The Turk shakes (moves to and fro) his hand in sowing, because that (former) crop of his has been produced from the same soil.
زان بیفشاند به کشتن ترک دست ** که آن غلهش هم زان زمین حاصل شدست
Likewise the shoemaker buys hide and leather and morocco (with) the surplus left over from (what he spends on) bread,
کفشگر هم آنچ افزاید ز نان ** میخرد چرم و ادیم و سختیان
Saying, “These have (always) been the sources of my income: from these, accordingly, my means of livelihood are flowing.”
که اصول دخلم اینها بودهاند ** هم ازینها میگشاید رزق بند
His income has come from that place: consequently he bestows (it) in the same place with liberality and generosity.
دخل از آنجا آمدستش لاجرم ** هم در آنجا میکند داد و کرم
This soil (that produces crops) and (this) morocco are only a veil (secondary cause): know that at every moment the (real) source of livelihood is in God.1490
این زمین و سختیان پردهست و بس ** اصل روزی از خدا دان هر نفس
When you sow, sow in the soil of the Origin, that for every single (seed) a hundred thousand (blessings) may grow.
چون بکاری در زمین اصل کار ** تا بروید هر یکی را صد هزار
If just now (recently) you have sown seed, (as) I will suppose, in a soil which you thought (would be) a means (of producing crops)—
گیرم اکنون تخم را گر کاشتی ** در زمینی که سبب پنداشتی
When it (the seed) does not grow during two or three years, how can you do aught but put your hand (to your head) in supplication and prayer?
چون دو سه سال آن نروید چون کنی ** جز که در لابه و دعا کف در زنی
You will beat your hand on your head in the presence of God: (your) hand and head bear witness to His giving sustenance;
دست بر سر میزنی پیش اله ** دست و سر بر دادن رزقش گواه
So that you may know that He is the Source of the source of (all) sustenance, and that the seeker of sustenance may seek only Him.1495
تا بدانی اصل اصل رزق اوست ** تا همو را جوید آنک رزقجوست
Seek sustenance from Him, do not seek it from Zayd and ‘Amr: seek intoxication from Him, do not seek it from beng and wine.
رزق از وی جو مجو از زید و عمرو ** مستی از وی جو مجو از بنگ و خمر
Desire wealth from Him, not from treasure and possessions: desire aid from Him, not from paternal and maternal uncles.
توانگری زو خو نه از گنج و مال ** نصرت از وی خواه نه از عم و خال
At the last you will be left without (all) these things: hark, unto whom will you call then?
عاقبت زینها بخواهی ماندن ** هین کرا خواهی در آن دم خواندن
Call unto Him now, and leave (all) the rest, that you may inherit the kingdom of the world.
این دم او را خوان و باقی را بمان ** تا تو باشی وارث ملک جهان
When comes (the Day on which) a man shall flee from his brother and on such a Day the son will flee from his father,1500
چون یفر المرء آید من اخیه ** یهرب المولود یوما من ابیه
In that hour every friend will become your foe, because (in the world) he was your idol and one who hindered (you) from (following) the (right) Way.
زان شود هر دوست آن ساعت عدو ** که بت تو بود و از ره مانع او
You were averting your face from the Painter of the face, since you were gaining heart's delight from a (mere) picture.
روی از نقاش رو میتافتی ** چون ز نقشی انس دل مییافتی
If at this (present) time your friends become hostile to you and turn aside from you and quarrel (with you),
این دم ار یارانت با تو ضد شوند ** وز تو برگردند و در خصمی روند
Take heed and say, “Lo, my fortune is triumphant: that which would have happened to-morrow (at the Last Judgement) has happened to-day.
هین بگو نک روز من پیروز شد ** آنچ فردا خواست شد امروز شد
The people of this caravanseray (the world) have become my enemies, in order that the Resurrection might be made clearly visible to me beforehand,1505
ضد من گشتند اهل این سرا ** تا قیامت عین شد پیشین مرا
Ere I should lose my time and associate with them to the end of my life.
پیش از آنک روزگار خود برم ** عمر با ایشان به پایان آورم
I had bought defective goods: thanks (to God) that I have become aware of their defectiveness in time,
Ere the stock-in-trade should go out of my hands and finally come forth (be exposed) as defective.
پیش از آن کز دست سرمایه شدی ** عاقبت معیوب بیرون آمدی
My wealth was (all but) gone, my life was (all but) gone, O man of noble lineage: I had (all but) given away my wealth and life for damaged goods.
مال رفته عمر رفته ای نسیب ** ماه و جان داده پی کالهی معیب
I sold my merchandise, I received base gold: I was going home in great jubilation.1510
رخت دادم زر قلبی بستدم ** شاد شادان سوی خانه میشدم
Thanks (to God) that this gold was shown to be base now, before too much of my life had passed.
