Myriads on myriads of men and women—why, then, did they remain deprived of fortune?
صد هزار اندر هزار از مرد و زن ** پس چرا محروم ماندند از زمن
From the beginning of the world myriads of generations have opened a hundred mouths, like dragons:950
صد هزاران قرن ز آغاز جهان ** همچو اژدرها گشاده صد دهان
Those clever people devised plots (of such power) that the mountain thereby was torn up from its foundation.
مکرها کردند آن دانا گروه ** که ز بن بر کنده شد ز آن مکر کوه
The Glorious (God) described their plots (when He said): (though their guile be such) that the tops of the mountains might be moved thereby.
کرد وصف مکرهاشان ذو الجلال ** لتزول منه اقلال الجبال
(But) except the portion which came to pass (was predestined) in eternity, nothing showed its face (accrued to them) from their hunting and doing.
جز که آن قسمت که رفت اندر ازل ** روی ننمود از شکار و از عمل
They all fell from (failed in) plan and act: the acts and decrees of the Maker remained.
جمله افتادند از تدبیر و کار ** ماند کار و حکم‌‌های کردگار
O illustrious one, do not regard work as aught but a name! O cunning one, think not that exertion is aught but a vain fancy!”955
کسب جز نامی مدان ای نامدار ** جهد جز وهمی مپندار ای عیار
How ‘Azrá‘íl (Azrael) looked at a certain man, and how that man fled to the palace of Solomon; and setting forth the superiority of trust in God to exertion and the uselessness of the latter.
نگریستن عزراییل بر مردی و گریختن آن مرد در سرای سلیمان و تقریر ترجیح توکل بر جهد و قلت فایده‌‌ی جهد
One forenoon a freeborn (noble) man arrived and ran into Solomon's hall of justice,
زاد مردی چاشتگاهی در رسید ** در سرا عدل سلیمان در دوید
His countenance pale with anguish and both lips blue. Then Solomon said, “Good sir, what is the matter?”
رویش از غم زرد و هر دو لب کبود ** پس سلیمان گفت ای خواجه چه بود
He replied, “Azrael cast on me such a look, so full of wrath and hate.”
گفت عزراییل در من این چنین ** یک نظر انداخت پر از خشم و کین
“Come,” said the king, “what (boon) do you desire now? Ask (it)!” “O protector of my life,” said he, “command the wind,
گفت هین اکنون چه می‌‌خواهی بخواه ** گفت فرما باد را ای جان پناه
To bear me from here to India. Maybe, when thy slave is come thither he will save his life.”960
تا مرا ز ینجا به هندستان برد ** بو که بنده کان طرف شد جان برد
Lo, the people are fleeing from poverty: hence are they a mouthful for (a prey to) covetousness and expectation.
نک ز درویشی گریزانند خلق ** لقمه‌‌ی حرص و امل ز آنند خلق
The fear of poverty is like that (man's) terror: know thou that covetousness and striving are (like) India (in this tale).
ترس درویشی مثال آن هراس ** حرص و کوشش را تو هندستان شناس
He (Solomon) commanded the wind to bear him quickly over the water to the uttermost part of India.
باد را فرمود تا او را شتاب ** برد سوی قعر هندستان بر آب
Next day, at the time of conference and meeting, Solomon said to Azrael:
روز دیگر وقت دیوان و لقا ** پس سلیمان گفت عزراییل را
“Didst thou look with anger on that Moslem in order that he might wander (as an exile) far from his home?”965
کان مسلمان را بخشم از چه چنان ** بنگریدی تا شد آواره ز خان
Azrael said, “When did I look (on him) angrily? I saw him as I passed by, (and looked at him) in astonishment,
گفت من از خشم کی کردم نظر ** از تعجب دیدمش در رهگذر
For God had commanded me, saying, ‘Hark, to-day do thou take his spirit in India.’
که مرا فرمود حق که امروز هان ** جان او را تو به هندستان ستان
From wonder I said (to myself), ‘(Even) if he has a hundred wings, ’tis a far journey for him to be in India (to-day).’”
از عجب گفتم گر او را صد پر است ** او به هندستان شدن دور اندر است
In like manner judge of all the affairs of this world and open your eye and see!
تو همه کار جهان را همچنین ** کن قیاس و چشم بگشا و ببین
From whom shall we flee? From ourselves? Oh, absurdity! From whom shall we take (ourselves) away? From God? Oh, crime!970
از که بگریزیم از خود ای محال ** از که برباییم از حق ای وبال
How the lion again declared exertion to be superior to trust in God and expounded the advantages of exertion.
باز ترجیح‌‌نهادن شیر جهد را بر توکل و فواید جهد را بیان کردن
“Yes,” said the lion; “but at the same time consider the exertions of the prophets and the true believers.
شیر گفت آری و لیکن هم ببین ** جهدهای انبیا و مومنین
God, exalted is He, prospered their exertion and what they suffered of oppression and heat and cold.
حق تعالی جهدشان را راست کرد ** آن چه دیدند از جفا و گرم و سرد
Their plans were excellent in all circumstances: everything done by a goodly man is goodly.
