“O woman,” said he, “art thou a woman or the father of sorrow? Poverty is (my) pride, and do not thou beat me on the head (lash me with thy reproaches).
گفت ای زن تو زنی یا بو الحزن ** فقر فخر آمد مرا بر سر مزن
Wealth and gold are as a cap to the head: ’tis the bald man that makes a shelter of his cap,
مال و زر سر را بود همچون کلاه ** کل بود او کز کله سازد پناه
(But) he that has curly and beautiful locks is happier when his cap is gone.
آن که زلف جعد و رعنا باشدش ** چون کلاهش رفت خوشتر آیدش
The man of God (the saint) resembles the eye: therefore (his) sight is better bare (unveiled) than covered.2345
مرد حق باشد به مانند بصر ** پس برهنه‌‌ش به که پوشیده نظر
When a slave-dealer offers (slaves) for sale, he removes from the (sound) slave the garment that hides defects.
وقت عرضه کردن آن برده فروش ** بر کند از بنده جامه‌‌ی عیب پوش
But if there be any defect, how should he strip him? Nay, he tricks him (the purchaser) by means of the garment.
ور بود عیبی برهنه کی کند ** بل به جامه خدعه‌‌ای با وی کند
‘This one,’ says he, ‘is ashamed of good and evil: stripping him would cause him to run away from thee.’
گوید این شرمنده است از نیک و بد ** از برهنه کردن او از تو رمد
The (rich) merchant is plunged in vice up to the ears, (but) the merchant has money, and his money covers his vice,
خواجه در عیب است غرقه تا به گوش ** خواجه را مال است و مالش عیب پوش
For because of cupidity none that is covetous sees his vice: feelings of cupidity are a bond uniting (men's) hearts;2350
And if a beggar speak a word like the (pure) gold of the mine, his wares will not find the way to the shop.
ور گدا گوید سخن چون زر کان ** ره نیابد کاله‌‌ی او در دکان
The affair of (spiritual) poverty is beyond thy apprehension: do not look on poverty with contempt,
کار درویشی ورای فهم تست ** سوی درویشی بمنگر سست سست
Because dervishes are beyond property and wealth: they possess an abundant portion from the Almighty.
ز آن که درویشان ورای ملک و مال ** روزیی دارند ژرف از ذو الجلال
The High God is just, and how should the just behave tyrannously to the dispirited (poor and weak)?
حق تعالی عادل است و عادلان ** کی کنند استمگری بر بی‌‌دلان
(How should they) give fortune and goods to that one, while they put this one on the fire?2355
آن یکی را نعمت و کالا دهند ** وین دگر را بر سر آتش نهند
May the fire consume him, because he hath this (evil) thought about the Lord who created both worlds.
آتشش سوزا که دارد این گمان ** بر خدای خالق هر دو جهان
Is (the saying) ‘Poverty is my pride’ vain and false? No; ’tis thousands of hidden glories and disdains.
فقر فخری از گزاف است و مجاز ** نی هزاران عز پنهان است و ناز
Thou in anger hast poured nicknames on me: thou hast called me a catcher (deceiver) of friends and a catcher of snakes.
از غضب بر من لقبها راندی ** یارگیر و مار گیرم خواندی
If I catch the snake, I extract its fangs in order that it may not suffer harm by having its head crushed.
گر بگیرم بر کنم دندان مار ** تاش از سر کوفتن نبود ضرار
Because those fangs are an enemy to its life, I am making the enemy a friend by means of this skill.2360
ز آن که آن دندان عدوی جان اوست ** من عدو را می‌‌کنم زین علم دوست
Never do I chant my spell from (motives of) cupidity: I have turned this cupidity upside down (I have entirely vanquished it).
از طمع هرگز نخوانم من فسون ** این طمع را کرده‌‌ام من سر نگون
God forbid! I desire nothing from created beings: through contentment there is a (whole) world within my heart.
حاش لله طمع من از خلق نیست ** از قناعت در دل من عالمی است
Thou, (sitting) on the top of the pear-tree, seest (things) like that: come down from it, that the (evil) thought may not continue.
بر سر امرودبن بینی چنان ** ز آن فرود آ تا نماند آن گمان
When thou turnest round and round and becomest giddy, thou seest the house turning round, and ’tis thou (thyself) art that (revolving object).
چون که بر گردی و سر گشته شوی ** خانه را گردنده بینی و آن توی
Explaining how every one's movement (action) proceeds from the place where he is, (so that) he sees every one (else) from the circle of his own self-existence: a blue glass shows the sun as blue, a red glass as red, (but) when the glass escapes from (the sphere of) colour, it becomes white, (and then) it is more truthful than all other glasses and is the Imám (exemplar to them all).
در بیان آن که جنبیدن هر کسی از آن جا که وی است هر کس را از چنبره‌‌ی وجود خود بیند، تابه‌‌ی کبود آفتاب را کبود نماید و سرخ سرخ نماید چون تابه از رنگها بیرون آید سپید شود از همه تابه‌‌های دیگر او راست‌‌گوتر باشد و امام باشد
Abú Jahl saw Ahmad (Mohammed) and said, ‘’Tis an ugly figure that has sprung from the sons of Háshim!’2365
دید احمد را ابو جهل و بگفت ** زشت نقشی کز بنی هاشم شگفت
Ahmad said to him, ‘Thou art right, thou hast spoken truth, although thou art impertinent.’
