God has called Himself Samí‘ (Hearing), in order that thou mayst close thy lips (and refrain) from foul speech.
از پی آن گفت حق خود را سمیع ** تا ببندی لب ز گفتار شنیع
God has called Himself ‘Alím (Knowing), in order that thou mayst fear to meditate a wicked deed.
از پی آن گفت حق خود را علیم ** تا نیندیشی فسادی تو ز بیم
These are not proper names applicable to God: (proper names are merely designations), for even a negro may have the name Káfúr (Camphor).
نیست اینها بر خدا اسم علم ** که سیه کافور دارد نام هم
The Names (of God) are derivative and (denote) Eternal Attributes: (they are) not unsound like (the doctrine of) the First Cause.
اسم مشتقست و اوصاف قدیم ** نه مثال علت اولی سقیم
Otherwise, it would be ridicule and mockery and deception, (like calling) a deaf person Samí‘ (Hearer) and blind men Ziyá (Radiance);220
ورنه تسخر باشد و طنز و دها ** کر را سامع ضریران را ضیا
Or (as though) Hayí (Bashful) should be the proper name of an impudent fellow, or Sabíh (Beautiful) the name of a hideous blackamoor.
یا علم باشد حیی نام وقیح ** یا سیاه زشت را نام صبیح
You may confer the title of Hájjí (Pilgrim) or Ghází (Holy Warrior) on a newborn child for the purpose of (indicating his) lineage;
طفلک نوزاده را حاجی لقب ** یا لقب غازی نهی بهر نسب
(But) if these titles are used in praise, they are not correct unless he (the person so described) possess that (particular) quality.
گر بگویند این لقبها در مدیح ** تا ندارد آن صفت نبود صحیح
(Otherwise), it would be a ridicule and mockery (so to use them), or madness: God is clear of (untouched by) what the unrighteous say.
تسخر و طنزی بود آن یا جنون ** پاک حق عما یقول الظالمون
I knew, before (our meeting), that thou art good-looking but evil-natured;225
من همی دانستمت پیش از وصال ** که نکورویی ولیکن بدخصال
I knew, before coming face to face (with thee), that by reason of contumacy thou art set fast in damnation.
من همی دانستمت پیش از لقا ** کز ستیزه راسخی اندر شقا
When my eye is red in ophthalmia, I know it (the redness) is from the disease, (even) if I do not see it (the redness).
چونک چشمم سرخ باشد در غمش ** دانمش زان درد گر کم بینمش
Thou deemedst me as a lamb without the shepherd, thou thoughtest that I have none keeping watch (over me).
تو مرا چون بره دیدی بی شبان ** تو گمان بردی ندارم پاسبان
The cause why lovers have moaned in grief is that they have rubbed their eyes malapropos.
عاشقان از درد زان نالیدهاند ** که نظر ناجایگه مالیدهاند
They have regarded that Gazelle as being shepherdless, they have regarded that Captive as (one who may be taken) cost-free,230
بیشبان دانستهاند آن ظبی را ** رایگان دانستهاند آن سبی را
Till (suddenly) an arrow from the glance (of Divine jealousy) comes (descends) upon the heart, (as though) to say, ‘I am the Keeper: do not look wantonly.
تا ز غمزه تیر آمد بر جگر ** که منم حارس گزافه کم نگر
How am I meaner than a lamb, meaner than a kid, that there should not be a keeper behind me?
کی کم از بره کم از بزغالهام ** که نباشد حارس از دنبالهام
I have a Keeper whom it beseems to hold dominion: He knoweth the wind that blows upon me.
حارسی دارم که ملکش میسزد ** داند او بادی که آن بر من وزد
Whether that wind was cold or hot, that Knowing One is not unaware, is not absent, O infirm man.
سرد بود آن باد یا گرم آن علیم ** نیست غافل نیست غایب ای سقیم
The appetitive soul is deaf and blind to God: I with my heart was seeing thy blindness from afar.235
نفس شهوانی ز حق کرست و کور ** من به دل کوریت میدیدم ز دور
For eight years I did not inquire after thee at all, because I saw thee (to be) full of ignorance, fold on fold.
هشت سالت زان نپرسیدم به هیچ ** که پرت دیدم ز جهل پیچ پیچ
Why, indeed, should I inquire after one who is in t he bath-stove (of lust), and say (to him) ‘How art thou?’ when he is (plunged) headlong (in sensuality)?
خود چه پرسم آنک او باشد بتون ** که تو چونی چون بود او سرنگون
Comparison of this world to a bath-stove and of piety to the bath.
مثال دنیا چون گولخن و تقوی چون حمام
The lust of this world is like the bath-stove by which the bath, piety, is (made) resplendent;
شهوت دنیا مثال گلخنست ** که ازو حمام تقوی روشنست
But the pious man's portion from this stove is (naught but) purity, because he is in the hot-bath and in cleanliness.
لیک قسم متقی زین تون صفاست ** زانک در گرمابه است و در نقاست
The rich resemble those who carry dung for the bath-keeper's fire-making.240
اغنیا مانندهی سرگینکشان ** بهر آتش کردن گرمابهبان
God hath implanted cupidity in them, in order that the bath may be hot and well-provided.
اندریشان حرص بنهاده خدا ** تا بود گرمابه گرم و با نوا
Abandon this stove and advance into the hot-bath: know that abandonment of the stove is the very essence of that bath.
ترک این تون گوی و در گرمابه ران ** ترک تون را عین آن گرمابه دان
Any one who is in the stove is as a servant to him that is self-denying and on his guard.
هر که در تونست او چون خادمست ** مر ورا که صابرست و حازمست
Whosoever has entered the bath, his (characteristic) sign is visible upon his comely face.
هر که در حمام شد سیمای او ** هست پیدا بر رخ زیبای او
The signs of the stokers are conspicuous too—in their dress and in the smoke and dust (which blacken them).245
تونیان را نیز سیما آشکار ** از لباس و از دخان و از غبار
And if you see not his (the stoker's) face, smell him; smell is (as) a staff for every one that is blind;
ور نبینی روش بویش را بگیر ** بو عصا آمد برای هر ضریر
And if you have not (the sense of) smell, induce him to speak, and from the new talk learn the old secret.
ور نداری بو در آرش در سخن ** از حدیث نو بدان راز کهن
Then a gold-possessing stoker will say, “I have brought in twenty baskets of filth, (working from dawn) till nightfall.”
پس بگوید تونیی صاحب ذهب ** بیست سله چرک بردم تا به شب
Your cupidity is like fire in the (material) world: every (flaming) tongue (thereof) has opened a hundred mouths (to swallow filthy lucre).
حرص تو چون آتشست اندر جهان ** باز کرده هر زبانه صد دهان
In the sight of Reason, this gold is foul as dung, although, like dung, it is (the cause of) the blazing of the fire.250
پیش عقل این زر چو سرگین ناخوشست ** گرچه چون سرگین فروغ آتشست
The sun, which emulates the fire, makes the moist filth fit for the fire.
آفتابی که دم از آتش زند ** چرک تر را لایق آتش کند
The sun also made the stone gold, in order that a hundred sparks might fall into the stove of cupidity.
آفتاب آن سنگ را هم کرد زر ** تا بتون حرص افتد صد شرر
He who says, “I have collected riches”—what is (the meaning of) it? It means, “I have brought in all this filth.”