This topic hath no end, and that youth (the slave) has been deprived of strength by the reduction of his bread-allowance.
این سخن آخر ندارد وان جوان ** از کمی اجرای نان شد ناتوان
Happy is the Súfí whose daily bread is reduced: his bead becomes a pearl, and he becomes the Sea.1860
شاد آن صوفی که رزقش کم شود ** آن شبه‌ش در گردد و اویم شود
Whosoever has become acquainted with that choice (spiritual) allowance, he has become worthy of approach (to the Presence) and of (Him who is) the Source of (every) allowance.
زان جرای خاص هر که آگاه شد ** او سزای قرب و اجری‌گاه شد
When there is a reduction of that spiritual allowance, his spirit trembles on account of its reduction;
زان جرای روح چون نقصان شود ** جانش از نقصان آن لرزان شود
(For) then he knows that a fault has been committed (by him) which has ruffled the jasmine-bed of (Divine) approbation,
پس بداند که خطایی رفته است ** که سمن‌زار رضا آشفته است
Just as (happened when) that person (the slave), on account of the deficiency of his crop, wrote a letter to the owner of the harvest.
هم‌چنانک آن شخص از نقصان کشت ** رقعه سوی صاحب خرمن نبشت
They brought his letter to the lord of justice: he read the letter and returned no answer.1865
رقعه‌اش بردند پیش میر داد ** خواند او رقعه جوابی وا نداد
He said, “He hath no care but for (the loss of) viands: silence, then, is the best answer to a fool.
گفت او را نیست الا درد لوت ** پس جواب احمق اولیتر سکوت
He hath no care at all for separation (from me) or union (with me): he is confined to the branch (the derivative); he does not seek the root (the fundamental) at all.
نیستش درد فراق و وصل هیچ ** بند فرعست او نجوید اصل هیچ
He is a fool and (spiritually) dead in egoism, for because of his anxious care for the branch he hath no leisure for the root.”
احمقست و مرده‌ی ما و منی ** کز غم فرعش فراغ اصل نی
Deem the skies and the earth to be an apple that appeared from the tree of Divine Power.
آسمانها و زمین یک سیب دان ** کز درخت قدرت حق شد عیان
Thou art as a worm in the midst of the apple and art ignorant of the tree and the gardener.1870
تو چه کرمی در میان سیب در ** وز درخت و باغبانی بی‌خبر
The other worm’ too is in the apple, but its spirit is outside, bearing the banner aloft.
آن یکی کرمی دگر در سیب هم ** لیک جانش از برون صاحب‌علم
Its (the worm’s) movement splits the apple asunder: the apple cannot endure that shock.
جنبش او وا شکافد سیب را ** بر نتابد سیب آن آسیب را
Its movement has rent (all) veils: its form is (that of) a worm, but its reality is a dragon.
بر دریده جنبش او پرده‌ها ** صورتش کرمست و معنی اژدها
The fire that first darts from (the impact of) the steel puts forth its foot very feebly.
آتش که اول ز آهن می‌جهد ** او قدم بس سست بیرون می‌نهد
Cotton is its nurse at first, but in the end it carries its flames up to the aether.1875
دایه‌اش پنبه‌ست اول لیک اخیر ** می‌رساند شعله‌ها او تا اثیر
At first, man is in bondage to sleep and food; ultimately he is higher than the angels.
مرد اول بسته‌ی خواب و خورست ** آخر الامر از ملایک برترست
Under the protection of cotton and sulphur matches his flame and light rises above Suhá.
در پناه پنبه و کبریتها ** شعله و نورش برآیدت بر سها
He illuminates the dark world: he tears the iron fetter (in pieces) with a needle.
عالم تاریک روشن می‌کند ** کنده‌ی آهن به سوزن می‌کند
Though the fire too is connected with the body, is ‘it not derived from the spirit and the spiritual?
گرچه آتش نیز هم جسمانی است ** نه ز روحست و نه از روحانی است
The body hath no share in that glory: the body is as a drop of water in comparison with the sea of the spirit.1880
جسم را نبود از آن عز بهره‌ای ** جسم پیش بحر جان چون قطره‌ای
The days of the body are increased by the spirit: mark what becomes of the body when the spirit goes (from it).
جسم از جان روزافزون می‌شود ** چون رود جان جسم بین چون می‌شود
The range of thy body is an ell or two, no more: thy spirit is a maker of swift flights to heaven.
حد جسمت یک دو گز خود بیش نیست ** جان تو تا آسمان جولان‌کنیست
In the spirit’s imagination, O prince, ‘tis (but) half a step to Baghdad and Samarcand.
تا به بغداد و سمرقند ای همام ** روح را اندر تصور نیم گام
The fat (white) of thine eye is two dirhems in weight: the light of its spirit (reaches) to the lofty region of the sky.
