He said, “I was begging God for daily bread and preparing aqibla(for myself) of supplication.
گفت من روزی ز حق می‌خواستم ** قبله را از لابه می‌آراستم
That ancient prayer of mine was answered (by God). She (the cow) was my portion of daily bread: I killed her. Behold the answer (to your question)!”
آن دعای کهنه‌ام شد مستجاب ** روزی من بود کشتم نک جواب
He (the owner of the cow) came angrily and seized his collar; having lost patience, he struck him in the face with his fist several times.
او ز خشم آمد گریبانش گرفت ** چند مشتی زد به رویش ناشکفت
How both the adversaries went to David, on whom be peace.
رفتن هر دو خصم نزد داود علیه السلام
He led him to the Prophet David, saying, “Come, O you crazy fool and criminal!2315
می‌کشیدش تا به داود نبی ** که بیا ای ظالم گیج غبی
Drop (this) silly argument, O impostor; let (some) intelligence into your body and come to your senses!
حجت بارد رها کن ای دغا ** عقل در تن آور و با خویش آ
What is this that you are saying? What is the prayer (you speak of)? Do not laugh at my head and beard and your own (too), O scoundrel!”
این چه می‌گویی دعا چه بود مخند ** بر سر و و ریش من و خویش ای لوند
He (the poor man) said, “I have offered (many) prayers to God, I have borne much toil and pain in this supplication.
گفت من با حق دعاها کرده‌ام ** اندرین لابه بسی خون خورده‌ام
I possess the certainty (that) the prayer has been answered. Dash your head against the stones, O foul-spoken one!”
من یقین دارم دعا شد مستجاب ** سر بزن بر سنگ ای منکرخطاب
He cried, “Hey, gather round, O Moslems! Behold the drivel and raving of this imbecile!2320
گفت گرد آیید هین یا مسلمین ** ژاژ بینید و فشار این مهین
O Moslems, for God’s sake, how should prayer make my property belong to him?
ای مسلمانان دعا مال مرا ** چون از آن او کند بهر خدا
If it were so, by means of a single prayer of this kind the whole world would carry off (one another’s) possessions by force.
گر چنین بودی همه عالم بدین ** یک دعا املاک بردندی بکین
If it were so, the blind beggars would have become grandees and princes;
گر چنین بودی گدایان ضریر ** محتشم گشته بدندی و امیر
(For) they are (engaged) day and night in invocation and praise (of God), uttering entreaties and crying, ‘O God, do Thou give unto us!
روز و شب اندر دعااند و ثنا ** لابه‌گویان که تو ده‌مان ای خدا
Unless Thou give, assuredly no one will give (us anything): O Opener, do Thou open the lock of this (bounty)!’2325
تا تو ندهی هیچ کس ندهد یقین ** ای گشاینده تو بگشا بند این
Supplication and prayer is the means whereby the blind earn their livelihood, (yet) they get no gift but a crust of bread.”
مکسب کوران بود لابه و دعا ** جز لب نانی نیابند از عطا
The people said, “This Moslem speaks the truth, and this prayer-monger is one who seeks to act unjustly.
خلق گفتند این مسلمان راست‌گوست ** وین فروشنده‌ی دعاها ظلم‌جوست
How should this prayer be a means of acquiring property? When forsooth did the religious Law enter this on the roll?
این دعا کی باشد از اسباب ملک ** کی کشید این را شریعت خود بسلک
A thing becomes your property by sale and donation or by bequest and gift or by some means of this kind.
بیع و بخشش یا وصیت یا عطا ** یا ز جنس این شود ملکی ترا
In what book is this new statute (to be found)? Give back the cow or go to prison!”2330
در کدامین دفترست این شرع نو ** گاو را تو باز ده یا حبس رو
He (the poor man) was turning his face to Heaven (and saying), “None knoweth my (spiritual) experience save Thee.
او به سوی آسمان می‌کرد رو ** واقعه‌ی ما را نداند غیر تو
Thou didst put that prayer into my heart, Thou didst raise dreams.”
در دل من آن دعا انداختی ** صد امید اندر دلم افراختی
Not idly was I uttering that prayer: like Joseph, I had dreamed dreams.”
من نمی‌کردم گزافه آن دعا ** همچو یوسف دیده بودم خوابها
Joseph saw (in dream) the sun and the stars bowing low before him, like servants.
دید یوسف آفتاب و اختران ** پیش او سجده‌کنان چون چاکران
He relied upon the true dream: in the dungeoun and prison he sought nothing but that.2335
اعتمادش بود بر خواب درست ** در چه و زندان جز آن را می‌نجست
Because of his reliance upon that, he cared naught for servitude or reproach or (anything else whether) more or less.
ز اعتماد او نبودش هیچ غم ** از غلامی وز ملام و بیش و کم
He had a (great) reliance upon his dream which was shining in front of him like a candle.
