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2
525-574

  • Thereby they were sowing the seed of falsehood, for they deemed soul that which is not soul. 525
  • تخم باطل را از آن می‏کاشتند ** کان که آن جان نیست جان پنداشتند

  • And the traveller, too, was tired by the long journey and (gladly) saw that favour and fondness (with which they regarded him).
  • و آن مسافر نیز از راه دراز ** خسته بود و دید آن اقبال و ناز

  • The Súfís, one by one, caressed him: they were playing the game of (bestowing) pleasant attentions (on him).
  • صوفیانش یک به یک بنواختند ** نرد خدمتهای خوش می‏باختند

  • When he saw their affection towards him, he said, “If I don't make merry to-night, when (shall I do so)?”
  • گفت چون می‏دید میلانشان به وی ** گر طرب امشب نخواهم کرد کی‏

  • They ate the viands and began the samá‘ (musical dance); the monastery was filled with smoke and dust up to the roof—
  • لوت خوردند و سماع آغاز کرد ** خانقه تا سقف شد پر دود و گرد

  • The smoke of the kitchen, the dust of (raised by) beating the feet (dancing), the tumult (caused) by longing and ecstasy of spirit. 530
  • دود مطبخ گرد آن پا کوفتن ** ز اشتیاق و وجد جان آشوفتن‏

  • Now, waving their hands, they would beat (the ground with) their feet; now, in (religious) prostration, they would sweep the dais (with their foreheads).
  • گاه دست افشان قدم می‏کوفتند ** گه به سجده صفه را می‏روفتند

  • (Only) after long (waiting) does the Súfí gain his desire (the satisfaction of his appetite) from Fortune: for that reason the Súfí is a great eater;
  • دیر یابد صوفی آز از روزگار ** ز آن سبب صوفی بود بسیار خوار

  • Except, to be sure, the Súfí who has eaten his fill of the Light of God: he is free from the shame of beggary;
  • جز مگر آن صوفیی کز نور حق ** سیر خورد او فارغ است از ننگ دق‏

  • (But) of these Súfís there are (only) a few among thousands; the rest are living in (under the protection of) his (the perfect Súfí's spiritual) empire.
  • از هزاران اندکی زین صوفیند ** باقیان در دولت او می‏زیند

  • When the samá‘ had come (run its course) from beginning to end, the minstrel struck up a heavy (deep-sounding) strain. 535
  • چون سماع آمد از اول تا کران ** مطرب آغازید یک ضرب گران‏

  • He commenced (to sing), "The ass is gone, and the ass is gone": he made the whole (company) sharers in this ditty.
  • خر برفت و خر برفت آغاز کرد ** زین حراره جمله را انباز کرد

  • From this enthusiasm (they continued) beating their feet (dancing) to this ditty till dawn, clapping their hands (and singing), "The ass is gone, the ass is gone!"
  • زین حراره پای کوبان تا سحر ** کف‏زنان خر رفت و خر رفت ای پسر

  • By way of imitation that Súfí began (to sing) in (tones of) impassioned feeling this same (phrase), “The ass is gone.”
  • از ره تقلید آن صوفی همین ** خر برفت آغاز کرد اندر حنین‏

  • When the pleasure and excitement and music and dancing were over, day dawned and they all said, “Farewell!”
  • چون گذشت آن نوش و جوش و آن سماع ** روز گشت و جمله گفتند الوداع‏

  • The monastery was deserted, and the Súfí remained (alone): that traveller set about shaking the dust from his baggage. 540
  • خانقه خالی شد و صوفی بماند ** گرد از رخت آن مسافر می‏فشاند

  • He brought out the baggage from his cell, in order that he might tie it on the ass, (for he was) desirous of (finding) people to travel with.
  • رخت از حجره برون آورد او ** تا به خر بر بندد آن همراه جو

  • He was hurrying that he might overtake his fellow-travellers; he went into the stable but did not find the ass.
  • تا رسد در همرهان او می‏شتافت ** رفت در آخر خر خود را نیافت‏

  • He said, “The servant has taken it (the ass) to water, because it drank little water last night.”
  • گفت آن خادم به آبش برده است ** ز انکه خر دوش آب کمتر خورده است‏

  • The servant came, and the Súfí said to him, “Where is the ass?” “Look at your beard,” replied the servant, and a quarrel arose.
  • خادم آمد گفت صوفی خر کجاست ** گفت خادم ریش بین جنگی بخاست‏

  • He (the Súfí) said, “I have entrusted the ass to you, I have put you in charge of the ass. 545
  • گفت من خر را به تو بسپرده‏ام ** من ترا بر خر موکل کرده‏ام‏

  • Discuss (the matter) with propriety, don't argue: deliver back to me what I delivered to you.
  • از تو خواهم آن چه من دادم به تو ** باز ده آن چه فرستادم به تو

  • I demand from you what I gave to you: return that which I sent to you.
  • بحث با توجیه کن حجت میار ** آن چه بسپردم ترا واپس سپار

  • The Prophet said that whatever your hand has taken must in the end be restored (to its owner).
  • گفت پیغمبر که دستت هر چه برد ** بایدش در عاقبت واپس سپرد

  • And if you, from insolence, are not content with this, look here, let us (go) to the house of the Cadi of (our) religion.”
  • ور نه‏ای از سرکشی راضی بدین ** نک من و تو خانه‏ی قاضی دین‏

