If the sheep are beyond count, (yet) how should the butcher be afraid of their numerousness?4145
گوسفندان گر برونند از حساب ** ز انبهیشان کی بترسد آن قصاب
‘Each of you is a shepherd’: the prophet is as the shepherd. The people are like the flock; he is the overseer.
کلکم راع نبی چون راعیست ** خلق مانند رمه او ساعیست
The shepherd is not afraid of the sheep in (his) contention (with them), but is their protector from hot and cold (from all calamities).
از رمه چوپان نترسد در نبرد ** لیکشان حافظ بود از گرم و سرد
If he cry out in wrath against the flock, know ’tis from the love which he hath for them all.
گر زند بانگی ز قهر او بر رمه ** دان ز مهرست آن که دارد بر همه
(My) new Fortune says (whispers) into my ear every moment, ‘I will make thee sorrowful, (but) be not sorrowful (on that account).
هر زمان گوید به گوشم بخت نو ** که ترا غمگین کنم غمگین مشو
I will make thee sorrowful and weeping, to the end that I may hide thee from the eyes of the wicked.4150
من ترا غمگین و گریان زان کنم ** تا کت از چشم بدان پنهان کنم
I will cause thy temper to be soured with sorrows, in order that the evil eye may be averted from thy face.
تلخ گردانم ز غمها خوی تو ** تا بگردد چشم بد از روی تو
Thou art not (really) a hunter and seeker of Me; (nay), thou art My slave and prostrate before My providence.
نه تو صیادی و جویای منی ** بنده و افکنده‌ی رای منی
Thou art thinking of devices whereby thou mayst attain unto Me: (both) in quitting and in seeking Me thou art helpless.
حیله اندیشی که در من در رسی ** در فراق و جستن من بی‌کسی
Thy anguish is seeking a means for (attaining unto) Me: I was hearkening yestereve to thy heavy sighs.
چاره می‌جوید پی من درد تو ** می‌شنودم دوش آه سرد تو
I am even able, without this waiting, to give (thee) access and show unto thee the way of passage,4155
من توانم هم که بی این انتظار ** ره دهم بنمایمت راه گذار
That thou mayst be delivered from this whirlpool of Time and mayst set thy foot upon the treasure of union with Me;
تا ازین گرداب دوران وا رهی ** بر سر گنج وصالم پا نهی
But the sweetness and delights of the resting-place are in proportion to the pain of the journey.
لیک شیرینی و لذات مقر ** هست بر اندازه‌ی رنج سفر
(Only) then wilt thou enjoy thy (native) town and thy kinsfolk when thou sufferest pains and tribulations from exile.’”
آنگه ا ز شهر و ز خویشان بر خوری ** کز غریبی رنج و محنتها بری
Comparison of the true believer's fleeing (from tribulation) and his impatience in affliction to the agitation and restlessness of chick-peas and other pot-herbs when boiling in the pot, and to their running upwards in order to jump out.
تمثیل گریختن مومن و بی‌صبری او در بلا به اضطراب و بی‌قراری نخود و دیگر حوایج در جوش دیگ و بر دویدن تا بیرون جهند
Look at a chickpea in the pot, how it leaps up when it is subjected to the fire.
بنگر اندر نخودی در دیگ چون ** می‌جهد بالا چو شد ز آتش زبون
At the time of its being boiled, the chickpea comes up continually to the top of the pot and raises a hundred cries,4160
هر زمان نخود بر آید وقت جوش ** بر سر دیگ و برآرد صد خروش
Saying, “Why are you setting the fire on me? Since you bought (and approved) me, how are you turning me upside down?”
که چرا آتش به من در می‌زنی ** چون خریدی چون نگونم می‌کنی
The housewife goes on hitting it with the ladle. “No!” says she: “boil nicely and don't jump away from one who makes the fire.
می‌زند کفلیز کدبانو که نی ** خوش بجوش و بر مجه ز آتش‌کنی
I do not boil you because you are hateful to me: nay, ’tis that you may get taste and savour,
زان نجوشانم که مکروه منی ** بلک تا گیری تو ذوق و چاشنی
So that you may become nutriment and mingle with the (vital) spirit: this affliction of yours is not on account of (your) being despised.
تا غذی گردی بیامیزی بجان ** بهرخواری نیستت این امتحان
You, when green and fresh, were drinking water in the garden: that water-drinking was for the sake of this fire.”4165
آب می‌خوردی به بستان سبز و تر ** بهراین آتش بدست آن آب خور
His (God's) mercy is prior to His wrath, to the end that by (God's) mercy he (the afflicted person) may suffer affliction.
رحمتش سابق بدست از قهر زان ** تا ز رحمت گردد اهل امتحان
His (God's) mercy (eternally) preceded His wrath in order that the stock-in-trade, (which is) existence, should come to hand (be acquired);
رحمتش بر قهر از آن سابق شدست ** تا که سرمایه‌ی وجود آید بدست
For, without pleasure, flesh and skin do not grow; and unless they grow, what shall the love of the Friend consume?
