She (the housewife) says, “O chickpea, thou didst feed in the springtime: (now) Pain has become thy guest: entertain him well,
گوید ای نخود چریدی در بهار ** رنج مهمان تو شد نیکوش دار
That the guest may return (home), giving thanks (for his entertainment), and may relate thy generosity in the presence of the King,
تا که مهمان باز گردد شکر ساز ** پیش شه گوید ز ایثار تو باز
So that the Bestower of favour may come to thee instead of the favour, and that all favours may envy thee.
تا به جای نعمتت منعم رسد ** جمله نعمتها برد بر تو حسد
I am Khalíl (Abraham), and thou art my son: lay thy head before the knife:lo, I see (in a dream) that I shall sacrifice thee.
من خلیلم تو پسر پیش بچک ** سر بنه انی ارانی اذبحک
Lay thy head before (my) wrath, with heart unmoved, that I may cut thy throat, like (that of) Ismá‘íl (Ishmael). 4175
سر به پیش قهر نه دل بر قرار ** تا ببرم حلقت اسمعیلوار
I will cut off thy head, but this head is the head that is immune from being cut off and (from) dying;
سر ببرم لیک این سر آن سریست ** کز بریده گشتن و مردن بریست
Yet thy giving thyself up is the object of (God's) eternal purpose: O Moslem, thou must seek to give thyself up.
لیک مقصود ازل تسلیم تست ** ای مسلمان بایدت تسلیم جست
Continue, O chickpea, to boil in tribulation, that neither existence nor self may remain to thee.
ای نخود میجوش اندر ابتلا ** تا نه هستی و نه خود ماند ترا
If thou hast (formerly) laughed in that (earthly) garden, (yet) thou art the rose of the garden of the spirit and the (spiritual) eye.
اندر آن بستان اگر خندیدهای ** تو گل بستان جان و دیدهای
If thou hast been parted from the garden of water and earth, (yet) thou hast become food in the mouth and hast entered into the living. 4180
گر جدا از باغ آب و گل شدی ** لقمه گشتی اندر احیا آمدی
Become nutriment and strength and thoughts! (Formerly) thou wert milk (sap): (now) be a lion in the jungles!
شو غذی و قوت و اندیشهها ** شیر بودی شیر شو در بیشهها
By God, thou grewest from His (God's) attributes in the beginning: go back nimbly and fleetly into His attributes.
از صفاتش رستهای والله نخست ** در صفاتش باز رو چالاک و چست
Thou camest from the cloud and the sun and the sky; then didst thou become (diverse) attributes and ascend to heaven.
ز ابر و خورشید و ز گردون آمدی ** پس شدی اوصاف و گردون بر شدی
Thou camest in the form of rain and heat: thou wilt go into the goodly (Divine) attributes.
آمدی در صورت باران و تاب ** میروی اندر صفات مستطاب
Thou wert a part of the sun and the cloud and the stars: thou becamest soul and action and speech and thoughts.” 4185
جزو شید و ابر و انجمها بدی ** نفس و فعل و قول و فکرتها شدی
The existence of the animal arose from the death of the plant: (hence the command) “slay me, O trusty friends” is right.
هستی حیوان شد از مرگ نبات ** راست آمد اقتلونی یا ثقات
Since there is such a victory for us after the checkmate (of death), (the words) “verily, in my being slain there is a life” are true.
چون چنین بردیست ما را بعد مات ** راست آمد ان فی قتلی حیات
Action and speech and sincerity became the food of the angel, so that by means of this ladder he mounted to heaven,
فعل و قول و صدق شد قوت ملک ** تا بدین معراج شد سوی فلک
Just as (when) that morsel became the food of Man, it mounted from (the state of) inanimateness and became possessed of soul.
آنچنان کان طعمه شد قوت بشر ** از جمادی بر شد و شد جانور
As regards this topic, a wide (far-reaching) explanation will be given in another place. 4190
این سخن را ترجمهی پهناوری ** گفته آید در مقام دیگری
“The caravan (of spirits) is incessantly arriving from heaven, that they may traffic (on the earth) and go back again.
کاروان دایم ز گردون میرسد ** تا تجارت میکند وا میرود
Go, then, sweetly and gladly with free-will, not with bitterness and loathing, like a thief.
پس برو شیرین و خوش با اختیار ** نه بتلخی و کراهت دزدوار
I am speaking bitter words to thee, in order that I may wash thee (clean) of bitternesses.
زان حدیث تلخ میگویم ترا ** تا ز تلخیها فرو شویم ترا
The frozen grape is thawed by cold water and lays aside its coldness and congealment.
ز آب سرد انگور افسرده رهد ** سردی و افسردگی بیرون نهد
When, from (having endured) bitterness (self-mortification), thy heart is filled with blood (like the grape), then thou wilt escape from all bitternesses. 4195
تو ز تلخی چونکه دل پر خون شوی ** پس ز تلخیها همه بیرون روی
A comparison showing how the true believer becomes patient when he understands the inward meaning and the beneficial nature of tribulation.
تمثیل صابر شدن مومن چون بر شر و خیر بلا واقف شود