He knew the secret, (but) quietly drove his ass on that road (pursued his way) for the sake of the good (which he had in view).
راز میدانست و خوش میراند خر ** از برای مصلحت آن راهبر
He would have set him free at the first, but he sought to content (comply with the wish of) Luqmán,
مر و را آزاد کردی از نخست ** لیک خشنودی لقمان را بجست
Because it was Luqmán's desire (to remain a slave), in order that none might know the secret of that brave and generous youth.
ز انکه لقمان را مراد این بود تا ** کس نداند سر آن شیر و فتی
What wonder (is it) if you hide your secret from the evil (one)? The wonder is this, that you should hide the secret from yourself.1500
چه عجب گر سر ز بد پنهان کنی ** این عجب که سر ز خود پنهان کنی
Hide your work from your own eyes, that your work may be safe from the evil eye.
کار پنهان کن تو از چشمان خود ** تا بود کارت سلیم از چشم بد
Yield yourself up to the snare of the (Divine) reward, and then, (being) beside yourself, steal something from yourself.
خویش را تسلیم کن بر دام مزد ** و انگه از خود بیز خود چیزی بدزد
They give opium to the wounded man, in order that they may extract the point (of a spear or arrow) from his body.
میدهند افیون به مرد زخممند ** تا که پیکان از تنش بیرون کنند
At the hour of death he is torn with pain; he becomes preoccupied with that, and (meanwhile) his spirit (life) is taken away.
وقت مرگ از رنج او را میدرند ** او بدان مشغول شد جان میبرند
Inasmuch as, to whatsoever thought you give up your mind, something will secretly be taken away from you,1505
چون به هر فکری که دل خواهی سپرد ** از تو چیزی در نهان خواهند برد
Whatsoever acquisition you may make, O solicitous one, the thief will enter from the side where you feel safe,
هر چه اندیشی و تحصیلی کنی ** میدرآید دزد از آن سو کایمنی
Become occupied, therefore, with that which is better, in order that the thief may take away from you something that is less (in worth).
پس بدان مشغول شو کان بهتر است ** تا ز تو چیزی برد کان بهتر است
When the trader's bales fall into the water, he lays his hands upon the better merchandise.
بار بازرگان چو در آب اوفتد ** دست اندر کالهی بهتر زند
Since something will (certainly) be lost in the water, take leave of the less (worse) and gain (possession of) the better.
چون که چیزی فوت خواهد شد در آب ** ترک کمتر گوی و بهتر را بیاب
How the excellence and sagacity of Luqmán became manifest to those who made trial (of him).
ظاهر شدن فضل و زیرکی لقمان پیش امتحان کنندگان
Whatever food they brought to him (Luqmán's master), he would send some one to Luqmán after (receiving it),1510
هر طعامی کاوریدندی به وی ** کس سوی لقمان فرستادی ز پی
That Luqmán might put his hand to (partake of) it, on purpose that the master might eat his (Luqmán's) leavings.
تا که لقمان دست سوی آن برد ** قاصدا تا خواجه پس خوردش خورد
He would eat his remnants and be enraptured: any food that he (Luqmán) did not taste, he (the master) would throw away;
سور او خوردی و شور انگیختی ** هر طعامی کاو نخوردی ریختی
Or if he ate (of it), (’twould be) without heart and without appetite: this is (the sign of) an affinity without end.
ور بخوردی بیدل و بیاشتها ** این بود پیوندی بیانتها
They had brought a melon as a present. “Go, my son” said he, “and call Luqmán.”
خربزه آورده بودند ارمغان ** گفت رو فرزند لقمان را بخوان
When he cut it and gave him a slice, he ate it as if it were sugar and honey.1515
چون برید و داد او را یک برین ** همچو شکر خوردش و چون انگبین
On account of the pleasure with which he ate (it), he gave him a second (slice), (and went on) till the slices (given him) reached the seventeenth.
از خوشی که خورد داد او را دوم ** تا رسید آن گرچها تا هفدهم
One slice remained. He said, “I will eat this (myself), so that I may see what a sweet melon this is.
ماند گرچی گفت این را من خورم ** تا چه شیرین خربزه ست این بنگرم
He (Luqmán) eats it with such pleasure that from his delight (all) natures have become eager and craving the morsel.”
او چنین خوش میخورد کز ذوق او ** طبعها شد مشتهی و لقمه جو
As soon as he (the master) ate it, by its sourness there was kindled fire (which) blistered his tongue and burnt his throat.
چون بخورد از تلخیش آتش فروخت ** هم زبان کرد آبله هم حلق سوخت
He became beside himself for a while on account of its sourness; after that, he said to him, “O (you who are) soul and world,1520
ساعتی بیخود شد از تلخی آن ** بعد از آن گفتش که ای جان و جهان
How did you make all this poison an antidote? How did you deem this cruelty to be kindness?
