When you gaze on the Sun's disk, it is itself one, but he that is screened by (his perception of) the bodies is in some doubt.
چون نظر در قرص داری خود یکی است ** و آن که شد محجوب ابدان در شکی است
Separation (plurality) is in the animal spirit; the human spirit is one essence.
تفرقه در روح حیوانی بود ** نفس واحد روح انسانی بود
Inasmuch as God sprinkled His light upon them (mankind), (they are essentially one): His light never becomes separated (in reality).
چون که حق رش علیهم نوره ** مفترق هرگز نگردد نور او
O my comrade on the way, dismiss thy weariness for a moment, that I may describe a single mole (grain) of that Beauty.190
یک زمان بگذار ای همره ملال ** تا بگویم وصف خالی ز آن جمال
The beauty of His state cannot be set forth: what are both the worlds (temporal and spiritual)? The reflexion of His mole.
در بیان ناید جمال حال او ** هر دو عالم چیست عکس خال او
When I breathe a word concerning His beauteous mole, my speech would fain burst my body.
چون که من از خال خوبش دم زنم ** نطق میخواهد که بشکافد تنم
Like an ant, I am so happy in this granary that I am dragging a burden too great for me.
همچو موری اندر این خرمن خوشم ** تا فزون از خویش باری میکشم
How the explanation of the (inner) meaning of the tale was stopped because of the hearer's desire to hear the superficial form of it.
بسته شدن تقریر معنی حکایت به سبب میل مستمع به استماع ظاهر صورت حکایت
When will He who is envied by Light allow me to tell that which is obligatory and ought to be told?
کی گذارد آن که رشک روشنی است ** تا بگویم آن چه فرض و گفتنی است
The sea casts foam in front (of it) and makes a barrier: it draws back and after drawing back flows in (again).195
بحر کف پیش آرد و سدی کند ** جر کند و ز بعد جر مدی کند
Hear what has interfered (hindered my exposition) at the present time: methinks the hearer's mind has wandered elsewhere.
این زمان بشنو چه مانع شد مگر ** مستمع را رفت دل جای دگر
His thoughts have turned to the Súfí guest: he is sunk up to the neck (wholly absorbed) in that business.
خاطرش شد سوی صوفی قنق ** اندر آن سودا فرو شد تا عنق
(Therefore) it behoves me to go back from this discourse to that story in order to describe what happened (to him).
لازم آمد باز رفتن زین مقال ** سوی آن افسانه بهر وصف حال
O dear friend, do not fancy the Súfí is the (external) form (which you behold): how long, like children, (will you be content) with walnuts and raisins?
صوفی آن صورت مپندار ای عزیز ** همچو طفلان تا کی از جوز و مویز
Our body is (as) walnuts and raisins, O son; if you are a man, relinquish these two things;200
جسم ما جوز و مویز است ای پسر ** گر تو مردی زین دو چیز اندر گذر
And (even) if you do not relinquish them (by your own act), the grace of God will enable you to pass beyond the nine tiers (of Heaven).
ور تو اندر نگذری اکرام حق ** بگذراند مر ترا از نه طبق
Now listen to the outward form of the tale, but take heed to separate the grain from the chaff.
بشنو اکنون صورت افسانه را ** لیک هین از که جدا کن دانه را
.
.
When at last (the meditation of) that circle of Súfís who were seeking (spiritual) profit came to an end (culminated) in ecstasy and enthusiasm,
حلقه‌ای آن صوفیان مستفید ** چون که در وجد و طرب آخر رسید
They brought dishes of food for the guest, and he then bethought him of his beast.
خوان بیاوردند بهر میهمان ** از بهیمه یاد آورد آن زمان
He said to the famulus (the servant of the Súfís), “Go into the stable and make the straw and barley all right for the animal.”205
گفت خادم را که در آخر برو ** راست کن بهر بهیمه کاه و جو
“Good gracious!” he replied, “why this saying overmuch? These things have been my care since long ago.”
گفت لا حول این چه افزون گفتن است ** از قدیم این کارها کار من است
The Súfí said, “First wet his barley, for ’tis an old ass, and his teeth are shaky.”
گفت تر کن آن جوش را از نخست ** کان خر پیر است و دندانهاش سست
“Good gracious!” said he, “why are you telling (me) this, Sir? They are taught by me (to make) these arrangements.”
گفت لاحول این چه میگویی مها ** از من آموزند این ترتیبها
The Súfí said, “First of all take off his saddle and (then) put the salve of manbal on his sore back.”
گفت پالانش فرو نه پیش پیش ** داروی منبل بنه بر پشت ریش
“Good gracious!” exclaimed the servant. “Why, O purveyor of wisdom, I have had a thousand guests of your sort,210
گفت لاحول آخر ای حکمت گزار ** جنس تو مهمانم آمد صد هزار
And all have departed from us well-pleased: the guest is (dear to us as) our life and our kinsman.”
