The entire plain is filled with snakes and scorpions when the ignorant man becomes king (master) of the bitter (harsh) decree.
جمله صحرا مار و کزدم پر شود ** چونک جاهل شاه حکم مر شود
The worthless person who acquires wealth and office has become the seeker of his own disgrace.
مال و منصب ناکسی که آرد به دست ** طالب رسوایی خویش او شدست
Either he behaves stingily and gives few presents, or he shows generosity and bestows (them) in the wrong place (unsuitably).1445
یا کند بخل و عطاها کم دهد ** یا سخا آرد بنا موضع نهد
He puts the king in the house (square) of the pawn: the gifts which a fool makes are like this.
شاه را در خانهی بیذق نهد ** این چنین باشد عطا که احمق دهد
When authority falls into the hands of one who has lost the (right) way, he deems it to be a high position (jáh), (but in reality) he has fallen into a pit (cháh).
حکم چون در دست گمراهی فتاد ** جاه پندارید در چاهی فتاد
He does not know the way, (yet) he acts as guide: his wicked spirit makes a world-conflagration.
راه نمیداند قلاووزی کند ** جان زشت او جهانسوزی کند
When (one who is as) a child in the Way of (spiritual) poverty assumes the part of an Elder (Director of souls), the ghoul of unblessedness seizes those who follow (him).
طفل راه فقر چون پیری گرفت ** پیروان را غول ادباری گرفت
“Come,” says he, “for I will show thee the moon”; (yet) that impure one never saw the moon.1450
که بیا تا ماه بنمایم ترا ** ماه را هرگز ندید آن بیصفا
How wilt thou show (the moon) when during (all) thy life thou hast not seen even the reflexion of the moon in the water, O half-baked dunce?
چون نمایی چون ندیدستی به عمر ** عکس مه در آب هم ای خام غمر
The foolish have become leaders, and from fear (of them) the wise have drawn their heads into the cloak.
احمقان سرور شدستند و ز بیم ** عاقلان سرها کشیده در گلیم
Commentary on "O thou that wrappest thyself."
تفسیر یا ایها المزمل
For this reason He (God) called the Prophet muzzammil (one who wraps himself), saying, “Come forth from the cloak, O thou who art fond of taking flight.
خواند مزمل نبی را زین سبب ** که برون آ از گلیم ای بوالهرب
Do not draw thy head into the cloak and do not cover thy face, for the world is a reeling body: thou art the intelligence (rational spirit).
سر مکش اندر گلیم و رو مپوش ** که جهان جسمیست سرگردان تو هوش
Hark, do not hide on account of the opprobrium of the adversary, since thou hast the resplendent candle of the Revelation.1455
هین مشو پنهان ز ننگ مدعی ** که تو داری شمع وحی شعشعی
Hark, stand up (in prayer) during the night, for thou art a candle, O prince: at night a candle stands up (and burns).
هین قم اللیل که شمعی ای همام ** شمع اندر شب بود اندر قیام
Without thy radiance, even the bright day is (dark as) night: without thy protection, the lion is captive to the hare.
بیفروغت روز روشن هم شبست ** بیپناهت شیر اسیر ارنبست
Be the captain (pilot) of the ship in this sea of (spiritual) purity, for thou art a second Noah, O Mustafá (elect one).
باش کشتیبان درین بحر صفا ** که تو نوح ثانیی ای مصطفی
An expert guide, (endowed) with understanding, is needed for every road, especially in the road (journey) on the water.
ره شناسی میبباید با لباب ** هر رهی را خاصه اندر راه آب
Arise! Look upon the waylaid caravan: everywhere a ghoul has become captain of the ship.1460
خیز بنگر کاروان رهزده ** هر طرف غولیست کشتیبان شده
Thou art the Khizr of the time and the Deliverer of every ship (in distress): do not, like (Jesus) the Spirit of God, practise solitude.
خضر وقتی غوث هر کشتی توی ** همچو روحالله مکن تنها روی
In the sight of this assembly (of people) thou art as the candle of heaven: leave off severing thyself (from them) and adopting seclusion.
پیش این جمعی چو شمع آسمان ** انقطاع و خلوت آری را بمان
’Tis not the time for seclusion: come into the assembly, O thou who art (as) the humáy, while the guidance (of souls) is like Mount Qáf.
وقت خلوت نیست اندر جمع آی ** ای هدی چون کوه قاف و تو همای
The full-moon is moving by night on the upper part of the sky: it does not cease from its journey because of the outcry of the dogs.
بدر بر صدر فلک شد شب روان ** سیر را نگذارد از بانگ سگان
The scoffers keep making an outcry, like dogs, at thy full-moon in the direction of thy high place.1465
طاعنان همچون سگان بر بدر تو ** بانگ میدارند سوی صدر تو
These dogs are deaf to the (Divine) command, ‘Be ye silent’: from folly (they are) bow-wowing at thy full-moon.
این سگان کرند از امر انصتوا ** از سفه و عوع کنان بر بدر تو
Hark, O (thou who art) the cure for the sick, do not, on account of anger against the deaf, let go the staff of the blind.
