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1
2807-2856

  • 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 boatman 2835
  • 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

  • Inasmuch as you have died to the attributes of the flesh, the Sea of (Divine) consciousness will place you on the crown of its head (will raise you to honour).
  • چون بمردی تو ز اوصاف بشر ** بحر اسرارت نهد بر فرق سر

  • (But) O thou who hast called the people asses, at this time thou art left (floundering), like an ass, upon this ice.
  • ای که خلقان را تو خر می‌‌خوانده‌‌ای ** این زمان چون خر بر این یخ مانده‌‌ای‌‌

  • If in the world thou art the most learned scholar of the time, behold the passing away of this world and this time! 2845
  • گر تو علامه‌‌ی زمانی در جهان ** نک فنای این جهان بین وین زمان‌‌

  • We have stitched in (inserted) the (story of the) grammarian, that we might teach you the grammar (nahw) of self-effacement (mahw).
  • مرد نحوی را از آن در دوختیم ** تا شما را نحو محو آموختیم‌‌

  • In self-loss, O venerated friend, thou wilt find the jurisprudence of jurisprudence, the grammar of grammar, and the accidence of accidence.
  • فقه فقه و نحو نحو و صرف صرف ** در کم آمد یابی ای یار شگرف‌‌

  • That jug of water is (an emblem of) our different sorts of knowledge, and the Caliph is the Tigris of God's knowledge.
  • آن سبوی آب دانشهای ماست ** و آن خلیفه دجله‌‌ی علم خداست‌‌

  • We are carrying jugs full (of water) to the Tigris: if we do not know ourselves to be asses, asses we are.
  • ما سبوها پر به دجله می‌‌بریم ** گر نه خر دانیم خود را ما خریم‌‌

  • After all, the Bedouin was excusable, for he was inattentive and very blind to the Tigris and of the (great) river. 2850
  • باری اعرابی بدان معذور بود ** کو ز دجله بی‌‌خبر بود و ز رود

  • If he had been acquainted with the Tigris, as we are, he would not have carried that jug from place to place;
  • گر ز دجله با خبر بودی چو ما ** او نبردی آن سبو را جا به جا

  • Nay, had he been aware of the Tigris, he would have dashed that jug against a stone.
  • بلکه از دجله چو واقف آمدی ** آن سبو را بر سر سنگی زدی‌‌

  • How the Caliph accepted the gift and bestowed largesse, notwithstanding that he was entirely without need of the gift (the water) and the jug.
  • قبول کردن خلیفه هدیه را و عطا فرمودن با کمال بی‌‌نیازی از آن هدیه و از آن سبو

  • When the Caliph saw (the gift) and heard his story, he filled the jug with gold and added (other presents).
  • چون خلیفه دید و احوالش شنید ** آن سبو را پر ز زر کرد و مزید

  • He delivered the Arab from penury, he bestowed donations and special robes of honour,
  • آن عرب را کرد از فاقه خلاص ** داد بخششها و خلعتهای خاص‌‌

  • Saying, “Give into his hand this jug full of gold. When he returns (home), take him to the Tigris. 2855
  • کاین سبو پر زر به دست او دهید ** چون که واگردد سوی دجله‌‌ش برید

  • He has come (hither) by way of the desert and by travelling (on land): it will be nearer for him (to return) by way of the Tigris.”
  • از ره خشک آمده ست و از سفر ** از ره آبش بود نزدیکتر