How should those fearful ones overtake Love?—for Love's passion makes the (lofty) heaven its carpet—
کی رسند این خایفان در گرد عشق ** که آسمان را فرش سازد درد عشق
Unless perchance the favours of the (Divine) Light come and say, “Become free from the world and from this wayfaring;
جز مگر آید عنایتهای ضو ** کز جهان و زین روش آزاد شو
Escape from thine own qush and dush, for (only) the royal falcon has found the way to the King.”2195
از قش خود وز دش خود باز ره ** که سوی شه یافت آن شهباز ره
This “qush and dush” is necessity and free-will: the pull of the Beloved (who draws you to Himself) transcends these twain.
این قش و دش هست جبر و اختیار ** از ورای این دو آمد جذب یار
When the wife arrived home, she opened the door: the sound of the door fell on their ears.
چون رسید آن زن به خانه در گشاد ** بانگ در در گوش ایشان در فتاد
The maid jumped up in consternation and disorder; the man jumped up and began to say his prayers.
آن کنیزک جست آشفته ز ساز ** مرد بر جست و در آمد در نماز
The wife saw that the maid was dishevelled and confused and excited and witless and unmanageable.
زن کنیزک را پژولیده بدید ** درهم و آشفته و دنگ و مرید
She saw her husband standing up (and engaged) in the ritual prayer: the wife was made suspicious by (all) that agitation.2200
شوی خود را دید قایم در نماز ** در گمان افتاد زن زان اهتزاز
Periculi nulla ratione habita, mariti laciniam sustulit: testiculos et penem videt semine inquinatos. [She raised (her) husband’s skirt without risk; she saw (his) testicles and penis soiled with sperm.]
شوی را برداشت دامن بی‌خطر ** دید آلوده‌ی منی خصیه و ذکر
Seminis quod reliquum erat e pene stillabat: femur genuque inquinata et spurca evaserant. [Remnants of sperm were dripping from (his) penis; his thighs and knees had become soiled and filthy.]
از ذکر باقی نطفه می‌چکید ** ران و زانو گشت آلوده و پلید
Caput ejus colapho percussit et “O vilissime,” inquit, “num hujusmodi sunt testiculi viri preces sollennes rite facientis? [She slapped at his head and said, “O despicable (one), are these the testicles of a man of prayer?]
بر سرش زد سیلی و گفت ای مهین ** خصیه‌ی مرد نمازی باشد این
Num iste penis cum Dei commemoratione precibusque sollennibus conveniens est? Num femur tale et inguen sordibus plenum. [Is this (soiled) penis worthy of commemoration (of God) and ritual prayer, or these thighs and groin full of filth?]
لایق ذکر و نمازست این ذکر ** وین چنین ران و زهار پر قذر
Deal equitably (answer fairly): is a scroll (a register of actions) full of injustice and wickedness and unbelief and enmity fit (to be placed) in the right hand?2205
نامه‌ی پر ظلم و فسق و کفر و کین ** لایقست انصاف ده اندر یمین
If you ask an infidel, “By whom were this heaven and these creatures and this world created?”
گر بپرسی گبر را کین آسمان ** آفریده‌ی کیست وین خلق و جهان
He will reply that they were created by the Lord to whose Lordship the Creation bears witness.
گوید او کین آفریده‌ی آن خداست ** که آفرینش بر خدایی‌اش گواست
Do his unbelief and great wickedness and wrong-doing fit (properly agree with) such a confession by him?
کفر و فسق و استم بسیار او ** هست لایق با چنین اقرار او
Do those infamous deeds and that vicious conduct go fitly with such a true confession?
هست لایق با چنین اقرار راست ** آن فضیحتها و آن کردار کاست
His actions have given the lie to his words, so that he has become fit for (deserving of) the awful torment.2210
فعل او کرده دروغ آن قول را ** تا شد او لایق عذاب هول را
On the Day of Resurrection every hidden thing will be made manifest: every sinner will be ignominiously exposed by himself.
روز محشر هر نهان پیدا شود ** هم ز خود هر مجرمی رسوا شود
His hands and feet will give evidence and declare his iniquity in the presence of Him whose help is sought.
