What fancy is this, from terror of which this inverted sphere (the sky) has now become (as insubstantial as) a phantom?
چه خیالست این که این چرخ نگون ** از نهیب این خیالی شد کنون
To the sick man the maces and swords became perceptible (visible), and his head dropped down.
گرزها و تیغها محسوس شد ** پیش بیمار و سرش منکوس شد
He sees that that (vision) is for his sake: the eye of foe and friend (alike) is barred from it.
او همی‌بیند که آن از بهر اوست ** چشم دشمن بسته زان و چشم دوست
Worldly greed vanished, his eye became keen: his eye became illumined at the moment of bloodshed (death).120
حرص دنیا رفت و چشمش تیز شد ** چشم او روشن گه خون‌ریز شد
That eye of his, from the result of his pride and his anger, became (like) the cock that crows unseasonably.
مرغ بی‌هنگام شد آن چشم او ** از نتیجه‌ی کبر او و خشم او
It is necessary to cut off the head of the bird that rings the bell (crows) at the wrong time.
سر بریدن واجب آید مرغ را ** کو بغیر وقت جنباند درا
At every moment thy particular spirit is struggling with death: in thy spirit's death-struggle look to thy faith!
هر زمان نزعیست جزو جانت را ** بنگر اندر نزع جان ایمانت را
Thy life is like a purse of gold: day and night are like him who counts the gold coins (the money-changer).
عمر تو مانند همیان زرست ** روز و شب مانند دینار اشمرست
He (Time) counts and gives the gold without stopping, until it (the purse) is emptied and there comes the eclipse (death).125
می‌شمارد می‌دهد زر بی وقوف ** تا که خالی گردد و آید خسوف
If you take away from a mountain and do not put (anything) in the place (of what you have taken), the mountain will be demolished by that giving.
گر ز که بستانی و ننهی بجای ** اندر آید کوه زان دادن ز پای
Therefore, for every breath (that you give out), put an equivalent in its place, so that by (acting in accordance with the text) and fall to worship and draw nigh you may gain your object.
پس بنه بر جای هر دم را عوض ** تا ز واسجد واقترب یابی غرض
Do not strive so much to complete (your worldly) affairs: do not strive in any affair that is not religious.
در تمامی کارها چندین مکوش ** جز به کاری که بود در دین مکوش
(Otherwise) at the end you will depart incomplete, your (spiritual) affairs marred and your bread unbaked.
عاقبت تو رفت خواهی ناتمام ** کارهاات ابتر و نان تو خام
And the beautifying of your grave and sepulchre is not (done) by means of stone and wood and plaster;130
وان عمارت کردن گور و لحد ** نه به سنگست و به چوب و نه لبد
Nay, but by digging for yourself a grave in (spiritual) purity and burying (your) egoism in His egoism,
بلک خود را در صفا گوری کنی ** در منی او کنی دفن منی
And by becoming His dust and buried in love of Him, so that your breath may gain replenishments from His breath.
خاک او گردی و مدفون غمش ** تا دمت یابد مددها از دمش
A tomb with domes and turrets—that is not good (approved) on the part of the followers of Reality.
گورخانه و قبه‌ها و کنگره ** نبود از اصحاب معنی آن سره
Look now at a living person attired in satin: does the satin help his understanding at all?
بنگر اکنون زنده اطلس‌پوش را ** هیچ اطلس دست گیرد هوش را
His soul is in hateful torment, the scorpion of grief is in his grief-laden heart.135
در عذاب منکرست آن جان او ** گزدم غم دل دل غمدان او
Outside, on his exterior, broideries and decorations; but within he is sorely lamenting from (bitter) thoughts,
از برون بر ظاهرش نقش و نگار ** وز درون ز اندیشه‌ها او زار زار
While you may see another in an old patched frock, his thoughts (sweet) as the sugar-cane and his words (like) sugar.
و آن یکی بینی در آن دلق کهن ** چون نبات اندیشه و شکر سخن
Returning to the Story of the elephant.
بازگشتن به حکایت پیل
Said the sincere adviser, “Hearken to this counsel of mine, so that your hearts and souls may not be afflicted.
گفت ناصح بشنوید این پند من ** تا دل و جانتان نگردد ممتحن
Be content with herbage and leaves, do not go in chase of the young elephants.
با گیاه و برگها قانع شوید ** در شکار پیل‌بچگان کم روید
I have put off from my neck (I have discharged) the debt of admonition: how should the end (final result) of admonition be aught but felicity?140
من برون کردم ز گردن وام نصح ** جز سعادت کی بود انجام نصح
I came to deliver the message, that I may save you from (fruitless) repentance.
