If you give bread for God's sake, you will be given bread (in return); if you give your life for God's sake, you will be given life (in return).
نان دهی از بهر حق نانت دهند ** جان دهی از بهر حق جانت دهند
If the leaves of this plane-tree drop off, the Creator will bestow on it the provision of leaflessness (spiritual poverty).
گر بریزد برگهای این چنار ** برگ بیبرگیش بخشد کردگار
If because of your liberality no wealth remains in your hand, how should the bounty of God let you be down-trodden?
گر نماند از جود در دست تو مال ** کی کند فضل خدایت پای مال
When any one sows, his barn becomes empty (of seed), but there is goodliness in his cornfield;
هر که کارد گردد انبارش تهی ** لیکش اندر مزرعه باشد بهی
And, if he leaves it (the seed) in the barn and saves it up, weevils and mice and calamities (of time and decay) devour it entirely.2240
و آن که در انبار ماند و صرفه کرد ** اشپش و موش و حوادث پاک خورد
This world is negation (of reality): seek (reality) in affirmation (of God). Your form (body) is void (of reality): seek in your essence.
این جهان نفی است در اثبات جو ** صورتت صفر است در معنات جو
Bring the briny bitter (animal) soul to the sword: buy the (heavenly) soul that is like a great sweet river.
جان شور تلخ پیش تیغ بر ** جان چون دریای شیرین را بخر
And if you cannot become (one of the frequenters) of this threshold (sublime court), at least hear from me the following tale.
ور نمیدانی شدن زین آستان ** باری از من گوش کن این داستان
The story of the Caliph who in his time surpassed Hátim of Tayyi in generosity and had no rival.
قصهی خلیفه که در کرم در زمان خود از حاتم طایی گذشته بود و نظیر خود نداشت
In former days there was a Caliph who made Hátim the slave of his liberality.
یک خلیفه بود در ایام پیش ** کرده حاتم را غلام جود خویش
He had raised high the banner of munificence and largesse, he had removed poverty and want from the world.2245
رایت اکرام و داد افراشته ** فقر و حاجت از جهان برداشته
(He was) a sea (of bounty), and the pearls (in it) came pure (untarnished) from his munificence: his largesse reached from Qáf to Qáf.
بحر و کان از بخششاش صاف آمده ** داد او از قاف تا قاف آمده
In this world of dust he was the cloud and the rain: he was the centre wherein the bounty of the Giver of all displayed itself.
در جهان خاک ابر و آب بود ** مظهر بخشایش وهاب بود
His gifts caused sea and mine to quake (tremble with shame): caravan on caravan (were hastening) towards his liberality.
از عطایش بحر و کان در زلزله ** سوی جودش قافله بر قافله
His gate and portal was the point to which Need turned: the fame of his munificence had gone (far and wide) into the world.
قبلهی حاجت در و دروازهاش ** رفته در عالم به جود آوازهاش
Persians and Greeks, Turcomans and Arabs, were lost in amazement at his liberality and generosity.2250
هم عجم هم روم هم ترک و عرب ** مانده از جود و سخایش در عجب
He was the Water of Life and the Ocean of Bounty: by him both Arabs and foreigners were revived.
آب حیوان بود و دریای کرم ** زنده گشته هم عرب زو هم عجم
Story of the poor Arab of the desert and his wife's altercation with him because of (their) penury and poverty.
قصهی اعرابی درویش و ماجرای زن با او به سبب قلت و درویشی
One night a Bedouin woman said to her husband—and she carried (her) talk beyond bounds—
یک شب اعرابی زنی مر شوی را ** گفت و از حد برد گفتوگوی را
“We are suffering all this poverty and hardship: all the world are (living) in happiness, we (alone) are unhappy.
کاین همه فقر و جفا ما میکشیم ** جمله عالم در خوشی ما ناخوشیم
We have no bread, our (only) condiment is anguish and envy: we have no jug, our (only) water is the tears (that flow) from our eyes.
نانمان نی نان خورشمان درد و رشک ** کوزهمان نه آبمان از دیده اشک
Our garment by day is the burning sunshine; at night our bed and coverlet is (made) of the moonbeams.2255
جامهی ما روز تاب آفتاب ** شب نهالین و لحاف از ماهتاب
We fancy the disk of the moon is a disk (round cake) of bread and lift up our hands towards the sky.
قرص مه را قرص نان پنداشته ** دست سوی آسمان برداشته
The (poorest of the) poor feel shame at our poverty: day is turned to night (darkened) by our anxiety about our daily portion (of food).
ننگ درویشان ز درویشی ما ** روز شب از روزی اندیشی ما
Kinsfolk and strangers have come to flee from us in like fashion as Sámirí from men.
خویش و بیگانه شده از ما رمان ** بر مثال سامری از مردمان
If I beg a handful of lentils from some one, he says to me, ‘Be silent, O death and plague!’
گر بخواهم از کسی یک مشت نسک ** مر مرا گوید خمش کن مرگ و جسک
The Arabs take pride in fighting and giving: thou amongst the Arabs art like a fault in writing.”2260
مر عرب را فخر غزو است و عطا ** در عرب تو همچو اندر خط خطا
What fighting (can we do)? We are killed without fighting, we have been beheaded by the sword of want.
چه غزا ما بیغزا خود کشتهایم ** ما به تیغ فقر بیسر گشتهایم
What gifts (can we make)? We are continually in beggary, we are slitting the vein of (slaughtering) the gnat in the air.
چه عطا ما بر گدایی میتنیم ** مر مگس را در هوا رگ میزنیم
If any guest arrive, if I am I (as sure as I am living) (when) he goes to sleep at night, I will tear the tattered cloak from his body.
