Just as you are pitiably enamoured of the daily bread, so the daily bread is enamoured of its consumer.2400
آنچنان که عاشقی بر زرق زار ** هست عاشق رزق هم بر رزق‌خوار
Exposition of the meaning of trust in God, (which is illustrated by) the Story of the ascetic who, making trial of his trust in God, abandoned his property and (native) town and went far away from the beaten tracks and thoroughfares of men to the foot of a remote and inaccessible mountain, (where) in extreme hunger he laid his head upon a stone and fell asleep, saying to himself, ‘I put trust in Thy providing the means (of livelihood) and daily bread; and I cut myself off from (all) means (secondary causes) in order that I may experience the causation of trust in God.’
در تقریر معنی توکل حکایت آن زاهد کی توکل را امتحان می‌کرد از میان اسباب و شهر برون آمد و از قوارع و ره‌گذر خلق دور شد و ببن کوهی مهجوری مفقودی در غایت گرسنگی سر بر سر سنگی نهاد و خفت و با خود گفت توکل کردم بر سبب‌سازی و رزاقی تو و از اسباب منقطع شدم تا ببینم سببیت توکل را
A certain ascetic had heard the saying of Mustafá (Mohammed) that the daily bread surely comes from God to the spirit,
آن یکی زاهد شنود از مصطفی ** که یقین آید به جان رزق از خدا
(And that), whether you will or no, your daily bread comes running to you because it is (so) fond of you.
گر بخواهی ور نخواهی رزق تو ** پیش تو آید دوان از عشق تو
By way of trial that man went into the desert and immediately lay down near a mountain,
از برای امتحان آن مرد رفت ** در بیابان نزد کوهی خفت تفت
Saying, ‘I will see whether the daily bread will come to me: (my object is) that my belief in the daily bread may become firm.’
که ببینم رزق می‌آید به من ** تا قوی گردد مرا در رزق ظن
A caravan lost its way and marched towards the mountain: (the travellers) saw lying (there) him who was making the trial.2405
کاروانی راه گم کرد و کشید ** سوی کوه آن ممتحن را خفته دید
(One) said (to another), ‘How is this man destitute here in the wilderness, far from road and town?
گفت این مرد این طرف چونست عور ** در بیابان از ره و از شهر دور
Oh, I wonder, is he dead or alive? (Evidently) he has no fear of wolves or enemies.’
ای عجب مرده‌ست یا زنده که او ** می‌نترسد هیچ از گرگ و عدو
They came on and touched him with their hands: that venerable man deliberately said nothing.
آمدند و دست بر وی می‌زدند ** قاصدا چیزی نگفت آن ارجمند
He did not stir, he did not even move his head or open his eyes, because he was making a trial.
هم نجنبید و نجنبانید سر ** وا نکرد از امتحان هم او بصر
Then they said, ‘This poor disappointed man has had a stroke of apoplexy caused by hunger.’2410
پس بگفتند این ضعیف بی‌مراد ** از مجاعت سکته اندر اوفتاد
They fetched bread and (also) food in a kettle, that they might pour it into his mouth and (down) his throat.
نان بیاوردند و در دیگی طعام ** تا بریزندش به حلقوم و به کام
Thereupon the man purposely clenched his teeth, in order to see (test) the truth of that promise.
پس بقاصد مرد دندان سخت کرد ** تا ببیند صدق آن میعاد مرد
They felt pity for him and said, ‘This man is starving and perishing with hunger and at the point of death’;
رحمشان آمد که این بس بی‌نواست ** وز مجاعت هالک مرگ و فناست
(So) they brought a knife and hastily made a rift in his closed teeth.
کارد آوردند قوم اشتافتند ** بسته دندانهاش را بشکافتند
They poured soup into his mouth and forced into it fragments of bread.2415
He said (to himself), ‘O (my) heart, even though thou art keeping silence, thou knowest the secret and art showing a (great) disdain.’
گفت ای دل گرچه خود تن می‌زنی ** راز می‌دانی و نازی می‌کنی
His heart replied, ‘I know (the secret) and am purposely behaving (thus): God is the provider for my soul and body.’
گفت دل دانم و قاصد می‌کنم ** رازق الله است بر جان و تنم
How should there be a trial more (perfect) than this? The daily bread comes with joy to those who have patience.”
امتحان زین بیشتر خود چون بود ** رزق سوی صابران خوش می‌رود
How the fox answered the ass and urged him to seek a livelihood.
جواب دادن روبه خر را و تحریض کردن او خر را بر کسب
The fox said, “Leave these stories and apply all your poor efforts to earning a livelihood.
گفت روبه این حکایت را بهل ** دستها بر کسب زن جهد المقل
God has given you hands: do some work, earn something, help a friend.2420
دست دادستت خدا کاری بکن ** مکسبی کن یاری یاری بکن
Every one takes steps to earn something and (thereby) helps other friends (to earn),
هر کسی در مکسبی پا می‌نهد ** یاری یاران دیگر می‌کند
Because all the earning is not done by one (craftsman): (there is) a carpenter and also a water-carrier and a weaver.
زانک جمله کسب ناید از یکی ** هم دروگر هم سقا هم حایکی
By means of this partnership (the order of) the world is maintained: every one, (being impelled) by want, chooses some work.
این بهنبازیست عالم بر قرار ** هر کسی کاری گزیند ز افتقار
’Tis not right to be a lick-platter (idle parasite) in the midst (of them): the way of the Sunna is to work and earn.”
طبل‌خواری در میانه شرط نیست ** راه سنت کار و مکسب کردنیست
How the ass answered the fox, saying, “Trust in God is the best way of earning a livelihood, for every one needs to trust in God and cry, ‘O God, bring this work of mine to success’; and prayer involves trust in God, and trust in God is the (only) means of livelihood that is independent of any other means, etc.”
جواب گفتن خر روباه را کی توکل بهترین کسبهاست کی هر کسبی محتاجست به توکل کی ای خدا این کار مرا راست آر و دعا متضمن توکلست و توکل کسبی است کی به هیچ کسبی دیگر محتاج نیست الی آخره