He saw a bountiful Court, (where) the needy had spread their nets;
دید درگاهی پر از انعامها ** اهل حاجت گستریده دامها
Everywhere, moment by moment, some petitioner gained (and carried away) from that Court a donation and robe of honour:
دم به دم هر سوی صاحب حاجتی ** یافته ز آن در عطا و خلعتی
’Twas like sun and rain, nay, like Paradise, for infidel and true believer and good folk and bad.
بهر گبر و مومن و زیبا و زشت ** همچو خورشید و مطر نی چون بهشت
He beheld some people arrayed (with favour) in the sight (of the Caliph), and others who had risen to their feet (and were) waiting (to receive his commands).2740
دید قومی در نظر آراسته ** قوم دیگر منتظر برخاسته
High and low, from Solomon to the ant, they (all) had become quickened with life, like the world at the blast of the trumpet (on the Day of Resurrection).
خاص و عامه از سلیمان تا به مور ** زنده گشته چون جهان از نفخ صور
The followers of Form were woven (entangled) in pearls, the followers of Reality had found the Sea of Reality.
اهل صورت در جواهر بافته ** اهل معنی بحر معنی یافته
Those without aspiration—how aspiring had they become! and those of high aspiration—to what felicity had they attained!
آن که بی‌‌همت چه با همت شده ** و آن که با همت چه با نعمت شده
Showing that, as the beggar is in love with bounty and in love with the bountiful giver, so the bounty of the bountiful giver is in love with the beggar: if the beggar have the greater patience, the bountiful giver will come to his door; and if the bountiful giver have the greater patience, the beggar will come to his door; but the beggar's patience is a virtue in the beggar, while the patience of the bountiful giver is in him a defect.
در بیان آن که چنان که گدا عاشق کرم است و عاشق کریم، کرم کریم هم عاشق گداست اگر گدا را صبر بیش بود کریم بر در او آید و اگر کریم را صبر بیش بود گدا بر در او آید اما صبر گدا کمال گداست و صبر کریم نقصان اوست
A loud call was coming (to his ears): “Come, O seeker! Bounty is in need of beggars: (it is needy) like a beggar.
بانگ می‌‌آمد که ای طالب بیا ** جود محتاج گدایان چون گدا
Bounty is seeking the beggars and the poor, just as fair ones who seek a clear mirror.2745
The face of the fair is made beautiful by the mirror, the face of Beneficence is made visible by the beggar.
روی خوبان ز آینه زیبا شود ** روی احسان از گدا پیدا شود
Therefore on this account God said in the Súra Wa’d-Duhá, “O Mohammed, do not shout at (and drive away) the beggar.”
پس از این فرمود حق در و الضحی ** بانگ کم زن ای محمد بر گدا
Inasmuch as the beggar is the mirror of Bounty, take care! Breath is hurtful to the face of the mirror.
چون گدا آیینه‌‌ی جود است هان ** دم بود بر روی آیینه زیان
In the one case, his (the giver's) bounty makes the beggar manifest (causes him to beg), while in the other case he (the giver), (without being asked), bestows on the beggars more (than they need).
آن یکی جودش گدا آرد پدید ** و آن دگر بخشد گدایان را مزید
Beggars, then, are the evidentiary sign of God's bounty, and they that are with God are (united with) the Absolute Bounty;2750
پس گدایان آیت جود حق‌‌اند ** و آن که با حقند جود مطلق‌‌اند
And every one except those two (types of beggar) is truly a dead man: he is not at this door (the Divine Court), he is (lifeless as) a picture (embroidered) on a curtain.
و آن که جز این دوست او خود مرده‌‌ای است ** او بر این در نیست نقش پرده‌‌ای است
The difference between one that is poor for (desirous of) God and thirsting for Him and one that is poor of (destitute of) God and thirsting for what is other than He.
فرق میان آن که درویش است به خدا و تشنه‌‌ی خدا و میان آن که درویش است از خدا و تشنه‌‌ی غیر است
He (that seeks other than God) is the (mere) picture of a dervish, he is not worthy of bread (Divine bounty): do not throw a bone to the picture of a dog!
نقش درویش است او نی اهل نان ** نقش سگ را تو مینداز استخوان
He wants a morsel of food, he does not want God: do not set dishes before a lifeless picture!
فقر لقمه دارد او نی فقر حق ** پیش نقش مرده‌‌ای کم نه طبق
The dervish that wants bread is a land-fish: (he has) the form of a fish, but (he is) fleeing from the sea.
ماهی خاکی بود درویش نان ** شکل ماهی لیک از دریا رمان
He is a domestic fowl, not the Símurgh of the air: he swallows sweet morsels (of food), he does not eat from God.2755
مرغ خانه ست او نه سیمرغ هوا ** لوت نوشد او ننوشد از خدا
He loves God for the sake of gain: his soul is not in love with (God's) excellence and beauty.
عاشق حق است او بهر نوال ** نیست جانش عاشق حسن و جمال
If he conceives that he is in love with the Essence (of God), conception of the (Divine) names and attributes is not the Essence.
گر توهم می‌‌کند او عشق ذات ** ذات نبود وهم اسما و صفات
Conception is created; it has been begotten: God is not begotten, He is lam yúlad.
وهم مخلوق است و مولود آمده ست ** حق نزاییده ست او لم یولد است
How should he that is in love with his own imagination and conception be one of them that love the Lord of bounties?
