He replied, “I know you, O Bu ’l-Hasan, to be one who has long deemed me an enemy;
گفت می‌دانم ترا ای بوالحسن ** که توی دیرینه دشمن‌دار من
But you are a reasonable and spiritual man: your reason will not allow you to go crookedly (play false).”
لیک مرد عاقلی و معنوی ** عقل تو نگذاردت که کژ روی
The (carnal) nature desires to take revenge on its adversary: the reason is an iron chain upon the flesh.
طبع خواهد تا کشد از خصم کین ** عقل بر نفس است بند آهنین
It comes and prevents it (the flesh) and restrains it: the reason is like a police-inspector for it in its good and evil (actions).1985
آید و منعش کند وا داردش ** عقل چون شحنه‌ست در نیک و بدش
The reason that is allied to Faith is like a just police-inspector: it is the guardian and magistrate of the city of the heart.
عقل ایمانی چو شحنه‌ی عادلست ** پاسبان و حاکم شهر دلست
It is mentally alert like a cat: the thief remains in the hole, like a mouse.
هم‌چو گربه باشد او بیدارهوش ** دزد در سوراخ ماند هم‌چو موش
Wherever the mouse gets the upper hand, no cat is there, or (at least) there is (only) the (unreal) form of a cat.
در هر آنجا که برآرد موش دست ** نیست گربه یا که نقش گربه است
What cat (is to be compared with the reason)? The Faith-regarding reason which is in the body is the lion that overthrows the lions.
گربه‌ی چه شیر شیرافکن بود ** عقل ایمانی که اندر تن بود
Its roar is the magistrate (controller) of the tearing (carnivorous) animals; its shout is the preventer of the browsing (herbivorous) animals.1990
غره‌ی او حاکم درندگان ** نعره‌ی او مانع چرندگان
(If) the city is full of thieves and clothes-robbers, let there be a police-inspector if you will, or let there be none.
شهر پر دزدست و پر جامه‌کنی ** خواه شحنه باش گو و خواه نی
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, appointed a youth of Hudhayl to be commander of an expeditionary force in which there were elders and veteran warriors.
امیر کردن رسول علیه‌السلام جوان هذیلی را بر سریه‌ای کی در آن پیران و جنگ آزمودگان بودند
The Prophet was sending a force to fight against the unbelievers and repel insolence.
یک سریه می‌فرستادش رسول ** به هر جنگ کافر و دفع فضول
He chose a youth of Hudhayl and appointed him commander of the army and leader of the cavalry.
یک جوانی را گزید او از هذیل ** میر لشکر کردش و سالار خیل
The foundation of an army is unquestionably the chief in command: a people without a chief are a body without a head.
اصل لشکر بی‌گمان سرور بود ** قوم بی‌سرور تن بی‌سر بود
That you are (spiritually) dead and decrepit—all this is because you have abandoned the chief.1995
این همه که مرده و پژمرده‌ای ** زان بود که ترک سرور کرده‌ای
On account of laziness and avarice and egoism you are drawing your head back (behaving in a headstrong manner) and making yourself the head.
از کسل وز بخل وز ما و منی ** می‌کشی سر خویش را سر می‌کنی
(You are) like the beast that flees from the burden: it takes its head (goes its own way) into the mountains.
هم‌چو استوری که بگریزد ز بار ** او سر خود گیرد اندر کوهسار
Its master is running after it, crying, “O giddy-headed one, on every side there is a wolf in quest of an ass.
صاحبش در پی دوان کای خیره سر ** هر طرف گرگیست اندر قصد خر
If thou disappear now from mine eye, the mighty wolf will approach thee from every direction.
گر ز چشمم این زمان غایب شوی ** پیشت آید هر طرف گرگ قوی
He will chew thy bones like sugar, so that thou wilt never see life again.2000
استخوانت را بخاید چون شکر ** که نبینی زندگانی را دگر
(Or) do not suppose that (immediate destruction); at any rate thou wilt be left without fodder: fire is (finally) extinguished by lack of faggots.
آن مگیر آخر بمانی از علف ** آتش از بی‌هیزمی گردد تلف
Beware! Do not flee from my control and from the heaviness of the burden, for I am thy (rational) soul.”
هین بمگریز از تصرف کردنم ** وز گرانی بار که جانت منم
You also are a beast (of burden), for your carnal soul predominates: the predominant (quality) determines (a thing's nature), O worshipper of self.