نوش چون کردی تو چندین زهر را ** لطف چون انگاشتی این قهر را
What patience is this? For what reason is this great fortitude? Or, perchance, in your opinion this life of yours is an enemy (which you would fain destroy).
این چه صبر است این صبوری از چه روست ** یا مگر پیش تو این جانت عدوست
Why did not you cunningly bring (forward) a plea, saying, ‘I have an excuse (for declining to eat): desist for a while’.”
چون نیاوردی به حیلت حجتی ** که مرا عذری است بس کن ساعتی
Luqmán said, “From thy munificent hand I have eaten so much that I am (bent) double with shame.
گفت من از دست نعمت بخش تو ** خوردهام چندان که از شرمم دو تو
I was ashamed not to eat one bitter thing from thy hand, O thou who art possessed of knowledge.1525
شرمم آمد که یکی تلخ از کفت ** من ننوشم ای تو صاحب معرفت
Since all parts of me have grown from thy bounty and are plunged in thy bait and snare—
چون همه اجزام از انعام تو ** رستهاند و غرق دانه و دام تو
If I make outcry and complaint because of one bitter thing, may the dust of a hundred roads be on (all) parts of me!
گر ز یک تلخی کنم فریاد و داد ** خاک صد ره بر سر اجزام باد
It (the melon) had the enjoyment of thy sugar-bestowing hand: how could it (such enjoyment) leave any bitterness in this melon?”
لذت دست شکر بخشت بداشت ** اندر این بطیخ تلخی کی گذاشت
By love bitter things become sweet; by love pieces of copper become golden;
از محبت تلخها شیرین شود ** از محبت مسها زرین شود
By love dregs become clear; by love pains become healing;1530
از محبت دردها صافی شود ** از محبت دردها شافی شود
By love the dead is made living; by love the king is made a slave.
از محبت مرده زنده میکنند ** از محبت شاه بنده میکنند
This love, moreover, is the result of knowledge: who (ever) sat in foolishness on such a throne?
این محبت هم نتیجهی دانش است ** کی گزافه بر چنین تختی نشست
On what occasion did deficient knowledge give birth to this love? Deficient (knowledge) gives birth to love, but (only love) for that which is (really) lifeless.
دانش ناقص کجا این عشق زاد ** عشق زاید ناقص اما بر جماد
When it sees in a lifeless being the colour (appearance) of a desired one, (’tis as though) it heard the voice of a beloved in a whistle.
بر جمادی رنگ مطلوبی چو دید ** از صفیری بانگ محبوبی شنید
Deficient knowledge cannot discriminate: of necessity it deems the lightning to be the sun.1535
دانش ناقص نداند فرق را ** لاجرم خورشید داند برق را
When the Prophet called the “deficient” (man) accursed, (his meaning) as interpreted was “deficiency of mind,”
چون که ملعون خواند ناقص را رسول ** بود در تاویل نقصان عقول
Because one whose body is deficient is the object of (Divine) mercy: cursing and repulse (directed) against the object of (Divine) mercy are improper.
ز انکه ناقص تن بود مرحوم رحم ** نیست بر مرحوم لایق لعن و زخم
’Tis deficiency of mind that is the bad disease: it is the cause of (God's) curse and merits banishment (from His presence),
نقص عقل است آن که بد رنجوری است ** موجب لعنت سزای دوری است
Forasmuch as the perfecting of minds is not remote (impossible), but the perfecting of the body is not within our power.
ز انکه تکمیل خردها دور نیست ** لیک تکمیل بدن مقدور نیست
The miscreance and Pharaoh-like pride of every infidel who is far (from God) have all been produced by deficiency of mind.1540
کفر و فرعونی هر گبر بعید ** جمله از نقصان عقل آمد پدید
Relief for bodily deficiency has come in the (words of the) Qur’án—it is no crime in the blind man.
بهر نقصان بدن آمد فرج ** در نبی که ما علی الاعمی حرج
Lightning is transient and very faithless: without clearness (of mind) you will not know the transient from the permanent.
برق آفل باشد و بس بیوفا ** آفل از باقی ندانی بیصفا
The lightning laughs: say, at whom is it laughing? At him that sets his heart upon its light.
برق خندد بر که میخندد بگو ** بر کسی که دل نهد بر نور او
The lights of the sky are hamstrung (feeble and imperfect): how are they like (that Light which is) neither of the east nor of the west?
نورهای چرخ ببریده پی است ** آن چو لا شرقی و لا غربی کی است
Know that the nature of lightning is that it taketh away the sight; regard the everlasting Light as entirely Helpers (to the attainment of vision).1545
برق را چون یخطف الأبصار دان ** نور باقی را همه انصار دان
To ride (your) horse upon the foam of the sea, to read a letter in a flash of lightning,
بر کف دریا فرس را راندن ** نامهای در نور برقی خواندن