اعتمادی داشت او بر خواب خویش ** که چو شمعی می‌فروزیدش ز پیش
When they cast Joseph into the well, there came to his ear a cry from God-
چون در افکندند یوسف را به چاه ** بانگ آمد سمع او را از اله
“O paladin, one day thou wilt become king, so that thou mayst rub this wrong upon their faces.”
که تو روزی شه شوی ای پهلوان ** تا بمالی این جفا در رویشان
He who utters this cry is not visible, but the heart (of Joseph) recognized the Speaker from the effect (of the words.)2340
قایل این بانگ ناید در نظر ** لیک دل بشناخت قایل را ز اثر
From that (Divine) allocution a (great) strength and peace and support fell into the midst of his soul.
قوتی و راحتی و مسندی ** در میان جان فتادش زان ندا
Through that Majestical cry the well became to him a rose-garden and banquet, as the fire to Abraham.
چاه شد بر وی بدان بانگ جلیل ** گلشن و بزمی چو آتش بر خلیل
Bu means of that strength he cheerfully endured every affliction that came to him afterwards-
هر جفا که بعد از آنش می‌رسید ** او بدان قوت بشادی می‌کشید
Even as the delicious savour of the cryAm not I (your Lord)? Subsists in the heart of every true believer till the Resurrection,
همچنانک ذوق آن بانگ الست ** در دل هر مومنی تا حشر هست
So that they do not rebel in tribulation or shrink from (obeying) the commands and prohibitions of God.2345
تا نباشد در بلاشان اعتراض ** نه ز امر و نهی حقشان انقباض
The rose-conserve (of spiritual delight) digests the morsel, that is, the (Divine) decree, which bestows bitterness;
لقمه‌ی حکمی که تلخی می‌نهد ** گلشکر آن را گوارش می‌دهد
(But) he that does not rely upon the rose-conserve vomits the morsel in disgust.
گلشکر آن را که نبود مستند ** لقمه را ز انکار او قی می‌کند
Any one who has dreamed of the Day of Alast is drunken in the path of devotional works, drunken:
هر که خوابی دید از روز الست ** مست باشد در ره طاعات مست
Like a drunken (frenzied) camel, he is bearing this (heavy) sack without flagging and without questioning and without fatigue;
می‌کشد چون اشتر مست این جوال ** بی فتور و بی گمان و بی ملال
The froth round his muzzle, namely, his confession of faith, has become a witness to his (inward) intoxication and heart-burning.2350
کفک تصدیقش بگرد پوز او ** شد گواه مستی و دلسوز او
Through the strength (bestowed on him) the camel becomes like a fierce lion; beneath the heavy burden he eats little (food).
اشتر از قوت چو شیر نر شده ** زیر ثقل بار اندک‌خور شده
In (his) longing for the she-camel a hundred starvations (lie lightly) on him; the mountain seems to him (as) a strand of hair.
ز آرزوی ناقه صد فاقه برو ** می‌نماید کوه پیشش تار مو
(But) he who has not dreamed such a dream in Alast does not become a servant and seeker (of God) in this world;
در الست آنکو چنین خوابی ندید ** اندرین دنیا نشد بنده و مرید
Or if he does become (such), (he is) always changing and shifting in vacillation: he gives thanks (to God) for one moment and utters complaints for a year.
ور بشد اندر تردد صد دله ** یک زمان شکرستش و سالی گله
He steps forward and backwards in the Way of the Religion with a hundred vacillations and without (any) certainty.2355
پای پیش و پای پس در راه دین ** می‌نهد با صد تردد بی یقین
I am owing (you) the exposition of this. Lo, (you have received) the pledge; and if you are in haste, hear (the complete exposition) from (the Súra beginning with the words) Have not We opened….?
وام‌دار شرح اینم نک گرو ** ور شتابستت ز الم نشرح شنو
Since the explanation of this subject has no end, proceed to (speak of) the litigant (who claimed redress on account) of the cow.
چون ندارد شرح این معنی کران ** خر به سوی مدعی گاو ران
He (the man who killed the cow) said, “The impostor has called me blind because of (my having committed) this crime: O God, ‘tis a very Satanic inference (of his).
گفت کورم خواند زین جرم آن دغا ** بس بلیسانه قیاسست ای خدا
When have I been praying in the fashion of the blind? When have I begged of any one except the Creator?
من دعا کورانه کی می‌کرده‌ام ** جز به خالق کدیه کی آورده‌ام
The blind man in his ignorance hath hope of (Thy) creatures; (but) I (have hope) of Thee (alone), by whom every difficult thing is (made) easy.2360
کور از خلقان طمع دارد ز جهل ** من ز تو کز تست هر دشوار سهل
That blind fellow has reckoned me amongst the blind: he has not seen my soul’s humble supplication and my entire devotion (to Thee).
آن یکی کورم ز کوران بشمرید ** او نیاز جان و اخلاصم ندید