If the stitchers of old clothes had patience and forbearance, all of them too would become stitchers of new garments through (acquisition of) knowledge.
کهنه‌دوزان گر بدیشان صبر و حلم ** جمله نودوزان شدندی هم به علم
Thou strivest much, and at last even thou thyself sayest in weariness that the intellect is a fetter,
بس بکوشی و بخر از کلال ** هم تو گویی خویش کالعقل عقال
Like the philosopher (who) on the day of his death perceived his intellect to be very poor and feeble,
هم‌چو آن مرد مفلسف روز مرگ ** عقل را می‌دید بس بی‌بال و برگ
And in that hour disinterestedly confessed (the truth), saying, “(Impelled) by acuteness of mind we galloped in vain.3355
بی‌غرض می‌کرد آن دم اعتراف ** کز ذکاوت راندیم اسپ از گزاف
In delusion we drew (scornfully) away from the holy men, we swam in the sea of phantasy.”
از غروری سر کشیدیم از رجال ** آشنا کردیم در بحر خیال
In the spiritual Sea swimming is naught (of no avail): here is no resource but the ship (ark) of Noah.
آشنا هیچست اندر بحر روح ** نیست اینجا چاره جز کشتی نوح
Thus said that king of the prophets, “I am the ship in this universal Sea,
این چنین فرمود این شاه رسل ** که منم کشتی درین دریای کل
Or that person who, in respect of my (inward) clairvoyances, has become a true vicegerent in my stead.”
یا کسی کو در بصیرتهای من ** شد خلیفه‌ی راستی بر جای من
We (saints) are the ship (ark) of Noah in the Sea, in order that thou mayst not turn thy face away from the ship, O youth.3360
کشتی نوحیم در دریا که تا ** رو نگردانی ز کشتی ای فتی
Go not, like Canaan, to every mountain: hear from the Qur’án (the warning), “There is naught that will protect (thee) to-day.”
هم‌چو کنعان سوی هر کوهی مرو ** از نبی لا عاصم الیوم شنو
This ship, because of the bandage (on thy vision), seems to thee low, (while) the mountain of (intellectual) thought seems very high.
می‌نماید پست این کشتی ز بند ** می‌نماید کوه فکرت بس بلند
Beware, beware! Do not regard this “low” with contempt: regard the grace of God that is attached (to it).
پست منگر هان و هان این پست را ** بنگر آن فضل حق پیوست را
Do not regard the height of the mountain of thought, for a single wave turns it upside down.
در علو کوه فکرت کم نگر ** که یکی موجش کند زیر و زبر
If thou art (like) Canaan, thou wilt not believe me though I foster (for thy sake) two hundred times as many counsels.3365
گر تو کنعانی نداری باورم ** گر دو صد چندین نصیحت پرورم
How should Canaan's ear accept these words? for God's seal and signet is upon it.
گوش کنعان کی پذیرد این کلام ** که برو مهر خدایست و ختام
How should admonition pass through God's seal? How should the new (admonition) avert the (eternal) pre-ordainment?
کی گذارد موعظه بر مهر حق ** کی بگرداند حدث حکم سبق
But I am telling the news of good fortune in the hope that thou art not (like) Canaan.
لیک می‌گویم حدیث خوش‌پیی ** بر امید آنک تو کنعان نه‌ای
Thou wilt make this confession at last. Hark, from the first day do thou behold the last!
آخر این اقرار خواهی کرد هین ** هم ز اول روز آخر را ببین
Thou canst see the end: do not make blind and old thine eye that sees the end.3370
می‌توانی دید آخر را مکن ** چشم آخربینت را کور کهن
Whosoever is blessedly a seer of the end will never stumble in wayfaring.
هر که آخربین بود مسعودوار ** نبودش هر دم ز ره رفتن عثار
Unless thou desire this incessant lying down and rising up (this stumbling on the way), sharpen thine eye with the dust on the foot of a holy man.
گر نخواهی هر دمی این خفت‌خیز ** کن ز خاک پایی مردی چشم تیز
Make the dust of his foot collyrium for thine eye, that thou mayst strike off the head of the blackguards;
کحل دیده ساز خاک پاش را ** تا بیندازی سر اوباش را
For through this pupilage and this poverty (of spirit), (though) thou be (as) a needle, thou wilt become (a trenchant sword like) Dhu ’l-faqár.
که ازین شاگردی و زین افتقار ** سوزنی باشی شوی تو ذوالفقار
Use the dust of every elect one as collyrium: it will both burn the eye and do it good.3375
سرمه کن تو خاک هر بگزیده را ** هم بسوزد هم بسازد دیده را
The eye of the camel is very luminous because he (the camel) eats thorns for the sake of (increasing) the light of his eye.
چشم اشتر زان بود بس نوربار ** کو خورد از بهر نور چشم خار
Story of the mule's complaining to the camel (and saying), "I often fall on my face when going along, while you seldom do so: why is this?" and the camel's answer to him.
