How should Canaan's ear accept these words? for God's seal and signet is upon it.
گوش کنعان کی پذیرد این کلام ** که برو مهر خدایست و ختام
How should admonition pass through God's seal? How should the new (admonition) avert the (eternal) pre-ordainment?
کی گذارد موعظه بر مهر حق ** کی بگرداند حدث حکم سبق
But I am telling the news of good fortune in the hope that thou art not (like) Canaan.
لیک میگویم حدیث خوشپیی ** بر امید آنک تو کنعان نهای
Thou wilt make this confession at last. Hark, from the first day do thou behold the last!
آخر این اقرار خواهی کرد هین ** هم ز اول روز آخر را ببین
Thou canst see the end: do not make blind and old thine eye that sees the end.3370
میتوانی دید آخر را مکن ** چشم آخربینت را کور کهن
Whosoever is blessedly a seer of the end will never stumble in wayfaring.
هر که آخربین بود مسعودوار ** نبودش هر دم ز ره رفتن عثار
Unless thou desire this incessant lying down and rising up (this stumbling on the way), sharpen thine eye with the dust on the foot of a holy man.
گر نخواهی هر دمی این خفتخیز ** کن ز خاک پایی مردی چشم تیز
Make the dust of his foot collyrium for thine eye, that thou mayst strike off the head of the blackguards;
کحل دیده ساز خاک پاش را ** تا بیندازی سر اوباش را
For through this pupilage and this poverty (of spirit), (though) thou be (as) a needle, thou wilt become (a trenchant sword like) Dhu ’l-faqár.
که ازین شاگردی و زین افتقار ** سوزنی باشی شوی تو ذوالفقار
Use the dust of every elect one as collyrium: it will both burn the eye and do it good.3375
سرمه کن تو خاک هر بگزیده را ** هم بسوزد هم بسازد دیده را
The eye of the camel is very luminous because he (the camel) eats thorns for the sake of (increasing) the light of his eye.
چشم اشتر زان بود بس نوربار ** کو خورد از بهر نور چشم خار
Story of the mule's complaining to the camel (and saying), "I often fall on my face when going along, while you seldom do so: why is this?" and the camel's answer to him.
قصهی شکایت استر با شتر کی من بسیار در رو میافتم در راه رفتن تو کم در روی میآیی این چراست و جواب گفتن شتر او را
One day a mule saw a camel, since he had been put into a stable with him.
اشتری را دید روزی استری ** چونک با او جمع شد در آخری
He (the mule) said, “I often fall on my face in hill and road and in market and street.
گفت من بسیار میافتم برو ** در گریوه و راه و در بازار و کو
Particularly (in descending) from the top of the mountain to the bottom I come down on my head every moment from terror.
خاصه از بالای که تا زیر کوه ** در سر آیم هر زمانی از شکوه
Thou dost not fall on thy face: why is it? Or maybe in sooth thy pure spirit is destined to felicity.3380
کم همیافتی تو در رو بهر چیست ** یا مگر خود جان پاکت دولتیست
I come down on my head every instant and strike my knees (on the ground): by that slipping I make muzzle and knees all bloody.
در سر آیم هر دم و زانو زنم ** پوز و زانو زان خطا پر خون کنم
My pack-saddle and trappings become awry (lie in disorder) on my head, and I always get a beating from the muleteer;
کژ شود پالان و رختم بر سرم ** وز مکاری هر زمان زخمی خورم
Like the unintelligent man who, from corrupt understanding, in (the case of his committing) sin continually breaks (his vow of) penitence.
همچو کم عقلی که از عقل تباه ** بشکند توبه بهر دم در گناه
Through weakness of resolution that breaker of (vows of) penitence becomes the laughing-stock of Iblís in the world.
مسخرهی ابلیس گردد در زمن ** از ضعیفی رای آن توبهشکن
He constantly comes down on his head, like a lame horse, for his load is heavy and the road is (full of) stones.3385
در سر آید هر زمان چون اسپ لنگ ** که بود بارش گران و راه سنگ
He is always getting blows on his head from the Unseen, that man of luckless nature, from breaking (his vows of) penitence.
میخورد از غیب بر سر زخم او ** از شکست توبه آن ادبارخو
Then again he repents with infirm resolution: the Devil spits (in scorn) and shatters his penitence.
باز توبه میکند با رای سست ** دیو یک تف کرد و توبهش را سکست
Weakness on weakness! (Yet) his arrogance is such that he regards with contempt those that attain (to God).
ضعف اندر ضعف و کبرش آنچنان ** که به خواری بنگرد در واصلان
O camel, thou who art a type of the true believer dost not fall on thy face, nor dost thou turn up thy nose (in disdain).
ای شتر که تو مثال مومنی ** کم فتی در رو و کم بینی زنی
What hast thou that thou art so untouched by bane and free from stumbling and dost not fall on thy face?”3390
تو چه داری که چنین بیآفتی ** بیعثاری و کم اندر رو فتی