He took his hand three times in covenant, saying, “In God's name, come quickly, make the utmost effort!”
دست او بگرفت سه کرت بعهد ** کالله الله زو بیا بنمای جهد
After ten years—and every year the same sugared entreaties and promises—
بعد ده سال و بهر سالی چنین ** لابه‌ها و وعده‌های شکرین
The Khwája's children said, “O father, the moon and the clouds and the shadows too have their journeys.
کودکان خواجه گفتند ای پدر ** ماه و ابر و سایه هم دارد سفر
You have laid obligations on him, you have taken great pains on his account,260
حقها بر وی تو ثابت کرده‌ای ** رنجها در کار او بس برده‌ای
And he wishes to repay some part of that obligation when you become his guest.
او همی‌خواهد که بعضی حق آن ** وا گزارد چون شوی تو میهمان
He gave us many injunctions in secret: ‘Bring him to the country,’ said he, ‘coaxing (him to come).’”
بس وصیت کرد ما را او نهان ** که کشیدش سوی ده لابه‌کنان
He (the townsman) said, “This is true, but, O Síbawayh, be on thy guard against the malice of him to whom thou hast shown kindness.
گفت حقست این ولی ای سیبویه ** اتق من شر من احسنت الیه
Love is the seed (that bears fruit at the moment) of the last breath: I fear that it may be corrupted by estrangement.”
دوستی تخم دم آخر بود ** ترسم از وحشت که آن فاسد شود
There is a friendship like a cutting sword, (destructive) as December in the gardens and cornfields;265
صحبتی باشد چو شمشیر قطوع ** همچو دی در بوستان و در زروع
There is a friendship like the season of spring, whence (come) restorations and produce incalculable.
صحبتی باشد چو فصل نوبهار ** زو عمارتها و دخل بی‌شمار
Prudence is this, that you think evil, so that you may flee and become quit of evil.
حزم آن باشد که ظن بد بری ** تا گریزی و شوی از بد بری
The Prophet has said, “Prudence is (consists in) thinking evil”: know that for every footstep there is a snare, O fool!
حزم س الظن گفتست آن رسول ** هر قدم را دام می‌دان ای فضول
The surface of the plateau is level and broad, (but at) every step there is a snare: do not advance boldly.
روی صحرا هست هموار و فراخ ** هر قدم دامیست کم ران اوستاخ
The mountain-goat runs on, saying, “Where is the snare?” As it speeds onward, the snare lights on its throat.270
آن بز کوهی دود که دام کو ** چون بتازد دامش افتد در گلو
O thou who saidst “Where?” look and see! Thou sawest the plain, (but) thou didst not see the ambush.
آنک می‌گفتی که کو اینک ببین ** دشت می‌دیدی نمی‌دیدی کمین
Without ambush and snare and hunter, O cunning one, how should there be a sheep's tail (laid in a trap) amidst the cornfield?
بی کمین و دام و صیاد ای عیار ** دنبه کی باشد میان کشت‌زار
They that came along boldly on the earth—see their bones and skulls!
آنک گستاخ آمدند اندر زمین ** استخوان و کله‌هاشان را ببین
When you go to the graveyard, O you with whom God is pleased, ask their bones concerning that which is past,
چون به گورستان روی ای مرتضا ** استخوانشان را بپرس از ما مضی
That you may see clearly how those blind intoxicated men went down into the pit of delusion.275
تا بظاهر بینی آن مستان کور ** چون فرو رفتند در چاه غرور
If you have eyes, do not walk blindly; and if you have not eyes, take a staff in your hand.
چشم اگر داری تو کورانه میا ** ور نداری چشم دست آور عصا
When you have not the staff of prudence and judgement, make the (seer's) eye your leader;
آن عصای حزم و استدلال را ** چون نداری دید می‌کن پیشوا
And if there is no staff of prudence and judgement, do not stand on every road without a guide.
ور عصای حزم و استدلال نیست ** بی عصاکش بر سر هر ره مه‌ایست
Step in the same fashion as a blind man steps, in order that your foot may escape from the pit and the dog.
گام زان سان نه که نابینا نهد ** تا که پا از چاه و از سگ وا رهد
He (the blind man) plants his foot tremblingly and with fear and precaution, so that he may not fall into derangement.280
لرز لرزان و بترس و احتیاط ** می‌نهد پا تا نیفتد در خباط
O you who have jumped away from some smoke and fallen into a fire, you who have sought a mouthful (of food) and become a mouthful for a snake,
ای ز دودی جسته در ناری شده ** لقمه جسته لقمه‌ی ماری شده
(Story of the people of Sabá and how prosperity made them forward.)