عاشق تصویر و وهم خویشتن ** کی بود از عاشقان ذو المنن
If the lover of that (false) conception be sincere, that metaphor (unreal judgement) will lead him to the reality.2760
عاشق آن وهم اگر صادق بود ** آن مجاز او حقیقت کش شود
The exposition of this saying demands a commentary, but I am afraid of senile (feeble) minds.
شرح می‌‌خواهد بیان این سخن ** لیک می‌‌ترسم ز افهام کهن
Senile and short-sighted minds bring a hundred evil fancies into their thoughts.
فهم‌‌های کهنه‌‌ی کوته نظر ** صد خیال بد در آرد در فکر
Not every one is able to hear rightly: the fig is not a morsel for every little bird,
بر سماع راست هر کس چیر نیست ** لقمه‌‌ی هر مرغکی انجیر نیست
Especially a bird that is dead, putrid; a blind, eyeless (fellow) filled with vain fancy.
خاصه مرغی مرده‌‌ای پوسیده‌‌ای ** پر خیالی اعمیی بی‌‌دیده‌‌ای
To the picture of a fish what is the difference between sea and land? To the colour of a Hindoo what is the difference between soap and black vitriol?2765
نقش ماهی را چه دریا و چه خاک ** رنگ هندو را چه صابون و چه زاک
If you depict the portrait on the paper as sorrowful, it has no lesson (learns nothing) of sorrow or joy.
نقش اگر غمگین نگاری بر ورق ** او ندارد از غم و شادی سبق
Its appearance is sorrowful, but it is free from that (sorrow); (or) its appearance is smiling, but it has no (inward) impression of that (joy).
صورتش غمگین و او فارغ از آن ** صورتش خندان و او ز آن بی‌‌نشان
And this (worldly) sorrow and joy which are a lot (received) in the heart (which befall the heart) are naught but a picture in comparison with that (spiritual) joy and sorrow.
وین غم و شادی که اندر دل خفی است ** پیش آن شادی و غم جز نقش نیست
The picture's smiling appearance is for your sake, in order that by means of that picture the reality may be established (rightly understood by you).
صورت خندان نقش از بهر تست ** تا از آن صورت شود معنی درست
The pictures (phenomena) which are in these hot baths (the world), (when viewed) from outside the undressing-room (of self-abandonment), are like clothes.2770
نقشهایی کاندر این حمامهاست ** از برون جامه کن چون جامهاست
So long as you are outside, you see only the clothes (phenomena): put off your clothes and enter (the bath of reality), O kindred spirit,
تا برونی جامه‌‌ها بینی و بس ** جامه بیرون کن در آ ای هم نفس
Because, with your clothes, there is no way (of getting) inside: the body is ignorant of the soul, the clothes (are ignorant) of the body.
ز آن که با جامه درون سو راه نیست ** تن ز جان جامه ز تن آگاه نیست
How the Caliph's officers and chamberlains came forward to pay their respects to the Bedouin and to receive his gift.
پیش آمدن نقیبان و دربانان خلیفه از بهر اکرام اعرابی و پذیرفتن هدیه‌‌ی او را
When the Bedouin arrived from the remote desert to the gate of the Caliph's palace,
آن عرابی از بیابان بعید ** بر در دار الخلافه چون رسید
The court officers went to meet him: they sprinkled much rose-water of graciousness on his bosom.
پس نقیبان پیش او باز آمدند ** بس گلاب لطف بر جیبش زدند
Without speech (on his part) they perceived what he wanted: it was their practice to give before being asked.2775
حاجت او فهمشان شد بی‌‌مقال ** کار ایشان بد عطا پیش از سؤال
Then they said to him, “O chief of the Arabs, whence dost thou come? How art thou after the journey and fatigue?”
پس بدو گفتند یا وجه العرب ** از کجایی چونی از راه و تعب
He said, “I am a chief, if ye give me any countenance (favour); I am without means (of winning respect) when ye put me behind your backs.
گفت وجهم گر مرا وجهی دهید ** بی‌‌وجوهم چون پس پشتم نهید
O ye in whose faces are the marks of eminence, O ye whose splendour is more pleasing than the gold of Ja‘far,
ای که در روتان نشان مهتری ** فرتان خوشتر ز زر جعفری
O ye, one sight of whom is (worth many) sights, O ye on whose religion pieces of gold are scattered (as largesse),
ای که یک دیدارتان دیدارها ** ای نثار دینتان دینارها
O ye, all of whom have become seeing by the light of God, who have come from the King for the sake of munificence,2780
ای همه ینظر بنور الله شده ** از بر حق بهر بخشش آمده
That ye may cast the elixir of your looks upon the copper of human individuals,
تا زنید آن کیمیاهای نظر ** بر سر مسهای اشخاص بشر
I am a stranger: I have come from the desert: I have come in hope of (gaining) the grace of the Sultan.
من غریبم از بیابان آمدم ** بر امید لطف سلطان آمدم
The scent of his grace covered (took entire possession of) the deserts: even the grains of sand were ensouled (thereby).
بوی لطف او بیابانها گرفت ** ذره‌‌های ریگ هم جانها گرفت
I came all the way to this place for the sake of dinars: as soon as I arrived, I became drunken with sight (contemplation).”
تا بدین جا بهر دینار آمدم ** چون رسیدم مست دیدار آمدم
A person ran to the baker for bread: on seeing the beauty of the baker, he gave up the ghost.2785
بهر نان شخصی سوی نانوا دوید ** داد جان چون حسن نانوا را بدید
A certain man went to the rose-garden to take his pleasure, and found it in the beauty of the gardener,
بهر فرجه شد یکی تا گلستان ** فرجه‌‌ی او شد جمال باغبان