هین بمگذار ای شفا رنجور را ** تو ز خشم کر عصای کور را
Didst not thou say?—‘He that leads a blind man on the (right) way gains a hundred recompenses and rewards from God.
نه تو گفتی قاید اعمی به راه ** صد ثواب و اجر یابد از اله
Whoever leads a blind man forty steps is pardoned and will find salvation.’
هر که او چل گام کوری را کشد ** گشت آمرزیده و یابد رشد
Do thou, therefore, lead away from this impermanent world the multitude of the blind, file on file.1470
پس بکش تو زین جهان بیقرار ** جوق کوران را قطار اندر قطار
This is the business of a guide: thou art the Guide, thou art the joy for (dispelling) the sorrow of the last (period of) time.
کار هادی این بود تو هادیی ** ماتم آخر زمان را شادیی
Hark, O Imám of the God-fearing, cause these thinkers of vain fancies to go (onward) till (they attain unto) certainty.
هین روان کن ای امام المتقین ** این خیالاندیشگان را تا یقین
Whoever hath his heart in pawn (devoted) to plotting against thee, I will smite his neck: do thou advance joyously.
هر که در مکر تو دارد دل گرو ** گردنش را من زنم تو شاد رو
I will lay (more) blindnesses on the top of his blindness: he will deem it sugar, and I will (really) give him poison.
بر سر کوریش کوریها نهم ** او شکر پندارد و زهرش دهم
(All) intellects have been kindled by My light; (all) plots have been learned from My plotting.1475
عقلها از نور من افروختند ** مکرها از مکر من آموختند
What indeed is the Turcoman's tent of black felt before the feet of the male (fierce) elephants of this world?
چیست خود آلاجق آن ترکمان ** پیش پای نره پیلان جهان
Before My sarsar wind what in sooth is that lamp of his (contrivance), O My greatest prophet?
آن چراغ او به پیش صرصرم ** خود چه باشد ای مهین پیغامبرم
Do thou arise and blow on the terrible trumpet, that thousands of the dead may spring up from the earth.
خیز در دم تو بصور سهمناک ** تا هزاران مرده بر روید ز خاک
Since thou art the upright-rising Isráfíl (Seraphiel) of the time, make a resurrection ere the Resurrection.
چون تو اسرافیل وقتی راستخیز ** رستخیزی ساز پیش از رستخیز
O beloved, if any one say, ‘Where is the Resurrection?’ show thyself, saying, ‘Behold, I am the Resurrection.1480
هر که گوید کو قیامت ای صنم ** خویش بنما که قیامت نک منم
Look, O questioner who art stricken with tribulation, (and see) that from this resurrection a hundred worlds have grown!’
در نگر ای سایل محنتزده ** زین قیامت صد جهان افزون شده
And if he (the scoffer) be not fit for this praise (of Me) and humble supplication, then, O (spiritual) Sultan, the (proper) reply to a fool is silence.
ور نباشد اهل این ذکر و قنوت ** پس جواب الاحمق ای سلطان سکوت
From God's Heaven silence comes in reply when, O (dear) soul, the prayer is unanswered.”
ز آسمان حق سکوت آید جواب ** چون بود جانا دعا نامستجاب
Oh, alas, ’tis harvest-time, but by our (ill) fortune the day has become late.
ای دریغا وقت خرمنگاه شد ** لیک روز از بخت ما بیگاه شد
Time is pressing, and the amplitude of this (subject of) discussion (is such that) a perpetual life will be (too) restricted for it.1485
وقت تنگست و فراخی این کلام ** تنگ میآید برو عمر دوام
To dart the lance in these narrow lanes brings to disgrace those who dart the lance.
نیزهبازی اندرین کوههای تنگ ** نیزهبازان را همی آرد به تنگ
The time is narrow (limited), and the mind and understanding of the vulgar is narrower a hundredfold than the time, O youth.
وقت تنگ و خاطر و فهم عوام ** تنگتر صد ره ز وقت است ای غلام
Inasmuch as silence is the (proper) reply to the fool, how art thou thus prolonging the discourse?
چون جواب احمق آمد خامشی ** این درازی در سخن چون میکشی
(Because) He (God), from the perfection of His mercy and the waves of His bounty, bestows rain and moisture on every barren soil.
از کمال رحمت و موج کرم ** میدهد هر شوره را باران و نم
Showing that (the proverb), "Omission to reply is a reply," confirms the saying that silence is the (proper) reply to the fool. The explanation of both these (sayings) is (contained) in the story which will now be related.
در بیان آنک ترک الجواب جواب مقرر این سخن کی جواب الاحمق سکوت شرح این هر دو درین قصه است کی گفته میآید
There was a king: he had a slave; he (the slave) was one whose reason was dead and whose lust was alive.1490
بود شاهی بود او را بندهای ** مرده عقلی بود و شهوتزندهای
He would neglect the niceties of service to him (the king): he was thinking evil and deeming (it) good.
خردههای خدمتش بگذاشتی ** بد سگالیدی نکو پنداشتی
The monarch said, “Reduce his allowance, and if he wrangle strike his name off the roll.”
گفت شاهنشه جرااش کم کنید ** ور بجنگد نامش از خط بر زنید