“Go in God's name,” said the boys; “inform yourselves as to our lying or telling the truth.”
کودکان گفتند بسم الله روید ** بر دروغ و صدق ما واقف شوید
How the mothers of the boys went to visit the sick master.
رفتن مادران کودکان به عیادت اوستاد
At morning those mothers came; (they found) the master in bed like one who is gravely ill,
بامدادان آمدند آن مادران ** خفته استا همچو بیمار گران
Perspiring on account of the great number of coverlets, his head bandaged and his face enveloped in the quilt.
هم عرق کرده ز بسیاری لحاف ** سر ببسته رو کشیده در سجاف
He was moaning softly: they too all began to cry “Lá hawl.”1600
آه آهی می‌کند آهسته او ** جملگان گشتند هم لا حول‌گو
They said, “Master, we hope all will be well. This headache— by thy soul, we were not aware of it.”
خیر باشد اوستاد این درد سر ** جان تو ما را نبودست زین خبر
He replied, “I also was not aware of it; the whoresons (the scoundrelly boys) made me aware (of it), mark you.
گفت من هم بی‌خبر بودم ازین ** آگهم مادر غران کردند هین
I did not notice (it), through being busy with discourse (teaching), (but) within (me) there was such a severe malady.”
من بدم غافل بشغل قال و قیل ** بود در باطن چنین رنجی ثقیل
When a man is busy in earnest, he is blind to the sight of (unconscious of) his pain.
چون بجد مشغول باشد آدمی ** او ز دید رنج خود باشد عمی
It has become an oft-told tale concerning the women of Joseph's Egypt that consciousness departed from them on account of their pre-occupation (with the beauty of Joseph).1605
از زنان مصر یوسف شد سمر ** که ز مشغولی بشد زیشان خبر
(Hence) they cut their fore-arms to pieces: (in such a case) the spirit is distraught, so that it looks neither behind nor before.
پاره پاره کرده ساعدهای خویش ** روح واله که نه پس بیند نه پیش
Oh, many a brave man in battle whose hand or foot is cut by blows (of the sword),
ای بسا مرد شجاع اندر حراب ** که ببرد دست یا پایش ضراب
And he bears that same hand into the combat, thinking that it remains firm (intact).
او همان دست آورد در گیر و دار ** بر گمان آنک هست او بر قرار
(Afterwards) indeed he will see that his hand has been injured (and that) much blood has gone from him unawares.
خود ببیند دست رفته در ضرر ** خون ازو بسیار رفته بی‌خبر
Explaining that the body is as a garment to the spirit, and that this (bodily) hand is the sleeve of the spirit's hand, and that this (bodily) foot is the shoe of the spirit's foot.
در بیان آنک تن روح را چون لباسی است و این دست آستین دست روحست واین پای موزه‌ی پای روحست
(I mention this insensibility to pain) that you may know that the body is like a garment. Go, seek the wearer of the garment, do not lick (kiss) a garment.1610
تا بدانی که تن آمد چون لباس ** رو بجو لابس لباسی را ملیس
To the spirit the knowledge of the Unity (of God) is sweeter (than care for the body): it hath a hand and foot different from those which are visible.
روح را توحید الله خوشترست ** غیر ظاهر دست و پای دیگرست
You may behold in dream the (spiritual) hand and foot and their connexion (with the spiritual body): deem that (vision) a reality, deem it not to be in vain.
دست و پا در خواب بینی و ایتلاف ** آن حقیقت دان مدانش از گزاف
You are such that without the (material) body you have a (spiritual) body: do not, then, dread the going forth of the soul from the body.
آن توی که بی بدن داری بدن ** پس مترس از جسم و جان بیرون شدن
Story of the dervish who had secluded himself in the mountains, with an account of the sweetness of severance (from the world) and seclusion and of entering upon this path, for (God hath said), “I am the companion of them that commemorate Me and the friend of them that take Me as their friend. If thou art with all, thou art without all when thou art without Me; And if thou art without all, thou art with all when thou art with Me.”
حکایت آن درویش کی در کوه خلوت کرده بود و بیان حلاوت انقطاع و خلوت و داخل شدن درین منقبت کی انا جلیس من ذکرنی و انیس من استانس بی گر با همه‌ای چو بی منی بی همه‌ای ور بی همه‌ای چو با منی با همه‌ای
There was a dervish dwelling in a mountainous place: solitude was his bedfellow and boon-companion.
بود درویشی بکهساری مقیم ** خلوت او را بود هم خواب و ندیم
Since collectedness (spiritual quiet) was coming for him from the Creator, he was weary of the breaths of man and woman.1615
چون ز خالق می‌رسید او را شمول ** بود از انفاس مرد و زن ملول
Just as staying at home is easy to us, so travelling is easy to another class of people.
همچنانک سهل شد ما را حضر ** سهل شد هم قوم دیگر را سفر
In the same way as thou art in love with dominion, that worthy man is in love with the ironsmith's handicraft.
آنچنانک عاشقی بر سروری ** عاشقست آن خواجه بر آهنگری
Every one has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that (work) has been put into his heart.
هر کسی را بهر کاری ساختند ** میل آن را در دلش انداختند
How should hand and foot be set in motion without desire? How should sticks and straws go (from their place) without any water or wind?
دست و پا بی میل جنبان کی شود ** خار وخس بی آب و بادی کی رود
If thou see (that) thy desire (is) towards Heaven, unfold the wings of empire, like the Humá;1620
گر ببینی میل خود سوی سما ** پر دولت بر گشا همچون هما
But if thou see (that) thy desire (is) towards the earth, keep lamenting, cease not at all from moaning.
