Whoever feeds on straw and barley becomes a sacrifice (qurbán); whoever feeds on the Light of God becomes the Qur’án.
هر که کاه و جو خورد قربان شود ** هر که نور حق خورد قرآن شود
Beware! Half of you is musk and half is dung. Beware! Do not increase the dung, increase the Chinese musk.
نیم تو مشکست و نیمی پشک هین ** هین میفزا پشک افزا مشک چین
The imitator brings on to his tongue a hundred proofs and explanations, but he has no soul.2480
آن مقلد صد دلیل و صد بیان ** در زبان آرد ندارد هیچ جان
When the speaker has no soul and (spiritual) glory, how should his speech have leaves and fruit?
چونک گوینده ندارد جان و فر ** گفت او را کی بود برگ و ثمر
He boldly directs people in the Way (to salvation), (though) he is more tremulous (infirm) in soul than a blade of straw.
میکند گستاخ مردم را به راه ** او بجان لرزانترست از برگ کاه
Therefore, though his discourse may be splendid, tremor (infirmity) is also latent in his discourse.
پس حدیثش گرچه بس با فر بود ** در حدیثش لرزه هم مضمر بود
The difference between the call of the perfect Shaykh who is united with God and the words of imperfect men whose (spiritual) virtues are acquired and artificial.
فرق میان دعوت شیخ کامل واصل و میان سخن ناقصان فاضل فضل تحصیلی بر بسته
The illumined Shaykh makes (his disciples) cognisant of the Way; moreover, he causes the light (of faith) to accompany his words.
شیخ نورانی ز ره آگه کند ** با سخن هم نور را همره کند
Strive to become intoxicated and illumined, in order that his light may be (like) the rhyme-letter to your discourse.2485
جهد کن تا مست و نورانی شوی ** تا حدیثت را شود نورش روی
Whatever (fruit or vegetable) is boiled in grape-juice, the flavour of grape-juice will be (tasted) in its syrup.
هر چه در دوشاب جوشیده شود ** در عقیده طعم دوشابش بود
(Whether it be syrup) of carrots or apples or quinces or walnuts, you will taste in it the delicious flavour of grape-juice.
از جزر وز سیب و به وز گردگان ** لذت دوشاب یابی تو از آن
When your knowledge is steeped in the light (of faith), then the contumacious folk derive light from your knowledge.
علم اندر نور چون فرغرده شد ** پس ز علمت نور یابد قوم لد
Whatsoever you say, too, will be luminous, for the sky never rains aught but pure (water).
هر چه گویی باشد آن هم نورناک ** که آسمان هرگز نبارد غیر پاک
Become (like) the sky, become (like) the cloud and shed rain: the spout rains (too), (but) it is not at work (productively).2490
آسمان شو ابر شو باران ببار ** ناودان بارش کند نبود به کار
The water in the spout is borrowed; the water in the cloud and in the sea is original.
آب اندر ناودان عاریتیست ** آب اندر ابر و دریا فطرتیست
Your thought and cogitation resemble the spout; inspiration and revelation are (like) the cloud and the sky.
فکر و اندیشهست مثل ناودان ** وحی و مکشوفست ابر و آسمان
The rain-water produces a many-coloured garden; the spout causes your neighbour to quarrel (with you).
آب باران باغ صد رنگ آورد ** ناودان همسایه در جنگ آورد
The ass disputed twice or thrice with the fox, (but) since he was (only) an imitator he was beguiled by him.
خر دو سه حمله به روبه بحث کرد ** چون مقلد بد فریب او بخورد
He had not the glorious power of perception possessed by a (true) seer: the fox's palaver brought upon him (a stroke of) apoplexy.2495
Greedy desire to eat and drink made him so despicable that he submitted to him (the fox) notwithstanding five hundred arguments (to the contrary).
