(For) you do not know which of the two you are—whether you are (destined to be) drowned on the voyage or saved (from death).
تو نمی‌دانی که از هر دو کیی ** غرقه‌ای اندر سفر یا ناجیی
If you say, “Until I know which I am, I will not hasten on to (embark on) the ship and the ocean;3085
گر بگویی تا ندانم من کیم ** بر نخواهم تاخت در کشتی و یم
On this voyage I am (to be) saved or drowned: reveal (to me) to which party I belong.
من درین ره ناجیم یا غرقه‌ام ** کشف گردان کز کدامین فرقه‌ام
I will not start upon this voyage with doubt and in idle hope, like the others”—
من نخواهم رفت این ره با گمان ** بر امید خشک همچون دیگران
(Then) no traffic will be done by you, because the secret of these two aspects (possibilities) is in the Unseen.
هیچ بازرگانیی ناید ز تو ** زانک در غیبست سر این دو رو
The merchant of timid disposition and frail spirit neither gains nor loses in his quest;
تاجر ترسنده‌طبع شیشه‌جان ** در طلب نه سود دارد نه زیان
Nay, he suffers loss, for he is deprived (of fortune) and despicable: (only) he that is an eater of flames (ardent in search) will find the light.3090
بل زیان دارد که محرومست و خوار ** نور او یابد که باشد شعله‌خوار
Inasmuch as all affairs turn upon hope, the affair of religion is most worthy (to inspire hope), for by this means you may win salvation.
چونک بر بوکست جمله کارها ** کار دین اولی کزین یابی رها
Here it is not permitted to knock at the door (with importunity); naught but hope (is permissible): God best knoweth the right course.
نیست دستوری بدینجا قرع باب ** جز امید الله اعلم بالصواب
Explaining how the faith of the conventional (worldly) man consists in fear and hope.
بیان آنک ایمان مقلد خوفست و رجا
The motive in every trade is hope and chance, even though their necks are (worn thin), like a spindle, from (incessant) toil.
داعی هر پیشه اومیدست و بوک ** گرچه گردنشان ز کوشش شد چو دوک
When he (the trader) goes in the morning to his shop, he is running (thither) in the hope and chance of (earning) a livelihood.
بامدادان چون سوی دکان رود ** بر امید و بوک روزی می‌دود
(If) you have not the chance of (earning) a livelihood, why do you go (to your shop)? There is the fear (danger) of disappointment: how (then) are you strong (confident)?3095
بوک روزی نبودت چون می‌روی ** خوف حرمان هست تو چونی قوی
In (the case of) earning food, how has the fear of eternal (eternally predestined) disappointment not made you feeble in your search?
خوف حرمان ازل در کسب لوت ** چون نکردت سست اندر جست و جوت
You will say, “Though the fear of disappointment is before (me), this fear is greater (when I am) in idleness.
گویی گرچه خوف حرمان هست پیش ** هست اندر کاهلی این خوف بیش
(When I am) at work my hope is greater: (when I am) in idleness I have more risk.”
هست در کوشش امیدم بیشتر ** دارم اندر کاهلی افزون خطر
Then, O evil-thinking man, why is this fear of loss holding you back in the matter of religion?
پس چرا در کار دین ای بدگمان ** دامنت می‌گیرد این خوف زیان
Or have not you seen in what a gainful trade the people of this bazaar of ours, the prophets and the saints, are (engaged),3100
یا ندیدی کاهل این بازار ما ** در چه سودند انبیا و اولیا
And what mines (of treasure) have appeared to them from this going to the (spiritual) shop, and how they have gotten gain in this market?
زین دکان رفتن چه کانشان رو نمود ** اندرین بازار چون بستند سود
To that one the fire became submissive, like an anklet; to that one the sea became submissive and carried him on its shoulders;
آتش آن را رام چون خلخال شد ** بحر آن را رام شد حمال شد
To that one the iron became submissive and wax-like; to that one the wind became a slave and subject.
آهن آن را رام شد چون موم شد ** باد آن را بنده و محکوم شد
Setting forth how the Prophet, on whom be peace, said, “Verily, God most High hath friends who are concealed.”
بیان آنک رسول علیه السلام فرمود ان لله تعالی اولیاء اخفیاء
Another party go (to and fro) exceedingly hidden: how should they become well-known to the people of externals?
قوم دیگر سخت پنهان می‌روند ** شهره‌ی خلقان ظاهر کی شوند
They possess all this (spiritual dominion), and (yet) no one's eye falls upon their sovereignty for one moment.3105
این همه دارند و چشم هیچ کس ** بر نیفتد بر کیاشان یک نفس
Both their miracles and they (themselves) are in the (Divine) sanctuary: even the Abdál do not hear their names.
هم کرامتشان هم ایشان در حرم ** نامشان را نشنوند ابدال هم
Or art thou ignorant of the bounties of God who is calling thee to come yonder?
یا نمی‌دانی کرمهای خدا ** کو ترا می‌خواند آن سو که بیا
The whole world of six directions is (filled with) His bounty: wheresoever thou lookest, it is making Him (His bounty) known.
شش جهت عالم همه اکرام اوست ** هر طرف که بنگری اعلام اوست
When a generous man bids thee come into the fire, come in quickly and do not say, “It will burn me.”
