The gold says, “Yes, O fellow-servant; but the touchstone is coming: be prepared.”1680
زر همی‌گوید بلی ای خواجه‌تاش ** لیک می‌آید محک آماده باش
The death of the body is a (welcome) gift to the adepts of the mystery: what damage is (done by) the scissors to pure gold?
مرگ تن هدیه‌ست بر اصحاب راز ** زر خالص را چه نقصانست گاز
If the adulterated coin had seen the end in regard to itself, it would have become at first the black (thing) which it became in the end.
قلب اگر در خویش آخربین بدی ** آن سیه که آخر شد او اول شدی
Since (in that case) it would have become black at first, in confrontation (with the genuine coin) it would have been far from duplicity and damnation.
چون شدی اول سیه اندر لقا ** دور بودی از نفاق و از شقا
It would have sought the elixir of (Divine) grace; its reason would have prevailed over its hypocrisy.
کیمیای فضل را طالب بدی ** عقل او بر زرق او غالب بدی
Since it would have become broken-hearted on account of its (evil) state, it would have seen before it Him who mends them that are broken.1685
چون شکسته‌دل شدی از حال خویش ** جابر اشکستگان دیدی به پیش
(When) it saw the end and became broken (contrite), it was at once bandaged by the Bone-setter.
عاقبت را دید و او اشکسته شد ** از شکسته‌بند در دم بسته شد
The (Divine) grace impelled the pieces of copper towards the elixir; the gilt (coin) remained deprived of (Divine) bounty.
فضل مسها را سوی اکسیر راند ** آن زراندود از کرم محروم ماند
O gilt one, do not make pretensions: recognise that thy purchaser will not (always) remain so blind.
ای زراندوده مکن دعوی ببین ** که نماند مشتریت اعمی چنین
The light of the place of congregation (at the Last Judgement) will cause their (the purchasers') eyes to see and will expose thy blindfolding (of them).
نور محشر چشمشان بینا کند ** چشم بندی ترا رسوا کند
Look at those who have seen the end: they are the amazement of souls and the envy of the eye.1690
بنگر آنها را که آخر دیده‌اند ** حسرت جانها و رشک دیده‌اند
Look at those who have seen (only) the present: their inmost self is corrupt; they are radically decapitated (cut off from the Truth).
بنگر آنها را که حالی دیده‌اند ** سر فاسد ز اصل سر ببریده‌اند
To the seer of the present, who is in ignorance and doubt, both the true dawn and the false dawn are one (and the same).
پیش حالی‌بین که در جهلست و شک ** صبح صادق صبح کاذب هر دو یک
The false dawn has given a hundred thousand caravans to the wind of destruction, O youth.
صبح کاذب صد هزاران کاروان ** داد بر باد هلاکت ای جوان
There is no genuine money that has not a deceptive counterfeit: alas for the soul that does not possess the touchstone and scissors!
نیست نقدی کش غلط‌انداز نیست ** وای آن جان کش محک و گاز نیست
Warning the pretender to shun pretension and enjoining him to follow (the true guide).
زجر مدعی از دعوی و امر کردن او را به متابعت
Bú Musaylim said, “I myself am Ahmad (Mohammed): I have cunningly confounded the religion of Ahmad.”1695
بو مسیلم گفت خود من احمدم ** دین احمد را به فن برهم زدم
Say to Bú Musaylim, “Do not behave with insolence: be not deluded by the beginning, regard the end.
بو مسیلم را بگو کم کن بطر ** غره‌ی اول مشو آخر نگر
Do not act thus as a guide from (with the motive of) greed for amassing (wealth and power): follow behind, in order that the Candle (the true guide) may go in front (of thee).”
این قلاوزی مکن از حرص جمع ** پس‌روی کن تا رود در پیش شمع
The Candle, like the moon, shows (clearly) the (traveller's) destination, and whether in this direction there is the grain (of spiritual welfare) or the place for the snare (of perdition).
شمع مقصد را نماید هم‌چو ماه ** کین طرف دانه‌ست یا خود دامگاه
Whether thou wilt or not, (so long as thou art) with the Lantern the form of falcon and the form of crow become visible (to thee).
گر بخواهی ور نخواهی با چراغ ** دیده گردد نقش باز و نقش زاغ
Otherwise, (beware, for) these crows have lit (the lantern of) fraud: they have learned the cry of the white falcons.1700
ورنه این زاغان دغل افروختند ** بانگ بازان سپید آموختند
If a man learn the cry of the hoopoe, (yet) where is the mystery of the hoopoe and the message from Sabá?
بانگ هدهد گر بیاموزد فتی ** راز هدهد کو و پیغام سبا
Know (distinguish) the natural cry from the artificial one, (know) the crown of kings from the crown (crest) of hoopoes.
بانگ بر رسته ز بر بسته بدان ** تاج شاهان را ز تاج هدهدان
These shameless persons have attached to their tongues the speech of dervishes and the deep sayings of gnostics.
حرف درویشان و نکته‌ی عارفان ** بسته‌اند این بی‌حیایان بر زبان
Every destruction of an olden people that there was—(it was) because they deemed sandal-wood to be (common) wood.
