Then, by (going to) school, that child rose to the top, paid monthly fees (to his teacher), and became perfect (in knowledge).
پس ز مکتب آن یکی صدری شده ** ماهگانه داده و بدری شده
‘Abbás had come to war for vengeance’ sake, for the purpose of subduing Ahmad (Mohammed) and opposing the (true) religion:
آمده عباس حرب از بهر کین ** بهر قمع احمد و استیز دین
He and his descendants in the Caliphate became a back and front (complete support) to the (true) religion until the Resurrection.2795
گشته دین را تا قیامت پشت و رو ** در خلافت او و فرزندان او
“I came to this court in quest of wealth: as soon as I entered the portico I became (a spiritual) chief.
من بر این در طالب چیز آمدم ** صدر گشتم چون به دهلیز آمدم
I brought water as a gift for the sake of (getting) bread: hope of bread led me to the highest place in Paradise.
آب آوردم به تحفه بهر نان ** بوی نانم برد تا صدر جنان
Bread drove an Adam forth from Paradise: bread caused me to mix (made me consort) with those who belong to Paradise.
نان برون راند آدمی را از بهشت ** نان مرا اندر بهشتی در سرشت
I have been freed, like the angels, from water and bread (materiality): without (any worldly) object of desire I move round this court, like the (revolving) sphere of heaven.”
رستم از آب و ز نان همچون ملک ** بی‌‌غرض گردم بر این در چون فلک
Nothing in the world is without object (disinterested) in its movement (activity) except the bodies and the souls of (God's) lovers.2800
بی‌‌غرض نبود به گردش در جهان ** غیر جسم و غیر جان عاشقان
Showing that the lover of this world is like the lover of a wall on which the sunbeams strike, who makes no effort and exertion to perceive that the radiance and splendour do not proceed from the wall, but from the orb of the sun in the Fourth Heaven; consequently he sets his whole heart on the wall, and when the sunbeams rejoin the sun (at sunset), he is left for ever in despair: “and a bar is placed between them and that which they desire.”
در بیان آن که عاشق دنیا بر مثال عاشق دیواری است که بر او تاب آفتاب زند و جهد و جهاد نکرد تا فهم کند که آن تاب و رونق از دیوار نیست از قرص آفتاب است در آسمان چهارم لاجرم کلی دل بر دیوار نهاد چون پرتو آفتاب به آفتاب پیوست او محروم ماند ابدا و حیل بينهم و بين ما يشتهون
The lovers of the Whole are not those who love the part: he that longed for the part failed to attain unto the Whole.
عاشقان کل نه این عشاق جزو ** ماند از کل آن که شد مشتاق جزو
When a part falls in love with a part, the object of its love soon goes (returns) to its own whole.
چون که جزوی عاشق جزوی شود ** زود معشوقش به کل خود رود
He (the lover of the particular) became the laughing-stock of another's slave: he became (like a man who was) drowning and clung to some one weak (and powerless to help him).
ریش گاو بنده‌‌ی غیر آمد او ** غرقه شد کف در ضعیفی در زد او
He (the loved slave) possesses no authority, that he should care for him: shall he do his own master's business or his (the lover's)?
نیست حاکم تا کند تیمار او ** کار خواجه‌‌ی خود کند یا کار او
The Arabic proverb, “If you commit fornication, commit it with a free woman, and if you steal, steal a pearl.”
مثل عرب إذا زنیت فازن بالحرة و إذا سرقت فاسرق الدرة
Hence (the saying), “Commit fornication with a free woman,” became proverbial; (and the words) “steal a pearl” were transferred (metaphorically) to this (meaning).2805
فازن بالحرة پی این شد مثل ** فاسرق الدرة بدین شد منتقل
The slave (the loved one) went away to his master: he (the lover) was left in misery. The scent of the rose went (back) to the rose: he remained as the thorn.
بنده سوی خواجه شد او ماند زار ** بوی گل شد سوی گل او ماند خار
He was left far from the object of his desire—his labour lost, his toil useless, his foot wounded,
او بمانده دور از مطلوب خویش ** سعی ضایع رنج باطل پای ریش
Like the hunter who catches a shadow—how should the shadow become his property?
همچو صیادی که گیرد سایه‌‌ای ** سایه کی گردد و را سرمایه‌‌ای
The man has grasped tightly the shadow of a bird, (while) the bird on the branch of the tree is fallen into amazement,
سایه‌‌ی مرغی گرفته مرد سخت ** مرغ حیران گشته بر شاخ درخت
(Thinking), “I wonder who this crack-brained fellow is laughing at? Here's folly for you, here's a rotten cause!”2810
کاین مدمغ بر که می‌‌خندد عجب ** اینت باطل اینت پوسیده سبب
And if you say that the part is connected with the whole, (then) eat thorns: the thorn is connected with the rose.
ور تو گویی جزو پیوسته‌‌ی کل است ** خار می‌‌خور خار مقرون گل است
Except from one point of view, it (the part) is not connected with the whole: otherwise, indeed, the mission of the prophets would be vain,
جز ز یک رو نیست پیوسته به کل ** ور نه خود باطل بدی بعث رسل
Inasmuch as the prophets are (sent) in order to connect (the part with the whole): how, then, should they (the prophets) connect them when they are (already) one body?
چون رسولان از پی پیوستن‌‌اند ** پس چه پیوندندشان چون یک تن‌‌اند
This discourse hath no end. O lad, the day is late: conclude the tale.
این سخن پایان ندارد ای غلام ** روز بی‌‌گه شد حکایت کن تمام
How the Arab delivered the gift, that is, the jug to the Caliph's servants.
