He (God) said, “How did the drum and the pastime and a trading affair sunder you from a man of God?425
گفت طبل و لهو و بازرگانیی ** چونتان ببرید از ربانیی
Ye have dispersed (and run) madly towards the wheat, and left a Prophet standing (in prayer).
قد فضضتم نحو قمح هائما ** ثم خلیتم نبیا قائما
On account of the wheat ye sowed the seed of vanity and forsook that Messenger of God.
بهر گندم تخم باطل کاشتید ** و آن رسول حق را بگذاشتید
Companionship with him is better that pastime and riches: (look and ) see whom thou hast forsaken, rub an eye!
صحبت او خیر من لهوست و مال ** بین کرا بگذاشتی چشمی بمال
Verily, to your greed did not this become certain, that I am the Provider and the best of them that provide?”
خود نشد حرص شما را این یقین ** که منم رزاق و خیر الرازقین
He that giveth sustenance from Himself unto the wheat, how should He let thy acts of trust (in Him) be wasted?430
آنک گندم را ز خود روزی دهد ** کی توکلهات را ضایع نهد
For the sake of wheat thou hast become parted from Him who hath sent the wheat from Heaven.
از پی گندم جدا گشتی از آن ** که فرستادست گندم ز آسمان
How the falcon invited the ducks to come from the water to the plain.
دعوت باز بطان را از آب به صحرا
Says the falcon to the duck, “Arise from the water, that thou mayst see the plains diffusing sweetness,”
باز گوید بط را کز آب خیز ** تا ببینی دشتها را قندریز
(But) the wise duck says to him, “Away, O falcon! The water is our stronghold and safety and joy.”
بط عاقل گویدش ای باز دور ** آب ما را حصن و امنست و سرور
The Devil is like the falcon. O ducks, make haste (to guard yourselves)! Beware, do not come out of your stronghold, the water.
دیو چون باز آمد ای بطان شتاب ** هین به بیرون کم روید از حصن آب
They (the ducks) say to the falcon, “Begone, begone! Turn back and keep the hand off our heads, O kind friend!435
باز را گویند رو رو باز گرد ** از سر ما دست دار ای پای‌مرد
We are quit of thy invitation: (keep) the invitation for thyself: we will not listen to these words of thine, O infidel!
ما بری از دعوتت دعوت ترا ** ما ننوشیم این دم تو کافرا
The stronghold (the water) is (enough) for us: let the sugar and sugar-fields be thine! I do not desire thy gift: take it for thyself!
حصن ما را قند و قندستان ترا ** من نخواهم هدیه‌ات بستان ترا
Whilst there is life (in the body), food will not fail; when there is an army, banners will not fail.”
چونک جان باشد نیاید لوت کم ** چونک لشکر هست کم ناید علم
The prudent Khwája offered many an excuse and made many a pretext to the (countryman who resembled the) obstinate Devil.
خواجه‌ی حازم بسی عذر آورید ** بس بهانه کرد با دیو مرید
“At this moment,” said he, “I have serious matters (in hand); if I come (to visit you), they will not be set in order.440
گفت این دم کارها دارم مهم ** گر بیایم آن نگردد منتظم
The King has charged me with a delicate affair, and because of (anxiously) expecting me he has not slept during the night.
شاه کار نازکم فرموده است ** ز انتظارم شاه شب نغنوده است
I dare not neglect the King's command, I cannot fall into disgrace with the King.
من نیارم ترک امر شاه کرد ** من نتانم شد بر شه روی‌زرد
Every morning and evening a special officer arrives and requests of me (desires me to provide) a means of escape (from the difficulty).
هر صباح و هر مسا سرهنگ خاص ** می‌رسد از من همی‌جوید مناص
Do you deem it right that I should go into the country, with the result that the King would knit his brows (in wrath)?
تو روا داری که آیم سوی ده ** تا در ابرو افکند سلطان گره
How should I heal (assuage) his anger after that? Surely, by this (offence) I should bury myself alive.”445
بعد از آن درمان خشمش چون کنم ** زنده خود را زین مگر مدفون کنم
He related a hundred pretexts of this sort, (but his) expedients did not coincide with God's decree.
زین نمط او صد بهانه باز گفت ** حیله‌ها با حکم حق نفتاد جفت
If (all) the atoms of the world contrive expedients, they are naught, naught, against the ordinance of Heaven.
گر شود ذرات عالم حیله‌پیچ ** با قضای آسمان هیچند هیچ
How shall this earth flee from Heaven, how shall it conceal itself from it?
چون گریزد این زمین از آسمان ** چون کند او خویش را از وی نهان
Whatsoever may come from Heaven to the earth, it (the earth) has no refuge or device or hiding-place.