هر هلاک امت پیشین که بود ** زانک چندل را گمان بردند عود
They had the discernment that should make that (difference) evident, but greed and cupidity make (men) blind and deaf.1705
بودشان تمییز کان مظهر کند ** لیک حرص و آز کور و کر کند
The blindness of the (physically) blind is not far from (the Divine) mercy; ’tis the blindness of greed that is inexcusable.
کوری کوران ز رحمت دور نیست ** کوری حرص است که آن معذور نیست
Crucifixion (tribulation) inflicted by the King (God) is not far from mercy; the crucifixion (torment) of envy is not forgiven (by God).
چارمیخ شه ز رحمت دور نی ** چار میخ حاسدی مغفور نی
O fish, regard the end; do not regard the hook: evil appetite has bandaged (blindfolded) thine eye that sees the end.
ماهیا آخر نگر بنگر بشست ** بدگلویی چشم آخربینت بست
See the beginning and the end with both eyes: beware, do not be one-eyed like the accursed Iblís.
با دو دیده اول و آخر ببین ** هین مباش اعور چو ابلیس لعین
The one-eyed man is he who saw only the present—ignorant, like the beasts, of (what comes) after.1710
اعور آن باشد که حالی دید و بس ** چون بهایم بی‌خبر از بازپس
Since the two eyes of an ox are (rated) as one eye (of a man) in (the case of) damages for (their) destruction—for it (the ox) hath no excellence—
چون دو چشم گاو در جرم تلف ** هم‌چو یک چشمست کش نبود شرف
Its two eyes are worth (only) a half of its value, inasmuch as thine eye is the support for its two eyes.
نصف قیمت ارزد آن دو چشم او ** که دو چشمش راست مسند چشم تو
But if thou destroy one eye of a son of Adam, by a statute (of the Law) thou must pay half of his value,
ور کنی یک چشم آدم‌زاده‌ای ** نصف قیمت لایقست از جاده‌ای
Because the human eye works alone by itself without (assistance from) the two eyes of a friend.
زانک چشم آدمی تنها به خود ** بی دو چشم یار کاری می‌کند
Since (the power of) the donkey's eye (to see) the beginning is not accompanied by (power to see) the end, it (the donkey) is in the same case as the one-eyed man, (even) if it has two eyes.1715
چشم خر چون اولش بی آخرست ** گر دو چشمش هست حکمش اعورست
This topic hath no limit—and that light-minded (foolish) one is writing a letter in hope of loaves.
این سخن پایان ندارد وان خفیف ** می‌نویسد رقعه در طمع رغیف
The rest of the story of the slave’s writing a petition for his allowance.
بقیه‌ی نوشتن آن غلام رقعه به طلب اجری
Before (writing) the letter he went to the kitchen-stewerd and said, “O niggard of the kitchen of the generous king,
رفت پیش از نامه پیش مطبخی ** کای بخیل از مطبخ شاه سخی
‘Tis far from him and from his magnanimity that this (small) amount (matter) of my allowance should come into his consideration.”
دور ازو وز همت او کین قدر ** از جری‌ام آیدش اندر نظر
He (the steward) said, “He has ordered (so) for a good object, not on account of stinginess or close-fistedness.”
گفت بهر مصلحت فرموده است ** نه برای بخل و نه تنگی دست
“By God,” he replied, “this is a canard: even old gold is as dust in the king’s eyes.”1720
گفت دهلیزیست والله این سخن ** پیش شه خاکست هم زر کهن
The steward raised up manifold arguments: he rejected them all because of the greed which he had (in him).
مطبخی ده گونه حجت بر فراشت ** او همه رد کرد از حرصی که داشت
When, at the time of the forenoon meal, his (usual) allowance was reduced, he uttered much revilement, (but) it was of no avail.
چون جری کم آمدش در وقت چاشت ** زد بسی تشنیع او سودی نداشت
He said, “Ye are doing these things on purpose.” “Nay,” said the other, “we obey the (royal) command.
گفت قاصد می‌کنید اینها شما ** گفت نه که بنده فرمانیم ما
Do not regard this (as proceeding) from the branch (sub ordinate): regard it (as proceeding) from the root (principal); do not strike at the bow, for the arrow is (really) from the arm.
این مگیر از فرع این از اصل گیر ** بر کمان کم زن که از بازوست تیر
(The words) thou didst not throw when thou threwest are a trial (of men’s understandings): do not lay the fault on the Prophet, for that (throwing) is (an act which proceeded) from God.1725
ما رمیت اذ رمیت ابتلاست ** بر نبی کم نه گنه کان از خداست
The water is turbid from the source: O thou who art angry in vain, look farther on, open thine eye once!”
آب از سر تیره است ای خیره‌خشم ** پیشتر بنگر یکی بگشای چشم
(Moved) by anger and resentment he went into a certain place and wrote an angry letter to the king.
شد ز خشم و غم درون بقعه‌ای ** سوی شه بنوشت خشمین رقعه‌ای
In that letter he lauded the king and threaded the pearl of (descanted e on) the king’s munificence and generosity,
اندر آن رقعه ثنای شاه گفت ** گوهر جود و سخای شاه سفت
Saying, “O thou whose hand exceeds the sea and the clouds in (liberally) fulfilling the want of the suitor,
کای ز بحر و ابر افزون کف تو ** در قضای حاجت حاجات‌جو