The unique elixir of which half a gleam struck upon a (region of) darkness and made it the sun;
نادر اکسیری که از وی نیم تاب ** بر ظلامی زد به گردش آفتاب
The marvellous alchemist who by a single operation fastened all these properties on Saturn.
بوالعجب میناگری کز یک عمل ** بست چندین خاصیت را بر زحل
Know, O seeker, that the remaining planets and the spiritual substances are (to be judged) according to the same standard.
باقی اخترها و گوهرهای جان ** هم برین مقیاس ای طالب بدان
The sensuous eye is subject to the sun: seek and find a divine eye,595
دیده‌ی حسی زبون آفتاب ** دیده‌ی ربانیی جو و بیاب
In order that the beams of the flaming sun may become subject (abased) before that vision;
تا زبون گردد به پیش آن نظر ** شعشعات آفتاب با شرر
For that vision is luminous, while these (sunbeams) are igneous: fire is very dark in comparison with light.
که آن نظر نوری و این ناری بود ** نار پیش نور بس تاری بود
The miraculous gifts and illumination of Shaykh ‘Abdullah Maghribí, may God sanctify his spirit.
کرامات و نور شیخ عبدالله مغربی قدس الله سره
Shaykh ‘Abdullah Maghribí said, “During sixty years I never perceived in night the quality of night.
گفت عبدالله شیخ مغربی ** شصت سال از شب ندیدم من شبی
During sixty years I never experienced any darkness, neither by day nor by night nor from infirmity.”
من ندیدم ظلمتی در شصت سال ** نه به روز و نه به شب نه ز اعتلال
The Súfís declared his words to be true: “During the night we would follow him600
صوفیان گفتند صدق قال او ** شب همی‌رفتیم در دنبال او
Into deserts filled with thorns and ditches, he going in front of us like the full moon.
در بیابانهای پر از خار و گو ** او چو ماه بدر ما را پیش‌رو
Without looking behind him, he would say, (though it was) at night-time, ‘Hark! here is a ditch: turn to the left!’
روی پس ناکرده می‌گفتی به شب ** هین گو آمد میل کن در سوی چپ
Then, after a little while, he would say, ‘Turn to the right, because a thorn is before your feet.’
باز گفتی بعد یک دم سوی راست ** میل کن زیرا که خاری پیش پاست
Day would break: we would come to kiss his foot, and his foot would be like the feet of a bride,
روز گشتی پاش را ما پای‌بوس ** گشته و پایش چو پاهای عروس
No trace of earth or mud on it, none of scratch from thorns or bruise from stones.”605
نه ز خاک و نه ز گل بر وی اثر ** نه از خراش خار و آسیب حجر
God made the Maghribí a Mashriqí: He made the place of sunset (maghrib) light-producing like the place of sunrise (mashriq).
مغربی را مشرقی کرده خدای ** کرده مغرب را چو مشرق نورزای
The light of this one who belongs to the Sun of suns is riding (in majesty): by day he is guarding high and low.
نور این شمس شموسی فارس است ** روز خاص و عام را او حارس است
How should that glorious light, which brings thousands of suns into view, not be a guardian?
چون نباشد حارس آن نور مجید ** که هزاران آفتاب آرد پدید
By his light do thou walk always in safety amidst dragons and scorpions.
تو به نور او همی رو در امان ** در میان اژدها و کزدمان
That holy light is going in front of thee and tearing every highwayman to pieces.610
پیش پیشت می‌رود آن نور پاک ** می‌کند هر ره‌زنی را چاک‌چاک
Know aright (the meaning of the text) on the Day when He (God) will not put the Prophet to shame; read (their) light shall run before them.
یوم لا یخزی النبی راست دان ** نور یسعی بین ایدیهم بخوان
Although that (light) will be increased at the Resurrection, (yet) beg of God (to grant thee) trial (of it) here;
گرچه گردد در قیامت آن فزون ** از خدا اینجا بخواهید آزمون
For He bestows spiritual light both on cloud and mist, and God best knoweth how to impart (it).
کو ببخشد هم به میغ و هم به ماغ ** نور جان والله اعلم بالبلاغ
How Solomon, on whom be peace, bade the envoys of Bilqís return to her with the gifts which they had brought; and how he called Bilqís to (accept) the Faith and to abandon sun-worship.
بازگردانیدن سلیمان علیه‌السلام رسولان بلقیس را به آن هدیه‌ها کی آورده بودند سوی بلقیس و دعوت کردن بلقیس را به ایمان و ترک آفتاب‌پرستی
“O shamefaced envoys, turn back! The gold is yours: bring unto me the heart, the (pure) heart!
باز گردید ای رسولان خجل ** زر شما را دل به من آرید دل
Lay this gold of mine on the top of that gold (of yours): date corporis caecitatem pudendo mulae.” [Lay this gold of mine on the top of that gold (of yours): give the body’s blindness (its blind desire for gold) to a (female) mule’s private part.”]615
این زر من بر سر آن زر نهید ** کوری تن فرج استر را دهید
Annulo aureo pudendum mulae idoneum est; the lover’s gold is the pallid yellow countenance; [A mule’s private part is suitable (as a hiding place) for a ring of gold; the lover’s gold is the pallid yellow countenance;]
For that (countenance) is the object of the Lord’s regard, while the mine (of gold) results from the sun’s casting looks (of favour).
