(When) the rind is excessive, the kernel is thin: the rind becomes thin when it (the kernel) becomes perfect and goodly.
پوست افزون بود لاغر بود مغز ** پوست لاغر شد چو کامل گشت و نغز
Look at these three (fruits) when they have passed beyond immaturity: the walnut and the almond and the pistachio.
بنگر این هر سه ز خامی رسته را ** جوز را و لوز را و پسته را
Whoever disobeys (God) becomes a devil, for he becomes envious of the fortune of the righteous.1180
هر که او عصیان کند شیطان شود ** که حسود دولت نیکان شود
When you have acted loyally in (keeping) your covenant with God, God will graciously keep His covenant with you.
چونک در عهد خدا کردی وفا ** از کرم عهدت نگه دارد خدا
You have shut your eyes to keeping faith with God, you have not hearkened to (the words) remember Me, I will remember you.
از وفای حق تو بسته دیدهای ** اذکروا اذکرکم نشنیدهای
Give ear, listen to (the words) keep My covenant, in order that (the words) I will keep your covenant may come from the Friend.
گوش نه اوفوا به عهدی گوشدار ** تا که اوفی عهدکم آید ز یار
What is our covenant and loan, O sorrowful one? (It is) like sowing a dry seed in the earth.
عهد و قرض ما چه باشد ای حزین ** همچو دانهی خشک کشتن در زمین
From that (sowing) neither do glory and grandeur accrue to the earth, nor riches to the owner of the earth.1185
نه زمین را زان فروغ و لمتری ** نه خداوند زمین را توانگری
(’Tis nothing) except an indication, as though to say, ‘I need this kind (of produce), the origin whereof Thou didst create from non-existence.
جز اشارت که ازین میبایدم ** که تو دادی اصل این را از عدم
I ate, and (now) I bring the seed as a token, begging Thee to send to us such bounty (as before).’
خوردم و دانه بیاوردم نشان ** که ازین نعمت به سوی ما کشان
Abandon, then, the dry (verbal) prayer, O fortunate one; for the tree demands (presupposes) the scattering of seed.
پس دعای خشک هل ای نیکبخت ** که فشاند دانه میخواهد درخت
(But) if you have no seed, on account of that prayer God will bestow on you a palm-tree, saying, ‘How well did he labour!’
گر نداری دانه ایزد زان دعا ** بخشدت نخلی که نعم ما سعی
Like Mary: she had (heartfelt) pain, but no seed: an artful One made green that (withered) palm-tree (for her sake).1190
همچو مریم درد بودش دانه نی ** سبز کرد آن نخل را صاحبفنی
Because that noble Lady was loyal (to God), God gave unto her a hundred desires without desire on her part.
زانک وافی بود آن خاتون راد ** بیمرادش داد یزدان صد مراد
The company who have been loyal are given superiority over all (other) sorts (of men).
آن جماعت را که وافی بودهاند ** بر همه اصنافشان افزودهاند
Seas and mountains are made subject to them; the four elements also are the slaves of that class.
گشت دریاها مسخرشان و کوه ** چار عنصر نیز بندهی آن گروه
This (miraculous power) is only a favour (conferred on them) for a sign, to the end that the disbelievers may see it plainly.
این خود اکرامیست از بهر نشان ** تا ببینند اهل انکار آن عیان
Those hidden graces of theirs, which come not into (the perception of) the senses or into description—1195
آن کرامتهای پنهانشان که آن ** در نیاید در حواس و در بیان
Those are the (real) matter: those are enduring for ever, they are neither cut off nor reclaimed.
کار آن دارد خود آن باشد ابد ** دایما نه منقطع نه مسترد
Prayer.
مناجات
O Giver of (spiritual) nutriment and steadfastness and stability, give Thy creatures deliverance from this instability.
ای دهندهی قوت و تمکین و ثبات ** خلق را زین بیثباتی ده نجات
Grant unto the soul—for it is bent (crooked)—to stand upright (to persevere with rectitude) in the work wherein it ought to be stable.
اندر آن کاری که ثابت بودنیست ** قایمی ده نفس را که منثنیست
Bestow patience upon them and heavy balance-scales: deliver them from the guile of impostors;
صبرشان بخش و کفهی میزان گران ** وا رهانشان از فن صورتگران
And redeem them from envy, O Gracious One, lest from envy they be devils accursed.1200
وز حسودی بازشان خر ای کریم ** تا نباشند از حسد دیو رجیم
How do the vulgar burn with envy for the fleeting happiness of riches and (pleasures of) the body!
در نعیم فانی مال و جسد ** چون همیسوزند عامه از حسد
Behold the kings, how they lead armies (to battle) and slay their own kinsmen because of envy.
پادشاهان بین که لشکر میکشند ** از حسد خویشان خود را میکشند
The lovers of filthy dolls (darlings) have sought each other's blood and life.