گفت احمد مر و را که راستی ** راست گفتی گر چه کار افزاستی
The Siddíq (Abú Bakr) saw him and said, ‘O Sun, thou art neither of East nor of West: shine beauteously!’
دید صدیقش بگفت ای آفتاب ** نی ز شرقی نی ز غربی خوش بتاب
Ahmad said, ‘Thou hast spoken the truth, O dear friend, O thou that hast escaped from this world of nothingness.’
گفت احمد راست گفتی ای عزیز ** ای رهیده تو ز دنیای نه چیز
They that were present said, ‘O Prince of mankind, why didst thou call both of them truth-tellers when they contradicted each other?’
حاضران گفتند ای صدر الوری ** راست گو گفتی دو ضد گو را چرا
He replied, ‘I am a mirror polished by the (Divine) hand: Turcoman and Indian behold in me that which exists (in themselves).’2370
گفت من آیینه‌‌ام مصقول دست ** ترک و هندو در من آن بیند که هست
O wife, if thou deemest me very covetous, rise above this womanish care (for worldly things).
ای زن ار طماع می‌‌بینی مرا ** زین تحری زنانه برتر آ
This (state of mine) resembles cupidity and (in reality) it is a (Divine) mercy: where that (spiritual) blessing is, where is cupidity?
این طمع را ماند و رحمت بود ** کو طمع آن جا که آن نعمت بود
Make trial of poverty for a day or two, that thou mayst see (find) in poverty double riches.
امتحان کن فقر را روزی دو تو ** تا به فقر اندر غنا بینی دو تو
Have patience with poverty and abandon this disgust, because in poverty there is the majesty of the Lord of glory.
صبر کن با فقر و بگذار این ملال ** ز آن که در فقر است عز ذو الجلال
Do not look sour, and (thou wilt) see thousands of souls plunged, through contentment, in an ocean of honey.2375
سرکه مفروش و هزاران جان ببین ** از قناعت غرق بحر انگبین
Behold hundreds of thousands of bitterly suffering souls steeped in rose-syrup, like the rose.
صد هزاران جان تلخی کش نگر ** همچو گل آغشته اندر گل شکر
Oh, alas, would that thou hadst comprehension, so that the unfolded tale of my heart might be shown forth to thee from my soul.
ای دریغا مر ترا گنجا بدی ** تا ز جانم شرح دل پیدا شدی
This discourse is milk in the teat of the soul: it will not flow well without some one to suck (the teat).
این سخن شیر است در پستان جان ** بی‌‌کشنده خوش نمی‌‌گردد روان
When the hearer has become thirsty and craving, the preacher, (even) if he be (as good as) dead, becomes eloquent.
مستمع چون تشنه و جوینده شد ** واعظ ار مرده بود گوینده شد
When the hearer is fresh and without fatigue (not bored), the dumb and mute will find a hundred tongues to speak withal.2380
مستمع چون تازه آمد بی‌‌ملال ** صد زبان گردد به گفتن گنگ و لال
When a stranger comes in at my door, the women of the harem hide themselves in the veil,
چون که نامحرم در آید از درم ** پرده در پنهان شوند اهل حرم
But if a harmless relative should come in, those covered ones will lift up their face-veils.
ور در آید محرمی دور از گزند ** بر گشایند آن ستیران روی‌‌بند
Everything that is made beautiful and fair and lovely is made (so) for the eye of him that sees.
هر چه را خوب و خوش و زیبا کنند ** از برای دیده‌‌ی بینا کنند
How should the sound of the harp and treble and bass be (made) for the insentient ear of one who is deaf?
کی بود آواز چنگ و زیر و بم ** از برای گوش بی‌‌حس اصم
Not in vain did God make musk fragrant: He made it (so) for the sense (of smell), He did not make it for one whose nostrils are stopped (by disease).2385
مشک را بی‌‌هوده حق خوش دم نکرد ** بهر حس کرد او پی اخشم نکرد
God hath fashioned the earth and the sky, He hath raised in the midst much fire and light.
حق زمین و آسمان بر ساخته ست ** در میان بس نار و نور افراخته ست
(He made) this earth for those (created) of clay, (He made) heaven to be the abode of the celestials.
این زمین را از برای خاکیان ** آسمان را مسکن افلاکیان
The low (base) man is the enemy of what is high: the purchaser (seeker) of each place (Heaven or Hell) is manifest (made known by his actions).
مرد سفلی دشمن بالا بود ** مشتری هر مکان پیدا بود
O chaste woman, hast thou ever risen up and decked thyself for the sake of him that is blind?
ای ستیره هیچ تو برخاستی ** خویشتن را بهر کور آراستی
If I should fill the world with hidden pearls (of wisdom), how should I fare (what good would it do me), since they are not thy portion (since thou art unfit to receive them)?2390
گر جهان را پر در مکنون کنم ** روزی تو چون نباشد چون کنم
O wife, take leave of quarrelling and waylaying, and if thou wilt not, (then) take leave of me!
ترک جنگ و ره زنی ای زن بگو ** ور نمی‌‌گویی به ترک من بگو