Saying, “Is there another leader superior to me, so that he should be worshipped by one like me?”
که به از من سروری دیگر بود ** تا که او مسجود چون من کس شود
Leadership is poison, except to the spirit that from the beginning hath (in himself) abundance of the antidote.
سروری زهر است جز آن روح را ** کاو بود تریاق لانی ز ابتدا
If the mountain is full of snakes, have no fear, for it is a mine of antidote within.3465
کوه اگر پر مار شد باکی مدار ** کاو بود در اندرون تریاقزار
When leadership has become a bosom-friend to your brain, any one who breaks (thwarts) you becomes (as) an ancient adversary.
سروری چون شد دماغت را ندیم ** هر که بشکستت شود خصم قدیم
When any one contradicts your disposition (habit of mind), many feelings of hatred against him arise in you.
چون خلاف خوی تو گوید کسی ** کینهها خیزد ترا با او بسی
“He is tearing me (you say) from my (engrained) disposition, he is making himself like a captain over me.”
که مرا از خوی من بر میکند ** خویش را بر من چو سرور میکند
Unless the evil disposition has become headstrong in him, how should the fire (of passion) blaze up in him through being opposed?
چون نباشد خوی بد سرکش در او ** کی فروزد آن خلاف آتش در او
He may show some feigned courtesy to the opponent, he may make a place for himself in his heart,3470
با مخالف او مدارایی کند ** در دل او خویش را جایی کند
(But he really hates him), because the evil disposition has waxed strong: the ant of (worldly) lust has through habit become as a snake.
ز انکه خوی بد بگشته ست استوار ** مور شهوت شد ز عادت همچو مار
Kill the snake of lust in tribulation; else, look you, your snake is become a dragon.
مار شهوت را بکش در ابتدا ** ور نه اینک گشت مارت اژدها
But every one deems his own snake an ant: do you (then) seek the explanation of yourself (your real state) from him that is lord of the heart.
لیک هر کس مور بیند مار خویش ** تو ز صاحب دل کن استفسار خویش
Until copper becomes gold, it does not know itself to be copper: until the heart becomes a king, it does not know itself to be an insolvent.
تا نشد زر مس نداند من مسم ** تا نشد شه دل نداند مفلسم
Do service to the elixir, like copper: endure oppression, O heart, from him that holds the heart in fee.3475
خدمت اکسیر کن مسوار تو ** جور میکش ای دل از دل دار تو
Who is it that holds the heart in fee? Know well, it is the lords of the heart who, like day and night, are recoiling from the world.
کیست دل دار اهل دل نیکو بدان ** که چو روز و شب جهانند از جهان
Do not find fault with the Servant of God: do not suspect the King of being a thief.
عیب کم گو بندهی الله را ** متهم کم کن به دزدی شاه را
The miracles of the dervish who was suspected of theft in a ship.
کرامات آن درویش که در کشتی متهمش کردند
A dervish was in a ship: he had made a bolster (for himself) from the goods of saintly fortitude.
بود درویشی درون کشتیی ** ساخته از رخت مردی پشتیی
A purse of gold was lost. He was asleep (at the time). They searched all (in the ship) and brought him also to view
یاوه شد همیان زر او خفته بود ** جمله را جستند و او را هم نمود
Saying, “Let us search this sleeping mendicant as well.” (So) the owner of the money, (excited) by grief, awakened him.3480
کاین فقیر خفته را جوییم هم ** کرد بیدارش ز غم صاحب درم
“A bag of valuables,” said he, “has been lost in this ship. We have searched the whole company: you cannot escape (suspicion).
که در این کشتی حرمدان گمشدست ** جمله را جستیم نتوانی تو رست
Put off your dervish-cloak, strip yourself of it, in order that the people's suspicions may be cleared away from you.”
دلق بیرون کن برهنه شو ز دلق ** تا ز تو فارغ شود اوهام خلق
He cried, “O Lord, these vile wretches have made an accusation against Thy slave: bring Thy command to pass!”
گفت یا رب مر غلامت را خسان ** متهم کردند فرمان در رسان
When the heart of the dervish was pained by that (suspicion), at once there put forth their heads on every side
چون به درد آمد دل درویش از آن ** سر برون کردند هر سو در زمان
From the deep sea myriads of fishes, and in the mouth of each (was) a superb pearl:3485
صد هزاران ماهی از دریای ژرف ** در دهان هر یکی دری شگرف
Myriads of fishes out of the full sea, each with a pearl in its mouth—and what (marvellous) pearls!—
صد هزاران ماهی از دریای پر ** در دهان هر یکی در و چه در
Every pearl the revenue of a kingdom. “These,” they said (to him), “are from God, they have no association (with any one but God).”
هر یکی دری خراج ملکتی ** کز اله است این ندارد شرکتی
He dropped a quantity of pearls on the ship and sprang (aloft): he made the air his high-seat and sate (thereon),
در چند انداخت در کشتی و جست ** مر هوا را ساخت کرسی و نشست
(Resting) at ease, cross-legged, as kings upon their thrones— he above the zenith, and the ship before him.
