Be quick and turn back, O man of (prompt) action, that you may see (how) very pitiable (is) the state of things here.”
زود باش و باز گرد ای مرد کار ** تا ببینی حال اینجا زار زار
He (the householder) said (to himself), “Maybe a thief is yonder: if I do not return at once, this (fate) will befall me.
گفت باشد کان طرف دزدی بود ** گر نگردم زود این بر من رود
He may lay hands upon my wife and child, (and in that case) how would it profit me to bind this thief (whom I am pursuing)?
در زن و فرزند من دستی زند ** بستن این دزد سودم کی کند
This Moslem is calling me in kindness: unless I return quickly, repentance will befall (me).”2800
این مسلمان از کرم میخواندم ** گر نگردم زود پیش آید ندم
In (confident) hope of the compassion of that well-disposed (friend), he left the thief and again set off (in another direction).
بر امید شفقت آن نیک خواه ** دزد را بگذاشت باز آمد به راه
“O good friend,” said he, “what is the matter? By whose hand (violence) is this lamentation and outcry of yours (caused)?”
گفت ای یار نکو احوال چیست ** این فغان و بانگ تو از دست کیست
“Look here,” said (the other). “See the thief's footprints! The pimping thief has gone this way. [ “Look here,” said (the other). “See the thief's footprints! The thief whose wife is for hire (who prostitutes his wife to other men) has gone this way.]
گفت اینک بین نشان پای دزد ** این طرف رفته ست دزد زن بمزد
Look at the cuckold thief's footprints! Follow him by means of these marks and traces.”
نک نشان پای دزد قلتبان ** در پی او رو بدین نقش و نشان
He answered, “O fool, what are you telling me? Why, I had (as good as) caught him,2805
گفت ای ابله چه میگویی مرا ** من گرفته بودم آخر مر و را
(But) at your cry I let the thief go. I deemed you, ass (as you are), a (reasonable) man.
دزد را از بانگ تو بگذاشتم ** من تو خر را آدمی پنداشتم
What silly gabble and nonsense is this, O fellow? I (had) found the reality: what (use to me) is the clue?”
این چه ژاژست و چه هرزه ای فلان ** من حقیقت یافتم چه بود نشان
He replied, “I am giving you a clue to the real (thing). This is the clue; I am acquainted with the reality.”
گفت من از حق نشانت میدهم ** این نشان است از حقیقت آگهم
He (the householder) said, “You are an artful knave or else you are a fool; nay, you are a thief and cognisant of this affair.
گفت طراری تو یا خود ابلهی ** بلکه تو دزدی و زین حال آگهی
I was (on the point of) dragging my adversary along, (when) you let him escape, saying (to me), ‘Here are (his) traces.’”2810
خصم خود را میکشیدم من کشان ** تو رهانیدی و را کاینک نشان
You speak of (external) relations, (but) I transcend (all) relations. In union (with God) where are signs or evidences?
تو جهت گو من برونم از جهات ** در وصال آیات کو یا بینات
The man that is debarred (from the Essence) sees the (Divine) action (as proceeding) from the Attributes: he that has lost the Essence is in (confined to) the Attributes.
صنع بیند مرد محجوب از صفات ** در صفات آن است کاو گم کرد ذات
Inasmuch as those united (with God) are absorbed in the Essence, O son, how should they look upon His Attributes?
واصلان چون غرق ذاتند ای پسر ** کی کنند اندر صفات او نظر
When your head is at the bottom of the river, how will your eye fall on the colour of the water?
چون که اندر قعر جو باشد سرت ** کی به رنگ آب افتد منظرت
And if you come back from the bottom to the colour of the water, then you have received a coarse woollen garment and given (fine) fur (in exchange).2815
ور به رنگ آب باز آیی ز قعر ** پس پلاسی بستدی دادی تو شعر
The piety of the vulgar is sin in the elect; the unitive state of the vulgar is a veil in the elect.
طاعت عامه گناه خاصگان ** وصلت عامه حجاب خاص دان
If the king make a vizier a police inspector, the king is his enemy, he is not his friend.
مر وزیری را کند شه محتسب ** شه عدوی او بود نبود محب
Also, that vizier will have committed some offence: necessarily change (for the worse) is not (does not occur) without cause.
هم گناهی کرده باشد آن وزیر ** بیسبب نبود تغیر ناگزیر
He that has been a police inspector from the first—to him that (office) has been fortune and livelihood from the beginning;
آن که ز اول محتسب بد خود و را ** بخت و روزی آن بده ست از ابتدا
But he that was first the king's vizier—evil-doing is the cause of making him a police inspector.2820
لیک آن کاول وزیر شه بده ست ** محتسب کردن سبب فعل بد است
When the King has called you from the threshold into His presence, and again has driven you back to the threshold,
چون ترا شه ز آستانه پیش خواند ** باز سوی آستانه باز راند
Know for sure that you have committed a sin and in folly have brought forward (pleaded) compulsion (as the cause),
تو یقین میدان که جرمی کردهای ** جبر را از جهل پیش آوردهای
Saying, “This was my (predestined) portion and lot.” (But) then, why was that good luck in your hands yesterday?
