When the capacity, which is the guide (to salvation), is gone from him, every nutriment that he eats is the brain of an ass.
زو چو استعداد شد کان رهبرست ** هر غذایی کو خورد مغز خرست
If he eats anacardium, it becomes (acts upon him as) opium: his apoplexy and dementia are increased.1530
گر بلادر خورد او افیون شود ** سکته و بی‌عقلیش افزون شود
There remains another sort (of men: they are engaged) in warfare: (they are) half animal, half (spiritually) alive and endowed with good guidance.
ماند یک قسم دگر اندر جهاد ** نیم حیوان نیم حی با رشاد
Day and night in strife and mutual struggle, his (such a one's) last (state) battles with his first.
روز و شب در جنگ و اندر کش‌مکش ** کرده چالیش آخرش با اولش
The battle of the reason against the flesh is like the contention of Majnún with his she camel: Majnún's inclination is towards the noble woman (Laylá), while the she camel's inclination is (to go) back towards her foal, as Majnún said (in verse): "My she-camel's love is behind me, while my love is in front of me; and verily I and she are discordant."
چالیش عقل با نفس هم چون تنازع مجنون با ناقه میل مجنون سوی حره میل ناقه واپس سوی کره چنانک گفت مجنون هوا ناقتی خلفی و قدامی الهوی و انی و ایاها لمختلفان
Assuredly they (the reason and the flesh) are like Majnún and his she-camel: that one is pulling forward and this one backward in (mutual) enmity.
هم‌چو مجنون‌اند و چون ناقه‌ش یقین ** می‌کشد آن پیش و این واپس به کین
Majnún's desire is speeding to the presence of that (beloved) Laylá; the she camel's desire is running back after her foal.
میل مجنون پیش آن لیلی روان ** میل ناقه پس پی کره دوان
If Majnún forgot himself for one moment, the she-camel would turn and go back.1535
یک دم ار مجنون ز خود غافل بدی ** ناقه گردیدی و واپس آمدی
Since his body was full of love and passion, he had no resource but to become beside himself.
عشق و سودا چونک پر بودش بدن ** می‌نبودش چاره از بی‌خود شدن
That which is regardful was (ever) reason: passion for Laylá carried (his) reason away.
آنک او باشد مراقب عقل بود ** عقل را سودای لیلی در ربود
But the she-camel was very regardful and alert: whenever she saw her toggle slack
لیک ناقه بس مراقب بود و چست ** چون بدیدی او مهار خویش سست
She would at once perceive that he had become heedless and dazed, and would turn her face back to the foal without delay.
فهم کردی زو که غافل گشت و دنگ ** رو سپس کردی به کره بی‌درنگ
When he came to himself again, he would see on the spot that she had gone back many leagues.1540
چون به خود باز آمدی دیدی ز جا ** کو سپس رفتست بس فرسنگها
In these conditions Majnún remained going to and fro for years on a three days' journey.
در سه روزه ره بدین احوالها ** ماند مجنون در تردد سالها
He said, “O camel, since we both are lovers, therefore we two contraries are unsuitable fellow-travellers.
گفت ای ناقه چو هر دو عاشقیم ** ما دو ضد پس همره نالایقیم
Thy affection and toggle (propensity) are not in accord with me: it behoves (me) to choose parting from thy companionship.”
نیستت بر وفق من مهر و مهار ** کرد باید از تو صحبت اختیار
These two fellow-travellers (the reason and the flesh) are brigands waylaying each other: lost is the spirit that does not dismount from the body.
این دو همره یکدگر را راه‌زن ** گمره آن جان کو فرو ناید ز تن
The spirit, because of separation from the highest Heaven, is in a (great) want; the body, on account of passion for the thorn-shrub (of sensual pleasure), is like a she-camel.1545
جان ز هجر عرش اندر فاقه‌ای ** تن ز عشق خاربن چون ناقه‌ای
The spirit unfolds its wings (to fly) upwards; the body has stuck its claws in the earth.
جان گشاید سوی بالا بالها ** در زده تن در زمین چنگالها
“So long as thou art with me, O thou who art mortally enamoured of thy home, then my spirit will remain far from Laylá.
تا تو با من باشی ای مرده‌ی وطن ** پس ز لیلی دور ماند جان من
From experiences of this kind my life-time, for many years, has gone (to waste), like (that of) the people of Moses in the desert.
روزگارم رفت زین گون حالها ** هم‌چو تیه و قوم موسی سالها
This journey to union was (only) a matter of two steps: because of thy noose I have remained sixty years on the way.
خطوتینی بود این ره تا وصال ** مانده‌ام در ره ز شستت شصت سال
The way is near (not far), but I have tarried very late: I have become sick of this riding, sick, sick.”1550
راه نزدیک و بماندم سخت دیر ** سیر گشتم زین سواری سیرسیر
He (Majnún) threw himself headlong from the camel. He said, “I am consumed with grief: how long, how long?”
سرنگون خود را از اشتر در فکند ** گفت سوزیدم ز غم تا چندچند
The wide desert became (too) narrow for him: he flung himself on the stony place.
تنگ شد بر وی بیابان فراخ ** خویشتن افکند اندر سنگلاخ
He flung himself down so violently that the body of that courageous man was cracked.
