He (the ass) replied, “Know that you are speaking (just) the reverse (of the truth), (for) woe and bane come to the soul from cupidity.
گفت این معکوس می‌گویی بدان ** شور و شر از طمع آید سوی جان
No one was (ever) deprived of (spiritual) life by contentment; no one was (ever) made a (spiritual) king by covetousness.
از قناعت هیچ کس بی‌جان نشد ** از حریصی هیچ کس سلطان نشد
(The daily) bread is not withheld (even) from pigs and dogs: this rain and (these) clouds are not earned by Man.
نان ز خوکان و سگان نبود دریغ ** کسپ مردم نیست این باران و میغ
Just as you are pitiably enamoured of the daily bread, so the daily bread is enamoured of its consumer.2400
آنچنان که عاشقی بر زرق زار ** هست عاشق رزق هم بر رزق‌خوار
Exposition of the meaning of trust in God, (which is illustrated by) the Story of the ascetic who, making trial of his trust in God, abandoned his property and (native) town and went far away from the beaten tracks and thoroughfares of men to the foot of a remote and inaccessible mountain, (where) in extreme hunger he laid his head upon a stone and fell asleep, saying to himself, ‘I put trust in Thy providing the means (of livelihood) and daily bread; and I cut myself off from (all) means (secondary causes) in order that I may experience the causation of trust in God.’
در تقریر معنی توکل حکایت آن زاهد کی توکل را امتحان می‌کرد از میان اسباب و شهر برون آمد و از قوارع و ره‌گذر خلق دور شد و ببن کوهی مهجوری مفقودی در غایت گرسنگی سر بر سر سنگی نهاد و خفت و با خود گفت توکل کردم بر سبب‌سازی و رزاقی تو و از اسباب منقطع شدم تا ببینم سببیت توکل را
A certain ascetic had heard the saying of Mustafá (Mohammed) that the daily bread surely comes from God to the spirit,
آن یکی زاهد شنود از مصطفی ** که یقین آید به جان رزق از خدا
(And that), whether you will or no, your daily bread comes running to you because it is (so) fond of you.
گر بخواهی ور نخواهی رزق تو ** پیش تو آید دوان از عشق تو
By way of trial that man went into the desert and immediately lay down near a mountain,
از برای امتحان آن مرد رفت ** در بیابان نزد کوهی خفت تفت
Saying, ‘I will see whether the daily bread will come to me: (my object is) that my belief in the daily bread may become firm.’
که ببینم رزق می‌آید به من ** تا قوی گردد مرا در رزق ظن
A caravan lost its way and marched towards the mountain: (the travellers) saw lying (there) him who was making the trial.2405
کاروانی راه گم کرد و کشید ** سوی کوه آن ممتحن را خفته دید
(One) said (to another), ‘How is this man destitute here in the wilderness, far from road and town?
گفت این مرد این طرف چونست عور ** در بیابان از ره و از شهر دور
Oh, I wonder, is he dead or alive? (Evidently) he has no fear of wolves or enemies.’
ای عجب مرده‌ست یا زنده که او ** می‌نترسد هیچ از گرگ و عدو
They came on and touched him with their hands: that venerable man deliberately said nothing.
آمدند و دست بر وی می‌زدند ** قاصدا چیزی نگفت آن ارجمند
He did not stir, he did not even move his head or open his eyes, because he was making a trial.
هم نجنبید و نجنبانید سر ** وا نکرد از امتحان هم او بصر
Then they said, ‘This poor disappointed man has had a stroke of apoplexy caused by hunger.’2410
پس بگفتند این ضعیف بی‌مراد ** از مجاعت سکته اندر اوفتاد
They fetched bread and (also) food in a kettle, that they might pour it into his mouth and (down) his throat.
نان بیاوردند و در دیگی طعام ** تا بریزندش به حلقوم و به کام
Thereupon the man purposely clenched his teeth, in order to see (test) the truth of that promise.
پس بقاصد مرد دندان سخت کرد ** تا ببیند صدق آن میعاد مرد
They felt pity for him and said, ‘This man is starving and perishing with hunger and at the point of death’;
رحمشان آمد که این بس بی‌نواست ** وز مجاعت هالک مرگ و فناست
(So) they brought a knife and hastily made a rift in his closed teeth.
کارد آوردند قوم اشتافتند ** بسته دندانهاش را بشکافتند
They poured soup into his mouth and forced into it fragments of bread.2415
He said (to himself), ‘O (my) heart, even though thou art keeping silence, thou knowest the secret and art showing a (great) disdain.’
گفت ای دل گرچه خود تن می‌زنی ** راز می‌دانی و نازی می‌کنی
His heart replied, ‘I know (the secret) and am purposely behaving (thus): God is the provider for my soul and body.’
گفت دل دانم و قاصد می‌کنم ** رازق الله است بر جان و تنم
How should there be a trial more (perfect) than this? The daily bread comes with joy to those who have patience.”
امتحان زین بیشتر خود چون بود ** رزق سوی صابران خوش می‌رود
How the fox answered the ass and urged him to seek a livelihood.
جواب دادن روبه خر را و تحریض کردن او خر را بر کسب
The fox said, “Leave these stories and apply all your poor efforts to earning a livelihood.
گفت روبه این حکایت را بهل ** دستها بر کسب زن جهد المقل
God has given you hands: do some work, earn something, help a friend.2420
دست دادستت خدا کاری بکن ** مکسبی کن یاری یاری بکن
Every one takes steps to earn something and (thereby) helps other friends (to earn),
هر کسی در مکسبی پا می‌نهد ** یاری یاران دیگر می‌کند
Because all the earning is not done by one (craftsman): (there is) a carpenter and also a water-carrier and a weaver.