من به تبلیغ رسالت آمدم ** تا رهانم مر شما را از ندم
Beware! Let not greed waylay you, let not greed for victual tear you up by the roots!”
هین مبادا که طمع رهتان زند ** طمع برگ از بیخهاتان بر کند
This he said, and gave a farewell and departed; their famine and hunger waxed great on the way.
این بگفت و خیربادی کرد و رفت ** گشت قحط و جوعشان در راه زفت
Suddenly, in the direction of a highroad, they espied a fat young elephant, newly born.
ناگهان دیدند سوی جاده‌ای ** پور پیلی فربهی نو زاده‌ای
They fell upon it like furious wolves, ate it clean up, and washed their hands.145
اندر افتادند چون گرگان مست ** پاک خوردندش فرو شستند دست
One of the fellow-travellers did not eat (of it) and exhorted (the others to abstain), for the sayings of that dervish were remembered by him.
آن یکی همره نخورد و پند داد ** که حدیث آن فقیرش بود یاد
Those words hindered him from (eating) its roasted flesh: old intelligence bestows on thee a new fortune.
از کبابش مانع آمد آن سخن ** بخت نو بخشد ترا عقل کهن
Then they all fell down and slept, but the hungry one (was awake) like the shepherd in the flock.
پس بیفتادند و خفتند آن همه ** وان گرسنه چون شبان اندر رمه
He saw a frightful elephant approaching: first she came and ran towards him who was keeping guard.
دید پیلی سهمناکی می‌رسید ** اولا آمد سوی حارس دوید
She smelt his mouth thrice: no disagreeable smell came from it.150
بوی می‌کرد آن دهانش را سه بار ** هیچ بویی زو نیامد ناگوار
She paced round him several times and went off: the huge queen-elephant did him no hurt.
چند باری گرد او گشت و برفت ** مر ورا نازرد آن شه‌پیل زفت
She smelt the lips of every sleeper, and the smell (of her young one's flesh) was coming to her from each of those slumbering men.
مر لب هر خفته‌ای را بوی کرد ** بوی می‌آمد ورا زان خفته مرد
He (each man) had eaten of the roasted flesh of the young elephant: the (mother) elephant quickly tore him to pieces and killed him.
از کباب پیل‌زاده خورده بود ** بر درانید و بکشتش پیل زود
At once she set about rending the people of that company one by one, and she had no awe of (doing) it.
در زمان او یک بیک را زان گروه ** می‌درانید و نبودش زان شکوه
She tossed each one in the air recklessly, so that he dashed on the earth and was cloven asunder.155
بر هوا انداخت هر یک را گزاف ** تا همی‌زد بر زمین می‌شد شکاف
O drinker of the people's blood, begone from the way, lest their blood wage war against thee.
ای خورنده‌ی خون خلق از راه برد ** تا نه آرد خون ایشانت نبرد
Know for sure that their property is (as) their blood, because property comes into one's hand (is acquired) by strength (of body).
مال ایشان خون ایشان دان یقین ** زانک مال از زور آید در یمین
The mother of those young elephants will exact vengeance: (her) retribution will slay him that eats the young elephant.
مادر آن پیل‌بچگان کین کشد ** پیل بچه‌خواره را کیفر کشد
O eater of bribes, thou eatest the young elephant: from thee too the Master of the elephant will wring the breath.
پیل‌بچه می‌خوری ای پاره‌خوار ** هم بر آرد خصم پیل از تو دمار
The smell put to shame the deviser of fraud: the elephant knows the smell of her child.160
بوی رسوا کرد مکر اندیش را ** پیل داند بوی طفل خویش را
He that perceives the smell of God from (distant) Yemen, how should not he perceive the smell of falsehood from me?
آنک یابد بوی حق را از یمن ** چون نیابد بوی باطل را ز من
Inasmuch as Mustafá (Mohammed) smelt (this) from far away, how should not he smell the odour from our mouths?
مصطفی چون برد بوی از راه دور ** چون نیابد از دهان ما بخور
He does smell it, but he conceals (the fact) from us: the good and bad smells go up to Heaven.
هم بیابد لیک پوشاند ز ما ** بوی نیک و بد بر آید بر سما
Thou art sleeping, and (meanwhile) the smell of that unlawful deed (of thine) is beating on the azure sky.
تو همی‌خسپی و بوی آن حرام ** می‌زند بر آسمان سبزفام
It accompanies thy foul breaths, it ascends to the smellers (examiners) in the celestial sphere.165
همره انفاس زشتت می‌شود ** تا به بوگیران گردون می‌رود
The smell of pride and the smell of greed and the smell of concupiscence will become, in speaking, like (the smell of) onions.
بوی کبر و بوی حرص و بوی آز ** در سخن گفتن بیاید چون پیاز