دست و پا بدهد گواهی با بیان ** بر فساد او به پیش مستعان
His hand will say, “I have stolen such and such”; his lip will say, “I have asked such and such questions”;
دست گوید من چنین دزدیده‌ام ** لب بگوید من چنین پرسیده‌ام
His foot will say, “I have gone to (enjoy) things desired”; his pudendum will say, “I have committed fornication.” [His foot will say, “I have gone to (enjoy) things desired”; his private parts will say, “I have committed fornication.”]
پای گوید من شدستم تا منی ** فرج گوید من بکردستم زنی
His eye will say, “I have cast amorous glances at things forbidden”; his ear will say, “I have gathered evil words.”2215
Therefore he is a lie from head to foot, for even his own members give him the lie,
پس دروغ آمد ز سر تا پای خویش ** که دروغش کرد هم اعضای خویش
Just as, in (the case of) the specious prayers (performed by the ascetic), their fine appearance was proved to be false testimonio testiculi. [Just as, in (the case of) the specious prayers (performed by the ascetic), their fine appearance was proved to be false by the testimony of the (soiled) testicles.]
آنچنان که در نماز با فروغ ** از گواهی خصیه شد زرقش دروغ
Act, then, in such wise that the action itself, without (your) tongue (uttering a word), will be (equivalent to) saying “I testify” and (to making) the most explicit declaration,
پس چنان کن فعل که آن خود بی‌زبان ** باشد اشهد گفتن و عین بیان
So that your whole body, limb by limb, O son, will have said “I testify” as regards both good and ill.
تا همه تن عضو عضوت ای پسر ** گفته باشد اشهد اندر نفع و ضر
The slave's walking behind his master is a testimony (equivalent to saying), “I am subject to authority and this man is my lord.”2220
رفتن بنده پی خواجه گواست ** که منم محکوم و این مولای ماست
If you have blackened the scroll (record) of your life, repent of the deeds you did formerly.
گر سیه کردی تو نامه‌ی عمر خویش ** توبه کن زانها که کردستی تو پیش
Though your life has (almost) passed, this (present) moment is its root: water it with repentance if it lacks moisture.
عمر اگر بگذشت بیخش این دمست ** آب توبه‌ش ده اگر او بی‌نمست
Give the Living Water to the root of your life, in order that the tree of your life may become verdant.
بیخ عمرت را بده آب حیات ** تا درخت عمر گردد با نبات
By this (Water) all past (sins) are made good: by this (Water) last year's poison is made (sweet) as sugar.
God hath changed your evil deeds (to good), in order that what has preceded may become wholly (acts of) piety.2225
سیاتت را مبدل کرد حق ** تا همه طاعت شود آن ما سبق
O master, cleave bravely to a repentance (like that) of Nasúh: strive earnestly both with body and spirit.
خواجه بر توبه‌ی نصوحی خوش به تن ** کوششی کن هم به جان و هم به تن
Hear from me the description of this repentance of Nasúh: (if) you have believed (in it before), (yet now) believe afresh.
شرح این توبه‌ی نصوح از من شنو ** بگرویدستی و لیک از نو گرو
Story explaining the repentance of Nasúh. As milk that flows from the teat never returns to the teat, so he who has repented like Nasúh will never think of that sin in the way of desire; nay, his loathing will increase continually, and that loathing is a proof that he has experienced the delight of being accepted (as a sincere penitent), and that the old lust has ceased to give delight, and that the former (delight) has established itself in the place of the latter, as it has been said (in verse): “Nothing breaks off (one) love except another love: why don't you take a friend (who is) fairer than he?” And when his (the penitent's) heart desires to sin again, it is a sign that he has not experienced the delight of acceptance, and that the delight of acceptance has not superseded the delight of sin, and that he has not (yet) become (like the righteous of whom God saith), “We will surely dispose him to ease,” but that the (sinful) delight (spoken) of (in the text), “We will surely dispose him to hardship,” is still remaining in him.
