“Now” (they said) “he will show to this simpleton that which Time (Fortune) shows to the unfortunate.
این زمان این احمق یک لخت را ** آن نماید که زمان بدبخت را
Like the moth, he (the lover) deemed the (fiery) sparks to be the light: foolishly he fell in and was cut off from (deprived of) life.”
همچو پروانه شرر را نور دید ** احمقانه در فتاد از جان برید
But the candle of Love is not like that (external) candle: it is radiance in radiance in radiance.3920
لیک شمع عشق چون آن شمع نیست ** روشن اندر روشن اندر روشنیست
It is the reverse of the fiery candles: it seems to be fire, while (in reality) it is all sweetness.
او به عکس شمعهای آتشیست ** می‌نماید آتش و جمله خوشیست
Description of the lover-killing mosque and of the death-seeking reckless lover who became a guest there.
صفت آن مسجد کی عاشق‌کش بود و آن عاشق مرگ‌جوی لا ابالی کی درو مهمان شد
Lend ear to a story, O well-conducted man! There was a mosque on the outskirts of the city of Rayy.
یک حکایت گوش کن ای نیک‌پی ** مسجدی بد بر کنار شهر ری
No one ever slept the night there but on the same night (he died) from terror (and) his children became orphans.
هیچ کس در وی نخفتی شب ز بیم ** که نه فرزندش شدی آن شب یتیم
Many the naked (destitute) stranger that went into it (at nightfall) and went at dawn, like the stars, into the grave.
بس که اندر وی غریب عور رفت ** صبحدم چون اختران در گور رفت
Make thyself very attentive to this (tale)! The dawn is come, cut short thy slumber!3925
خویشتن را نیک ازین آگاه کن ** صبح آمد خواب را کوتاه کن
Every one used to say that in it there were fierce Jinnís who killed the guests with blunt swords.
هر کسی گفتی که پریانند تند ** اندرو مهمان کشان با تیغ کند
Another would say, “It is the magic and talisman, for this enchantment is the foe and enemy of life.”
آن دگر گفتی که سحرست و طلسم ** کین رصد باشد عدو جان و خصم
Another would say, “Put an inscription (notice) conspicuously on its door—‘O guest, do not stay here.
آن دگر گفتی که بر نه نقش فاش ** بر درش کای میهمان اینجا مباش
Do not sleep the night here, if you want to live; otherwise, death will unmask an ambush for you in this place.’”
شب مخسپ اینجا اگر جان بایدت ** ورنه مرگ اینجا کمین بگشایدت
And another would say, “Bolt (the door) at night, (and when) a heedless person comes, do not admit him.”3930
وان یکی گفتی که شب قفلی نهید ** غافلی کاید شما کم ره دهید
How the guest came into the mosque.
مهمان آمدن در آن مسجد
(So it continued) till a guest arrived at nightfall who had heard that marvellous rumour.
تا یکی مهمان در آمد وقت شب ** کو شنیده بود آن صیت عجب
He was testing (it) in order to put (it) to the proof, for he was very valiant and surfeited with life.
از برای آزمون می‌آزمود ** زانک بس مردانه و جان سیر بود
He said (to himself), “I take little account of a (sheep's) head and belly: suppose that one grain is gone from the spirit's treasure, (what does it matter?)
گفت کم گیرم سر و اشکمبه‌ای ** رفته گیر از گنج جان یک حبه‌ای
Let the bodily form go: who am I (in reality)? Is not the (bodily) figure of small account when I am enduring for ever?
صورت تن گو برو من کیستم ** نقش کم ناید چو من باقیستم
Since by the grace of God the (Divine) spirit was breathed into me, I am the breath of God (which is) kept apart from the windpipe of the body,3935
چون نفخت بودم از لطف خدا ** نفخ حق باشم ز نای تن جدا
To the end that the sound of His breathing should not fall in this direction, and that that (spiritual) pearl should escape from the narrow (bodily) shell.
تا نیفتد بانگ نفخش این طرف ** تا رهد آن گوهر از تنگین صدف
Since God said, ‘Desire death, O ye that are sincere,’ I am sincere: I will lavish my soul upon this (I will sacrifice my life for this object).”
چون تمنوا موت گفت ای صادقین ** صادقم جان را برافشانم برین
How the people of the mosque blamed the lover-guest for (his intention of) sleeping the night there and threatened him.
ملامت کردن اهل مسجد مهمان عاشق را از شب خفتن در آنجا و تهدید کردن مرورا
The people said to him, “Beware! Do not sleep here, lest the Taker of the soul pound thee like the dregs of sesame-grain,
قوم گفتندش که هین اینجا مخسپ ** تا نکوبد جانستانت همچو کسپ
For thou art a stranger and ignorant of the fact that any one who sleeps in this place perishes.
که غریبی و نمی‌دانی ز حال ** کاندرین جا هر که خفت آمد زوال
This is not an (accidental) occurrence: we and all those possessed of intelligence have ofttimes witnessed this.3940
اتفاقی نیست این ما بارها ** دیده‌ایم و جمله اصحاب نهی
To whomsoever that mosque gave lodging for a single night, poisonous death came to him at midnight.
هر که آن مسجد شبی مسکن شدش ** نیم‌شب مرگ هلاهل آمدش
We have seen this not (only) once but a hundred times: we have not heard it at second-hand from any one.
از یکی ما تابه صد این دیده‌ایم ** نه به تقلید از کسی بشنیده‌ایم