When he saw him (the muezzin), he said, “Accept the gift, for thou hast been my protector and saviour.
چون بدیدش گفت این هدیه پذیر ** که مرا گشتی مجیر و دستگیر
(On account of) the benefit and kindness that thou hast done to me, I have become thy slave perpetually.
آنچ کردی با من از احسان و بر ** بندهی تو گشتهام من مستمر
If I were eminent in respect of property, possessions, and riches, I would fill thy mouth with gold.”
گر به مال و ملک و ثروت فردمی ** من دهانت را پر از زر کردمی
“The Faith of you (Moslems) is hypocrisy and falsehood: like that call to prayer, it waylays (the seeker and prevents him from embracing Islam);
هست ایمان شما زرق و مجاز ** راهزن همچون که آن بانگ نماز
But many a regret has come into my heart and soul from (my admiration for) the Faith and sincerity of Báyazíd.”3390
لیک از ایمان و صدق بایزید ** چند حسرت در دل و جانم رسید
Tanquam illa femina quae, cum concubitum asini videret, dixit: “Eheu, quid est hic admissarius egregius? [Just like that woman who observed sexual intercourse with the ass, she said (to herself): “Oh, what is this incomparable stallion?]
همچو آن زن کو جماع خر بدید ** گفت آوه چیست این فحل فرید
Si concubitus hoc est, hi asini (praemium) abstulerunt: cacant super vulvis nostris hi mariti.” [If sexual intercourse is (like) this, these asses have won (the prize): these husbands (just) defecate on our vulvas.”]
گر جماع اینست بردند این خران ** بر کس ما میریند این شوهران
Báyazíd paid all that is due to (fulfilled every obligation of) the Faith: blessings be on such a peerless lion!
داد جمله داد ایمان بایزید ** آفرینها بر چنین شیر فرید
If a single drop of his Faith enter into the ocean, the ocean will be submerged in his drop,
قطرهای ز ایمانش در بحر ار رود ** بحر اندر قطرهاش غرقه شود
As (when) a mote of fire (falls) amidst forests, the (whole) forest passes away in that mote;3395
همچو ز آتش ذرهای در بیشهها ** اندر آن ذره شود بیشه فنا
(Or) as (when) a phantasy (appears) in the heart of a king or his army, (a phantasy which) destroyed his enemies in war.
چون خیالی در دل شه یا سپاه ** کرد اندر جنگ خصمان را تباه
A star (of Divine illumination) appeared in Mohammed, so that the substance of (the beliefs of) Magian and Jew passed away.
یک ستاره در محمد رخ نمود ** تا فنا شد گوهر گبر و جهود
He that received the Faith entered into security; the infidelities of the rest became (a matter on which there were) two opinions.
آنک ایمان یافت رفت اندر امان ** کفرهای باقیان شد دو گمان
At any rate, their first pure (entire) unbelief did not remain (with them): it (the star of Mohammed) planted (in them) either (formal acceptance of) Islam or a (great) dread (of it).
کفر صرف اولین باری نماند ** یا مسلمانی و یا بیمی نشاند
This (description of the Faith of Báyazíd) is a (mere) makeshift varnishing: these similes are not equivalent to the mote of (Divine light).3400
این به حیله آب و روغن کردنیست ** این مثلها کفو ذرهی نور نیست
A mote is only a paltry bodily thing: a mote is not the indivisible Sun.
ذره نبود جز حقیری منجسم ** ذره نبود شارق لا ینقسم
Know that (my) calling it (the Sun) a mote has a purpose hidden (from thee, for) thou art not familiar with the Sea: at present thou art (but) the foam.
گفتن ذره مرادی دان خفی ** محرم دریا نهای این دم کفی
If the luminous sun of the Shaykh's Faith should display itself from the Orient of the Shaykh's spirit,
آفتاب نیر ایمان شیخ ** گر نماید رخ ز شرق جان شیخ
All below, down to the moist clay (beneath the earth's crust), would gain (abundant) treasure, and all above would gain a verdant Paradise.
جمله پستی گنج گیرد تا ثری ** جمله بالا خلد گیرد اخضری
He hath a spirit of resplendent light, he hath a body of despicable earth.3405
او یکی جان دارد از نور منیر ** او یکی تن دارد از خاک حقیر
Oh, I wonder whether he is this or that. Tell (me), uncle, for I am left (helpless) in this difficulty.
ای عجب اینست او یا آن بگو ** که بماندم اندرین مشکل عمو
O brother, if he is this, (then) what is that?—for the Seven Heavens are filled with its light—
گر وی اینست ای برادر چیست آن ** پر شده از نور او هفت آسمان
And if he is that (spirit), (then) what is this body, my friend? Oh, I wonder which of these twain he is and who?
ور وی آنست این بدن ای دوست چیست ** ای عجب زین دو کدامین است و کیست
Story of the woman who told her husband that the cat had eaten the meat, (whereupon) the husband put the cat in the balance (in order to weigh her). (Finding that) her weight amounted to half a “mann”, he said, “O wife, the meat weighed half a ‘mann’ and more. If this is the meat, where is the cat? Or if this is the cat, where is the meat?”
حکایت آن زن کی گفت شوهر را کی گوشت را گربه خورد شوهر گربه را به ترازو بر کشید گربه نیم من برآمد گفت ای زن گوشت نیم من بود و افزون اگر این گوشتست گربه کو و اگر این گربه است گوشت کو
There was a man, a householder, who had a very sneering, dirty, and rapacious wife.
بود مردی کدخدا او را زنی ** سخت طناز و پلید و رهزنی
Whatever (food) he brought (home), his wife would consume it, and the man was forced to keep silence.3410
هرچه آوردی تلف کردیش زن ** مرد مضطر بود اندر تن زدن