The water was making a noise, that is to say, (it was crying), “Hey, what is the advantage to you of this hurling a brick at me?”
آب میزد بانگ یعنی هی ترا ** فایده چه زین زدن خشتی مرا
The thirsty man said, “O water, I have two advantages: I will nowise refrain from this work.
تشنه گفت آیا مرا دو فایده است ** من از این صنعت ندارم هیچ دست
The first advantage is (my) hearing the noise of the water, which to thirsty men is (melodious) as a rebeck.
فایدهی اول سماع بانگ آب ** کاو بود مر تشنگان را چون رباب
The noise thereof has become (to me) like the noise of (the trumpet of) Isráfíl: by this (noise) life has been transferred (restored) to one (that was) dead;1200
بانگ او چون بانگ اسرافیل شد ** مرده را زین زندگی تحویل شد
Or (it is) like the noise of thunder in days of spring—from it (the thunder) the garden obtains so many (lovely) ornaments;
یا چو بانگ رعد ایام بهار ** باغ مییابد از او چندین نگار
Or like the days of alms to a poor man, or like the message of deliverance to a prisoner.
یا چو بر درویش ایام زکات ** یا چو بر محبوس پیغام نجات
’Tis like the breath of the Merciful (God) which, without mouth, comes to Mohammed from Yemen;
چون دم رحمان بود کان از یمن ** میرسد سوی محمد بیدهن
Or ’tis like the scent of Ahmad (Mohammed), the Apostle (of God), which in intercession comes to the sinner;
یا چو بوی احمد مرسل بود ** کان به عاصی در شفاعت میرسد
Or like the scent of beauteous, graceful Joseph, (which) strikes upon the soul of lean Jacob.1205
یا چو بوی یوسف خوب لطیف ** میزند بر جان یعقوب نحیف
The other advantage is that, (with) every brick I tear off this (wall), I come (nearer) to running water,
فایدهی دیگر که هر خشتی کز این ** بر کنم آیم سوی ماء معین
Since by diminution of the bricks the high wall becomes lower every time that one is removed.
کز کمی خشت دیوار بلند ** پستتر گردد به هر دفعه که کند
The lowness (destruction) of the wall becomes a means of access (to the water); separation from it is the remedy bringing about a union (with the water).”
پستی دیوار قربی میشود ** فصل او درمان وصلی میبود
The tearing away of the adhesive (firmly joined) bricks is (analogous to) prostration (in prayer): (it is) the cause of nearness (to God), for (God has said), ‘And prostrate thyself and draw near (to Me).’
سجده آمد کندن خشت لزب ** موجب قربی که و اسجد و اقترب
So long as this wall is high-necked (lofty and proud), it is an obstacle to this bowing of the head (in prayer).1210
تا که این دیوار عالی گردن است ** مانع این سر فرود آوردن است
’Tis impossible to perform the prostration on the Water of Life, until I gain deliverance from this earthly body.
سجده نتوان کرد بر آب حیات ** تا نیابم زین تن خاکی نجات
The more thirsty any one on the top of the wall is, the more quickly does he tear off the bricks and turfs.
بر سر دیوار هر کاو تشنهتر ** زودتر بر میکند خشت و مدر
The more any one is in love with the noise of the water, the bigger clods does he tear away from the barrier.
هر که عاشق تر بود بر بانگ آب ** او کلوخ زفت تر کند از حجاب
He, at the noise of the water, is filled with wine (ecstasy) up to the neck, (while) the stranger (to love) hears nothing but the sound of the splash.
او ز بانگ آب پر می تا عنق ** نشنود بیگانه جز بانگ بلق
Oh, blest is he that deems his early days an opportunity to be seized, and pays his debt—1215
ای خنک آن را که او ایام پیش ** مغتنم دارد گزارد وام خویش
In the days when he has the power, (when) he has health and strength of heart and vigour,
اندر آن ایام کش قدرت بود ** صحت و زور دل و قوت بود
And (when) that season of youth, like a garden green and fresh, is bringing (to ripeness) produce and fruit without any stint;
و آن جوانی همچو باغ سبز و تر ** میرساند بیدریغی بار و بر
(When) the fountains of strength and lust (are) flowing, (so that) thereby the soil of the body is made verdant;
چشمههای قوت و شهوت روان ** سبز میگردد زمین تن بدان
(When he is still like) a well-kept house, with its roof very lofty, its sides (walls) symmetrical, without buttressing and clamps—
خانهی معمور و سقفش بس بلند ** معتدل ارکان و بیتخلیط و بند
Ere the days of eld arrive and bind your neck with a halter of palm-fibres;1220
پیش از آن که ایام پیری در رسد ** گردنت بندد به حبل من مسد
(Ere) the soil becomes nitrous (barren), crumbling, and poor —never did good herbage grow from nitrous soil;
خاک شوره گردد و ریزان و سست ** هرگز از شوره نبات خوش نرست
(When) the water of strength and the water of lust (is) cut off, and he has no profit from himself or others:
آب زور و آب شهوت منقطع ** او ز خویش و دیگران نامنتفع
The eyebrows fallen down like a crupper-strap; the eyes grown moist and dim;
ابروان چون پالدم زیر آمده ** چشم را نم آمده تاری شده
The face, from wrinkling, like the back of a lizard; speech and taste and teeth gone out of use;
از تشنج رو چو پشت سوسمار ** رفته نطق و طعم و دندانها ز کار
The day late, the ass lame, and the way long; the shop ruined and the business in disorder;1225
روز بیگه لاشه لنگ و ره دراز ** کارگه ویران عمل رفته ز ساز
The roots of bad habit firmly set, and the power to tear them up decreased.
بیخهای خوی بد محکم شده ** قوت بر کندن آن کم شده
How the Governor commanded a certain man, saying, “Root up the thorn bush which you have planted on the road.”
فرمودن والی آن مرد را که این خار بن را که نشاندهای بر سر راه بر کن
As (for example) that callous fair-spoken person planted a thorn bush in the middle of the road.
همچو آن شخص درشت خوش سخن ** در میان ره نشاند او خار بن
The wayfarers reproached him and oftentimes told him to dig it up: he dug it not up.
ره گذریانش ملامتگر شدند ** بس بگفتندش بکن این را نکند
Every moment the thorn bush was growing bigger: the people's feet were streaming with blood from its pricks.
هر دمی آن خار بن افزون شدی ** پای خلق از زخم آن پر خون شدی
The people's clothes were being rent by the thorns: the feet of the poor were being wounded pitiably.1230