چون کریمی گویدت آتش در آ ** اندر آ زود و مگو سوزد مرا
The story of Anas, may God be pleased with him: how he cast a napkin into a fiery oven, and it was not burnt.
حکایت مندیل در تنور پر آتش انداختن انس رضی الله عنه و ناسوختن
It has come (down to us) concerning Anas son of Málik that a certain person became his guest.3110
از انس فرزند مالک آمدست ** که به مهمانی او شخصی شدست
He (that person) related that after the meal Anas saw the table-napkin (was) yellow in hue,
او حکایت کرد کز بعد طعام ** دید انس دستارخوان را زردفام
Dirty and stained; and said, “O maid-servant, throw it into the oven at once.”
چرکن و آلوده گفت ای خادمه ** اندر افکن در تنورش یک‌دمه
Thereupon the intelligent (maid) threw it into the oven, which was full of fire.
در تنور پر ز آتش در فکند ** آن زمان دستارخوان را هوشمند
All the guests were astounded thereat: they were in expectation of (seeing) the smoke of the (burning) napkin.
جمله مهمانان در آن حیران شدند ** انتظار دود کندوری بدند
After a short time she took it out of the oven, clean and white and purged of that filth.3115
بعد یکساعت بر آورد از تنور ** پاک و اسپید و از آن اوساخ دور
The party (of guests) said, “O venerable Companion (of the Prophet), how didn't it burn, and how too did it become cleansed?”
قوم گفتند ای صحابی عزیز ** چون نسوزید و منقی گشت نیز
He replied, “Because Mustafá (Mohammed) often rubbed his hands and lips on this napkin.”
گفت زانک مصطفی دست و دهان ** بس بمالید اندرین دستارخوان
O heart afraid of the fire and torment (of Hell), draw nigh unto such a hand and lip as that!
ای دل ترسنده از نار و عذاب ** با چنان دست و لبی کن اقتراب
Since it (the Prophet's blessing) bestowed such honour upon a lifeless object, what things will it reveal to the soul of the lover!
چون جمادی را چنین تشریف داد ** جان عاشق را چه‌ها خواهد گشاد
Inasmuch as he (the Prophet) made the clods of the Ka‘ba the qibla (towards which the Moslems turn), do thou, O soul, be (as) the dust of holy men in (thy) war (against the flesh).3120
مر کلوخ کعبه را چون قبله کرد ** خاک مردان باش ای جان در نبرد
Afterwards they said to the maid-servant, “Wilt not thou tell (us) thine own feelings about all this?
بعد از آن گفتند با آن خادمه ** تو نگویی حال خود با این همه
Why didst thou (so) quickly cast it (into the oven) at his behest? I suppose he was acquainted with the secrets,
چون فکندی زود آن از گفت وی ** گیرم او بردست در اسرار پی
(But) why didst thou, mistress, throw such a precious napkin into the fire?”
این‌چنین دستارخوان قیمتی ** چون فکندی اندر آتش ای ستی
She answered, “I have confidence in the generous: I do not despair of their bounty.
What of a piece of cloth? If he bid me (myself) go without regret into the very essence of the fire,3125
میزری چه بود اگر او گویدم ** در رو اندر عین آتش بی ندم
I, from perfect confidence (in him), will fall (throw myself) in: I have great hope of them that are devoted to God.
اندر افتم از کمال اعتماد ** از عباد الله دارم بس امید
I will throw myself in, not (only) this napkin, because of my confidence in every generous one who knows the mystery.”
سر در اندازم نه این دستارخوان ** ز اعتماد هر کریم رازدان
O brother, apply thyself to this elixir: the faith of a man must not be less than the faith of a woman.
ای برادر خود برین اکسیر زن ** کم نباید صدق مرد از صدق زن
The heart of the man that is less than a woman is the heart that is less (in worth) than the belly.
آن دل مردی که از زن کم بود ** آن دلی باشد که کم ز اشکم بود
Story of the Prophet's, on whom be peace, coming to the aid of a caravan of Arabs who had been brought to sore straits by thirst and lack of water and had set their minds on death: (both) the camels and the people (of the caravan) had let their tongues drop out (of their mouths from exhaustion).
قصه‌ی فریاد رسیدن رسول علیه السلام کاروان عرب را کی از تشنگی و بی‌آبی در مانده بودند و دل بر مرگ نهاده شتران و خلق زبان برون انداخته
In that wadi (was) a company of Arabs: their water-skins had become dry from lack of rain:3130
اندر آن وادی گروهی از عرب ** خشک شد از قحط بارانشان قرب
A caravan amidst the desert in sore distress—they had rehearsed their own death.
در میان آن بیابان مانده ** کاروانی مرگ خود بر خوانده
Suddenly he who succours both worlds, Mustafá (Mohammed), appeared on the way, for help's sake.
ناگهانی آن مغیث هر دو کون ** مصطفی پیدا شد از ره بهر عون
He saw there an exceeding great caravan on the scalding sand and (engaged in) a hard and terrible journey;
دید آنجا کاروانی بس بزرگ ** بر تف ریگ و ره صعب و سترگ