He (the inquirer) saw no opportunity to tell his heart's secret: he at once made an evasion and drew him into jesting talk.
او مجال راز دل گفتن ندید ** زو برون شو کرد و در لاغش کشید
He said, “I wish to marry a woman in this street: who is suitable for one like me?”
گفت میخواهم در این کوچه زنی ** کیست لایق از برای چون منی
“There are three kinds of women in the world,” said he: “two of those are a sorrow, and one is the soul's treasure.2405
گفت سه گونه زناند اندر جهان ** آن دو رنج و این یکی گنج روان
The first, when you marry her, is wholly yours; and the second is half yours and half separate (from you);
آن یکی را چون بخواهی کل تراست ** و آن دگر نیمی ترا نیمی جداست
And the third, know she is not yours at all. You have heard this. Away (with you)!—I start in a trice—
و آن سوم هیچ او ترا نبود بدان ** این شنودی دور شو رفتم روان
Lest my horse let fly a kick at you, so that you fall and never rise up (again).”
تا ترا اسبم نپراند لگد ** که بیفتی بر نخیزی تا ابد
The Shaykh rode off amongst the children, (but) the young man shouted to him once more,
شیخ راند اندر میان کودکان ** بانگ زد بار دگر او را جوان
“Come, prithee declare the exposition of this. Thou hast said that these women are of three kinds: pick (them) out.”2410
که بیا آخر بگو تفسیر این ** این زنان سه نوع گفتی بر گزین
He rode towards him and said to him, “The virgin of your choice will be wholly yours, and you will gain freedom from sorrow;
راند سوی او و گفتش بکر خاص ** کل ترا باشد ز غم یابی خلاص
And she that is half yours is the (childless) widow; and she that is nothing (to you) is the married woman with a child:
و انکه نیمی آن تو بیوه بود ** و انکه هیچست آن عیال با ولد
When she has a child by her first husband, her love and whole heart will go to that quarter.
چون ز شوی اولش کودک بود ** مهر و کل خاطرش آن سو رود
(Now) get away, lest my horse launch a kick, and the hoof of my restive horse land upon you.”
دور شو تا اسب نندازد لگد ** سم اسب توسنم بر تو رسد
The Shaykh gave a loud cry of jubilation and rode back: he again called the children to him.2415
های و هویی کرد شیخ و باز راند ** کودکان را باز سوی خویش خواند
That inquirer shouted to him once more, “Come (hither), I have one question left, O sovereign king.”
باز بانگش کرد آن سایل بیا ** یک سؤالم ماند ای شاه کیا
He rode back in this direction. “Say what it is,” he cried, “as quick as you can, for yonder child has enraptured my heart.”
باز راند این سو بگو زودتر چه بود ** که ز میدان آن بچه گویم ربود
Said the other, “O king, with such intelligence and erudition (as thou hast), what dissimulation is this? What acting is this? Oh, ’tis a marvel!
گفت ای شه با چنین عقل و ادب ** این چه شیداست این چه فعل است ای عجب
Thou transcendest the Universal Intellect in (thy power of) elucidation. Thou art a sun: how art thou hid in madness?”
تو ورای عقل کلی در بیان ** آفتابی در جنون چونی نهان
He replied, “These rascals are proposing to make me Cadi in this their city.2420
گفت این اوباش رایی میزنند ** تا در این شهر خودم قاضی کنند
I raised objections, (but) they said to me, ‘Nay, there is none so learned and accomplished as thou.
دفع میگفتم مرا گفتند نی ** نیست چون تو عالمی صاحب فنی
Whilst thou art in existence, it is unlawful and wicked that any one inferior to thee should cite Prophetic Traditions in the office of Cadi.
با وجود تو حرام است و خبیث ** که کم از تو در قضا گوید حدیث
Permission is not (given) in the Law, that we should appoint one less than thee as (our) prince and leader.’
در شریعت نیست دستوری که ما ** کمتر از تو شه کنیم و پیشوا
By this necessity I was made distraught and mad (in appearance), but inwardly I am just the same as I was.
زین ضرورت گیج و دیوانه شدم ** لیک در باطن همانم که بدم
My intelligence is the (hidden) treasure, and I am the ruin (which covers it); if I display the treasure, (then) I am mad (indeed).2425
عقل من گنج است و من ویرانهام ** گنج اگر پیدا کنم دیوانهام
The (real) madman is he that has not gone mad, he that has seen this night patrol and has not gone home.
اوست دیوانه که دیوانه نشد ** این عسس را دید و در خانه نشد
My knowledge is substantial, not accidental; and this precious (thing) is not for (the purpose of gaining) every (worldly) interest.
دانش من جوهر آمد نه عرض ** این بهایی نیست بهر هر غرض
I am a mine of candy, I am a plantation of sugar-canes: it is growing from me, and at the same time I am eating (of it).
