of Súfís) was casting a reflexion, and this heart of mine was becoming delighted by that reflexion.”565
عکس ذوق آن جماعت میزدی ** وین دلم ز آن عکس ذوقی میشدی
The reflexion (cast) from goodly friends is necessary until you become, without (the aid of any) reflexion, a drawer of water from the Sea.
عکس چندان باید از یاران خوش ** که شوی از بحر بیعکس آب کش
Know that the reflexion first cast is (only) imitation, (but) when it has become successive (continually recurrent) it turns into (direct) realisation (of the truth).
عکس کاول زد تو آن تقلید دان ** چون پیاپی شد شود تحقیق آن
Until it has become realisation, do not part from the friends (by whom you are guided); do not break away from the shell: the rain-drop has not (yet) become a pearl.
تا نشد تحقیق از یاران مبر ** از صدف مگسل نگشت آن قطره در