گر کسی مهمان رسد گر من منم ** شب بخسبد قصد دلق او کنم
How disciples (novices in Súfism) are beguiled in their need by false impostors and imagine them to be Shaykhs and venerable personages and (saints) united (with God), and do not know the difference between fact (naqd) and fiction (naql) and between what is tied on (artificially) and what has grown up (naturally).
مغرور شدن مریدان محتاج به مدعیان مزور و ایشان را شیخ و محتشم و واصل پنداشتن و نقل را از نقد فرق نادانستن و بر بسته را از بر رسته
For this reason the wise have said with knowledge, ‘One must become the guest of those who confer benefits.’
بهر این گفتند دانایان به فن ** میهمان محسنان باید شدن
Thou art the disciple and guest of one who, from his vileness, robs thee of all thou hast.2265
تو مرید و میهمان آن کسی ** کاو ستاند حاصلت را از خسی
He is not strong: how should he make thee strong? He does not give light, (nay) he makes thee dark.
نیست چیره چون ترا چیره کند ** نور ندهد مر ترا تیره کند
Since he had no light (in himself), how in association (with him) should others obtain light from him?
چون و را نوری نبود اندر قران ** نور کی یابند از وی دیگران
(He is) like the half-blind healer of eyes: what should he put in (people's) eyes except jasper?
همچو اعمش کو کند داروی چشم ** چه کشد در چشمها الا که یشم
Such is our state in poverty and affliction: may no guest be beguiled by us!
حال ما این است در فقر و عنا ** هیچ مهمانی مبا مغرور ما
If thou hast never seen a ten years' famine in (visible) forms, open thine eyes and look at us.2270
قحط ده سال ار ندیدی در صور ** چشمها بگشا و اندر ما نگر
Our outward appearance is like the inward reality of the impostor: darkness in his heart, his tongue flashy (plausible).
ظاهر ما چون درون مدعی ** در دلش ظلمت زبانش شعشعی
He has no scent or trace of God, (but) his pretension is greater than (that of) Seth and the Father of mankind (Adam).
از خدا بویی نه او را نی اثر ** دعویش افزون ز شیث و بو البشر
The Devil (is so ashamed of him that he) has not shown to him even his portrait, (yet) he (the impostor) is saying, ‘We are of the Abdál and are more (we are superior even to them).’
دیو ننموده و را هم نقش خویش ** او همیگوید ز ابدالیم و بیش
He has stolen many an expression used by dervishes, in order that he himself may be thought to be a (holy) personage.
حرف درویشان بدزدیده بسی ** تا گمان آید که هست او خود کسی
In his talk he cavils at Báyazíd, (although) Yazíd would be ashamed of his inward (thoughts and feelings).2275
خرده گیرد در سخن بر بایزید ** ننگ دارد از درون او یزید
(He is) without (any) portion of the bread and viands of Heaven: God did not throw a single bone to him.
بینوا از نان و خوان آسمان ** پیش او ننداخت حق یک استخوان
He has proclaimed, ‘I have laid out the dishes, I am the Vicar of God, I am the son of the (spiritual) Khalífa:
او ندا کرده که خوان بنهادهام ** نایب حقم خلیفه زادهام
Welcome (to the feast), O simple-hearted ones, tormented (with hunger), that from my bounteous table ye may eat your fill’—of nothing.
الصلا ساده دلان پیچ پیچ ** تا خورید از خوان جودم سیر هیچ
Some persons, (relying) on the promise of ‘To-morrow,’ have wandered for years around that door, (but) ‘To-morrow’ never comes.
سالها بر وعدهی فردا کسان ** گرد آن در گشته فردا نارسان
It needs a long time for the inmost conscience of a man to become evident, more and less (both in great and small matters),2280
دیر باید تا که سر آدمی ** آشکارا گردد از بیش و کمی
(So that we may know whether) beneath the wall of his body there is treasure, or whether there is the house of snake and ant and dragon.
زیر دیوار بدن گنج است یا ** خانهی مار است و مور و اژدها
When it became clear that he was naught (worthless), (by that time) the life of the seeker (disciple) had passed: what use (was) the knowledge (to him)?
چون که پیدا گشت کاو چیزی نبود ** عمر طالب رفت آگاهی چه سود
Explaining how it may happen, (though) rarely, that a disciple sincerely puts his faith in a false impostor (and believes) that he is a (holy) personage, and by means of this faith attains unto a (spiritual) degree which his Shaykh has never (even) dreamed of, and (then) fire and water do him no hurt, though they hurt his Shaykh; but this occurs very seldom.
در بیان آن که نادر افتد که مریدی در مدعی مزور اعتقاد به صدق ببندد که او کسی است و بدین اعتقاد به مقامی برسد که شیخش در خواب ندیده باشد و آب و آتش او را گزند نکند و شیخش را گزند کند و لیکن به نادر نادر
But exceptionally comes (the case of) a disciple to whom, because of his (spiritual) illumination, that falsehood (of the impostor) is beneficial.
لیک نادر طالب آید کز فروغ ** در حق او نافع آید آن دروغ
He, by his goodly purpose, attains unto a (high) degree, although he fancied (the impostor to be) soul, and that (soul) proved to be (only) body.
او به قصد نیک خود جایی رسد ** گر چه جان پنداشت و آن آمد جسد
(It is) like trying to find the qibla in the heart (depth) of night: the qibla is not (found), but his (the seeker's) prayer is valid.2285
چون تحری در دل شب قبله را ** قبله نی و آن نماز او روا