شکر کین زر قلب پیدا شد کنون ** پیش از آنک عمر بگذشتی فزون
The base coin would have remained (as a shackle) on my neck for ever: to waste my life (thus) would have been an iniquity.
قلب ماندی تا ابد در گردنم ** حیف بودی عمر ضایع کردنم
Since its (the coin's) baseness has been revealed earlier (in good time), I will step back from it very quickly.”
چون بگهتر قلبی او رو نمود ** پای خود زو وا کشم من زود زود
When your friend displays enmity (and when) the itch of his hatred and jealousy shoots forth (manifests itself),
یار تو چون دشمنی پیدا کند ** گر حقد و رشک او بیرون زند
Do not bewail his aversion, do not make yourself (do not let yourself behave as) a fool and ignoramus;1515
تو از آن اعراض او افغان مکن ** خویشتن را ابله و نادان مکن
Nay, thank God and give bread (alms), (in gratitude) that you have not become old (and rotten) in his sack,
بلک شکر حق کن و نان بخش کن ** که نگشتی در جوال او کهن
(But) have quickly come out of his sack to seek the true Eternal Friend,
از جوالش زود بیرون آمدی ** تا بجویی یار صدق سرمدی
The delectable Friend whose friendship's cord becomes threefold (thrice as strong) after thy death.
نازنین یاری که بعد از مرگ تو ** رشتهی یاری او گردد سه تو
That friend, in sooth, may be the (Divine) Sultan and exalted King, or he may be one accepted of the Sultan and one who intercedes (with Him).
آن مگر سلطان بود شاه رفیع ** یا بود مقبول سلطان و شفیع
You are (now) delivered from the false coiner and (his) hypocrisy and fraud: you have seen his tumour (imposture) plainly before death.1520
رستی از قلاب و سالوس و دغل ** غر او دیدی عیان پیش از اجل
If you understood (aright) this injustice shown towards you by the people in the world, it is a hidden treasure of gold.
این جفای خلق با تو در جهان ** گر بدانی گنج زر آمد نهان
The people are made to be thus evil-natured towards you, that your face may inevitably be turned Yonder.
خلق را با تو چنین بدخو کنند ** تا ترا ناچار رو آن سو کنند
Know this for sure that in the end all of them will become adversaries and foes and rebels.
این یقین دان که در آخر جملهشان ** خصم گردند و عدو و سرکشان
You will be left in the tomb, lamenting and beseeching the One (God), (and crying), “Do not leave me (here) alone!
تو بمانی با فغان اندر لحد ** لا تذرنی فرد خواهان از احد
O Thou whose harshness is better than the troth of the faithful, the honey (kindness) of the faithful is also from Thy bounty.”1525
ای جفاات به ز عهد وافیان ** هم ز داد تست شهد وافیان
Hearken to your own reason, O possessor of a granary, and commit your wheat to the earth of Allah,
بشنو از عقل خود ای انباردار ** گندم خود را به ارض الله سپار
That it may be safe from thieves and weevils. Kill the Devil with the wood-fretter (of reason) as quickly as possible;
تا شود آمن ز دزد و از شپش ** دیو را با دیوچه زوتر بکش
For he is always frightening you with (the threat of) poverty: make him your prey like a partridge, O valiant hawk.
کو همی ترساندت هم دم ز فقر ** همچو کبکش صید کن ای نره صقر
It would be a shame for the falcon of the mighty and fortunate Sultan to be made a prey by the partridge.
باز سلطان عزیزی کامیار ** ننگ باشد که کند کبکش شکار
He (the father) gave many injunctions (to his sons) and sowed the seed of exhortation, (but) as their soil was nitrous (barren), ’twas of no avail.1530
بس وصیت کرد و تخم وعظ کاشت ** چون زمینشان شوره بد سودی نداشت
Although the admonisher have a hundred appeals, counsel demands a retentive ear.
گرچه ناصح را بود صد داعیه ** پند را اذنی بباید واعیه
You counsel him (the heedless man) with a hundred courtesies, and he turns aside from your counsel.
تو به صد تلطیف پندش میدهی ** او ز پندت میکند پهلو تهی
A single person who obstinately refuses to listen will baffle a hundred (eloquent) speakers.
یک کس نامستمع ز استیز و رد ** صد کس گوینده را عاجز کند
Who should be more persuasive in counselling and sweeter-tongued than the prophets, whose words made an impression (even) on stones?
ز انبیا ناصحتر و خوش لهجهتر ** کی بود کی گرفت دمشان در حجر
(Yet) the bonds of the ill-fated (infidel) were not being loosed by that whereby mountain and stone were moved.1535
زانچ کوه و سنگ درکار آمدند ** مینشد بدبخت را بگشاده بند