زانک بی‌لذت نروید لحم و پوست ** چون نروید چه گدازد عشق دوست
If, because of that requirement, acts of wrath come to pass, to the end that you may give up that stock-in-trade,
زان تقاضا گر بیاید قهرها ** تا کنی ایثار آن سرمایه را
(Yet) again (afterwards) the Grace (of God) will come in order to excuse it (the act of wrath), saying, “(Now) thou hast washed thyself (clean) and hast leaped forth from the river (of tribulation).”4170
باز لطف آید برای عذر او ** که بکردی غسل و بر جستی ز جو
She (the housewife) says, “O chickpea, thou didst feed in the springtime: (now) Pain has become thy guest: entertain him well,
گوید ای نخود چریدی در بهار ** رنج مهمان تو شد نیکوش دار
That the guest may return (home), giving thanks (for his entertainment), and may relate thy generosity in the presence of the King,
تا که مهمان باز گردد شکر ساز ** پیش شه گوید ز ایثار تو باز
So that the Bestower of favour may come to thee instead of the favour, and that all favours may envy thee.
تا به جای نعمتت منعم رسد ** جمله نعمتها برد بر تو حسد
I am Khalíl (Abraham), and thou art my son: lay thy head before the knife:lo, I see (in a dream) that I shall sacrifice thee.
من خلیلم تو پسر پیش بچک ** سر بنه انی ارانی اذبحک
Lay thy head before (my) wrath, with heart unmoved, that I may cut thy throat, like (that of) Ismá‘íl (Ishmael).4175
سر به پیش قهر نه دل بر قرار ** تا ببرم حلقت اسمعیل‌وار
I will cut off thy head, but this head is the head that is immune from being cut off and (from) dying;
سر ببرم لیک این سر آن سریست ** کز بریده گشتن و مردن بریست
Yet thy giving thyself up is the object of (God's) eternal purpose: O Moslem, thou must seek to give thyself up.
لیک مقصود ازل تسلیم تست ** ای مسلمان بایدت تسلیم جست
Continue, O chickpea, to boil in tribulation, that neither existence nor self may remain to thee.
ای نخود می‌جوش اندر ابتلا ** تا نه هستی و نه خود ماند ترا
If thou hast (formerly) laughed in that (earthly) garden, (yet) thou art the rose of the garden of the spirit and the (spiritual) eye.
اندر آن بستان اگر خندیده‌ای ** تو گل بستان جان و دیده‌ای
If thou hast been parted from the garden of water and earth, (yet) thou hast become food in the mouth and hast entered into the living.4180
گر جدا از باغ آب و گل شدی ** لقمه گشتی اندر احیا آمدی
Become nutriment and strength and thoughts! (Formerly) thou wert milk (sap): (now) be a lion in the jungles!
شو غذی و قوت و اندیشه‌ها ** شیر بودی شیر شو در بیشه‌ها
By God, thou grewest from His (God's) attributes in the beginning: go back nimbly and fleetly into His attributes.
از صفاتش رسته‌ای والله نخست ** در صفاتش باز رو چالاک و چست
Thou camest from the cloud and the sun and the sky; then didst thou become (diverse) attributes and ascend to heaven.
ز ابر و خورشید و ز گردون آمدی ** پس شدی اوصاف و گردون بر شدی
Thou camest in the form of rain and heat: thou wilt go into the goodly (Divine) attributes.
آمدی در صورت باران و تاب ** می‌روی اندر صفات مستطاب
Thou wert a part of the sun and the cloud and the stars: thou becamest soul and action and speech and thoughts.”4185
جزو شید و ابر و انجمها بدی ** نفس و فعل و قول و فکرتها شدی
The existence of the animal arose from the death of the plant: (hence the command) “slay me, O trusty friends” is right.
هستی حیوان شد از مرگ نبات ** راست آمد اقتلونی یا ثقات
Since there is such a victory for us after the checkmate (of death), (the words) “verily, in my being slain there is a life” are true.
چون چنین بردیست ما را بعد مات ** راست آمد ان فی قتلی حیات
Action and speech and sincerity became the food of the angel, so that by means of this ladder he mounted to heaven,
فعل و قول و صدق شد قوت ملک ** تا بدین معراج شد سوی فلک
Just as (when) that morsel became the food of Man, it mounted from (the state of) inanimateness and became possessed of soul.
آنچنان کان طعمه شد قوت بشر ** از جمادی بر شد و شد جانور
As regards this topic, a wide (far-reaching) explanation will be given in another place.4190
این سخن را ترجمه‌ی پهناوری ** گفته آید در مقام دیگری
“The caravan (of spirits) is incessantly arriving from heaven, that they may traffic (on the earth) and go back again.
کاروان دایم ز گردون می‌رسد ** تا تجارت می‌کند وا می‌رود
Go, then, sweetly and gladly with free-will, not with bitterness and loathing, like a thief.
پس برو شیرین و خوش با اختیار ** نه بتلخی و کراهت دزدوار
I am speaking bitter words to thee, in order that I may wash thee (clean) of bitternesses.