کان قندم نیستان شکرم ** هم ز من میروید و من میخورم
Knowledge is conventional and acquired (not real), when he (its owner) laments because the hearer is averse to (hearing) it.
علم تقلیدی و تعلیمی است آن ** کز نفورش مستمع دارد فغان
Since it is (learned) as a bait (for popularity), not for the sake of (spiritual) enlightenment, he (the seeker of religious knowledge) is just as (bad) as the seeker of vile worldly knowledge;2430
چون پی دانه نه بهر روشنی است ** همچو طالب علم دنیای دنی است
(For) he is seeking knowledge on account of the vulgar and the noble, not in order that he may win release from this world.
طالب علم است بهر عام و خاص ** نی که تا یابد از این عالم خلاص
Like a mouse, he has burrowed in every direction, since the light drove him (back) from the door (the entrance to the hole) and said, ‘Away!’
همچو موشی هر طرف سوراخ کرد ** چون که نورش راند از در گشت سرد
Inasmuch as he had no way (of getting out) to the open country and the light, he continued to make (such) an exertion even in that darkness.
چون که سوی دشت و نورش ره نبود ** هم در آن ظلمات جهدی مینمود
If God give him wings, the wings of Wisdom, he will escape from mousiness and will fly like the birds;
گر خدایش پر دهد پر خرد ** برهد از موشی و چون مرغان پرد
But if he seek not wings, he will remain underground with no hope of traversing the path to Simák.2435
ور نجوید پر بماند زیر خاک ** ناامید از رفتن راه سماک
Dialectic knowledge, which is soulless, is in love with (eager for) the countenance of customers;
علم گفتاری که آن بیجان بود ** عاشق روی خریداران بود
(But) though it is robust at the time of disputation, it is dead and gone when it has no customer.
گر چه باشد وقت بحث علم زفت ** چون خریدارش نباشد مرد و رفت
My purchaser is God: He is drawing me aloft, for God hath purchased.
مشتری من خدای است او مرا ** میکشد بالا که الله اشتری
My bloodwit (the reward of my self-sacrifice) is the beauty of the Glorious One: I enjoy my bloodwit (as) lawful earnings.
خونبهای من جمال ذو الجلال ** خونبهای خود خورم کسب حلال
Abandon these insolvent customers: what purchase can be made by a handful of (worthless) clay?2440
این خریداران مفلس را بهل ** چه خریداری کند یک مشت گل
Do not eat clay, do not buy clay, do not seek clay, because the eater of clay is always pale-faced.
گل مخور گل را مخر گل را مجو ** ز انکه گل خوار است دایم زرد رو
Eat your heart (in love of God), that you may be young always, (and that) your visage (may be rosy) with Divine illumination, like the arghawán.”
دل بخور تا دایما باشی جوان ** از تجلی چهرهات چون ارغوان
O Lord, this gift is not (within) the compass of our work (achievement): verily, (the gift of) Thy grace is (not according to our work, but) according to Thy mysterious grace.
یا رب این بخشش نه حد کار ماست ** لطف تو لطف خفی را خود سزاست
Take our hands (help us); buy (redeem) us from our hands (self-existence); lift the veil (between Thee and us), and do not tear our veil (do not expose us to shame).
دست گیر از دست ما ما را بخر ** پرده را بردار و پردهی ما مدر
Redeem us from this filthy self (nafs): its knife has reached our bones.2445
باز خر ما را از این نفس پلید ** کاردش تا استخوان ما رسید
Who will loose these strong chains from helpless ones like us, O king uncrowned and unthroned?
از چو ما بیچارگان این بند سخت ** کی گشاید ای شه بیتاج و تخت
Who except (Thee in) Thy bounty, O Loving One, can loose such a heavy lock?
این چنین قفل گران را ای ودود ** کی تواند جز که فضل تو گشود
Let us turn our heads from ourselves towards Thee, inasmuch as Thou art nigher unto us than we (unto ourselves).
ما ز خود سوی که گردانیم سر ** چون تویی از ما به ما نزدیکتر
Even this prayer is Thy gift and lesson (to us); else, wherefore has a rose-bed grown in an ash-pit?
این دعا هم بخشش و تعلیم تست ** گر نه در گلخن گلستان از چه رست
Save through Thy munificence, ’tis impossible to convey understanding and reason into the midst of blood and entrails.2450
در میان خون و روده فهم و عقل ** جز ز اکرام تو نتوان کرد نقل
This flowing light (proceeds) from two pieces of fat (the two eyeballs): their waves of light reach up to the sky.
از دو پارهی پیه این نور روان ** موج نورش میزند بر آسمان
The piece of flesh which is the tongue—from it the flood of Wisdom is flowing, like a stream,
گوشت پاره که زبان آمد از او ** میرود سیلاب حکمت همچو جو