سپردن عرب هدیه را یعنی سبو را به غلامان خلیفه
He presented the jug of water, he sowed the seed of homage in that (exalted) court.2815
آن سبوی آب را در پیش داشت ** تخم خدمت را در آن حضرت بکاشت
“Bear this gift,” said he, “to the Sultan, redeem the King's suitor from indigence.
گفت این هدیه بدان سلطان برید ** سایل شه را ز حاجت واخرید
’Tis sweet water and a new green jug—some of the rain-water that collected in the ditch.”
آب شیرین و سبوی سبز و نو ** ز آب بارانی که جمع آمد به گو
The officials smiled at that, but they accepted it (the jug) as (though it were precious as) life,
خنده می‌‌آمد نقیبان را از آن ** لیک پذرفتند آن را همچو جان
Because the graciousness of the good and wise King had made a mark (impressed itself) on all the courtiers.
ز آن که لطف شاه خوب با خبر ** کرده بود اندر همه ارکان اثر
The disposition of kings settles (becomes implanted) in their subjects: the green sky makes the earth verdant.2820
خوی شاهان در رعیت جا کند ** چرخ اخضر خاک را خضرا کند
Regard the king as a reservoir, his retainers as the pipes: the water runs through the pipe into the ponds (receptacles).
شه چو حوضی دان حشم چون لوله‌‌ها ** آب از لوله روان در کوله‌‌ها
When the water in all (the pipes) is from a pure reservoir, every single one gives sweet water, pleasant to taste;
چون که آب جمله از حوضی است پاک ** هر یکی آبی دهد خوش ذوقناک
But if the water in the reservoir is brackish and dirty, every pipe brings the same to view,
ور در آن حوض آب شور است و پلید ** هر یکی لوله همان آرد پدید
Because every pipe is connected with the reservoir. Dive, dive into (ponder deeply) the meaning of these words.
ز آن که پیوسته ست هر لوله به حوض ** خوض کن در معنی این حرف خوض
(Consider) how the imperial grace of the homeless Spirit has produced effects on the whole body;2825
لطف شاهنشاه جان بی‌‌وطن ** چون اثر کرده ست اندر کل تن
How the grace of Reason, which is of goodly nature, of goodly lineage, brings the entire body into discipline;
لطف عقل خوش نهاد خوش نسب ** چون همه تن را در آرد در ادب
How Love, saucy, uncontrolled, and restless, throws the whole body into madness.
عشق شنگ بی‌‌قرار بی‌‌سکون ** چون در آرد کل تن را در جنون
The purity of the water of the Sea that is like Kawthar (is such that) all its pebbles are pearls and gems.
لطف آب بحر کاو چون کوثر است ** سنگ ریزه‌‌ش جمله در و گوهر است
For whatever science the master is renowned, the souls of his pupils become endued with the same.
هر هنر که استا بدان معروف شد ** جان شاگردان بدان موصوف شد
With the master-theologian the quick and industrious pupil reads (scholastic) theology.2830
پیش استاد اصولی هم اصول ** خواند آن شاگرد چست با حصول
With the master-jurist the student of jurisprudence reads jurisprudence, when he (the teacher) expounds it, not theology.
پیش استاد فقیه آن فقه خوان ** فقه خواند نی اصول اندر بیان
With the master who is a grammarian—the soul of his pupil becomes imbued by him with grammar.
پیش استادی که او نحوی بود ** جان شاگردش از او نحوی شود
Again, the master who is absorbed in the Way (of Súfism)— because of him the soul of his pupil is absorbed in the King (God).
باز استادی که او محو ره است ** جان شاگردش از او محو شه است
Of all these various kinds of knowledge, on the day of death the (best) equipment and provision for the road is the knowledge of (spiritual) poverty.
زین همه انواع دانش روز مرگ ** دانش فقر است ساز راه و برگ
The story of what passed between the grammarian and the boatman.
حکایت ماجرای نحوی و کشتیبان
A certain grammarian embarked in a boat. That self-conceited person turned to the boatman2835
آن یکی نحوی به کشتی درنشست ** رو به کشتیبان نهاد آن خود پرست
And said, “Have you ever studied grammar?” “No,” he replied. The other said, “Half your life is gone to naught.”
گفت هیچ از نحو خواندی گفت لا ** گفت نیم عمر تو شد در فنا
The boatman became heart-broken with grief, but at the time he refrained from answering.
دل شکسته گشت کشتیبان ز تاب ** لیک آن دم کرد خامش از جواب
The wind cast the boat into a whirlpool: the boatman spoke loud (shouted) to the grammarian,
باد کشتی را به گردابی فگند ** گفت کشتیبان به آن نحوی بلند
“Tell me, do you know how to swim?” “No,” said he, “O fair-spoken good-looking man!”
هیچ دانی آشنا کردن بگو ** گفت نی ای خوش جواب خوب رو
“O grammarian,” said he, “your whole life is naught, because the boat is sinking in these whirlpools.”2840
گفت کل عمرت ای نحوی فناست ** ز آن که کشتی غرق این گردابهاست
Know that here mahw (self-effacement) is needed, not nah? (grammar): if you are mahw (dead to self), plunge into the sea without peril.
محو می‌‌باید نه نحو اینجا بدان ** گر تو محوی بی‌‌خطر در آب ران
The water of the sea places the dead one on its head (causes him to float on the surface); but if he be living, how shall he escape from the sea?
آب دریا مرده را بر سر نهد ** ور بود زنده ز دریا کی رهد