آنچنان افکند خود را سخت زیر ** که مخلخل گشت جسم آن دلیر
When he flung himself to the ground thus, at that moment also by (Divine) destiny his leg broke.
چون چنان افکند خود را سوی پست ** از قضا آن لحظه پایش هم شکست
He tied up his leg and said, “I will become a ball, I will go rolling along in the curve of His bat.”1555
پای را بر بست و گفتا گو شوم ** در خم چوگانش غلطان می‌روم
For this cause the sweet-mouthed Sage utters a curse on the rider who does not dismount from the body.
زین کند نفرین حکیم خوش‌دهن ** بر سواری کو فرو ناید ز تن
How should love for the Lord be inferior to love for Laylá? To become a ball for His sake is more worthy.
عشق مولی کی کم از لیلی بود ** گوی گشتن بهر او اولی بود
Become a ball, turn on the side which is sincerity, (and go) rolling, rolling in the curve of the bat of Love,
گوی شو می‌گرد بر پهلوی صدق ** غلط غلطان در خم چوگان عشق
For henceforth this journey is (accomplished by means of) the pull of God, while that (former) journey on the she-camel is our progression (made by our own efforts).
کین سفر زین پس بود جذب خدا ** وان سفر بر ناقه باشد سیر ما
Such is the extraordinary mode of progression which transcends the utmost exertion of the Jinn and mankind.1560
این چنین سیریست مستثنی ز جنس ** کان فزود از اجتهاد جن و انس
Such is the pull—not every common pull—to which Ahmad (Mohammed) awarded the pre-eminence. And (now) farewell!
این چنین جذبیست نی هر جذب عام ** که نهادش فضل احمد والسلام
How the slave wrote to the King a statement complaining of the reduction of his allowance
نوشتن آن غلام قصه‌ی شکایت نقصان اجری سوی پادشاه
Cut short the discourse (on these topics) for the sake of (re turning to the story of) the slave who has written a message to the King
قصه کوته کن برای آن غلام ** که سوی شه بر نوشتست او پیام
He is sending to the gracious King a statement filled with wrangling and self-conceit and hatred.
قصه پر جنگ و پر هستی و کین ** می‌فرستد پیش شاه نازنین
The body is (like) a letter: look into it (and see) whether it is worthy of the King; then take it (to Him).
کالبد نامه‌ست اندر وی نگر ** هست لایق شاه را آنگه ببر
Go into a corner, open the letter, read (it), see whether its‘ words are suitable to kings.1565
گوشه‌ای رو نامه را بگشا بخوان ** بین که حرفش هست در خورد شهان
If it be not suitable, tear it in pieces and write another letter and remedy (the fault).
گر نباشد درخور آن را پاره کن ** نامه‌ی دیگر نویس و چاره کن
But do not think it is easy to open the letter which is the body; otherwise every one would plainly see the secret of the heart.
لیک فتح نامه‌ی تن زپ مدان ** ورنه هر کس سر دل دیدی عیان
How hard and difficult is it to open the letter! ‘Tis a task for men, not for children playing at knuckle
نامه بگشادن چه دشوارست و صعب ** کار مردانست نه طفلان کعب
We have all become satisfied with (reading) the table of contents, because we are steeped in cupidity and vain desire.
جمله بر فهرست قانع گشته‌ایم ** زانک در حرص و هوا آغشته‌ایم
The table of contents is a snare for the vulgar, that they may think the text of the scroll is like that (table).1570
باشد آن فهرست دامی عامه را ** تا چنان دانند متن نامه را
Open the title-page, do not turn your neck aside from these words—and God best knoweth the right course.
باز کن سرنامه را گردن متاب ** زین سخن والله اعلم بالصواب
That title is like a declaration made by the tongue: examine the text of the scroll, namely, the bosom (your inward self),
هست آن عنوان چو اقرار زبان ** متن نامه‌ی سینه را کن امتحان
(And see) whether it is in agreement with your declaration, in order that your actions may not be hypocritical.
که موافق هست با اقرار تو ** تا منافق‌وار نبود کار تو
When you are carrying a very heavy sack, you must not fail to look into it,
چون جوالی بس گرانی می‌بری ** زان نباید کم که در وی بنگری
(To see) what of sour and sweet you have in the sack. If it is worth bringing along, bring it;1575
که چه داری در جوال از تلخ و خوش ** گر همی ارزد کشیدن را بکش
Otherwise, empty your sack of the stones (in it), and redeem yourself from this fruitless toil and disgrace.
ورنه خالی کن جوالت را ز سنگ ** باز خر خود را ازین بیگار و ننگ
Put in the sack that (only) which must be brought to righteous sultans and kings.
در جوال آن کن که می‌باید کشید ** سوی سلطانان و شاهان رشید
Story of the divine with a big turban and the man who carried it off, and how he (the divine) shouted, “Undo it and see what you are taking: then take it (if you wish)!”
حکایت آن فقیه با دستار بزرگ و آنک بربود دستارش و بانگ می‌زد کی باز کن ببین کی چه می‌بری آنگه ببر
A certain divine had collected some old rags and wound them in his turban,
یک فقیهی ژنده‌ها در چیده بود ** در عمامه‌ی خویش در پیچیده بود