عاشقان لعبتان پر قذر ** کرده قصد خون و جان همدگر
Read Wís and Rámín and Khusraw and Shírín: (you will see) what those fools did because of envy.
ویس و رامین خسرو و شیرین بخوان ** که چه کردند از حسد آن ابلهان
(You will see) that the lover perished and the beloved too: they are naught and their passion also is naught.1205
که فنا شد عاشق و معشوق نیز ** هم نه چیزند و هواشان هم نه چیز
Holy is the God who brings non-existence into collision with itself and makes non-existence to be in love with non-existence.
پاک الهی که عدم بر هم زند ** مر عدم را بر عدم عاشق کند
Envies arise in the heart that is no (real) heart: thus doth Being subject not being to compulsion.
در دل نهدل حسدها سر کند ** نیست را هست این چنین مضطر کند
These women, who are kinder than all (other creatures)—(even amongst them) two fellow-wives devour each other from envy,
این زنانی کز همه مشفقتراند ** از حسد دو ضره خود را میخورند
So that (you may judge) in what degree of envy are the men who indeed are stony-hearted.
تا که مردانی که خود سنگیندلند ** از حسد تا در کدامین منزلند
If the Law had not exercised a gracious spell (over them), every one would have torn the body of his rival to pieces.1210
گر نکردی شرع افسونی لطیف ** بر دریدی هر کسی جسم حریف
The Law makes a plan for repelling evil: it puts the demon into the bottle of (legal) proof—
شرع بهر دفع شر رایی زند ** دیو را در شیشهی حجت کند
Witness and oath and shrinking (from the oath)—till (at last) the insolent demon goes into the bottle (prison).
از گواه و از یمین و از نکول ** تا به شیشه در رود دیو فضول
(The Law is) like the balance whereby the two adversaries are surely united in contentment, (whether) in jest or earnest.
مثل میزانی که خشنودی دو ضد ** جمع میآید یقین در هزل و جد
Know for sure that the Law is like the measure and scales by means of which the litigants are saved from wrangling and enmity.
شرع چون کیله و ترازو دان یقین ** که بدو خصمان رهند از جنگ و کین
If there be no pair of scales, how shall the litigant escape from disputing when he suspects fraud and deceit?1215
گر ترازو نبود آن خصم از جدال ** کی رهد از وهم حیف و احتیال
(If), then, there is all this jealousy and litigation and injustice in respect of this foul faithless carcase,
پس درین مردار زشت بیوفا ** این همه رشکست و خصمست و جفا
How, then, must it be when genies and men become envious in respect of that fortune and felicity (hereafter)?
پس در اقبال و دولت چون بود ** چون شود جنی و انسی در حسد
Truly those devils are envious of old: never for a moment do they cease from waylaying;
آن شیاطین خود حسود کهنهاند ** یک زمان از رهزنی خالی نهاند
And the sons of Adam who have sown (the seed of) disobedience—they too have become devils from enviousness.
وآن بنی آدم که عصیان کشتهاند ** از حسودی نیز شیطان گشتهاند
Read in the Qur’án how by Divine transformation the devils of mankind have become homogeneous with the Devil.1220
از نبی برخوان که شیطانان انس ** گشتهاند از مسخ حق با دیو جنس
When the Devil fails to tempt (any one), he seeks aid from these human (devils).
دیو چون عاجز شود در افتتان ** استعانت جوید او زین انسیان
Saying, ‘Ye are my friends: (perform) an act of friendship towards me; ye are on my side: (perform) an act of partiality.’
که شما یارید با ما یاریی ** جانب مایید جانب داریی
If they waylay any one in the world, both kinds of devils come off rejoicing;
گر کسی را ره زنند اندر جهان ** هر دو گون شیطان بر آید شادمان
And if any one has saved his soul and become eminent in religion, those two jealous (parties) keep up lamentation.
ور کسی جان برد و شد در دین بلند ** نوحه میدارند آن دو رشکمند
Both gnash their teeth in envy at any one upon whom the (spiritual) Teacher has bestowed wisdom.”1225
هر دو میخایند دندان حسد ** بر کسی که داد ادیب او را خرد
How the king asked the man who claimed to be a prophet, saying, “The person who is a true Messenger (of God) and becomes established (as such)—what has he to give to any one, or what gifts will people obtain by consorting with him and serving him, except the counsel which he utters with his tongue?”
پرسیدن آن پادشاه از آن مدعی نبوت کی آنک رسول راستین باشد و ثابت شود با او چه باشد کی کسی را بخشد یا به صحبت و خدمت او چه بخشش یابند غیر نصیحت به زبان کی میگوید
The king questioned him, saying, “After all, what is inspiration, or what has he got who is a prophet?”
شاه پرسیدش که باری وحی چیست ** یا چه حاصل دارد آن کس کو نبیست
He replied, “What is there indeed that he has not got, or what fortune is left whereunto he has not attained?
گفت خود آن چیست کش حاصل نشد ** یا چه دولت ماند کو واصل نشد