که نظرگاه خداوندست آن ** کز نظرانداز خورشیدست کان
How can (that which is) the sunbeams’ object of regard be compared with (that which is) an object of regard to the Lord of the quintessence’?
کو نظرگاه شعاع آفتاب ** کو نظرگاه خداوند لباب
“Make of your souls a shield against my taking (you) captive, though (in truth) ye are my captives even now.”
از گرفت من ز جان اسپر کنید ** گرچه اکنون هم گرفتار منید
The bird tempted by the bait is (still) on the roof: with wings outspread, it is (nevertheless) imprisoned in the trap.620
مرغ فتنه دانه بر بامست او ** پر گشاده بسته‌ی دامست او
Inasmuch as with (all) its soul it has given its heart to (has become enamoured of) the bait, deem it caught, (though apparently it is still) uncaught.
چون به دانه داد او دل را به جان ** ناگرفته مر ورا بگرفته دان
Deem the looks which it is directing to the bait to be the knot that it is tying on its legs.
آن نظرها که به دانه می‌کند ** آن گره دان کو به پا برمی‌زند
The bait says, “If thou art stealing thy looks (away from me) I am stealing from thee patience and constancy.
دانه گوید گر تو می‌دزدی نظر ** من همی دزدم ز تو صبر و مقر
When those looks have drawn thee after me, then thou wilt know that I am not inattentive to thee.”
چون کشیدت آن نظر اندر پیم ** پس بدانی کز تو من غافل نیم
Story of the druggist whose balance-weight was clay for washing the head; and how a customer, who was a clay-eater, stole some of that clay covertly and secretly, whilst sugar was being weighed.
قصه‌ی عطاری کی سنگ ترازوی او گل سرشوی بود و دزدیدن مشتری گل خوار از آن گل هنگام سنجیدن شکر دزدیده و پنهان
A certain clay-eater went to a druggist to buy (a quantity of) fine hard sugar-loaf.625
پیش عطاری یکی گل‌خوار رفت ** تا خرد ابلوج قند خاص زفت
Now, at the druggist's, (who was) a crafty vigilant man, in place of the balance-weight there was clay.
پس بر عطار طرار دودل ** موضع سنگ ترازو بود گل
He said, “If you want to buy sugar, my balance-weight is clay.”
گفت گل سنگ ترازوی منست ** گر ترا میل شکر بخریدنست
He (the customer) said, “I am requiring sugar for an urgent affair: let the balance-weight be whatever you wish.”
گفت هستم در مهمی قندجو ** سنگ میزان هر چه خواهی باش گو
To himself he said, “What does the weight matter to one that eats clay? Clay is better than gold.”
گفت با خود پیش آنک گل‌خورست ** سنگ چه بود گل نکوتر از زرست
As the dallála (go-between) who said, “O son, I have found a very beautiful new bride (for you).630
هم‌چو آن دلاله که گفت ای پسر ** نو عروسی یافتم بس خوب‌فر
(She is) exceedingly pretty, but there is just one thing, that the lady is a confectioner's daughter.”
سخت زیبا لیک هم یک چیز هست ** که آن ستیره دختر حلواگرست
“(All the) better,” said he; “if it is indeed so, his daughter will be fatter and sweeter.”
گفت بهتر این چنین خود گر بود ** دختر او چرب و شیرین‌تر بود
“If you have no (proper) weight and your weight is of clay, this is better and better: clay is the fruit (desired) of my heart.”
گر نداری سنگ و سنگت از گلست ** این به و به گل مرا میوه‌ی دلست
He (the druggist) placed the clay, because of its being ready (to his hand), in one scale of the balance instead of the (proper) weight;
اندر آن کفه‌ی ترازو ز اعتداد ** او به جای سنگ آن گل را نهاد
Then, for the other scale, he was breaking with his hand the equivalent amount of sugar.635
پس برای کفه‌ی دیگر به دست ** هم به قدر آن شکر را می‌شکست
Since he had no pick-axe, he took a long time and made the customer sit waiting.
چون نبودش تیشه‌ای او دیر ماند ** مشتری را منتظر آنجا نشاند
(Whilst) his face was (turned) towards that (sugar), the clay-eater, unable to restrain himself, began covertly to steal the clay from him,
رویش آن سو بود گل‌خور ناشکفت ** گل ازو پوشیده دزدیدن گرفت
Terribly frightened lest his (the druggist's) eye should fall upon him of a sudden for the purpose of testing (his honesty).
ترس ترسان که نباید ناگهان ** چشم او بر من فتد از امتحان
The druggist saw it, but made himself busy, saying, “Come, steal more, O pale-faced one!
دید عطار آن و خود مشغول کرد ** که فزون‌تر دزد هین ای روی‌زرد
If you will be a thief and take some of my clay, go on (doing so), for you are eating out of your own side.640
گر بدزدی وز گل من می‌بری ** رو که هم از پهلوی خود می‌خوری
You are afraid of me, but (only) because you are a (stupid) ass: I am afraid you will eat less (too little).
تو همی ترسی ز من لیک از خری ** من همی‌ترسم که تو کمتر خوری