How should thankfulness grow from possessions and riches? Thankfulness grows from tribulation and sickness.
شکر کی روید ز املاک و نعم ** شکر می‌روید ز بلوی و سقم
Story of the Súfí's being enamoured of the empty food-wallet.
قصه عشق صوفی بر سفره‌ی تهی
One day a Súfí espied a food-wallet (hanging) on a nail: he began to whirl and rend his garments,
صوفیی بر میخ روزی سفره دید ** چرخ می‌زد جامه‌ها را می‌درید
Crying, “Lo, the food of the foodless! Lo, the remedy for famines and pangs (of hunger)!”3015
بانگ می‌زد نک نوای بی‌نوا ** قحطها و دردها را نک دوا
When his smoke and tumult (his ecstasy) waxed great, every one that was a Súfí joined him (imitated his behaviour).
چونک دود و شور او بسیار شد ** هر که صوفی بود با او یار شد
They were shouting and shrieking: several were becoming intoxicated and beside themselves.
کخ‌کخی و های و هویی می‌زدند ** تای چندی مست و بی‌خود می‌شدند
An idle busybody said to the Súfí, “What is the matter? (Only) a food-wallet hung (on a nail), and it is empty of bread!”
بوالفضولی گفت صوفی را که چیست ** سفره‌ای آویخته وز نان تهیست
He (the Súfí) said, “Begone, begone! Thou art a (mere) form without spirit: do thou seek existence (not non-existence), for thou art no lover.”
گفت رو رو نقش بی‌معنیستی ** تو بجو هستی که عاشق نیستی
The lover's food is love of the bread, without (the existence of) the bread: no one that is sincere (in his love) is in thrall to existence.3020
عشق نان بی نان غذای عاشق است ** بند هستی نیست هر کو صادقست
Lovers have naught to do with existence: lovers have the interest without (having) the capital.
عاشقان را کار نبود با وجود ** عاشقان را هست بی سرمایه سود
They have no wings, and (yet) they fly round the world; they have no hands, and (yet) they carry off the ball from the polo-field.
بال نه و گرد عالم می‌پرند ** دست نه و گو ز میدان می‌برند
That dervish who scented (perceived) Reality used to weave baskets though his hand had been cut off.
آن فقیری کو ز معنی بوی یافت ** دست ببریده همی زنبیل بافت
Lovers have pitched their tents in non-existence: they are of one colour (quality) and one essence, like non-existence.
عاشقان اندر عدم خیمه زدند ** چون عدم یک‌رنگ و نفس واحدند
How should the sucking babe know the taste of viands? To the Jinní scent is meat and drink.3025
شیرخواره کی شناسد ذوق لوت ** مر پری را بوی باشد لوت و پوت
How shall a human being scent (perceive) his (the Jinní's) scent, inasmuch as his (the man's) nature is contrary to his (the Jinní's) nature?
آدمی کی بو برد از بوی او ** چونک خوی اوست ضد خوی او
That scent-inhaling Jinní gains from the scent (a great delight): thou wilt not gain that (delight) from a hundred maunds of sweet dainties.
یابد از بو آن پری بوی‌کش ** تو نیابی آن ز صد من لوت خوش
To the Copt the water of the Nile is blood; to the goodly Israelite it is water.
پیش قبطی خون بود آن آب نیل ** آب باشد پیش سبطی جمیل
By the Israelites the sea is (made) a highway; by the ruffian Pharaoh it is (made) a drowning-place.
جاده باشد بحر ز اسرائیلیان ** غرقه گه باشد ز فرعون عوان
How Jacob, on whom be peace, was privileged to taste the cup of God from the face of Joseph, and inhale the scent of God from the scent of Joseph; and the exclusion of his (Joseph's) brethren and others from both these (privileges).
مخصوص بودن یعقوب علیه السلام به چشیدن جام حق از روی یوسف و کشیدن بوی حق از بوی یوسف و حرمان برادران و غیر هم ازین هر دو
That which Jacob experienced from (beholding) the face of Joseph was peculiar to him: when did that (delight) come to his (Joseph's) brethren?3030
آنچ یعقوب از رخ یوسف بدید ** خاص او بد آن به اخوان کی رسید
This one (Jacob), from love of him (Joseph), puts himself in the pit, while that one (Joseph's brother) digs a pit for him (Joseph) in hatred.
این ز عشقش خویش در چه می‌کند ** و آن بکین از بهر او چه می‌کند
In the sight of this one (Joseph's brother) his (Joseph's) food-wallet is empty of bread; in the sight of Jacob it is full, for he is desiring eagerly.