که مرا روزی و قسمت این بده ست ** پس چرا دی بودت آن دولت به دست
Through folly you yourself have cut off your lot. The worthy man augments his lot.
قسمت خود خود بریدی تو ز جهل ** قسمت خود را فزاید مرد اهل
The story of the Hypocrites and their building the Mosque of Opposition.
قصهی منافقان و مسجد ضرار ساختن ایشان
It is fit if you will hearken to another parable concerning perversity (taken) from the narrative in the Qur’án.2825
یک مثال دیگر اندر کژروی ** شاید ار از نقل قرآن بشنوی
The Hypocrites played against the Prophet (just) such a crooked game at odd and even (as was played by Iblís against Mu‘áwiya),
این چنین کژ بازیی در جفت و طاق ** با نبی میباختند اهل نفاق
Saying, “Let us build a mosque for the glory of the Mohammedan religion”; and that was (really) apostasy (on their part).
کز برای عز دین احمدی ** مسجدی سازیم و بود آن مرتدی
Such a crooked game were they playing: they built a mosque other than his mosque.
این چنین کژ بازیی میباختند ** مسجدی جز مسجد او ساختند
They constructed (well) its floor and roof and dome, but they desired to disunite the (Moslem) community.
فرش و سقف و قبهاش آراسته ** لیک تفریق جماعت خواسته
They came to the Prophet with (guileful) entreaty: they knelt as camels before him,2830
نزد پیغمبر به لابه آمدند ** همچو اشتر پیش او زانو زدند
Saying, “O Messenger of God, wilt thou for kindness' sake give thyself the trouble (to walk) to that mosque,
کای رسول حق برای محسنی ** سوی آن مسجد قدم رنجه کنی
To the end that it may be made blessed by thy approach— may thy days flourish until the Resurrection!
تا مبارک گردد از اقدام تو ** تا قیامت تازه باد ایام تو
It is a mosque for muddy and cloudy days, a mosque for days of sore distress in times of poverty,
مسجد روز گل است و روز ابر ** مسجد روز ضرورت وقت فقر
That a (poor) stranger may get charity and room (to shelter) there, and that this house of service may be frequented,
تا غریبی یابد آن جا خیر و جا ** تا فراوان گردد این خدمتسرا
So that the rites of the Religion may be multiplied and abound; because a bitter plight is sweetened (by being shared) with friends.2835
تا شعار دین شود بسیار و پر ** ز انکه با یاران شود خوش کار مر
Honour that place (by thy presence) for a short while: declare us to be sincere, and give a good account of us.
ساعتی آن جایگه تشریف ده ** تزکیهی ما کن ز ما تعریف ده
Show favour to the mosque and its founders. Thou art the moon, we are the night: comply with us for a moment,
مسجد و اصحاب مسجد را نواز ** تو مهی ما شب دمی با ما بساز
In order that by thy beauty night may be made like day, O thou whose beauty is a soul-illumining sun.”
تا شود شب از جمالت همچو روز ** ای جمالت آفتاب جان فروز
Alas! would that those words had been from the heart, so that the desire of those folk might have been accomplished!
ای دریغا کان سخن از دل بدی ** تا مراد آن نفر حاصل شدی
Courtesy that comes to the tongue without (sincerity of) heart and soul is like herbs on the ash-heap, O friends.2840
لطف کاید بیدل و جان در زبان ** همچو سبزهی تون بود ای دوستان
Look at them from afar and pass on: they are not fit for eating or smelling, O son.
هم ز دورش بنگر و اندر گذر ** خوردن و بو را نشاید ای پسر
Beware, do not go (incline) towards the courtesy of the faithless, for it is a ruined bridge: heed well (my warning).
سوی لطف بیوفایان هین مرو ** کان پل ویران بود نیکو شنو
If a fool set foot on it, the bridge will break, and will shatter that foot of his.
گر قدم را جاهلی بر وی زند ** بشکند پل و آن قدم را بشکند
Wherever an army is routed, it is because of two or three effeminate weaklings.
هر کجا لشکر شکسته میشود ** او دو سه سست مخنث میبود
He (the poltroon) comes armed into the battle-line, like a man: they (the soldiers) put their trust in him, saying, “Here's the Comrade of the Cave.”2845
در صف آید با سلاح او مردوار ** دل بر او بنهند کاینک یار غار
He turns his face (in flight) when he sees wounds: his going breaks your back.