Do not lay your burden on any one, lay it on yourself: do not seek eminence, ’tis best to be poor.
بار خود بر کس منه بر خویش نه ** سروری را کم طلب درویش به
Do not be perpetually riding on the necks of people, lest gout attack your feet.
مرکب اعناق مردم را مپا ** تا نیاید نقرست اندر دو پا
The vehicle which you will curse in the end, saying, “Thou resemblest a (flourishing) city, but thou art (really) a ruined village”—330
مرکبی را که آخرش تو ده دهی ** که به شهری مانی و ویران‌دهی
Curse it now when it (still) appears to you like a city, in order that (ultimately) you may not have to unload in the wilderness.
ده دهش اکنون که چون شهرت نمود ** تا نباید رخت در ویران گشود
Curse it now when you (still) possess a hundred gardens, lest you become unable (to renounce it) and (become) devoted to the wilderness (of worldly fortune).
ده دهش اکنون که صد بستانت هست ** تا نگردی عاجز و ویران‌پرست
The Prophet said, “If thou desirest Paradise from God, desire nothing from any one (else).
گفت پیغامبر که جنت از اله ** گر همی‌خواهی ز کس چیزی مخواه
When thou desirest nothing (from any one), I am thy surety for the Garden of resort and the vision of God.”
چون نخواهی من کفیلم مر ترا ** جنت الماوی و دیدار خدا
Because of this suretyship that Companion (of the Prophet) became so independent (of others) that one day when he had mounted (his horse),335
آن صحابی زین کفالت شد عیار ** تا یکی روزی که گشته بد سوار
And the whip fell right out of his hand, he himself dismounted and did not ask any one to give it to him.
تازیانه از کفش افتاد راست ** خود فرو آمد ز کس آنرا نخواست
He (God), from whose gifts no evil cometh, knows (your want) and Himself will give it without any asking.
آنک از دادش نیاید هیچ بد ** داند و بی‌خواهشی خود می‌دهد
But if you ask by God's command, that is right: such asking is the way followed by the prophets.
ور به امر حق بخواهی آن رواست ** آنچنان خواهش طریق انبیاست
When the Beloved has signified (that you should do so and so), ’tis evil no more: infidelity (itself) becomes faith when the infidelity is for His sake.
بد نماند چون اشارت کرد دوست ** کفر ایمان شد چون کفر از بهر اوست
Any evil deed prompted by His command surpasses (all) the good deeds in the world.340
هر بدی که امر او پیش آورد ** آن ز نیکوهای عالم بگذرد
Even if the skin (exterior) of the oyster-shell be damaged, do not curse it, for within it there are a hundred thousand pearls.
زان صدف گر خسته گردد نیز پوست ** ده مده که صد هزاران در دروست
This topic hath no end. Return to the King (God) and become endued with the nature of the falcon.
این سخن پایان ندارد بازگرد ** سوی شاه و هم‌مزاج بازگرد
Like pure gold, return to the mine, in order that your hands may be delivered from (the necessity of) giving the ten (fingers);
باز رو در کان چو زر ده‌دهی ** تا رهد دستان تو از ده‌دهی
(For) when they (worldlings) admit a phenomenal form into their hearts, in the end they curse it in contrition.
صورتی را چون بدل ره می‌دهند ** از ندامت آخرش ده می‌دهند
The repentance they show is like that of the moth: (soon) forgetfulness draws them back again to the (same) work.345
توبه می‌آرند هم پروانه‌وار ** باز نسیان می‌کشدشان سوی کار
Like the moth, he (such a one) deems the fire (seen) from a distance to be light, and packs off (sets out) towards it.
هم‌چو پروانه ز دور آن نار را ** نور دید و بست آن سو بار را
As soon as he comes (to the fire), it burns his wings, and he flees; and (then) again he falls, like (greedy) children (in a hurry), and spills the salt.
چون بیامد سوخت پرش را گریخت ** باز چون طفلان فتاد و ملح ریخت
Once more, thinking and hoping to profit, he quickly dashes himself on the fire of that candle.
بار دیگر بر گمان طمع سود ** خویش زد بر آتش آن شمع زود
Once more he is scorched and recoils; (then) again the greed of his heart makes him forgetful and intoxicated.
بار دیگر سوخت هم واپس بجست ** باز کردش حرص دل ناسی و مست
At the moment when he recoils on being scorched, he gives the ten (fingers), like the Hindú (slave), to the candle,350
آن زمان کز سوختن وا می‌جهد ** هم‌چو هندو شمع را ده می‌دهد
Saying, “Oh, thy face is splendid as the night-illuming moon, but oh, in (actual) intercourse thou art false and destructive to him that is duped (by thee).”
که ای رخت تابان چون ماه شب‌فروز ** وی به صحبت کاذب و مغرورسوز
(Then) again his repentance and moaning go out of his memory, for God hath made the stratagems of the liars to be feeble.
باز از یادش رود توبه و انین ** کاوهن الرحمن کید الکاذبین
Concerning the interpretation, in a general sense, of the Verse: “as often as they kindle a fire for war.”