His heart became in hardness as the face of a rock: how should repentance cleave it for sowing?1645
دل به سختی همچو روی سنگ گشت ** چون شکافد توبه آن را بهر کشت
Where is one like Shu‘ayb, that by prayer he may make the mountain earth (fit) for sowing?
چون شعیبی کو که تا او را دعا ** بهر کشتن خاک سازد کوه را
Through the supplication and (firm) belief of that Friend (Abraham) the thing that was hard and impossible became possible.
از نیاز و اعتقاد آن خلیل ** گشت ممکن امر صعب و مستحیل
Or, (to give another example), through the Muqawqis' begging the Prophet a stony ground became a goodly cornfield.
یا به دریوزهی مقوقس از رسول ** سنگلاخی مزرعی شد با اصول
So, contrariwise, a man's disbelief turns gold into copper and peace into war.
همچنین بر عکس آن انکار مرد ** مس کند زر را و صلحی را نبرد
This falseness draws after it an evil transformation: it turns ground capable (of tillage) into stones and pebbles.1650
کهربای مسخ آمد این دغا ** خاک قابل را کند سنگ و حصا
Nor is it granted to every heart to fall down in prayer: the wages of (Divine) mercy are not the (allotted) portion of every hireling.
هر دلی را سجده هم دستور نیست ** مزد رحمت قسم هر مزدور نیست
Beware! Do not commit crime and sin in reliance on (the thought), “I will repent and come to (take) refuge (with God).”
هین بپشت آن مکن جرم و گناه ** که کنم توبه در آیم در پناه
For (true) repentance, there must needs be a glow (of inward feeling) and a flood (of tears): (such) lightning and clouds are the condition indispensable to repentance.
میبباید تاب و آبی توبه را ** شرط شد برق و سحابی توبه را
There must needs be fire and water (rain) for the fruit: clouds and lightning are necessary for this accomplishment.
آتش و آبی بباید میوه را ** واجب آید ابر و برق این شیوه را
Until there is the lightning of the heart and the rain-clouds of the two eyes, how shall the fire of (Divine) menace and wrath be allayed?1655
تا نباشد برق دل و ابر دو چشم ** کی نشیند آتش تهدید و خشم
How shall the herbage grow, (the herbage) of the delight of union (with God)? How shall the fountains of clear water gush forth?
کی بروید سبزهی ذوق وصال ** کی بجوشد چشمهها ز آب زلال
How shall the rose-beds tell their secret to the garden? How shall the violet make an engagement with the jasmine?
کی گلستان راز گوید با چمن ** کی بنفشه عهد بندد با سمن
How shall a plane-tree open its hands (spread its leaves) in prayer? How shall any tree toss its head in the air (of love-desire)?
کی چناری کف گشاید در دعا ** کی درختی سر فشاند در هوا
How shall the blossoms begin to shake out their sleeves full of largesse in the days of Spring?
کی شکوفه آستین پر نثار ** بر فشاندن گیرد ایام بهار
How shall the cheeks of the anemone flame like blood? How shall the rose bring gold out of its purse?1660
کی فروزد لاله را رخ همچو خون ** کی گل از کیسه بر آرد زر برون
How shall the nightingale come and smell the rose? How shall the dove say “coo, coo,” as one that seeks?
کی بیاید بلبل و گل بو کند ** کی چو طالب فاخته کوکو کند
How shall the stork utter with (all) its soul the cry lak, lak? What is (the meaning of) lak? (It means) “Thine is the kingdom, O Thou whose help is invoked.”
کی بگوید لکلک آن لک لک به جان ** لک چه باشد ملک تست ای مستعان
How shall the earth show forth the secrets of its inmost mind? How shall the garden become radiant without the sky?
کی نماید خاک اسرار ضمیر ** کی شود بیآسمان بستان منیر
Whence have they fetched those garments (fair qualities)? (They have derived) all of them from One who is Bounteous and Merciful.
از کجا آوردهاند آن حلهها ** من کریم من رحیم کلها
Those graces are the signs of a Witness: they are the footprints of a man devoted to (God's) service.1665
آن لطافتها نشان شاهدی است ** آن نشان پای مرد عابدی است
(None but) that person that has seen the King is gladdened by the sign; when one has not seen Him, there is no recognition.
آن شود شاد از نشان کاو دید شاه ** چون ندید او را نباشد انتباه
The spirit of that one who at the time of Am not I (your Lord)? saw his Lord and became beside himself and intoxicated—
روح آن کس کاو به هنگام أ لست ** دید رب خویش و شد بیخویش و مست
He (that spirit) knows the scent of the wine because he drank it (before); when he has not drunk it, how can he scent it?
او شناسد بوی می کاو می بخورد ** چون نخورد او می چه داند بوی کرد
For Wisdom is like a stray camel: like a go-between, it guides (those who find and recognise it) to (the presence of) kings.