حیله‌‌هاشان جمله حال آمد لطیف ** کل شی‌‌ء من ظریف هو ظریف
Their snares caught the Heavenly bird, all their deficiencies turned to increment.”
دامهاشان مرغ گردونی گرفت ** نقصهاشان جمله افزونی گرفت
O master, exert thyself so long as thou canst in (following) the way of the prophets and saints!975
جهد می‌‌کن تا توانی ای کیا ** در طریق انبیا و اولیا
Endeavour is not a struggle with Destiny, because Destiny itself has laid this (endeavour) upon us.
با قضا پنجه زدن نبود جهاد ** ز آن که این را هم قضا بر ما نهاد
I am an infidel if any one has suffered loss a single moment (while walking) in the way of faith and obedience.
کافرم من گر زیان کرده ست کس ** در ره ایمان و طاعت یک نفس
Your head is not broken: do not bandage this head. Exert yourself (in doing good works) for one or two little days (i.e. during this brief life), and laugh unto everlasting!
سر شکسته نیست این سر را مبند ** یک دو روزک جهد کن باقی بخند
An evil resort sought he that sought this world; a good state sought he that sought the world to come.
بد محالی جست کاو دنیا بجست ** نیک حالی جست کاو عقبی بجست
Plots for gaining (the things of) this world are worthless, (but) plots for renouncing this world are inspired (by God).980
مکرها در کسب دنیا بارد است ** مکرها در ترک دنیا وارد است
The (right) plot is that he (the prisoner) digs a hole in his prison (in order to escape); if he blocks up the hole, that is a foolish plot.
مکر آن باشد که زندان حفره کرد ** آن که حفره بست آن مکری ست سرد
This world is the prison, and we are the prisoners: dig a hole in the prison and let yourself out!
این جهان زندان و ما زندانیان ** حفره کن زندان و خود را وارهان
What is this world? To be forgetful of God; it is not merchandise and silver and weighing-scales and women.
چیست دنیا از خدا غافل بدن ** نی قماش و نقره و میزان و زن
As regards the wealth that you carry for religion's sake, “How good is righteous wealth (for the righteous man)!” as the Prophet recited.
مال را کز بهر دین باشی حمول ** نعم مال صالح خواندش رسول
Water in the boat is the ruin of the boat, (but) water underneath the boat is a support.985
آب در کشتی هلاک کشتی است ** آب اندر زیر کشتی پشتی است
Since he cast out from his heart (the desire for) wealth and possessions, on that account Solomon did not call himself (by any name) but “poor.”
چون که مال و ملک را از دل براند ** ز آن سلیمان خویش جز مسکین نخواند
The stoppered jar, (though) in rough water, floated on the water because of its wind-filled (empty) heart.
کوزه‌‌ی سر بسته اندر آب زفت ** از دل پر باد فوق آب رفت
When the wind of poverty is within (any one), he rests at peace on the surface of the water of the world;
باد درویشی چو در باطن بود ** بر سر آب جهان ساکن بود
Although the whole of this world is his kingdom, in the eye of his heart the kingdom is nothing.
گر چه جمله‌‌ی این جهان ملک وی است ** ملک در چشم دل او لا شی است
Therefore stopper and seal the mouth of your heart, and fill it from the Divine ventilator.990
پس دهان دل ببند و مهر کن ** پر کنش از باد کبر من لدن
Exertion is a reality, and medicine and disease are realities: the sceptic in his denial of exertion practised (and thereby affirmed) exertion.
جهد حق است و دوا حق است و درد ** منکر اندر نفی جهدش جهد کرد
How the superiority of exertion to trust in God was established.
مقرر شدن ترجیح جهد بر توکل
The lion gave many proofs in this style, so that those necessitarians became tired of answering (him).
زین نمط بسیار برهان گفت شیر ** کز جواب آن جبریان گشتند سیر
Fox and deer and hare and jackal abandoned (the doctrine of) necessity and (ceased from) disputation.
روبه و آهو و خرگوش و شغال ** جبر را بگذاشتند و قیل و قال
They made covenants with the furious lion, (ensuring) that he should incur no loss in this bargain,
عهدها کردند با شیر ژیان ** کاندر این بیعت نیفتد در زیان
(That) the daily ration should come to him without trouble, and that he should not need to make a further demand.995
قسم هر روزش بیاید بی‌‌جگر ** حاجتش نبود تقاضای دگر
Day by day the one on whom the lot fell would run to the lion as (swiftly as) a cheetah.
قرعه بر هر که فتادی روز روز ** سوی آن شیر او دویدی همچو یوز
When this cup (of death) came round to the hare, the hare cried out, “Why, how long (are we to endure this) injustice?”
چون به خرگوش آمد این ساغر به دور ** بانگ زد خرگوش کاخر چند جور
How the beasts of chase blamed the hare for his delay in going to the lion.
انکار کردن نخجیران بر خرگوش در تاخیر رفتن بر شیر
The company (of beasts) said to him: “All this time we have sacrificed our lives in troth and loyalty.
قوم گفتندش که چندین گاه ما ** جان فدا کردیم در عهد و وفا