دو درم سنگست پیه چشمتان ** نور روحش تا عنان آسمان
The light sees in dream without this eye: without this light what would the eye be but ruined?1885
نور بی این چشم می‌بیند به خواب ** چشم بی‌این نور چه بود جز خراب
The spirit is unconcerned with the beard and moustache of the body, but without the spirit the body is a carcase and vile.
جان ز ریش و سبلت تن فارغست ** لیک تن بی‌جان بود مردار و پست
Such is the magnificence of the animal spirit: advance farther, behold the human spirit.
بارنامه‌ی روح حیوانیست این ** پیشتر رو روح انسانی ببین
Pass beyond Man and (logical) disputation unto the shore of the sea of the spirit of Gabriel.
بگذر از انسان هم و از قال و قیل ** تا لب دریای جان جبرئیل
After that, the, spirit of Ahmad (Mohammed) will bite thy lip (kiss thee lovingly), and Gabriel will creep back in fear of thee,
بعد از آنت جان احمد لب گزد ** جبرئیل از بیم تو واپس خزد
And will say, “If I come one bow’s length towards thee, I shall be instantly consumed.”1890
گوید ار آیم به قدر یک کمان ** من به سوی تو بسوزم در زمان
How the slave was indignant because no reply to his letter arrived from the king.
آشفتن آن غلام از نارسیدن جواب رقعه از قبل پادشاه
Truly this desert hath no head or foot (top or bottom). That youth, (being) without a reply to his letter, is aggrieved
این بیابان خود ندارد پا و سر ** بی‌جواب نامه خستست آن پسر
And says, “Oh, ‘tis a wonder. How did the king give me no reply? Or (perchance) the carrier of the letter behaved treacherously because of the torment (of envy),
کای عجب چونم نداد آن شه جواب ** با خیانت کرد رقعه‌بر ز تاب
And concealed the letter and did not show it to the king; for he was a hypocrite and (like) a piece of water beneath straw.
رقعه پنهان کرد و ننمود آن به شاه ** کو منافق بود و آبی زیر کاه
I will write another letter by way of test and seek another accomplished messenger.”
رقعه‌ی دیگر نویسم ز آزمون ** دیگری جویم رسول ذو فنون
That heedless man ignorantly puts the blame on the Amir and the steward and the letter-carrier.1895
بر امیر و مطبخی و نامه‌بر ** عیب بنهاده ز جهل آن بی‌خبر
Never does he go round about (inspect) himself and say, “I have acted perversely, like the idolater in (turning away from’ the true) religion.”
هیچ گرد خود نمی‌گردد که من ** کژروی کردم چو اندر دین شمن
How the wind blew perversely against Solomon, on whom be peace, because of his lapse.
کژ وزیدن باد بر سلیمان علیه‌السلام به سبب زلت او
The wind moved perversely against Solomon's throne. Then Solomon said, “O wind, do not creep (along) perversely.”
باد بر تخت سلیمان رفت کژ ** پس سلیمان گفت بادا کژ مغژ
The wind too said, “Do not move perversely (act wrongfully), O Solomon; and if thou move perversely, be not angry at my perverseness.
باد هم گفت ای سیلمان کژ مرو ** ور روی کژ از کژم خشمین مشو
God set up these scales for the purpose that justice might be done to us in eternity.
این ترازو بهر این بنهاد حق ** تا رود انصاف ما را در سبق
(If) thou give short measure, I will give short measure; so long as thou art honest with me, I am honest (with thee).”1900
از ترازو کم کنی من کم کنم ** تا تو با من روشنی من روشنم
Likewise, Solomon's tiara swerved to one side and made the bright day (dark) as night to him.
هم‌چنین تاج سلیمان میل کرد ** روز روشن را برو چون لیل کرد
He said, “O tiara, do not become awry on my head: O sun, do not decline from my orient.”
گفت تا جا کژ مشو بر فرق من ** آفتابا کم مشو از شرق من
He was putting the tiara straight with his hand, (but) the tiara always became awry for him again, O youth.
راست می‌کرد او به دست آن تاج را ** باز کژ می‌شد برو تاج ای فتی
Eight times he straightened it, and (each time) it became awry. He said, “Why, what is the matter, O tiara? Do not sag crookedly.”
هشت بارش راست کرد و گشت کژ ** گفت تاجا چیست آخر کژ مغژ
It replied, “If thou put me straight a hundred times, (’tis useless): I go awry since thou goest awry, O trusted one.”1905
گفت اگر صد ره کنی تو راست من ** کژ شوم چون کژ روی ای متمن
Then Solomon put straight his inward part: he made his heart cold to (caused it to renounce) the lust which it had.
پس سلیمان اندرونه راست کرد ** دل بر آن شهوت که بودش کرد سرد
Thereupon his tiara immediately became straight and such as he wished it to be.
بعد از آن تاجش همان دم راست شد ** آنچنان که تاج را می‌خواست شد
Afterwards he was purposely making it awry, (but) the tiara always returned purposely (deliberately), seeking (its correct position on) the crown of his head.
بعد از آنش کژ همی کرد او به قصد ** تاج او می‌گشت تارک‌جو به قصد