حرص خوردن آنچنان کردش ذلیل ** که زبونش گشت با پانصد دلیل
Fabula cinaedi cui paedicator tempore paedicandi “Quamobrem,” inquit, “hic pugio est?” Respondit: “Ut, siquis mihi injuriam facere cogitaverit, ventrem ejus diffindam.” Paedicator super eo ultro citroque se movebat et aiebat, “Deo gloria quod ego injuriam tibi facere non cogito.” “My tent (verse) is not a tent, it is a continent; my jest is not a jest, it is a lesson.” Verily, God is not ashamed to set forth as a parable a gnat or what exceeds it, i.e. “what exceeds it in respect of the corruption of (men's) souls by disbelief”; (for the infidels ask), “What is it that Allah means by using this as a parable?” and then He answers (them), “I mean this: He lets many be led astray thereby and He lets many be guided aright thereby.” Every temptation is like a pair of scales: many come off with honour and many with disgrace; and if you were to meditate on it (this parable) a little, you would feel many of its excellent effects. [The story of the sodomite and the sodomizer’s asking him during the occasion of sodomy, “What is this dagger (of yours) for?” He (the sodomite) answered, “So that, (regarding) anyone who thinks evil (bears evil desires) toward me, I may rip (open) his belly.” The sodomizer was coming and going (moving back and forth in the act of sodomy) and was saying, “God be praised, since I am not thinking evil toward you.” “My tent ....]
حکایت آن مخنث و پرسیدن لوطی ازو در حالت لواطه کی این خنجر از بهر چیست گفت از برای آنک هر کی با من بد اندیشد اشکمش بشکافم لوطی بر سر او آمد شد میکرد و میگفت الحمدلله کی من بد نمیاندیشم با تو «بیت من بیت نیست اقلیمست هزل من هزل نیست تعلیمست» ان الله یستحیی ان یضرب مثلا ما بعوضة فما فوقها ای فما فوقها فی تغییر النفوس بالانکار ان ما ذا ا راد الله بهذا مثلا و آنگه جواب میفرماید کی این خواستم یضل به کثیرا و یهدی به کثیرا کی هر فتنهای همچون میزانست بسیاران ازو سرخرو شوند و بسیاران بیمراد شوند و لو تاملت فیه قلیلا وجدت من نتایجه الشریفة کثیرا
Juvenem imberbem paedicator quidam domum duxit, capite deorsum verso stravit et in eum trusit. [A sodomizer brought a beardless youth (catamite) into a house, threw him head-downwards, and pressed into him (in the act of sodomy).]
کندهای را لوطیی در خانه برد ** سرنگون افکندش و در وی فشرد
The accursed wretch saw a dagger on his waist, so he said to him, “What is this on your waist?”
بر میانش خنجری دید آن لعین ** پس بگفتش بر میانت چیست این
He replied, “’Tis in order that, if any evil-minded person should think of committing evil against me, I may rip his belly.”
گفت آنک با من ار یک بدمنش ** بد بیندیشد بدرم اشکمش
The lútí said, “God be praised that I have not thought of plotting evil against you.”2500
گفت لوطی حمد لله را که من ** بد نه اندیشیدهام با تو به فن
When there is no manliness, of what use are daggers? When there is no heart (courage), the helmet avails not.
چون که مردی نیست خنجرها چه سود ** چون نباشد دل ندارد سود خود
You may have (the sword) Dhu ’l-faqár as a heritage from ‘Alí, (but) have you the (stout) arm of the Lion of God? (If so), produce it!
از علی میراث داری ذوالفقار ** بازوی شیر خدا هستت بیار
Though you may remember a (life-giving) incantation derived from the Messiah, where (in you) are the lips and teeth of Jesus, O abominable man?
گر فسونی یاد داری از مسیح ** کو لب و دندان عیسی ای قبیح
You may build a ship with money collected (from your friends) or freely given, (but) where is a captain of the ship like Noah?
کشتیی سازی ز توزیع و فتوح ** کو یکی ملاح کشتی همچو نوح
I grant you have (formally) broken the idol, like Abraham, (but) what of devoting the idol, (which is) your body, to the fire (of self-mortification)?2505
بت شکستی گیرم ابراهیموار ** کو بت تن را فدی کردن بنار
If you have the proof (that you are a true saint), put it into practice: by means of that (practice) make your wooden sword (sharp) as Dhu ’l-faqár.
گر دلیلت هست اندر فعل آر ** تیغ چوبین را بدان کن ذوالفقار
The proof that hinders you from the practice (of saintly works) is (the cause of your incurring) the vengeance of the (Divine) Maker.