حکایت در بیان توبه‌ی نصوح کی چنانک شیر از پستان بیرون آید باز در پستان نرود آنک توبه نصوحی کرد هرگز از آن گناه یاد نکند به طریق رغبت بلک هر دم نفرتش افزون باشد و آن نفرت دلیل آن بود کی لذت قبول یافت آن شهوت اول بی‌لذت شد این به جای آن نشست نبرد عشق را جز عشق دیگر چرا یاری نجویی زو نکوتر وانک دلش باز بدان گناه رغبت می‌کند علامت آنست کی لذت قبول نیافته است و لذت قبول به جای آن لذت گناه ننشسته است سنیسره للیسری نشده است لذت و نیسره للعسری باقیست بر وی
There was aforetime a man named Nasúh: he earned his livelihood by shampooing women.
بود مردی پیش ازین نامش نصوح ** بد ز دلاکی زن او را فتوح
His face resembled a female countenance: he was disguising his manliness.
بود روی او چو رخسار زنان ** مردی خود را همی‌کرد او نهان
He was a shampooer in the women's bath, and very active in (contriving) fraud and deceit.2230
او به حمام زنان دلاک بود ** در دغا و حیله بس چالاک بود
For (many) years he went on shampooing, and no one suspected the (real) nature and secret of his fondness (for that employment).
سالها می‌کرد دلاکی و کس ** بو نبرد از حال و سر آن هوس
(’Twas) because, (though) his voice and countenance were woman-like, yet his lust was at full strength and wide-awake.
زانک آواز و رخش زن‌وار بود ** لیک شهوت کامل و بیدار بود
He wore the chádar and snood and veil, (but he was) a man lustful and in the prime of youth.
چادر و سربند پوشیده و نقاب ** مرد شهوانی و در غره‌ی شباب
In this fashion that enamoured man was massaging and washing the daughters of emperors,
دختران خسروان را زین طریق ** خوش همی‌مالید و می‌شست آن عشیق
(And though) he often resolved on repentance and was turning his back (on sin), the miscreant carnal soul would always tear his repentance to pieces.2235
توبه‌ها می‌کرد و پا در می‌کشید ** نفس کافر توبه‌اش را می‌درید
That evil-doer (Nasúh) went to a gnostic and said, “Remember me in a prayer.”
رفت پیش عارفی آن زشت‌کار ** گفت ما را در دعایی یاد دار
The holy man knew his secret but, (acting) like the forbearance of God, he did not divulge it;
سر او دانست آن آزادمرد ** لیک چون حلم خدا پیدا نکرد
(For) on his (the gnostic's) lips is a lock, while his heart is full of mysteries: his lips are silent, though his heart is filled with voices.
بر لبش قفلست و در دل رازها ** لب خموش و دل پر از آوازها
Gnostics, who have drunk of the cup of God, have known the mysteries and kept them hidden.
عارفان که جام حق نوشیده‌اند ** رازها دانسته و پوشیده‌اند
Whosoever has been taught the mysteries of the (Divine) action, his lips are sealed and closed.2240
هر کرا اسرار کار آموختند ** مهر کردند و دهانش دوختند
He (the holy man) laughed softly and said, “O evil-natured one, may God cause thee to repent of that which thou knowest!”
سست خندید و بگفت ای بدنهاد ** زانک دانی ایزدت توبه دهاد
Explaining that the prayer of the gnostic who is united with God and his petition to God are like the petition of God to Himself, for “I am to him an ear and an eye and a tongue and a hand.” God hath said, “And thou didst not throw when thou threwest, but God threw”; and there are many Verses (of the Qur’án) and Traditions and Narrations on this subject. And (what follows is) an exposition of the way in which God devises means in order that, taking hold of the sinner's ear, they may lead him to the repentance of Nasúh.
در بیان آنک دعای عارف واصل و درخواست او از حق هم‌چو درخواست حقست از خویشتن کی کنت له سمعا و بصرا و لسانا و یدا و قوله و ما رمیت اذ رمیت و لکن الله رمی و آیات و اخبار و آثار درین بسیارست و شرح سبب ساختن حق تا مجرم را گوش گرفته بتوبه‌ی نصوح آورد
That prayer traversed the Seven Heavens: the fortune of the miserable wretch (Nasúh) at last became good;
آن دعا از هفت گردون در گذشت ** کار آن مسکین به آخر خوب گشت