For years Iblís lived in good renown; (afterwards) he was disgraced: mark what is (the meaning of) his name.3040
سالها ابلیس نیکو نام زیست ** گشت رسوا بین که او را نام چیست
His eminence was famed throughout the (celestial) world; (then) his fame turned to infamy—oh, alas for him!
در جهان معروف بد علیای او ** گشت معروفی بعکس ای وای او
Do not seek fame till you are secure: wash your face of fear, then show your face.
تا نه ای ایمن تو معروفی مجو ** رو بشو از خوف پس بنمای رو
Until your (own) beard grows, my good man, do not jeer at another whose chin is smooth.
تا نروید ریش تو ای خوب من ** بر دگر ساده ز نخ طعنه مزن
Consider this, that his (Satan's) soul was tried (by the wrath of God), he fell into a pit (of perdition) so that he became a warning to you.
این نگر که مبتلا شد جان او ** در چهی افتاد تا شد پند تو
You did not fall, so that you should be a warning to him. He drank the poison: eat you his sugar!3045
تو نیفتادی که باشی پند او ** زهر او نوشید تو خور قند او
How the Ghuzz set about killing one man in order that another might be terrorised.
قصد کردن غزان به کشتن یک مردی تا آن دگر بترسد
Those blood-shedding (murderous) Ghuzz Turcomans came, and suddenly fell upon a village (on a raid) for plunder.
آن غزان ترک خونریز آمدند ** بهر یغما بر دهی ناگه زدند
They found two of the notables of that village, and made (ready in) haste to put one (of the two) to death.
دو کس از اعیان آن ده یافتند ** در هلاک آن یکی بشتافتند
They tied his hands in order to sacrifice (kill) him. He said, “O princes and high pillars (of the empire),
دست بستندش که قربانش کنند ** گفت ای شاهان و ارکان بلند
Why are ye casting me into the pit of death? Wherefore, pray, are ye thirsting after my blood?
در چه مرگم چرا میافگنید ** از چه آخر تشنهی خون منید
What is the wisdom, what is the object, in killing me, when I am so poor and bare-bodied?”3050
چیست حکمت چه غرض در کشتنم ** چون چنین درویشم و عریان تنم
He (one of the Ghuzz) replied, “To strike awe into this friend of yours, so that he may be afraid and produce (his) gold.”
گفت تا هیبت بر این یارت زند ** تا بترسد او و زر پیدا کند
He (the man) said, “Why, he is poorer than I.” “He has done it (made himself out to be poor) on purpose,” replied the other; “he has gold.”
گفت آخر او ز من مسکینتر است ** گفت قاصد کرده است او را زر است
He (the man) said, “Since it is (a matter of) opinion, we are both the same: we are (equally) exposed to (mere) probability and doubt.
گفت چون وهم است ما هر دو یکایم ** در مقام احتمال و در شکایم
Kill him first, O princes, in order that I may be afraid and point out the way to the gold.”
خود و را بکشید اول ای شهان ** تا بترسم من دهم زر را نشان
See, then, the loving kindnesses of God, in that we have come (into the world) in the latter days, at the very end.3055
پس کرمهای الهی بین که ما ** آمدیم آخر زمان در انتها
The last epoch is in front of the (other) epochs: in the Traditions of the Prophet is (the saying)—“(We are) the last (in time), the foremost (in excellence).”
آخرین قرنها پیش از قرون ** در حدیث است آخرون السابقون
In order that the destruction of the people of Noah and the people of Húd might display to our souls the face of (Divine) Mercy (who calls us to repentance),
تا هلاک قوم نوح و قوم هود ** عارض رحمت به جان ما نمود
He (God) slew them, that we might fear Him; and if indeed He had done contrariwise, alas for thee!
کشت ایشان را که ما ترسیم از او ** ور خود این بر عکس کردی وای تو
Explaining the state of those who are self-conceited and unthankful for the blessing of the existence of the prophets and saints—peace be unto them!