ز انکه حکمت همچو ناقهی ضاله است ** همچو دلاله شهان را داله است
You behold in dream a person of pleasing countenance, who gives you a promise and a sign1670
تو ببینی خواب در یک خوش لقا ** کاو دهد وعده و نشانی مر ترا
That your desire will come to pass; here is the sign—such and such a person will meet you to-morrow.
که مراد تو شود اینک نشان ** که بپیش آید ترا فردا فلان
One sign is that he will be riding; one sign is that he will clasp you to his breast;
یک نشانی آن که او باشد سوار ** یک نشانی که ترا گیرد کنار
One sign is that he will smile before you; one sign is that he will fold his hands in your presence;
یک نشانی که بخندد پیش تو ** یک نشان که دست بندد پیش تو
One sign is that when the morrow comes you will not tell this dream to any one, though you would fain do so.
یک نشانی آن که این خواب از هوس ** چون شود فردا نگویی پیش کس
Concerning that (last-mentioned) sign, He (God) said to Zakariyyá (Zacharias), “Thou shalt not begin to speak at all till three days (have passed).1675
ز ان نشان با والد یحیی بگفت ** که نیایی تا سه روز اصلا به گفت
For three nights keep silence as to thy good and ill: this will be the sign that Yahyá will come (be born) to thee.
تا سه شب خامش کن از نیک و بدت ** این نشان باشد که یحیی آیدت
During three days do not breathe a word, for this silence is the sign of (the fulfilment) of thy purpose.
دم مزن سه روز اندر گفتوگو ** کاین سکوت است آیت مقصود تو
Beware! do not thou speak of this sign, and keep this matter hidden in thy heart.”
هین میاور این نشان را تو به گفت ** وین سخن را دار اندر دل نهفت
He (the person dreamed of) will sweetly tell these signs to him (the dreamer). What are these signs (alone)? (He will tell him) a hundred signs besides.
این نشانها گویدش همچون شکر ** این چه باشد صد نشانی دگر
This (which follows) is the sign that you will gain from God the (spiritual) kingdom and power that you are seeking—1680
این نشان آن بود کان ملک و جاه ** که همیجویی بیابی از اله
That you weep continually in the long nights, and that you are always ardent in supplication at the hour of dawn;
آن که میگریی به شبهای دراز ** و انکه میسوزی سحرگه در نیاز
That, in the absence of that (which you seek), your day has become dark; (that) your neck has become thin as a spindle;
آن که بیآن روز تو تاریک شد ** همچو دوکی گردنت باریک شد
And what you have given in alms (is) all that you possess, (so that) your belongings (are entirely bestowed in charity) like the alms of those who gamble all away;
و آن چه دادی هر چه داری در زکات ** چون زکات پاک بازان رختهات
(That) you have given up your belongings and sleep and the (healthy) colour of your face, and sacrificed your head (life) and become as (thin as) a hair;
رختها دادی و خواب و رنگ رو ** سر فدا کردی و گشتی همچو مو
(That) you have sat—how often!—in the fire, like aloes-wood; that you have gone—how often!—to meet the sword, like a helmet.1685
چند در آتش نشستی همچو عود ** چند پیش تیغ رفتی همچو خود
A hundred thousand such acts of helplessness are habitual to lovers (of God), and (their number) cannot be reckoned.
زین چنین بیچارگیها صد هزار ** خوی عشاق است و ناید در شمار
After you have had this dream at night, the day breaks; through hope thereof your day becomes triumphant.
چون که شب این خواب دیدی روز شد ** از امیدش روز تو پیروز شد
You have turned your eye to left and right, (wondering) where is that sign and those tokens.
چشم گردان کردهای بر چپ و راست ** کان نشان و آن علامتها کجاست
You are trembling like a leaf (and saying), “Alas, if the day depart and the sign come not to pass!”
بر مثال برگ میلرزی که وای ** گر رود روز و نشان ناید به جای
You are running in street and market and into houses, like one that should lose a calf.1690
میدوی در کوی و بازار و سرا ** چون کسی کاو گم کند گوساله را
(Somebody asks), “Is it good (news), Sir? Why are you running to and fro? Who belonging to you is it that you have lost here?”
خواجه خیر است این دوادو چیستت ** گم شده اینجا که داری کیستت
“It is good (news),” you tell him, “but none may know my good (news) except myself.
گوییاش خیر است لیکن خیر من ** کس نشاید که بداند غیر من
If I tell it, lo, my sign is missed, and when the sign is missed, the hour of death is come.”
گر بگویم نک نشانم فوت شد ** چون نشان شد فوت وقت موت شد
You peer into the face of every rider: he says to you, “Do not look at me like a madman.”
بنگری در روی هر مرد سوار ** گویدت منگر مرا دیوانهوار