Hunger is the daily bread of the souls of God's elect: how is it amenable to (in the power of) a beggarly fool like thee?
جوع رزق جان خاصان خداست ** کی زبون هم‌چو تو گیج گداست
Be at ease: thou art not (one) of those, so that thou shouldst tarry without bread in this kitchen.”
باش فارغ تو از آنها نیستی ** که درین مطبخ تو بی‌نان بیستی
There are always bowls on bowls and loaves on loaves for these vulgar belly-gods.
کاسه بر کاسه‌ست و نان بر نان مدام ** از برای این شکم‌خواران عام
When he (such a person) dies, the bread comes forward, saying, “O thou who didst (almost) kill thyself from fear of having no food,
چون بمیرد می‌رود نان پیش پیش ** کای ز بیم بی‌نوایی کشته خویش
Thou art gone (from the world), (but) the bread is still there: arise and take it (if thou canst), O thou who didst (almost) kill thyself in agony!”2850
تو برفتی ماند نان برخیز گیر ** ای بکشته خویش را اندر زحیر
Hark, put trust in God, do not let thy feet and hands tremble (with fear): thy daily bread is more in love with thee than thou (with it).
هین توکل کن ملرزان پا و دست ** رزق تو بر تو ز تو عاشق‌ترست
It is in love (with thee) and is lingering (only) because it knows of thy lack of self-denial, O trifler.
عاشقست و می‌زند او مول‌مول ** که ز بی‌صبریت داند ای فضول
If thou hadst any self-denial, the daily bread would come and throw itself upon thee as lovers do.
گر ترا صبری بدی رزق آمدی ** خویشتن چون عاشقان بر تو زدی
What is this feverish trembling for fear of hunger? In (possession of) trust in God one can live full-fed.
این تب لرزه ز خوف جوع چیست ** در توکل سیر می‌تانند زیست
Story of the cow that is alone in a great island. God most High fills the great island with plants and sweet herbs which are cows' fodder, and the cow feeds on all that (vegetation) till nightfall and grows fat (and big) as a mountain-crag. When night comes, she cannot sleep for anxiety and fear, (for she thinks), “I have fed on the whole field: what shall I eat to-morrow?” So in consequence of this anxiety she becomes thin like a toothpick. At daybreak she sees the whole field is greener and richer than it was yesterday, and again she eats and grows fat. Then again at nightfall the same anxiety seizes her. For years she has been experiencing the like of this, and (yet) she puts no confidence (in the Provider).
حکایت آن گاو کی تنها در جزیره ایست بزرگ حق تعالی آن جزیره‌ی بزرگ را پر کند از نبات و ریاحین کی علف گاو باشد تا به شب آن گاو همه را بخورد و فربه شود چون کوه پاره‌ای چون شب شود خوابش نبرد از غصه و خوف کی همه صحرا را چریدم فردا چه خورم تا ازین غصه لاغر شود هم‌چون خلال روز برخیزد همه صحرا را سبزتر و انبوه‌تر بیند از دی باز بخورد و فربه شود باز شبش همان غم بگیرد سالهاست کی او هم‌چنین می‌بیند و اعتماد نمی‌کند
There is in the world a green island where a sweet-mouthed cow lives alone.2855
یک جزیره‌ی سبز هست اندر جهان ** اندرو گاویست تنها خوش‌دهان
She feeds on the whole field till nightfall, so that she grows stout and big and choice.
جمله صحرا را چرد او تا به شب ** تا شود زفت و عظیم و منتجب
During the night she becomes thin as a hair from anxiety, because she thinks, “What shall I eat to-morrow?”
شب ز اندیشه که فردا چه خورم ** گردد او چون تار مو لاغر ز غم
At rise of dawn the field becomes green: the green blades and grain have grown up to (a man's) middle.
چون برآید صبح گردد سبز دشت ** تا میان رسته قصیل سبز و کشت
The cow falls to ravenously: till night she feeds on that (vegetation and devours it) entirely.
اندر افتد گاو با جوع البقر ** تا به شب آن را چرد او سر به سر
Again she becomes stout and fat and bulky: her body is filled with fat and strength.2860
باز زفت و فربه و لمتر شود ** آن تنش از پیه و قوت پر شود
Then again at night she (is stricken) by panic (and) falls into a fever (of anxiety), so that from fear of seeking (vainly) for fodder she becomes lean,
باز شب اندر تب افتد از فزع ** تا شود لاغر ز خوف منتجع
Thinking, “What shall I eat to-morrow at meal-time?” This is what that cow does for (many) years.
که چه خواهم خورد فردا وقت خور ** سالها اینست کار آن بقر
She never thinks, “All these years I have been eating from this meadow and this pasture;
هیچ نندیشد که چندین سال من ** می‌خورم زین سبزه‌زار و زین چمن
My provender has never failed (even) for a day: what, (then), is this fear and anguish and heart-burning of mine?”
هیچ روزی کم نیامد روزیم ** چیست این ترس و غم و دلسوزیم
(No); when night falls that stout cow becomes lean again, thinking, “Alas, the provender is gone.”2865
باز چون شب می‌شود آن گاو زفت ** می‌شود لاغر که آوه رزق رفت
The cow is the carnal soul, and the field is this world, where she (the carnal soul) is made lean by fear for her daily bread,
نفس آن گاوست و آن دشت این جهان ** کو همی لاغر شود از خوف نان
Thinking, “I wonder what I shall eat in the future: whence shall I seek food for to-morrow?”
که چه خواهم خورد مستقبل عجب ** لوت فردا از کجا سازم طلب
Thou hast eaten for years, and food has never failed: leave the future and look at the past.
سالها خوردی و کم نامد ز خور ** ترک مستقبل کن و ماضی نگر
Bring to mind the food and viands thou hast eaten (already): do not regard what is to come, and do not be miserable.
لوت و پوت خورده را هم یاد آر ** منگر اندر غابر و کم باش زار
How the lion made the ass his prey, and being thirsty after his exertions went to the spring to drink. Before his return the fox had eaten the liver together with the lungs, heart, and kidneys, which are the choicest parts. The lion looked for the heart and liver, and when he did not find them asked the fox where they were. The fox replied, “If he had possessed a heart and liver, how should he have come back to thee after receiving such a stern lesson on that day and (only) saving his life by means of a thousand devices?” “If we had hearkened or considered with understanding we should not have been among the fellows of Hell-fire.”
صید کردن شیر آن خر را و تشنه شدن شیر از کوشش رفت به چشمه تا آب خورد تا باز آمدن شیر جگربند و دل و گرده را روباه خورده بود کی لطیفترست شیر طلب کرد دل و جگر نیافت از روبه پرسید کی کو دل و جگر روبه گفت اگر او را دل و جگر بودی آنچنان سیاستی دیده بود آن روز و به هزار حیله جان برده کی بر تو باز آمدی لوکنا نسمع او نعقل ماکنا فی اصحاب السعیر
The little fox brought the ass into the presence of the lion: the courageous lion tore him to pieces.2870
برد خر را روبهک تا پیش شیر ** پاره‌پاره کردش آن شیر دلیر