آن دلیلی که ترا مانع شود ** از عمل آن نقمت صانع بود
You have emboldened those who are afraid of (travelling on) the Way, (but) underneath (inwardly) you are more tremulous (infirm) than all (the rest).
خایفان راه را کردی دلیر ** از همه لرزانتری تو زیر زیر
You lecture to them all on trust in God, (while) you are slitting the vein of the gnat in the air.
بر همه درس توکل میکنی ** در هوا تو پشه را رگ میزنی
O pathice, qui exercitum praecessisti, barbae tuae mendaciam penis tuus testatur. [O impotent sodomite, (making a false show of) going ahead of the army, your penis (is) witness to the falsehood of your beard (your false claim of manhood).]2510
ای مخنث پیش رفته از سپاه ** بر دروغ ریش تو کیرت گواه
When the heart is filled with unmanliness, the beard and moustache are a cause of laughter.
چون ز نامردی دل آکنده بود ** ریش و سبلت موجب خنده بود
Make a (vow of) repentance, shed tears like rain, redeem your beard and moustache from laughter.
توبهای کن اشک باران چون مطر ** ریش و سبلت را ز خنده باز خر
Restore your manliness (by engaging) in (devotional) works, that you may become (like) the hot sun in (the sign of) Aries.
داروی مردی بخور اندر عمل ** تا شوی خورشید گرم اندر حمل
Leave the belly and stride towards the heart (spirit), in order that the salutation may come to you from God without (any) veil.
معده را بگذار و سوی دل خرام ** تا که بیپرده ز حق آید سلام
Advance one or two paces, make a good endeavour: Love will lay hold of your ear and then draw (you onward).2515
یک دو گامی رو تکلف ساز خوش ** عشق گیرد گوش تو آنگاه کش
How the cunning of the fox prevailed over the desire of the ass to preserve and restrain himself (from yielding to temptation), and how the fox led the ass to the lion in the jungle.
غالب شدن حیلهی روباه بر استعصام و تعفف خر و کشیدن روبه خر را سوی شیر به بیشه
The fox embarked on the plot: he seized the ass's beard and led him away.
روبه اندر حیله پای خود فشرد ** ریش خر بگرفت و آن خر را ببرد
Where is the musician of that Súfí monastery, that he may quickly play the tambourine (and sing), “The ass is gone, the ass is gone”?
مطرب آن خانقه کو تا که تفت ** دف زند که خر برفت و خر برفت
Since a hare brings a lion to the well, how should not a fox lead an ass to the grass?
چونک خرگوشی برد شیری به چاه ** چون نیارد روبهی خر تا گیاه
Shut thine ear and do not swallow (beguiling) spells: (swallow naught) but the spell of the righteous saint—
گوش را بر بند و افسونها مخور ** جز فسون آن ولی دادگر
That spell of his, (which is) sweeter than halwá, that (spell) of whose feet a hundred halwá’s are (only) the dust.2520
آن فسون خوشتر از حلوای او ** آنک صد حلواست خاک پای او
The imperial jars full of the wine (of mystical knowledge) have drawn their stock from the wine of his lips.
خنبهای خسروانی پر ز می ** مایه برده از می لبهای وی
(Only) that alien soul which has never seen the wine of his ruby lips is a lover of the wine (of conventional knowledge).
عاشق می باشد آن جان بعید ** کو می لبهای لعلش را ندید
Since the blind bird does not see the sweet water, how should not it circle round the brackish water?
آب شیرین چون نبیند مرغ کور ** چون نگردد گرد چشمهی آب شور
The spiritual Moses makes the breast a Sinai: he makes the blind parrots able to see.
موسی جان سینه را سینا کند ** طوطیان کور را بینا کند
The Khusraw (who is the lover) of the spiritual Shírín has beaten the drum (of sovereignty); consequently sugar has become cheap in the city.2525
خسرو شیرین جان نوبت زدست ** لاجرم در شهر قند ارزان شدست
The Josephs of the unseen world are marching: they are bringing bales of candy and sugar.
یوسفان غیب لشکر میکشند ** تنگهای قند و شکر میکشند
The faces of the camels of Egypt are (turned) towards us: hearken, O parrots, to the sound of the (camel-)bell.
اشتران مصر را رو سوی ما ** بشنوید ای طوطیان بانگ درا