زانک جمله کسب ناید از یکی ** هم دروگر هم سقا هم حایکی
By means of this partnership (the order of) the world is maintained: every one, (being impelled) by want, chooses some work.
این بهنبازیست عالم بر قرار ** هر کسی کاری گزیند ز افتقار
’Tis not right to be a lick-platter (idle parasite) in the midst (of them): the way of the Sunna is to work and earn.”
طبل‌خواری در میانه شرط نیست ** راه سنت کار و مکسب کردنیست
How the ass answered the fox, saying, “Trust in God is the best way of earning a livelihood, for every one needs to trust in God and cry, ‘O God, bring this work of mine to success’; and prayer involves trust in God, and trust in God is the (only) means of livelihood that is independent of any other means, etc.”
جواب گفتن خر روباه را کی توکل بهترین کسبهاست کی هر کسبی محتاجست به توکل کی ای خدا این کار مرا راست آر و دعا متضمن توکلست و توکل کسبی است کی به هیچ کسبی دیگر محتاج نیست الی آخره
He (the ass) said, “In the two worlds I do not know any means of livelihood superior to trust in my Lord.2425
گفت من به از توکل بر ربی ** می‌ندانم در دو عالم مکسبی
I know nothing to be compared with the acquisition of thanksgiving to Him, in order that thanksgiving to God may bring (in its train) the daily bread and the increase (thereof).”
کسب شکرش را نمی‌دانم ندید ** تا کشد رزق خدا رزق و مزید
Their dispute was prolonged in mutual altercation (till) they became incapable of (further) questioning and answering.
بحثشان بسیار شد اندر خطاب ** مانده گشتند از سال و از جواب
Afterwards he (the fox) said to him, “Mark in the (Divine) kingdom the prohibition, ‘Do not cast yourselves into destruction.’
بعد از آن گفتش بدان در مملکه ** نهی لا تلقوا بایدی تهلکه
In a barren desert covered with stones self-denial is folly: God's world is wide.
صبر در صحرای خشک و سنگ‌لاخ ** احمقی باشد جهان حق فراخ
Move from this place towards the meadow, and browse there on the verdure round about the river—2430
نقل کن زینجا به سوی مرغزار ** می‌چر آنجا سبزه گرد جویبار
A meadow verdant like Paradise, where the verdure grows up to (as high as) the waist.
مرغزاری سبز مانند جنان ** سبزه رسته اندر آنجا تا میان
Happy the animal that goes thither: amidst the verdure a camel would become invisible.
خرم آن حیوان که او آنجا شود ** اشتر اندر سبزه ناپیدا شود
There, on every side, is a running fountain; there the animals are in comfort and security.”
هر طرف در وی یکی چشمه‌ی روان ** اندرو حیوان مرفه در امان
From asininity he (the ass) did not say to him, “O accursed one, thou art (come) from there: how art thou so wretched?
از خری او را نمی‌گفت ای لعین ** تو از آن‌جایی چرا زاری چنین
Where is thy gaiety and fatness and comeliness? What is (the meaning of) this lean starved body of thine?2435
کو نشاط و فربهی و فر تو ** چیست این لاغر تن مضطر تو
If thy description of the meadow is not (mere) falsehood and fiction, then why is thine eye not intoxicated (enraptured) by it?
شرح روضه گر دروغ و زور نیست ** پس چرا چشمت ازو مخمور نیست
These greedy looks and this blindness are the result of thy beggarliness, not of (spiritual) sovereignty.
این گدا چشمی و این نادیدگی ** از گدایی تست نه از بگلربگی
Since thou hast come from the fountain, how art thou dry (thirsty)? And if thou art (fragrant like) the gland of the musk-deer, where is the fragrance of musk?
چون ز چشمه آمدی چونی تو خشک ** ور تو ناف آهویی کو بوی مشک
How is there no trace in thee of that which thou sayest and describest, O exalted one?”
زانک می‌گویی و شرحش می‌کنی ** چون نشانی در تو نامد ای سنی
Parable of the camel, explaining that when some one tells of his good fortune and you do not perceive in him any appearance or sign of welfare, there is reason to suspect that he is an imitator therein (of those who have really attained to spiritual felicity).
مثل آوردن اشتر در بیان آنک در مخبر دولتی فر و اثر آن چون نبینی جای متهم داشتن باشد کی او مقلدست در آن
A certain man asked a camel, “Hey, whence comest thou, O thou whom fortune attends?2440
آن یکی پرسید اشتر را که هی ** از کجا می‌آیی ای اقبال پی
He replied, “From the hot-bath in thy street.” Said the other, “Truly, ’tis manifest in (the state of) thy knees!”
گفت از حمام گرم کوی تو ** گفت خود پیداست در زانوی تو
(When) Pharaoh, the obstinate rebel, saw Moses' snake, he begged for a respite and showed meekness.
مار موسی دید فرعون عنود ** مهلتی می‌خواست نرمی می‌نمود
The men of intelligence said, “This man (Pharaoh) ought to have been fiercer, since he is the Lord of the Judgement.
زیرکان گفتند بایستی که این ** تندتر گشتی چو هست او رب دین
Whether the miracle was a dragon or a snake, what has become of the pride and wrath proper to his divinity?
معجزه‌گر اژدها گر مار بد ** نخوت و خشم خدایی‌اش چه شد
If he is the Supreme Lord seated on the throne, what is this blandishment on account of a single worm?”2445
رب اعلی گر ویست اندر جلوس ** بهر یک کرمی چیست این چاپلوس
So long as your fleshly soul is intoxicated with the dessert and date-wine (of sensuality), know that your spirit has not beheld the cluster belonging to the World Unseen,
نفس تو تا مست نقلست و نبید ** دانک روحت خوشه‌ی غیبی ندید