ور ببینی میل خود سوی زمین ** نوحه می‌کن هیچ منشین از حنین
The wise, indeed, make lamentations at first; the foolish beat their heads at the last.
عاقلان خود نوحه‌ها پیشین کنند ** جاهلان آخر بسر بر می‌زنند
From the beginning of the affair discern the end (thereof), so that thou mayst not be repenting on the Day of Judgement.
ز ابتدای کار آخر را ببین ** تا نباشی تو پشیمان یوم دین
How a goldsmith discerned the end of the affair and spoke in accordance with the end to one who wished to borrow his scales.
دیدن زرگر عاقبت کار را و سخن بر وفق عاقبت گفتن با مستعیر ترازو
A certain man came to a goldsmith, saying, “Give me the scales, that I may weigh some gold.”
آن یکی آمد به پیش زرگری ** که ترازو ده که بر سنجم زری
The master (goldsmith) said, “Go, I have no sieve.” “Give me the scales,” he replied, “and don't stop to jest like this.”1625
گفت خواجه رو مرا غربال نیست ** گفت میزان ده برین تسخر مه‌ایست
He said, “I have no broom in the shop.” “Enough, enough!” cried the other; “leave these jokes.
گفت جاروبی ندارم در دکان ** گفت بس بس این مضاحک رابمان
Give (me) the scales which I am asking for; don't make yourself out to be deaf, don't jump in every direction.”
من ترازویی که می‌خواهم بده ** خویشتن را کر مکن هر سو مجه
He (the goldsmith) said, “I heard what you said, I am not deaf; you must not think that I am nonsensical.
گفت بشنیدم سخن کر نیستم ** تا نپنداری که بی معنیستم
I heard this (request), but you are a shaky old man: your hand is trembling and your body is not erect;
این شنیدم لیک پیری مرتعش ** دست لرزان جسم تو نا منتعش
And moreover that gold of yours consists of little tiny filings: your hand trembles, so the fragments of gold will drop (from it);1630
وان زر تو هم قراضه‌ی خرد مرد ** دست لرزد پس بریزد زر خرد
Then you will say, ‘Sir, fetch a broom, that I may look in the dust for my gold.’
پس بگویی خواجه جاروبی بیار ** تا بجویم زر خود را در غبار
When you sweep (with the broom), you will gather dust (along with the gold); you will say to me, ‘I want the sieve, O gallant man.’
چون بروبی خاک را جمع آوری ** گوییم غلبیر خواهم ای جری
I from the beginning discerned the end complete. Go from here to some other place, and farewell!”
من ز اول دیدم آخر را تمام ** جای دیگر رو ازینجا والسلام
The rest of the Story of the ascetic of the mountain who had made a vow that he would not pluck any mountain fruit from the trees or shake the trees or tell any one to shake them, either plainly or in veiled terms, and that he would only eat what the wind might cause to fall from the trees.
بقیه‌ی قصه‌ی آن زاهد کوهی کی نذر کرده بود کی میوه‌ی کوهی از درخت باز نکنم و درخت نفشانم و کسی را نگویم صریح و کنایت کی بیفشان آن خورم کی باد افکنده باشد از درخت
On that mountain were trees and fruits; there were many mountain-pears- (they were) numberless.
اندر آن که بود اشجار و ثمار ** بس مرودی کوهی آنجا بی‌شمار
The dervish said, “O Lord, I make a covenant with Thee (that) I will not pluck any of these during the time (of my life).1635
گفت آن درویش یا رب با تو من ** عهد کردم زین نچینم در زمن
I will not pluck from the raised-up (lofty) tress (aught) but the fruit that the wind has caused to fall.”
جز از آن میوه که باد انداختش ** من نچینم از درخت منتعش
For a while he kept his vow faithfully: (he kept it) till the tribulations of Destiny came on.
مدتی بر نذر خود بودش وفا ** تا در آمد امتحانات قضا
On this account He (God) hath commanded, saying, “Make the exception: attach (the words) ‘if God will’ to your promise.
زین سبب فرمود استثنا کنید ** گر خدا خواهد به پیمان بر زنید
Every instant I give to the heart a different desire, every moment I lay upon the heart a different brand.
هر زمان دل را دگر میلی دهم ** هرنفس بر دل دگر داغی نهم
At every dawn I have a new employment: nothing turns aside from that (course) which I have willed.”1640
کل اصباح لنا شان جدید ** کل شیء عن مرادی لا یحید
It has come down in the Traditions (of the Prophet) that the heart is like a feather in a desert, the captive of a violent blast.
در حدیث آمد که دل همچون پریست ** در بیابانی اسیر صرصریست
The wind drives the feather recklessly in every direction, now left, now right, with a hundred diversities.
باد پر را هر طرف راند گزاف ** گه چپ و گه راست با صد اختلاف
In another Tradition (the Prophet said), “Deem this heart to be as water boiling in a cauldron from (the heat of) fire.”
در حدیث دیگر این دل دان چنان ** کب جوشان ز آتش اندر قازغان
At every time the heart has a different resolution: that (resolution) is not (derived) from it, but from a certain place.
هر زمان دل را دگر رایی بود ** آن نه از وی لیک از جایی بود
Why, then, will you trust in the heart’s resolution and make a covenant, that in the end you should be shamed?1645
پس چرا آمن شوی بر رای دل ** عهد بندی تا شوی آخر خجل
This too is from the effect of the(Divine) ordinance and decree, (that) you see the pit and cannot take precaution.
این هم از تاثیر حکمست و قدر ** چاه می‌بیینی و نتوانی حذر