جمله راضی رفتهاند از پیش ما ** هست مهمان جان ما و خویش ما
The Súfí said, “Give him water, but (let it be) lukewarm.” “Good gracious!” cried the other, “I am ashamed of you.”
گفت آبش ده و لیکن شیر گرم ** گفت لاحول از توام بگرفت شرم
The Súfí said, “Put (only) a little straw in his barley.” “Good gracious! Cut short this speech,” he replied.
گفت اندر جو تو کمتر کاه کن ** گفت لاحول این سخن کوتاه کن
The Súfí said, “Sweep his place (clear) of stones and dung, and if it is wet, sprinkle dry earth on it.”
گفت جایش را بروب از سنگ و پشک ** ور بود تر ریز بر وی خاک خشک
“Good gracious!” cried he, “implore God's grace, O father and say little (give few instructions) to a messenger who knows his business.”215
گفت لاحول ای پدر لاحول کن ** با رسول اهل کمتر گو سخن
The Súfí said, “Take the comb and curry the ass's back.” “Good gracious! do have some shame, O father,” said he.
گفت بستان شانه پشت خر بخار ** گفت لاحول ای پدر شرمی بدار
The servant said this and briskly girded up his loins. “I go,” said he; “first I will fetch the straw and barley.”
خادم این گفت و میان را بست چست ** گفت رفتم کاه و جو آرم نخست
Off he went and never thought of the stable at all: he gave that Súfí (a pretence like) the sleep of the hare.
رفت و از آخر نکرد او هیچ یاد ** خواب خرگوشی بدان صوفی بداد
The servant went off to (join) some rascals and made a mockery of the Súfí's admonition.
رفت خادم جانب اوباش چند ** کرد بر اندرز صوفی ریشخند
The Súfí was fatigued by his journey and stretched his limbs (lay down to sleep): with his eyes closed he was dreaming220
صوفی از ره مانده بود و شد دراز ** خوابها میدید با چشم فراز
That his ass was left (helpless) in the clutch of a wolf, (which) was tearing pieces (of flesh) from its back and thighs.
کان خرش در چنگ گرگی مانده بود ** پارهها از پشت و رانش میربود
“Good gracious!” he exclaimed, “what melancholy (madness) is this? Oh, where is that kindly servant?”
گفت لاحول این چه مالیخولیاست ** ای عجب آن خادم مشفق کجاست
Again he would see his ass going along the road and falling now into a well and now into a ditch.
باز میدید آن خرش در راه رو ** گه به چاهی میفتاد و گه به گو
He was dreaming various unpleasant dreams; he was reciting the Fátiha and the Qári‘a.
گونهگون میدید ناخوش واقعه ** فاتحه میخواند او و القارعه
He said (to himself), “What can be done to help? My friends have hurried out: they have departed and made all the doors fast.”225
گفت چاره چیست یاران جستهاند ** رفتهاند و جمله درها بستهاند
Again he would say, “Oh, I wonder—that wretched servant! Did not he partake of bread and salt with us?
باز میگفت ای عجب آن خادمک ** نه که با ما گشت هم نان و نمک
I showed him nothing but courtesy and mildness: why should he on the contrary show hatred towards me?
من نکردم با وی الا لطف و لین ** او چرا با من کند بر عکس کین
Every enmity must rest on some cause; otherwise, our common humanity would dictate faithfulness (in friendship).”
هر عداوت را سبب باید سند ** ور نه جنسیت وفا تلقین کند
Then he would say again, “When had Adam, the kind and generous, done an injury to Iblís?
باز میگفت آدم با لطف وجود ** کی بر آن ابلیس جوری کرده بود
What was done by man to snake and scorpion that they wish (to inflict) death and pain upon him?230
آدمی مر مار و کژدم را چه کرد ** کاو همیخواهد مر او را مرگ و درد
To rend is the instinct of the wolf: after all, this envy is conspicuous in mankind.”
گرگ را خود خاصیت بدریدن است ** این حسد در خلق آخر روشن است
Again he would say, “It is wrong thus to think evil: why have I such thoughts against my brother?”
باز میگفت این گمان بد خطاست ** بر برادر این چنین ظنم چراست
Then he would say, “Prudence consists in your thinking evil: how shall he that thinks no evil remain unhurt?”
باز گفتی حزم سوء الظن تست ** هر که بد ظن نیست کی ماند درست
The Súfí was in (this) anxiety, and (meanwhile) the ass was in such a plight that—may it befall our enemies!
صوفی اندر وسوسه و آن خر چنان ** که چنین بادا جز ای دشمنان
That poor ass was amidst earth and stones, with his saddle crooked and his halter torn,235
آن خر مسکین میان خاک و سنگ ** کژ شده پالان دریده پالهنگ
Killed (exhausted) by the journey, without fodder all the night long, now at the last gasp and now perishing.
خسته از ره جملهی شب بیعلف ** گاه در جان کندن و گه در تلف