What is “the country”? The Shaykh that has not been united (with god), but has become addicted to conventionality and argument.
ده چه باشد شیخ واصل ناشده ** دست در تقلید و حجت در زده
Compared with the town, (which is) Universal Reason, these senses (of ours) are like asses (going round and round) in an ass-mill with their eyes bandaged.
پیش شهر عقل کلی این حواس ** چون خران چشمبسته در خراس
Leave this (inner meaning) and take the outward form of the tale: let the pearlseed alone and take the cornseed.
این رها کن صورت افسانه گیر ** هل تو دردانه تو گندمدانه گیر
If there is no way to the pearl, come, take the wheat; if there is no way for you in that (direction), push on in this direction.525
گر بدر ره نیست هین بر میستان ** گر بدان ره نیستت این سو بران
Take its outward (form)! Though the outward (form) fly crookedly (not straight), the outward (form) at last will lead (you) to the inward (meaning).
ظاهرش گیر ار چه ظاهر کژ پرد ** عاقبت ظاهر سوی باطن برد
In sooth, the first (stage) of every human being is the form; after that (comes) the spirit, which is beauty of disposition.
اول هر آدمی خود صورتست ** بعد از آن جان کو جمال سیرتست
How is the first (stage) of every fruit anything but the form? After that (comes) the delicious taste which is its real meaning.
اول هر میوه جز صورت کیست ** بعد از آن لذت که معنی ویست
First they make or buy a tent; afterwards they bring the Turcoman (their beloved) as a guest.
اولا خرگاه سازند و خرند ** ترک را زان پس به مهمان آورند
Deem your form to be the tent, your real essence the Turcoman, regard your essence as the sailor, your form as the ship.530
صورتت خرگاه دان معنیت ترک ** معنیت ملاح دان صورت چو فلک
For God’s sake, quit this (topic) for a moment, so that the Khwaja’s ass may shake its bell (proceed on its journey).
بهر حق این را رها کن یک نفس ** تا خر خواجه بجنباند جرس
How the Khwaja and his family went to the country.
رفتن خواجه و قومش به سوی ده
The Khwaja and his children prepared an outfit and galloped on their beasts towards the country.
خواجه و بچگان جهازی ساختند ** بر ستوران جانب ده تاختند
Merrily they rode a field; they chanted, “Travel, that ye may gain advantage”;
شادمانه سوی صحرا راندند ** سافروا کی تغنموا بر خواندند
For by traveling the moon becomes (splendid, like) Kay Khusraw: how should it become an emperor (khusraw) without traveling?
کز سفرها ماه کیخسرو شود ** بی سفرها ماه کی خسرو شود
Through travel the pawn becomes a noble queen, and through travel Joseph gained a hundred objects of desire.535
از سفر بیدق شود فرزین راد ** وز سفر یابید یوسف صد مراد
By day they scorched their faces in the sun, by night they were learning the away from the stars.
روز روی از آفتابی سوختند ** شب ز اختر راه میآموختند
The bad road to them seemed good: from (their) delight in the country the road seemed like Paradise.
خوب گشته پیش ایشان راه زشت ** از نشاط ده شده ره چون بهشت
From sweet-lipped ones (even) bitterness becomes sweet; from the rose-garden (even) thorns become charming.
تلخ از شیرینلبان خوش میشود ** خار از گلزار دلکش میشود
Colocynth turns into dates (when it comes) from the beloved; the (narrow) house is made (like) spacious fields by the house-mate.
حنظل از معشوق خرما میشود ** خانه از همخانه صحرا میشود
Oh, (there is) many a dainty youth that suffers thorns (of anguish) in the hope of (winning) a rose-cheeked moon-like (sweetheart).540
ای بسا از نازنینان خارکش ** بر امید گلعذار ماهوش
Oh, (there is) many a porter, his back torn with wounds for the sake of the moon-faced one to whom he has lost his heart.
ای بسا حمال گشته پشتریش ** از برای دلبر مهروی خویش
The ironsmith has blackened his beauty, that (when) night comes he may kissthe face of (a beloved like) the moon.
کرده آهنگر جمال خود سیاه ** تا که شب آید ببوسد روی ماه
The merchant (sits), racked, on a bench (in his shop) till nightfall, because (some one tall and slender as) a cypress has taken root in his heart.
خواجه تا شب بر دکانی چار میخ ** زانک سروی در دلش کردست بیخ
A trader is faring over sea and land: he runs (makes those swift journeys) for live of one who sits at home.
تاجری دریا و خشکی میرود ** آن بمهر خانهشینی میدود
Whoever has a passion for that which is dead, ‘tis in hope of (gaining) one who has the features of the living.545
هر که را با مرده سودایی بود ** بر امید زندهسیمایی بود
The carpenter turns his face (attention) to wood, in the hope of rendering service to a fair one whose face is like the moon.
آن دروگر روی آورده به چوب ** بر امید خدمت مهروی خوب
Do thou exert thyself in hope of the Living One who does not become lifeless after a day or two!