قصه‌ی شکایت استر با شتر کی من بسیار در رو می‌افتم در راه رفتن تو کم در روی می‌آیی این چراست و جواب گفتن شتر او را
One day a mule saw a camel, since he had been put into a stable with him.
اشتری را دید روزی استری ** چونک با او جمع شد در آخری
He (the mule) said, “I often fall on my face in hill and road and in market and street.
گفت من بسیار می‌افتم برو ** در گریوه و راه و در بازار و کو
Particularly (in descending) from the top of the mountain to the bottom I come down on my head every moment from terror.
خاصه از بالای که تا زیر کوه ** در سر آیم هر زمانی از شکوه
Thou dost not fall on thy face: why is it? Or maybe in sooth thy pure spirit is destined to felicity.3380
کم همی‌افتی تو در رو بهر چیست ** یا مگر خود جان پاکت دولتیست
I come down on my head every instant and strike my knees (on the ground): by that slipping I make muzzle and knees all bloody.
در سر آیم هر دم و زانو زنم ** پوز و زانو زان خطا پر خون کنم
My pack-saddle and trappings become awry (lie in disorder) on my head, and I always get a beating from the muleteer;
کژ شود پالان و رختم بر سرم ** وز مکاری هر زمان زخمی خورم
Like the unintelligent man who, from corrupt understanding, in (the case of his committing) sin continually breaks (his vow of) penitence.
هم‌چو کم عقلی که از عقل تباه ** بشکند توبه بهر دم در گناه
Through weakness of resolution that breaker of (vows of) penitence becomes the laughing-stock of Iblís in the world.
مسخره‌ی ابلیس گردد در زمن ** از ضعیفی رای آن توبه‌شکن
He constantly comes down on his head, like a lame horse, for his load is heavy and the road is (full of) stones.3385
در سر آید هر زمان چون اسپ لنگ ** که بود بارش گران و راه سنگ
He is always getting blows on his head from the Unseen, that man of luckless nature, from breaking (his vows of) penitence.
می‌خورد از غیب بر سر زخم او ** از شکست توبه آن ادبارخو
Then again he repents with infirm resolution: the Devil spits (in scorn) and shatters his penitence.
باز توبه می‌کند با رای سست ** دیو یک تف کرد و توبه‌ش را سکست
Weakness on weakness! (Yet) his arrogance is such that he regards with contempt those that attain (to God).
ضعف اندر ضعف و کبرش آنچنان ** که به خواری بنگرد در واصلان
O camel, thou who art a type of the true believer dost not fall on thy face, nor dost thou turn up thy nose (in disdain).
ای شتر که تو مثال مومنی ** کم فتی در رو و کم بینی زنی
What hast thou that thou art so untouched by bane and free from stumbling and dost not fall on thy face?”3390
تو چه داری که چنین بی‌آفتی ** بی‌عثاری و کم اندر رو فتی
He (the camel) said, “Though every felicity is from God, there are many differences between me and thee.
گفت گر چه هر سعادت از خداست ** در میان ما و تو بس فرقهاست
I have a high head, my eyes are high: lofty vision is a protection against injury.
سر بلندم من دو چشم من بلند ** بینش عالی امانست از گزند
From the top of the mountain I see the mountain-foot, I see every hollow and level, fold by fold,
از سر که من ببینم پای کوه ** هر گو و هموار را من توه توه
Just as that most noble prince (the perfect saint) saw his future destiny till the day of death.
هم‌چنانک دید آن صدر اجل ** پیش کار خویش تا روز اجل
That person of goodly qualities knows at the present time what will happen after twenty years.3395
آنچ خواهد بود بعد بیست سال ** داند اندر حال آن نیکو خصال
That God-fearing man did not see his own destiny only; nay, the destiny of (every) inhabitant of the West and East.
حال خود تنها ندید آن متقی ** بلک حال مغربی و مشرقی
The Light makes its abode in his eye and heart. Wherefore does it make (its abode there)? For love of home.
نور در چشم و دلش سازد سکن ** بهر چه سازد پی حب الوطن
(He is) like Joseph, who at first dreamed that the sun and moon bowed in worship before him:
هم‌چو یوسف کو بدید اول به خواب ** که سجودش کرد ماه و آفتاب
After ten years, nay, more, that which Joseph had seen came to pass.
از پس ده سال بلک بیشتر ** آنچ یوسف دید بد بر کرد سر
That (saying), ‘he sees by the Light of God,’ is not vain: the Divine Light rives the sky asunder.3400
نیست آن ینظر به نور الله گزاف ** نور ربانی بود گردون شکاف
In thine eye that Light is not. Go! Thou art in pawn to the animal senses.
نیست اندر چشم تو آن نور رو ** هستی اندر حس حیوانی گرو