هرچه آید ز آسمان سوی زمین ** نه مفر دارد نه چاره نه کمین
Is fire from the sun raining upon it, it has laid its face (low) before his fire;450
آتش ار خورشید می‌بارد برو ** او بپیش آتشش بنهاده رو
And if the rain is making a flood upon it and devastating the cities upon it,
ور همی طوفان کند باران برو ** شهرها را می‌کند ویران برو
It (the earth) has become resigned to it (Heaven), like Job, saying, “I am captive: bring (on me) whatever thou wilt.”
او شده تسلیم او ایوب‌وار ** که اسیرم هرچه می‌خواهی ببار
O thou who art a part of this earth, do not lift up thy head (in rebellion); when thou seest the decree of God, do not withdraw (from it disobediently).
ای که جزو این زمینی سر مکش ** چونک بینی حکم یزدان در مکش
Since thou hast heard “We created thee of dust,” (know that) He (God) hath required thee to be (humble and submissive as) dust: do not avert thy face (from Him).
چون خلقناکم شنودی من تراب ** خاک باشی جست از تو رو متاب
(God saith), “Mark how I have sown a seed in the earth: thou art dust of the earth, and I have raised it aloft.455
بین که اندر خاک تخمی کاشتم ** کرد خاکی و منش افراشتم
Do thou once more adopt the practice of earthiness (self-abasement), that I may make thee prince over all princes.”
حمله‌ی دیگر تو خاکی پیشه گیر ** تا کنم بر جمله میرانت امیر
Water goes from above to below; then from below it goes up above.
آب از بالا به پستی در رود ** آنگه از پستی به بالا بر رود
The wheat went beneath the earth from above; afterwards it became ears of corn and sprang up quickly.
گندم از بالا بزیر خاک شد ** بعد از آن او خوشه و چالاک شد
The seed of every fruit entered into the earth; afterwards it raised up heads (shoots) from the buried (root).
دانه‌ی هر میوه آمد در زمین ** بعد از آن سرها بر آورد از دفین
The source of (all) blessings descended from Heaven to the earth and became the nutriment of the pure (vital) spirit.460
اصل نعمتها ز گردون تا بخاک ** زیر آمد شد غذای جان پاک
Forasmuch as it came down from Heaven on account of humility, it became part of the living and valiant man.
از تواضع چون ز گردون شد بزیر ** گشت جزو آدمی حی دلیر
Hence that inanimate matter (rain and sunlight) was turned into human qualities and soared joyously above the empyrean,
پس صفات آدمی شد آن جماد ** بر فراز عرش پران گشت شاد
Saying, “We came at first from the living world, and have (now) gone back from below to above.”
کز جهان زنده ز اول آمدیم ** باز از پستی سوی بالا شدیم
All particles (of phenomenal being), (whether) in movement (or) at rest, are speakers (and declare): “Verily, to Him we are returning.”
جمله اجزا در تحرک در سکون ** ناطقان که انا الیه راجعون
The praises and glorifications of the hidden particles have filled Heaven with an uproar.465
ذکر و تسبیحات اجزای نهان ** غلغلی افکند اندر آسمان
When the Decree (of God) set out to (use) enchantments, the countryman checkmated a townsman.
چون قضا آهنگ نارنجات کرد ** روستایی شهریی را مات کرد
Notwithstanding thousands of (good) resolutions, the Khwája was checkmated, and from that journey (which he undertook) he fell into the midst of calamities.
با هزاران حزم خواجه مات شد ** زان سفر در معرض آفات شد
His reliance was upon his own firmness, (but) though he was (as) a mountain, a half-flood swept him away.
اعتمادش بر ثبات خویش بود ** گرچه که بد نیم سیلش در ربود
When the Decree puts forth its head from Heaven, all the intelligent become blind and deaf;
چون قضا بیرون کند از چرخ سر ** عاقلان گردند جمله کور و کر
Fishes are cast out of the sea; the snare catches miserably the flying bird.470
ماهیان افتند از دریا برون ** دام گیرد مرغ پران را زبون
Even genie and demon go into the bottle; nay, a Hárút goes into (the pit of) Babylon.
تا پری و دیو در شیشه شود ** بلک هاروتی به بابل در رود
(All are lost) except that one who has taken refuge with the Decree: his blood no (astrological) quadrature (ever) shed.
جز کسی کاندر قضا اندر گریخت ** خون او را هیچ تربیعی نریخت
Except that you take refuge with the Decree, no contrivance will give you release from it.
غیر آن که در گریزی در قضا ** هیچ حیله ندهدت از وی رها
The Story of the people of Zarwán and how they contrived that they should pick the fruit in their orchards without being troubled by the poor.
قصه‌ی اهل ضروان و حیلت کردن ایشان تا بی زحمت درویشان باغها را قطاف کنند
You have read the story of the people of Zarwán: then why have you persisted in seeking expedients?
قصه‌ی اصحاب ضروان خوانده‌ای ** پس چرا در حیله‌جویی مانده‌ای