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
When the Governor said to him with earnestness, “Dig this up,” he replied, “Yes, I will dig it up some day.”
چون به جد حاکم بدو گفت این بکن ** گفت آری بر کنم روزیش من
For a long while he promised (to dig it up) to-morrow and to-morrow; (meantime) his thorn bush became robust in constitution.
مدتی فردا و فردا وعده داد ** شد درخت خار او محکم نهاد
One day the Governor said to him, “O false promiser, go forward with my affair, do not creep back.”
گفت روزی حاکمش ای وعده کژ** پیش آ در کار ما وا پس مغژ
He replied, “O uncle, the days are between us.” “Make haste,” said he, “do not put off payment of my debt.”
گفت الایام یا عم بیننا ** گفت عجل لا تماطل دیننا
You who say “To-morrow,” be aware of this, that with every day that time is coming (and going),1235
تو که میگویی که فردا این بدان ** که به هر روزی که میآید زمان
That evil tree is growing younger, while this digger is waxing old and sorely distressed.
آن درخت بد جوانتر میشود ** وین کننده پیر و مضطر میشود
The thorn bush (is) in (process of gaining) strength and (in) ascent; its digger (is) in (process of) aging and decline.
خار بن در قوت و برخاستن ** خار کن در پیری و در کاستن
The thorn bush every day and every moment is green and fresh; its digger is every day more sickly and withered.
خار بن هر روز و هر دم سبز و تر ** خار کن هر روز زار و خشکتر
It is growing younger, you older: be quick and do not waste your time!
او جوانتر میشود تو پیرتر ** زود باش و روزگار خود مبر
Know that every single bad habit of yours is a thorn bush: many a time, after all, have its thorns pierced your foot.1240
خار بن دان هر یکی خوی بدت ** بارها در پای خار آخر زدت
Many a time have you been wounded by your own (evil) habits—you have no sense, you are very senseless.
بارها از خوی خود خسته شدی ** حس نداری سخت بیحس آمدی
If to the wounding of other persons, which comes to pass from your evil nature,
گر ز خسته گشتن دیگر کسان ** که ز خلق زشت تو هست آن رسان
You are indifferent, at any rate you are not (indifferent) to your own wounds: you are the torment of yourself and of every stranger.
غافلی باری ز زخم خود نهای ** تو عذاب خویش و هر بیگانهای
Either take up the axe and strike like a man—like ‘Alí, destroy this gate of Khaybar—
یا تبر برگیر و مردانه بزن ** تو علیوار این در خیبر بکن
Or unite these thorns with the rosebush: unite the light of the friend (of God) with the (sensual) fire,1245
یا به گلبن وصل کن این خار را ** وصل کن با نار نور یار را
In order that his light may extinguish your fire, (and that) union with him may make your thorns roses.
تا که نور او کشد نار تو را ** وصل او گلشن کند خار تو را
You are like Hell, he is a true believer: the extinction of the fire (of Hell) by means of a true believer is possible.
تو مثال دوزخی او مومن است ** کشتن آتش به مومن ممکن است
Mustafá (Mohammed) said concerning the speech of Hell, that on account of fear it begins humbly to entreat the true believer,
مصطفی فرمود از گفت جحیم ** کاو به مومن لابه گر گردد ز بیم
And says to him, “Pass quickly away from me, O king: hark, for thy light has taken away the burning of my fire.”
گویدش بگذر ز من ای شاه زود ** هین که نورت سوز نارم را ربود
Therefore the true believer's light is the death of the fire, because without an opposite the removal of the (other) opposite is impossible.1250
پس هلاک نار نور مومن است ** ز انکه بیضد دفع ضد لا یمکن است
On the Day of Justice (Judgement) the fire will be the opponent of the light, since the former was aroused by (God's) wrath, the latter by (His) grace.
نار ضد نور باشد روز عدل ** کان ز قهر انگیخته شد این ز فضل