Seek the Purchaser who is seeking thee, One who knows thy beginning and end.
مشتریی جو که جویان توست ** عالم آغاز و پایان توست
Beware, do not try to win every purchaser: ’tis bad to make love to two sweethearts.1465
هین مکش هر مشتری را تو به دست ** عشق‌بازی با دو معشوقه بدست
Thou wilt not get interest or capital from him, if he purchase (thee): in sooth he has not the price for (thy) reason and intellect.
زو نیابی سود و مایه گر خرد ** نبودش خود قیمت عقل و خرد
He has not even the price of half a horseshoe, and thou art offering him (what is precious as) corundum and rubies.
نیست او را خود بهای نیم نعل ** تو برو عرضه کنی یاقوت و لعل
Cupidity hath blinded thee and will deprive thee (of blessedness): the Devil will make thee accursed like himself.
حرص کورت کرد و محرومت کند ** دیو هم‌چون خویش مرجومت کند
Just as that wrathful (fiend) made accursed like himself the Fellows of the Elephant and the people of Lot.
هم‌چنانک اصحاب فیل و قوم لوط ** کردشان مرجوم چون خود آن سخوط
The patient (devout and self-denying) have gained the Purchaser, since they did not hasten towards every purchaser.1470
مشتری را صابران در یافتند ** چون سوی هر مشتری نشتافتند
He that averted his face from that Purchaser—fortune and felicity and everlasting life are quit of him.
آنک گردانید رو زان مشتری ** بخت و اقبال و بقا شد زو بری
Grief remains for ever (as a doom) on the covetous, as happened to the people of Zarwán in their envy.
ماند حسرت بر حریصان تا ابد ** هم‌چو حال اهل ضروان در حسد
Story of the people of Zarwán and their envy of the poor. “Our father,” they said, “from (foolish) sympathy used to give the poor the most part of the produce of his orchard.” When it was grapes, he would give a tithe; and when they were turned into raisins or syrup, he would give a tithe; and whenever he made halwá or pálúda, he would give a tithe; and he would give a tithe of the corn-sheaves, and when he threshed (the corn), he would give a tithe of the unthreshed ears mixed (with straw); and when he separated the wheat from the straw, he would give a tithe, and when he made flour, he would give a tithe; and when he leavened the dough, he would give a tithe; and when he made bread, he would give a tithe. Consequently, God most High had laid such a blessing on his orchard and crops that all the (other) owners of orchards were in need of him, both for fruit and money, while he needed nothing from any of them. His sons saw the repeated payment of tithes, and did not see the blessing, velut illa femina infelix quae veretrum asini vidit, curcurbitam non vidit. [Story of the people of Zarwán…. His sons saw the repeated payment of tithes, and did not see the blessing, just as that unfortunate woman who (only) saw the ass’s penis and did not see the gourd.]
قصه‌ی اهل ضروان و حسد ایشان بر درویشان کی پدر ما از سلیمی اغلب دخل باغ را به مسکینان می‌داد چون انگور بودی عشر دادی و چون مویز و دوشاب شدی عشر دادی و چون حلوا و پالوده کردی عشر دادی و از قصیل عشر دادی و چون در خرمن می‌کوفتی از کفه‌ی آمیخته عشر دادی و چون گندم از کاه جدا شدی عشر دادی و چون آرد کردی عشر دادی و چون خمیر کردی عشر دادی و چون نان کردی عشر دادی لاجرم حق تعالی در آن باغ و کشت برکتی نهاده بود کی همه اصحاب باغها محتاج او بدندی هم به میوه و هم به سیم و او محتاج هیچ کس نی ازیشان فرزندانشان خرج عشر می‌دیدند منکر و آن برکت را نمی‌دیدند هم‌چون آن زن بدبخت که کدو را ندید و خر را دید
There was a righteous godly man: he had perfect intelligence and a (great) foresight as to the end.
بود مردی صالحی ربانیی ** عقل کامل داشت و پایان دانیی
In the village of Zarwán, near Yemen, (he was) renowned for (his) almsgiving and good disposition.
در ده ضروان به نزدیک یمن ** شهره اندر صدقه و خلق حسن
His abode was the Ka‘ba of the poor: the distressed were (always) coming to him.1475
کعبه‌ی درویش بودی کوی او ** آمدندی مستمندان سوی او
He would give, unostentatiously, a tithe both of the ears of corn and of the wheat when it was separated from the chaff.
هم ز خوشه عشر دادی بی‌ریا ** هم ز گندم چون شدی از که جدا
(If) it was made into flour, he would give a tithe of that too; if it was made into bread, he would give another tithe of the bread.
آرد گشتی عشر دادی هم از آن ** نان شدی عشر دگر دادی ز نان
He would never omit (to give) the tithe of any produce: he would give (the tithe) four times on that which he sowed.
عشر هر دخلی فرو نگذاشتی ** چارباره دادی زانچ کاشتی
That (generous) young man was continually giving many injunctions to all his sons,
بس وصیتها بگفتی هر زمان ** جمع فرزندان خود را آن جوان
Saying, “For God's sake, for God's sake, after I am gone, do not on account of your covetousness withhold the portion of the poor,1480
الله الله قسم مسکین بعد من ** وا مگیریدش ز حرص خویشتن
So that the crops and fruit may remain (as a) permanent (blessing bestowed) on you under the safeguard of your obedience to God.”
تا بماند بر شما کشت و ثمار ** در پناه طاعت حق پایدار
Without surmise or doubt, (it is) God (who) hath sent all produce and fruits from the Unseen.
دخلها و میوه‌ها جمله ز غیب ** حق فرستادست بی‌تخمین و ریب
If you expend something in the place where the produce comes, ’tis the gateway to profit: you will obtain a (great) profit (thereby).
در محل دخل اگر خرجی کنی ** درگه سودست سودی بر زنی
The Turk sows the major part of the produce again in the field, because it (the sown field) is the source of the fruits (crops).
ترک اغلب دخل را در کشت‌زار ** باز کارد که ویست اصل ثمار
He sows most of it and consumes (only) a little, for he has no doubt of its growing.1485
بیشتر کارد خورد زان اندکی ** که ندارد در بروییدن شکی
The Turk shakes (moves to and fro) his hand in sowing, because that (former) crop of his has been produced from the same soil.
زان بیفشاند به کشتن ترک دست ** که آن غله‌ش هم زان زمین حاصل شدست
Likewise the shoemaker buys hide and leather and morocco (with) the surplus left over from (what he spends on) bread,
کفشگر هم آنچ افزاید ز نان ** می‌خرد چرم و ادیم و سختیان
Saying, “These have (always) been the sources of my income: from these, accordingly, my means of livelihood are flowing.”
که اصول دخلم اینها بوده‌اند ** هم ازینها می‌گشاید رزق بند