بر امید زندهای کن اجتهاد ** کو نگردد بعد روزی دو جماد
Do not from meanness choose a mean person as thy friend: that friendship in him is borrowed (unessential).
مونسی مگزین خسی را از خسی ** عاریت باشد درو آن مونسی
If thy friends other than God possess constancy (permanence), where is thy friendship with the mother and father?
انس تو با مادر و بابا کجاست ** گر بجز حق مونسانت را وفاست
If any one but God is worthy to be relied upon, what has become of thy friendship with thy nurse and tutor?550
انس تو با دایه و لالا چه شد ** گر کسی شاید بغیر حق عضد
Thy friendship with the milk and the teat did not endure, thy shyness of (going to) school did not endure.
انس تو با شیر و با پستان نماند ** نفرت تو از دبیرستان نماند
That (friendship) was a radiance (cast) upon their wall: that sign (of the Sun) went back towards the Sun.
آن شعاعی بود بر دیوارشان ** جانب خورشید وا رفت آن نشان
On whatsoever thing that radiance may fall, thou becomest in love with that (thing), O brave man.
بر هر آن چیزی که افتد آن شعاع ** تو بر آن هم عاشق آیی ای شجاع
On whatsoever existent thing thy love (is bestowed), that (thing) is gilded with Divine qualities.
عشق تو بر هر چه آن موجود بود ** آن ز وصف حق زر اندود بود
When the goldenness has gone to its original source and (only) the copper remains, (thy) nature is surfeited and proceeds to divorce (discard) it.555
چون زری با اصل رفت و مس بماند ** طبع سیر آمد طلاق او براند
Withdraw thy foot from that which is gilded by His qualities, do not from ignorance call the base alloy beautiful;
از زر اندود صفاتش پا بکش ** از جهالت قلب را کم گوی خوش
For in base coin the beauty is borrowed: beneath the comeliness is the substance uncomely.
کان خوشی در قلبها عاریتست ** زیر زینت مایهی بی زینتست
The gold is going from the face of the false coin into the mine (whence it came): do thou too go towards the Mine to which it is going.
زر ز روی قلب در کان میرود ** سوی آن کان رو تو هم کان میرود
The light is going from the wall up to the sun: do thou go to that Sun which ever goes (moves) in proportion (with eternal right and justice).
نور از دیوار تا خور میرود ** تو بدان خور رو که در خور میرود
Henceforth take thou the water (that comes) from Heaven, forasmuch as thou hast not found faithfulness in the aqueduct.560
زین سپس پستان تو آب از آسمان ** چون ندیدی تو وفا در ناودان
The lure to catch the wolf is (the sheep’s tail; it is) not the place (shop) where the sheep’s tail came from: how should that fierce wolf know the place of provenance?
معدن دنبه نباشد دام گرگ ** کی شناسد معدن آن گرگ سترگ
They (the Khwaja and his family) imagined (that they would be) gold tied in knots, (so) the deluded (party) were making haste to (reach) the countryside.
زر گمان بردند بسته در گره ** میشتابیدند مغروران به ده
Thus were they going alone, laughing and dancing and caracoling towards the water-wheel.
همچنین خندان و رقصان میشدند ** سوی آن دولاب چرخی میزدند
Whenever they saw a bird flying in the direction of the country, (their) patience rent its garments;
چون همیدیدند مرغی میپرید ** جانب ده صبر جامه میدرید
(And) they would kiss joyfully the face of any one who came from the country, from his (the countryman’s) neighbourhood,565
هر که میآمد ز ده از سوی او ** بوسه میدادند خوش بر روی او
Saying, “You have seen the face of our friend, therefore to the (beloved) Soul you are (as) the soul, and to us (as) the eye.”
گر تو روی یار ما را دیدهای ** پس تو جان را جان و ما را دیدهای
How Majnún petted the dog that lived in Layla's abode.
نواختن مجنون آن سگ را کی مقیم کوی لیلی بود
(They behaved) like Majnún, who was (seen) petting a dog and kissing it and melting (with fondness) before it:
همچو مجنون کو سگی را مینواخت ** بوسهاش میداد و پیشش میگداخت
He was pacing round it, stooping humbly in circumambulation; he was also giving it pure sugar-julep (to drink).
گرد او میگشت خاضع در طواف ** هم جلاب شکرش میداد صاف
An idle talker said, “O half-baked Majnún, what hypocrisy is this that thou art always displaying?
بوالفضولی گفت ای مجنون خام ** این چه شیدست این که میآری مدام
A dog's muzzle is ever eating filth; a dog scrapes its séant with its lips.”570
پوز سگ دایم پلیدی میخورد ** مقعد خود را بلب میاسترد
He recounted the dog's faults at some length: no one who perceives faults (‘aybdán) has got (even) a scent (inkling) of him that knows the things unseen (ghaybdán).
عیبهای سگ بسی او بر شمرد ** عیبدان از غیبدان بویی نبرد