خوش مربع چون شهان بر تخت خویش ** او فراز اوج و کشتیاش به پیش
He said, “Begone! The ship for you, God for me, so that a beggarly thief may not be with you!3490
گفت رو کشتی شما را حق مرا ** تا نباشد با شما دزد گدا
Let us see who will be the loser by this separation! I am pleased, (being) paired (united) with God and singled (isolated) from (His) creatures.
تا که را باشد خسارت زین فراق ** من خوشم جفت حق و با خلق طاق
He does not accuse me of theft, He does not hand me over to (the mercy of) an informer.”
نه مرا او تهمت دزدی نهد ** نه مهارم را به غمازی دهد
The people in the ship cried out, “O noble chief, wherefore has such a high estate been given to thee?”
بانگ کردند اهل کشتی کای همام ** از چه دادندت چنین عالی مقام
He answered, “For throwing suspicion on dervishes and offending God on account of a despicable thing (as ye have done)!
گفت از تهمت نهادن بر فقیر ** و ز حق آزاری پی چیزی حقیر
God forbid! Nay, (it was) for showing reverence to (the spiritual) kings, inasmuch as I did not conceive ill thoughts against dervishes—3495
حاش لله بل ز تعظیم شهان ** که نبودم در فقیران بد گمان
Those gracious dervishes of sweet breath (pure spirit), for whose magnification (the chapter of the Qur’án entitled) ‘Abasa was revealed.”
آن فقیران لطیف خوش نفس ** کز پی تعظیمشان آمد عبس
That dervishhood is not for the sake of (avoiding) entanglement (with the world); no, (it is) because nothing exists but God.
آن فقیری بهر پیچا پیچ نیست ** بل پی آن که بجز حق هیچ نیست
How should I hold in suspicion those whom God hath entrusted with the treasury of the Seventh Heaven?
متهم چون دارم آنها را که حق ** کرد امین مخزن هفتم طبق
The fleshly soul is suspect, not the sublime Reason: the senses are suspect, not the subtle Light.
متهم نفس است نه عقل شریف ** متهم حس است نه نور لطیف
The fleshly soul is a sophist: beat it constantly, for beating does it good, not arguing with it.3500
نفس سوفسطایی آمد میزنش ** کش زدن سازد نه حجت گفتنش
It sees a miracle (wrought by a prophet), and at the moment it glows (with belief); (but) afterwards it says, “’Twas (only) a phantasy;
معجزه بیند فروزد آن زمان ** بعد از آن گوید خیالی بود آن
For if that wondrous sight was real, why did it not become abiding, day and night, in the eye?”
ور حقیقت بودی آن دید عجب ** چون مقیم چشم نامد روز و شب
It is abiding in the eyes of the pure, (but) it does not haunt the eyes of animals (sensual men);
آن مقیم چشم پاکان میبود ** نه قرین چشم حیوان میشود
For the miracle is ashamed and scornful of these (bodily) senses: how should a peacock be (confined) in a narrow pit?
کان عجب زین حس دارد عار و ننگ ** کی بود طاوس اندر چاه تنگ
Take heed not to call me garrulous: I say (only) one in a hundred, and that (one) like a hair.3505
تا نگویی مر مرا بسیار گو ** من ز صد یک گویم و آن همچو مو
How some Súfís abused a certain Súfí, saying that he talked too much in the presence of the Shaykh.
تشنیع صوفیان بر آن صوفی که پیش شیخ بسیار میگوید
Some Súfís abused a certain Súfí, and came to the Shaykh of the convent,
صوفیان بر صوفیی شنعت زدند ** پیش شیخ خانقاهی آمدند
And said to the Shaykh, “Demand justice for our souls from this Súfí, O Guide!”
شیخ را گفتند داد جان ما ** تو از این صوفی بجو ای پیشوا
He said, “Why, what is the complaint, O Súfís?” He (their spokesman) replied, “This Súfí has three annoying habits:
گفت آخر چه گله ست ای صوفیان ** گفت این صوفی سه خو دارد گران
In speech he is garrulous as a bell; in eating he eats more than twenty persons;
در سخن بسیار گو همچون جرس ** در خورش افزون خورد از بیست کس
And if he sleep, he is like the Men of the Cave.” (Thus) did the Súfís march to war (against him) before the Shaykh.3510
ور بخسبد هست چون اصحاب کهف ** صوفیان کردند پیش شیخ زحف
The Shaykh turned his face towards that dervish, saying, “In every case that exists, take the middle (course).
شیخ رو آورد سوی آن فقیر ** که ز هر حالی که هست اوساط گیر
(It is stated) in Tradition that the best things are the mean (those between the two extremes): the (four) humours are beneficial through being in equipoise.
در خبر خیر الأمور أوساطها ** نافع آمد ز اعتدال أخلاطها