Does one write anything on what is (already) written over, or plant a sapling in a place (already) planted?
بر نوشته هیچ بنویسد کسی ** یا نهاله کارد اندر مغرسی
(No); he seeks a sheet of paper that has not been written on and sows the seed in a place that has not been sown.
کاغذی جوید که آن بنوشته نیست ** تخم کارد موضعی که کشته نیست
Be thou, O brother, a place unsown; be a white paper untouched by writing,
تو برادر موضع ناکشته باش ** کاغذ اسپید نابنوشته باش
That thou mayst be ennobled by Nún wa ’l-Qalam, and that the Gracious One may sow seed within thee.
تا مشرف گردی از نون والقلم ** تا بکارد در تو تخم آن ذوالکرم
Assume, indeed, that thou hast never licked (tasted) this pálúda (honeycake); assume that thou hast never seen the kitchen which thou hast seen,1965
خود ازین پالوه نالیسیده گیر ** مطبخی که دیده‌ای نادیده گیر
Because from this pálúda intoxications arise, and the sheepskin jacket and the shoon depart from thy memory.
زانک ازین پالوده مستیها بود ** پوستین و چارق از یادت رود
When the death-agony comes, thou wilt utter a (great) cry of lamentation: in that hour thou wilt remember thy ragged cloak and clumsy shoon;
چون در آید نزع و مرگ آهی کنی ** ذکر دلق و چارق آنگاهی کنی
(But) until thou art drowning in the waves of an evil plight in which there is no help (to be obtained) from any refuge,
تا نمانی غرق موج زشتیی ** که نباشد از پناهی پشتیی
Thou wilt never call to mind the right ship (for thy voyage): thou wilt never look at thy shoon and sheepskin jacket.
یاد ناری از سفینه‌ی راستین ** ننگری رد چارق و در پوستین
When thou art left helpless in the overwhelming waters of destruction, then thou wilt incessantly make (the words) we have done wrong thy litany;1970
چونک درمانی به غرقاب فنا ** پس ظلمنا ورد سازی بر ولا
(But) the Devil will say, “Look ye at this half-baked (fool)! Cut off the head of this untimely bird (this cock that crows too late)!”
دیو گوید بنگرید این خام را ** سر برید این مرغ بی‌هنگام را
Far from the wisdom of Ayáz is this characteristic, (namely), that his prayer should be uttered without (being a real) prayer.
دور این خصلت ز فرهنگ ایاز ** که پدید آید نمازش بی‌نماز
He has been the cock of Heaven from of old: all his crowings are (taking place) at their (proper) time.
او خروس آسمان بوده ز پیش ** نعره‌های او همه در وقت خویش
On the meaning of this (Tradition), “Show unto us the things as they are (in reality)”; and on the meaning of this (saying), “If the covering were lifted, my certainty would not be increased”; and on his (the poet's) verse: “When thou regardest any one with a malign eye, thou art regarding him from the hoop (narrow circle) of thy (self-)existence.” (Hemistich): “The crooked ladder casts a crooked shadow.”
در معنی این کی ارنا الاشیاء کما هی و معنی این کی لو کشف الغطاء ما از ددت یقینا و قوله در هر که تو از دیده‌ی بد می‌نگری از چنبره‌ی وجود خود می‌نگری پایه‌ی کژ کژ افکند سایه
O cocks, learn crowing from him: he crows for God's sake, not for the sake of pence.
ای خروسان از وی آموزید بانگ ** بانگ بهر حق کند نه بهر دانگ
The false dawn comes and does not deceive him: the false dawn is the World with its good and evil.1975
صبح کاذب آید و نفریبدش ** صبح کاذب عالم و نیک و بدش
The worldly people had defective understandings, so that they deemed it to be the true dawn.
اهل دنیا عقل ناقص داشتند ** تا که صبح صادقش پنداشتند
The false dawn has waylaid (many) caravans which have set out in hope of the daybreak.
صبح کاذب کاروانها را زدست ** که به بوی روز بیرون آمدست
May the false dawn not be the people's guide! for it gives many caravans to the wind (of destruction).
صبح کاذب خلق را رهبر مباد ** کو دهد بس کاروانها را به باد
O thou who hast become captive to the false dawn, do not regard the true dawn also as false.
ای شده تو صبح کاذب را رهین ** صبح صادق را تو کاذب هم مبین
If thou (thyself) hast no protection (art not exempt) from hypocrisy and wickedness, wherefore shouldst thou impute the same (vices) to thy brother?1980
گر نداری از نفاق و بد امان ** از چه داری بر برادر ظن همان
The evil-doer is always thinking ill (of others): he reads his own book as referring to his neighbour.
بدگمان باشد همیشه زشت‌کار ** نامه‌ی خود خواند اندر حق یار
The wretches who have remained (sunk) in (their own) unrighteous qualities have called the prophets magicians and unrighteous;
آن خسان که در کژیها مانده‌اند ** انبیا را ساحر و کژ خوانده‌اند
And those base Amírs, (who were) forgers of falsehood, conceived this evil thought about the chamber of Ayáz,
وآن امیران خسیس قلب‌ساز ** این گمان بردند بر حجره‌ی ایاز
(Supposing) that he kept there a buried hoard and treasure. Do not look at others in the mirror of thyself!
کو دفینه دارد و گنج اندر آن ** ز آینه‌ی خود منگر اندر دیگران
The King, indeed, knew his innocence: (only) on their account was he making that investigation,1985
شاه می‌دانست خود پاکی او ** بهر ایشان کرد او آن جست و جو