But it is necessary to cleanse the canal, (which is) the body, until the water is cleared of scum,
لیک تا آب از قذی خالی شدن ** تنقیه شرطست در جوی بدن
In order that no obscurity and rubbish may remain therein and that it may become trustworthy and that the reflexion of the (inward) aspect (of everything) may appear (in it).
تا نماند تیرگی و خس درو ** تا امین گردد نماید عکس رو
Where in your body is aught but muddy water, O you who are (spiritually) destitute? Make the water pure (and free) from mud, O enemy of the heart.2810
جز گلابه در تنت کو ای مقل ** آب صافی کن ز گل ای خصم دل
By (indulgence in) sleeping and eating and drinking you are ever intent on pouring into this canal more (and more) earth.
تو بر آنی هر دمی کز خواب و خور ** خاک ریزی اندرین جو بیشتر
The means of knowing people's hidden thoughts.
سبب دانستن ضمیرهای خلق
(Only) when the heart of that water is void of these (defilements), does the reflexion of the (inward) aspects (of all things) dart into the water.
چون دل آن آب زینها خالیست ** عکس روها از برون در آب جست
Therefore, unless your interior has been purified, (and while) the (heart's) house is full of demons and monsters and wild beasts,
پس ترا باطن مصفا ناشده ** خانه پر از دیو و نسناس و دده
O ass who have obstinately remained in asininity, how will you get scent of (apprehend) the (life-giving) breaths which resemble those of the Messiah?
ای خری ز استیزه ماند در خری ** کی ز ارواح مسیحی بو بری
If a phantasy appear (in your heart), how will you know from what hiding-place it springs forth?2815
کی شناسی گر خیالی سر کند ** کز کدامین مکمنی سر بر کند
Ere (all) phantasies are swept from the inward part, the body will become (insubstantial) as a phantasy in (consequence of) renunciation.
چون خیالی میشود در زهد تن ** تا خیالات از درونه روفتن
How the cunning of the fox prevailed over the attempt of the ass to preserve himself from falling into temptation.
غالب شدن مکر روبه بر استعصام خر
The ass strove long and argued (stoutly) against him, but ravenous hunger never quitted the ass.
خر بسی کوشید و او را دفع گفت ** لیک جوع الکلب با خر بود جفت
Greed prevailed, and his self-restraint was (too) weak: many are the gullets that are cut by love of the loaf.
غالب آمد حرص و صبرش بد ضعیف ** بس گلوها که برد عشق رغیف
From the Messenger (Prophet) to whom the realities revealed themselves has come down (the saying), “A (great) penury is near being infidelity.”
زان رسولی کش حقایق داد دست ** کاد فقر ان یکن کفر آمدست
The ass had been made prisoner by hunger: he said (to himself), “If it is a plot, (what then?). Suppose I am dead once and for all,2820
گشته بود آن خر مجاعت را اسیر ** گفت اگر مکرست یک ره مرده گیر
At any rate I shall be delivered from this torment of hunger: if this is life, I am better dead.”
زین عذاب جوع باری وا رهم ** گر حیات اینست من مرده بهم
If at first the ass repented and swore (to keep his vow), in the end, because of his asininity, he made a (great) lapse.
گر خر اول توبه و سوگند خورد ** عاقبت هم از خری خبطی بکرد
Greed makes one blind and foolish and ignorant: to fools it makes death (seem) easy;
حرص کور و احمق و نادان کند ** مرگ را بر احمقان آسان کند
(But) death is not (really) easy to the souls of asses who do not possess the splendour of the everlasting soul.
نیست آسان مرگ بر جان خران ** که ندارند آب جان جاودان
Since he (the ass) does not possess the everlasting soul, he is damned: his boldness in (facing) death is the result of folly.2825
چون ندارد جان جاوید او شقیست ** جرات او بر اجل از احمقیست
Endeavour that your soul may become immortal, so that on the day of death you will have a (goodly) store.
جهد کن تا جان مخلد گردد ** تا به روز مرگ برگی باشدت
Again, he (the ass) had no confidence in the Provider (to assure him) that He would scatter over him largesse from the Unseen.
اعتمادش نیز بر رازق نبود ** که بر افشاند برو از غیب جود
Until now, the (Divine) Bounty had not kept him without the daily provision, though at times He subjected his body to a (severe) hunger.
Were hunger absent, in consequence of indigestion a hundred other afflictions would raise their heads in you.
گر نباشد جوع صد رنج دگر ** از پی هیضه بر آرد از تو سر
Truly the affliction of hunger is better than those maladies in respect both of its subtilty and its lightness and (its effect on devotional) work.2830
رنج جوع اولی بود خود زان علل ** هم به لطف و هم به خفت هم عمل
The affliction of hunger is purer than (all other) afflictions, especially (as) in hunger there are a hundred advantages and excellences.
رنج جوع از رنجها پاکیزهتر ** خاصه در جوعست صد نفع و هنر
Explaining the excellency of abstinence and hunger.
در بیان فضیلت احتما و جوع
Indeed hunger is the king of medicines: hark, lay hunger to thy heart, do not regard it with such contempt.
جوع خود سلطان داروهاست هین ** جوع در جان نه چنین خوارش مبین