بیان حال خود پرستان و ناشکران در نعمت وجود انبیا و اولیا علیهم السلام
Whosoever of them (the proclaimers of Divine Mercy) has spoken of fault and sin, and of a heart like stone, and of a black soul;
هر ک از ایشان گفت از عیب و گناه ** وز دل چون سنگ وز جان سیاه
And of holding light His commands, and of being free from care for His To-morrow;3060
و ز سبک داری فرمانهای او ** و ز فراغت از غم فردای او
And of being, like women, enslaved to the fleshly soul by passion and by love of this vile world;
و ز هوس و ز عشق این دنیای دون ** چون زنان مر نفس را بودن زبون
And of fleeing from the pungent sayings of sincere counsellors, and of shrinking from the countenance of the righteous;
و آن فرار از نکتههای ناصحان ** و آن رمیدن از لقای صالحان
(And of) estrangement from the spirit and spiritual folk, (and of) fraud and fox-like behaviour towards the (spiritual) kings;
با دل و با اهل دل بیگانگی ** با شهان تزویر و روبهشانگی
(And of) thinking the fully satisfied (saints) to be (greedy) beggars, (and of) secretly regarding them with enmity (arising) from envy—
سیر چشمان را گدا پنداشتن ** از حسدشان خفیه دشمن داشتن
If he (such a saintly man as has been described) accept anything, you say he is a beggar; and if not, you say it is (from) hypocrisy and deceit and guile.3065
گر پذیرد چیز تو گویی گداست ** ور نه گویی زرق و مکر است و دغاست
If he mix (in society), you say he is covetous; and if not, you say he is excessively given to pride;
گر در آمیزد تو گویی طامع است ** ور نه گویی در تکبر مولع است
Or you hypocritically excuse yourself, saying, “I am held back (by what I have to do) in maintaining my wife and children.
یا منافقوار عذر آری که من ** ماندهام در نفقهی فرزند و زن
Neither have I leisure to scratch my head, nor have I leisure to cultivate religion.
نه مرا پروای سر خاریدن است ** نه مرا پروای دین ورزیدن است
O so-and-so, remember me in thy benedictions, that in the end I may become one of the saints.”
ای فلان ما را به همت یاد دار ** تا شویم از اولیا پایان کار
These words he does not even speak from (true) passion and ardour; (’tis as though) a drowsy man muttered some idle talk and went to sleep again.3070
این سخن نه هم ز درد و سوز گفت ** خوابناکی هرزه گفت و باز خفت
(He says), “I cannot help feeding my family: I strain every nerve to earn a lawful livelihood.”
هیچ چاره نیست از قوت عیال ** از بن دندان کنم کسب حلال
How lawful, O thou that hast become one of the lost? I deem nothing lawful but (to shed) thy blood.
چه حلال ای گشته از اهل ضلال ** غیر خون تو نمیبینم حلال
He can do without God, but not without food; he can do without the Religion, but not without the idols.
از خدا چارهستش و از لوت نه ** چارهش است از دین و از طاغوت نه
O thou that canst not refrain thy self from this vile world, how canst thou refrain thyself from Him who spread the earth as a carpet?
ای که صبرت نیست از دنیای دون ** صبر چون داری ز نعم الماهدون
O thou that canst not refrain thyself from delight and luxury, how canst thou refrain thyself from the Bountiful God?3075
ای که صبرت نیست از ناز و نعیم ** صبر چون داری از الله کریم
O thou that canst not refrain thyself from aught pure or foul, how canst thou refrain thyself from Him who created this?
ای که صبرت نیست از پاک و پلید ** صبر چون داری از آن کاین آفرید
Where is (one like) the Friend (of God), who came forth from the cave (of idolatry), and said, “This is my Lord (as ye assert). Take heed! Where is the Maker (of all)?”—
کو خلیلی که برون آمد ز غار ** گفت هذا رب هان کو کردگار
(One who shall say), “I will not look at the two worlds until I see to whom these two assembly-places (really) belong.
من نخواهم در دو عالم بنگریست ** تا نبینم این دو مجلس آن کیست
If I eat bread without the view of God's attributes, it will stick in my throat.”