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
From weakness of eye thou seest (only) in front of thy foot: thou art weak and thy guide, too, is weak.
تو ز ضعف چشم بینی پیش پا ** تو ضعیف و هم ضعیفت پیشوا
The eye is the guide for hand and foot, for it sees (both) the right and the wrong place.
پیشوا چشمست دست و پای را ** کو ببیند جای را ناجای را
Another thing is that my eye is clearer; another, that my nature is purer,
دیگر آنک چشم من روشن‌ترست ** دیگر آنک خلقت من اطهرست
Because I am one of the lawfully begotten, not one of the children of adultery and the people of perdition.3405
زانک هستم من ز اولاد حلال ** نه ز اولاد زنا و اهل ضلال
Thou art one of the children of adultery: without doubt the arrow flies crookedly when the bow is bad.”
تو ز اولاد زنایی بی‌گمان ** تیر کژ پرد چو بد باشد کمان
How the mule declared the replies of the camel to be true and acknowledged his (the camel's) superiority to himself and besought his aid and took refuge with him sincerely; and how the camel treated him with kindness and showed him the way and gave help in fatherly and kingly fashion.
تصدیق کردن استر جوابهای شتر را و اقرار کردن بفضل او بر خود و ازو استعانت خواستن و بدو پناه گرفتن به صدق و نواختن شتر او را و ره نمودن و یاری دادن پدرانه و شاهانه
The mule said, “Thou hast spoken the truth, O camel.” This he said and filled his eye with tears.
گفت استر راست گفتی ای شتر ** این بگفت و چشم کرد از اشک پر
He wept awhile and fell at his (the camel's) feet and said, “O chosen of the Lord of men,
ساعتی بگریست و در پایش فتاد ** گفت ای بگزیده‌ی رب العباد
What harm will it do if thou, by (favour of) thy blessedness, wilt receive me into thy service?”
چه زیان دارد گر از فرخندگی ** در پذیری تو مرا دربندگی
He (the camel) said, “Since thou hast made confession in my presence, go (in peace), for thou art saved from the contaminations of Time.3410
گفت چون اقرار کردی پیش من ** رو که رستی تو ز آفات زمن
Thou hast given justice (hast made just amends) and art saved from tribulation: thou wast an enemy, thou hast become one of the leal.
دادی انصاف و رهیدی از بلا ** تو عدو بودی شدی ز اهل ولا
The evil disposition was not original (innate) in thy person; for from original evil comes naught but denial.
خوی بد در ذات تو اصلی نبود ** کز بد اصلی نیاید جز جحود
The borrowed (temporary) evil is such that he (in whom it appears) makes confession and desires to repent;
آن بد عاریتی باشد که او ** آرد اقرار و شود او توبه‌جو
Like Adam, whose lapse was temporary: of necessity he showed penitence at once.
هم‌چو آدم زلتش عاریه بود ** لاجرم اندر زمان توبه نمود
Since the sin of Iblís was original, for him there was no way to precious penitence.3415
چونک اصلی بود جرم آن بلیس ** ره نبودش جانب توبه‌ی نفیس
Go, for thou art delivered from thyself and from the evil disposition and from the (flaming) tongue of the Fire and from the teeth of the wild beasts (of Hell).
رو که رستی از خود و از خوی بد ** واز زبانه‌ی نار و از دندان دد
Go, for now thou hast grasped felicity, thou hast thrown thyself into everlasting fortune.
رو که اکنون دست در دولت زدی ** در فکندی خود به بخت سرمدی
Thou hast gained (that which is signified by the words) Enter in amongst My servants; thou hast annexed (the implication of) Enter into My Paradise.
ادخلی تو فی عبادی یافتی ** ادخلی فی جنتی در بافتی
Thou hast made a way for thyself (to enter) amongst His servants; thou hast gone into Eden by the secret way.
در عبادش راه کردی خویش را ** رفتی اندر خلد از راه خفا
‘Guide us,’ thou saidst, ‘in the straight path’: He took thy hand and led thee to the abode of bliss.3420
اهدنا گفتی صراط مستقیم ** دست تو بگرفت و بردت تا نعیم
Thou wast fire: thou hast become light, O noble one; thou wast an unripe grape: thou hast become a (ripe) grape and raisin.
نار بودی نور گشتی ای عزیز ** غوره بودی گشتی انگور و مویز
Thou wast a star: thou hast become the Sun. Rejoice! God best knoweth the right.”
اختری بودی شدی تو آفتاب ** شاد باشد الله اعلم بالصواب
O Ziyá’u ’l-Haqq (Radiance of God) Husámu’ddín, take thy honey and cast it into the basin of milk,
ای ضیاء الحق حسام‌الدین بگیر ** شهد خویش اندر فکن در حوض شیر
To the end that that milk may escape from having its savour corrupted and may gain much increase of savour from the Sea of Deliciousness,
تا رهد آن شیر از تغییر طعم ** یابد از بحر مزه تکثیر طعم
(And) may be united with the Sea of Alast: when it becomes the Sea, it is delivered from every corruption;3425
متصل گردد بدان بحر الست ** چونک شد دریا ز هر تغییر رست
(If) it find a passage into that Sea of honey, no contamination will have an effect upon it.
منفذی یابد در آن بحر عسل ** آفتی را نبود اندر وی عمل
Roar like a lion, O Lion of God, in order that that roar may mount to the seventh tier (of Heaven)!
غره‌ای کن شیروار ای شیر حق ** تا رود آن غره بر هفتم طبق
(But) what knowledge (thereof) hath the weary surfeited soul? How should the mouse know the roar of the lion?
چه خبر جان ملول سیر را ** کی شناسد موش غره‌ی شیر را
(Therefore) write thy (spiritual) experiences with gold-water for the sake of every one of goodly substance whose heart is (deep) as the sea.
برنویس احولا خود با آب زر ** بهر هر دریادلی نیکوگهر
This spirit-augmenting discourse is (like) the water of the Nile: O Lord, let it seem blood to the eye of the Egyptian!3430
آب نیلست این حدیث جان‌فزا ** یا ربش در چشم قبطی خون نما
How the Egyptian entreated the Israelite, saying, "Of thine own intention fill a jug from the Nile and put it to my lips, that I may drink. (I beseech thee) by the right of friendship and brotherhood; for the jug which ye Israelites fill from the Nile for yourselves is pure water, while the jug which we Egyptians fill is pure blood."
لابه کردن قبطی سبطی را کی یک سبو بنیت خویش از نیل پر کن و بر لب من نه تا بخورم به حق دوستی و برادری کی سبو کی شما سبطیان بهر خود پر می‌کنید از نیل آب صاف است و سبوکی ما قبطیان پر می‌کنیم خون صاف است