  • The servant said, “I was overpowered: the Súfís rushed (on me), and I was in fear for my life. 550
  • گفت من مغلوب بودم صوفیان ** حمله آوردند و بودم بیم جان‏

  • Do you throw a liver with the parts next it amongst cats, and (then) seek the trace of it?
  • تو جگر بندی میان گربگان ** اندر اندازی و جویی ز آن نشان‏

  • One cake of bread amongst a hundred hungry people, one wasted (starved) cat before a hundred dogs?”
  • در میان صد گرسنه گرده‏ای ** پیش صد سگ گربه‏ی پژمرده‏ای‏

  • “I suppose,” said the Súfí, “that they took it (the ass) from you by violence, (and thereby) aimed at the life of wretched me;
  • گفت گیرم کز تو ظلما بستدند ** قاصد خون من مسکین شدند

  • (And seeing this) you would not come and say to me, ‘They are taking away your ass, O poor man!’
  • تو نیایی و نگویی مر مرا ** که خرت را می‏برند ای بی‏نوا

  • So that I might buy back the ass from (the purchaser) whoever he is, or else they might divide my money (amongst themselves and return the ass to me). 555
  • تا خر از هر که بود من واخرم ** ور نه توزیعی کنند ایشان زرم‏

  • There were a hundred ways of mending (the injury) when they (the Súfís) were present, (but) now each one is gone to a (different) clime.
  • صد تدارک بود چون حاضر بدند ** این زمان هر یک به اقلیمی شدند

  • Whom should I seize? Whom should I take to the Cadi? ’Tis from you in sooth that this judgement has come upon me.
  • من که را گیرم که را قاضی برم ** این قضا خود از تو آمد بر سرم‏

  • How wouldn't you come and say (to me), ‘O stranger, such a terrible outrage has occurred’?”
  • چون نیایی و نگویی ای غریب ** پیش آمد این چنین ظلمی مهیب‏

  • “By God,” said he, “I came several times to inform you of these doings,
  • گفت و الله آمدم من بارها ** تا ترا واقف کنم زین کارها

  • (But) you were always saying, ‘The ass is gone, O son,’ with more gusto than all (the others) who said it. 560
  • تو همی‏گفتی که خر رفت ای پسر ** از همه گویندگان با ذوق‏تر

  • (So) I was (always) going back, (thinking), ‘He himself is aware; he is satisfied with this (Divine) judgement: he is a man that knows (God)’.”
  • باز می‏گشتم که او خود واقف است ** زین قضا راضی است مردی عارف است‏

  • The Súfí said, “They all were saying (it) merrily, (so) I also took delight in saying it.
  • گفت آن را جمله می‏گفتند خوش ** مر مرا هم ذوق آمد گفتنش‏

  • Blind imitation of them has brought me to ruin: two hundred curses be on that imitation!
  • مر مرا تقلیدشان بر باد داد ** که دو صد لعنت بر آن تقلید باد

  • Especially (on) imitation of such good-for-nothing rascals— the wrath of Abraham be on them that sink!
  • خاصه تقلید چنین بی‏حاصلان ** خشم ابراهیم با بر آفلان‏

  • The delight of that company (of Súfís) was casting a reflexion, and this heart of mine was becoming delighted by that reflexion.” 565
  • عکس ذوق آن جماعت می‏زدی ** وین دلم ز آن عکس ذوقی می‏شدی‏

  • The reflexion (cast) from goodly friends is necessary until you become, without (the aid of any) reflexion, a drawer of water from the Sea.
  • عکس چندان باید از یاران خوش ** که شوی از بحر بی‏عکس آب کش‏

  • Know that the reflexion first cast is (only) imitation, (but) when it has become successive (continually recurrent) it turns into (direct) realisation (of the truth).
  • عکس کاول زد تو آن تقلید دان ** چون پیاپی شد شود تحقیق آن‏

  • Until it has become realisation, do not part from the friends (by whom you are guided); do not break away from the shell: the rain-drop has not (yet) become a pearl.
  • تا نشد تحقیق از یاران مبر ** از صدف مگسل نگشت آن قطره در

  • If you wish eye and understanding and hearing to be pure, tear in pieces the curtains of selfish desire,
  • صاف خواهی چشم و عقل و سمع را ** بر دران تو پرده‏های طمع را

  • Because the Súfí's imitation, (which arose) from desire, debarred his understanding from the light and radiance. 570
  • ز انکه آن تقلید صوفی از طمع ** عقل او بر بست از نور و لمع‏

  • Desire for the viands and desire for that delight (shown by the Súfís) and for the samá‘ hindered his understanding from (gaining) knowledge (of what had happened).
  • طمع لوت و طمع آن ذوق و سماع ** مانع آمد عقل او را ز اطلاع‏

  • If desire were to arise in the mirror, that mirror would be like us in (respect of) hypocrisy.
  • گر طمع در آینه برخاستی ** در نفاق آن آینه چون ماستی‏

  • If the balance had desire for riches, how would the balance give a true description of the case?
  • گر ترازو را طمع بودی به مال ** راست کی گفتی ترازو وصف حال‏

  • Every prophet has said in sincerity to his people, “I ask not from you the wages for my message.
  • هر نبیی گفت با قوم از صفا ** من نخواهم مزد پیغام از شما