سفره‌ی او پیش این از نان تهیست ** پیش یعقوبست پر کو مشتهیست
None with face unwashed beholds the faces of the houris: he (the Prophet) said, “There is no ritual prayer without the ablution.”
روی ناشسته نبیند روی حور ** لا صلوة گفت الا بالطهور
Love is the meat and drink of souls; hunger, from this point of view, is the food of souls.
عشق باشد لوت و پوت جانها ** جوع ازین رویست قوت جانها
Jacob had hunger for Joseph; (hence) the smell of the bread was reaching him from afar.3035
جوع یوسف بود آن یعقوب را ** بوی نانش می‌رسید از دور جا
He that took the shirt (of Joseph) was hastening (on his way) and was not perceiving the scent of Joseph's shirt,
آنک بستد پیرهن را می‌شتافت ** بوی پیراهان یوسف می‌نیافت
While he that was a hundred leagues (distant) from that quarter was smelling the perfume, since he was Jacob.
و آنک صد فرسنگ زان سو بود او ** چونک بد یعقوب می‌بویید بو
Oh, there is many a learned man that hath no profit of (his) knowledge: that person is one who commits knowledge to memory, not one who loves (it).
ای بسا عالم ز دانش بی‌نصیب ** حافظ علمست آنکس نه حبیب
From him the hearer (but not the learned man himself) perceives the scent (of knowledge), though the hearer be of the common sort,
مستمع از وی همی‌یابد مشام ** گرچه باشد مستمع از جنس عام
Because the shirt in his (the learned man's) hand is a borrowed thing, like a slave-girl in the hands of a slave-dealer.3040
زانک پیراهان بدستش عاریه‌ست ** چون بدست آن نخاسی جاریه‌ست
The slave-girl is useless to the slave-dealer: she is in his hands (only) for the sake of the purchaser.
جاریه پیش نخاسی سرسریست ** در کف او از برای مشتریست
The dispensation of God is a bestowal of the allotted portion: no one's (portion) has access (can find its way) to another.
قسمت حقست روزی دادنی ** هر یکی را سوی دیگر راه نی
A good fancy becomes that (blessed) man's garden (of Paradise); an ugly fancy waylays this (unblest) man (and brings him to perdition).
یک خیال نیک باغ آن شده ** یک خیال زشت راه این زده
That Lord who hath made from one fancy the garden (of Paradise), and from one fancy Hell and the place of melting (torment)—
آن خدایی کز خیالی باغ ساخت ** وز خیالی دوزخ و جای گداخت
Then who (but He) should know the way to His roseries? Then who (but He) should know the way to His furnaces?3045
پس کی داند راه گلشنهای او ** پس کی داند جای گلخنهای او
The sentry of the heart, while on his round, does not see from what corner of the soul the fancy comes.
دیدبان دل نبیند در مجال ** کز کدامین رکن جان آید خیال
If he saw its rising-place, he would contrive to bar the way to every unlovely fancy;
گر بدیدی مطلعش را ز احتیال ** بند کردی راه هر ناخوش خیال
(But) how should the foot of the scout reach that spot?—for it is the watchtower and mountain-fortress of Non-existence.
کی رسد جاسوس را آنجا قدم ** که بود مرصاد و در بند عدم
Blindly lay hold of the skirt of His grace: this is the blind man's seisin (act of taking legal possession), O king.
دامن فضلش بکف کن کوروار ** قبض اعمی این بود ای شهره‌یار
His skirt is His command and behest: fortunate is he to whom piety is (as) his soul.3050
دامن او امر و فرمان ویست ** نیکبختی که تقی جان ویست
The (blessed) one is in (the midst of) meadows and water-brooks, while the other (unblest) one beside him is in torment.
آن یکی در مرغزار و جوی آب ** و آن یکی پهلوی او اندر عذاب
He (the latter) remains in wonderment, saying, “Wherefore is this man's delight?” and the other remains in wonderment, saying, “In whose prison is this man?
او عجب مانده که ذوق این ز چیست ** و آن عجب مانده که این در حبس کیست
Hark, why art thou parched?—for here are fountains. Hark, why art thou pale?—for here are a hundred remedies.
هین چرا خشکی که اینجا چشمه هاست ** هین چرا زردی که اینجا صد دواست
Hark, neighbour, come into the garden!” He (the unblest man) says, “O (dear) soul, I cannot come.”
همنشینا هین در آ اندر چمن ** گوید ای جان من نیارم آمدن
Story of the Amír and his slave who was very fond of the ritual prayer and had a great joy in the ritual prayer and in communing with God.
حکایت امیر و غلامش کی نماز باره بود وانس عظیم داشت در نماز و مناجات با حق
At dawn the Amír wanted (to go to) the hot bath: he shouted, “Ho Sunqur, rouse yourself!3055