تو ستوری هم که نفست غالبست ** حکم غالب را بود ای خودپرست
The Almighty did not call you an ass, He called you a horse: the Arabs say to the Arab horse “ta‘ál” (“come”).
خر نخواندت اسپ خواندت ذوالجلال ** اسپ تازی را عرب گوید تعال
Mustafá (Mohammed) was God's stable-overseer for the beasts, (which are) the iniquitous carnal soul.2005
میر آخر بود حق را مصطفی ** بهر استوران نفس پر جفا
Moved by lovingkindness, He (God) said, “Say, ‘ta‘álaw (come ye), to the end that I may train you: I am the trainer.’”
قل تعالوا گفت از جذب کرم ** تا ریاضتتان دهم من رایضم
(The Prophet said), “Since I have trained the carnal souls, I have suffered many kicks from these beasts.
نفسها را تا مروض کرده‌ام ** زین ستوران بس لگدها خورده‌ام
Wherever there is one fond of training, he hath no means of avoiding kicks.
هر کجا باشد ریاضت‌باره‌ای ** از لگدهااش نباشد چاره‌ای
Of necessity the most affliction falls on the prophets, for ’tis an affliction to give training to the raw (ignorant).
لاجرم اغلب بلا بر انبیاست ** که ریاضت دادن خامان بلاست
Ye are stumbling along: at my word (in obedience to my command) go at a jog-trot, that ye may become gentle and be suitable for the king to ride.2010
سکسکانید از دمم یرغا روید ** تا یواش و مرکب سلطان شوید
The Lord said, ‘Say, Come ye, say, Come ye, O beasts that have shied away from discipline.
قل تعالوا قل تعالو گفت رب ** ای ستوران رمیده از ادب
If they come not, O Prophet, be not grieved: be not full of hatred on account of those twain without steadfastness.’”
گر نیایند ای نبی غمگین مشو ** زان دو بی‌تمکین تو پر از کین مشو
The ears of some are deaf to these (cries of) ta‘álaw: every beast hath a different stable.
گوش بعضی زین تعالواها کرست ** هر ستوری را صطبلی دیگرست
Some are put to flight by this call: the stall of every horse is separate.
منهزم گردند بعضی زین ندا ** هست هر اسپی طویله‌ی او جدا
Some are chagrined by this story, for every bird hath a separate cage.2015
منقبض گردند بعضی زین قصص ** زانک هر مرغی جدا دارد قفص
Even the angels too were not peers: for this reason they formed diverse ranks in Heaven.
خود ملایک نیز ناهمتا بدند ** زین سبب بر آسمان صف صف شدند
Children, though they are at one (the same) school, surpass each other in (their) lessons.
کودکان گرچه به یک مکتب درند ** در سبق هر یک ز یک بالاترند
Sense-perceptions are possessed by Easterner and Westerner, (but) the function of sight belongs to the ocular sense (alone).
مشرقی و مغربی را حسهاست ** منصب دیدار حس چشم‌راست
Though a hundred thousand ears be arrayed in rank, they all are in need of the clear eye.
صد هزاران گوشها گر صف زنند ** جمله محتاجان چشم روشن‌اند
Again, the ranks of ears have a (special) function in respect of hearing the (words of the) Spirit and the Traditions (of the Prophet) and the Revelation.2020
باز صف گوشها را منصبی ** در سماع جان و اخبار و نبی
A hundred thousand eyes do not possess that avenue (faculty): no eye is acquainted with hearing.
صد هزاران چشم را آن راه نیست ** هیچ چشمی از سماع آگاه نیست
Similarly, enumerate each sense, one by one: each one is removed from (incapable of doing) the work of another.
هم‌چنین هر حس یک یک می‌شمر ** هر یکی معزول از آن کار دگر
The five external and the five internal senses are (arrayed) in ten ranks in the standing posture of the (angels) ranked (for worship of God).
پنج حس ظاهر و پنج اندرون ** ده صف‌اند اندر قیام الصافون
Any one who (disobediently) draws back from the rank of (the true) religion will go into the rank that is behind.
هر کسی کو از صف دین سرکشست ** می‌رود سوی صفی کان واپسست
Do not make little of the (Divine) Word ta‘álaw (come ye): this Word is an exceedingly great elixir.2025
تو ز گفتار تعالوا کم مکن ** کیمیای بس شگرفست این سخن