قصه‌ی اهل سبا و طاغی کردن نعمت ایشان را و در رسیدن شومی طغیان و کفران در ایشان و بیان فضیلت شکر و وفا
You have not read the story of the people of Sabá, or you have read it and seen (heard) naught but the echo.
تو نخواندی قصه‌ی اهل سبا ** یا بخواندی و ندیدی جز صدا
The mountain itself (which produces the echo) is not aware of the echo: the mind of the mountain hath no way (of access) to the meaning.
از صدا آن کوه خود آگاه نیست ** سوی معنی هوش که را راه نیست
Without ear and mind, it goes on making a noise; when you are silent, it also becomes silent.
او همی بانگی کند بی گوش و هوش ** چون خمش کردی تو او هم شد خموش
God bestowed on the people of Sabá much ease—myriads of castles and palaces and orchards.285
داد حق اهل سبا را بس فراغ ** صد هزاران قصر و ایوانها و باغ
(But) those bad-natured ones rendered no thanks for that (bounty): in fidelity they were less than dogs.
شکر آن نگزاردند آن بد رگان ** در وفا بودند کمتر از سگان
When to a dog there comes from the door a piece of bread, he will gird up his loins at the door.
مر سگی را لقمه‌ی نانی ز در ** چون رسد بر در همی‌بندد کمر
He will become the watcher and guardian of the door, even though violence and hard treatment befall him.
پاسبان و حارس در می‌شود ** گرچه بر وی جور و سختی می‌رود
Still will he stay and abide at that door: he will deem it ingratitude to prefer another.
هم بر آن در باشدش باش و قرار ** کفر دارد کرد غیری اختیار
And (again), if a strange dog come by day or night (to a quarter of the town), the dogs there will at once teach him a lesson,290
ور سگی آید غریبی روز و شب ** آن سگانش می‌کنند آن دم ادب
Saying, “Begone to the place that is thy first lodging: obligation for that kindness is the heart's pledge (which it must redeem).”
که برو آنجا که اول منزلست ** حق آن نعمت گروگان دلست
They will bite him, saying, “Begone to thy place, do not any more leave (unpaid) the obligation for that kindness.”
می‌گزندش که برو بر جای خویش ** حق آن نعمت فرو مگذار بیش
From the door of the spirit and spiritual men how long didst thou drink the water of life, and thine eyes were opened!
از در دل و اهل دل آب حیات ** چند نوشیدی و وا شد چشمهات
Much food from the door of the spiritual, (in the form) of (mystical) intoxication and ecstasy and selflessness, didst thou cast upon thy soul.
بس غذای سکر و وجد و بی‌خودی ** از در اهل دلان بر جان زدی
Afterwards, through greed, thou didst abandon that door, and (now), through greed, thou art going round about every shop.295
باز این در را رها کردی ز حرص ** گرد هر دکان همی‌گردی ز حرص
For the sake of worthless tharíd thou art running to the doors of those (worldly) patrons whose pots are (full of) fat.
بر در آن منعمان چرب‌دیگ ** می‌دوی بهر ثرید مردریگ
Know that here (where the saints abide) the (meaning of) “fat” is that the soul becomes fat (flourishing), and (know that) here the plight of the desperate is made good.
چربش اینجا دان که جان فربه شود ** کار نااومید اینجا به شود
How the smitten would assemble every morning at the door of the (monastic) cell of Jesus, on whom be peace, craving to be healed through his prayer.
جمع آمدن اهل آفت هر صباحی بر در صومعه‌ی عیسی علیه السلام جهت طلب شفا به دعای او
The table of the spiritual is (like) the cell of Jesus: O afflicted one, beware, beware! Do not forsake this door!
صومعه‌ی عیسیست خوان اهل دل ** هان و هان ای مبتلا این در مهل
From all sides the people would gather—blind and lame and palsied and clothed in rags—
جمع گشتندی ز هر اطراف خلق ** از ضریر و لنگ و شل و اهل دلق
At the door of the cell of Jesus in the morning, that he by his breath might deliver them from tribulation.300
بر در آن صومعه‌ی عیسی صباح ** تا بدم اوشان رهاند از جناح
As soon as he finished his litanies, that man of goodly religion (Jesus) would go forth at morning tide,
او چو فارغ گشتی از اوراد خویش ** چاشتگه بیرون شدی آن خوب‌کیش
And would see troops of afflicted feeble folk seated at the door in hope and expectancy.
جوق جوقی مبتلا دیدی نزار ** شسته بر در در امید و انتظار
(Then) he would say, “O ye that are smitten, the wants of all you here present have been granted by God.
گفتی ای اصحاب آفت از خدا ** حاجت این جملگانتان شد روا
Hark, set off and go without pain or trouble towards the forgiveness and kindness of God.”
هین روان گردید بی رنج و عنا ** سوی غفاری و اکرام خدا