Were hunger absent, in consequence of indigestion a hundred other afflictions would raise their heads in you.
گر نباشد جوع صد رنج دگر ** از پی هیضه بر آرد از تو سر
Truly the affliction of hunger is better than those maladies in respect both of its subtilty and its lightness and (its effect on devotional) work.2830
رنج جوع اولی بود خود زان علل ** هم به لطف و هم به خفت هم عمل
The affliction of hunger is purer than (all other) afflictions, especially (as) in hunger there are a hundred advantages and excellences.
رنج جوع از رنجها پاکیزه‌تر ** خاصه در جوعست صد نفع و هنر
Explaining the excellency of abstinence and hunger.
در بیان فضیلت احتما و جوع
Indeed hunger is the king of medicines: hark, lay hunger to thy heart, do not regard it with such contempt.
جوع خود سلطان داروهاست هین ** جوع در جان نه چنین خوارش مبین
Everything unsweet is made sweet by hunger: without hunger all sweet things are unacceptable.
جمله ناخوش از مجاعت خوش شدست ** جمله خوشها بی‌مجاعتها ردست
Parable.
مثل
A certain person was eating bread made of bran: some one asked him, “How are you so fond of this?”
آن یکی می‌خورد نان فخفره ** گفت سایل چون بدین استت شره
He replied, “When hunger is doubled by self-denial, barley bread is (as sweet as) halwá in my opinion;2835
گفت جوع از صبر چون دوتا شود ** نان جو در پیش من حلوا شود
Therefore when I deny myself once, I can eat halwá entirely, (so) of course I am very self-denying (abstinent).”
پس توانم که همه حلوا خورم ** چون کنم صبری صبورم لاجرم
Hunger, in truth, is not conquered by every one, for this (world) is a place where fodder is abundant beyond measure.
خود نباشد جوع هر کس را زبون ** کین علف‌زاریست ز اندازه برون
Hunger is bestowed as a gift on God's elect (alone), that through hunger they may become puissant lions.
جوع مر خاصان حق را داده‌اند ** تا شوند از جوع شیر زورمند
How should hunger be bestowed on every beggarly churl? Since the fodder is not scarce they set it before him,
جوع هر جلف گدا را کی دهند ** چون علف کم نیست پیش او نهند
Saying, “Eat! This is all thou art worth: thou art not a waterfowl, thou art a bread-fowl.”2840
که بخور که هم بدین ارزانیی ** تو نه‌ای مرغاب مرغ نانیی
Story of the disciple of whose greediness and secret thoughts his Shaykh became aware. He admonished him with his tongue and in the course of his admonition bestowed on him, by Divine command, the food of trust in God.
حکایت مریدی کی شیخ از حرص و ضمیر او واقف شد او را نصیحت کرد به زبان و در ضمن نصیحت قوت توکل بخشیدش به امر حق
The Shaykh, accompanied by a disciple, was going without delay towards a certain town where bread was scarce,
شیخ می‌شد با مریدی بی‌درنگ ** سوی شهری نان بدانجا بود تنگ
And the dread of hunger and famine was continually presenting itself to the disciple's mind on account of his heedlessness.
ترس جوع و قحط در فکر مرید ** هر دمی می‌گشت از غفلت پدید
The Shaykh was aware (of this) and acquainted with his secret thoughts: he said to him, “How long wilt thou remain in torment?
شیخ آگه بود و واقف از ضمیر ** گفت او را چند باشی در زحیر
Thou art consumed (with grief) because of thy craving for bread: thou hast closed the eye of self-denial and trust in God.
از برای غصه‌ی نان سوختی ** دیده‌ی صبر و توکل دوختی
Thou art not (one) of the honoured favourites (of God) that thou shouldst be kept without (deprived of) walnuts and raisins.2845
تو نه‌ای زان نازنینان عزیز ** که ترا دارند بی‌جوز و مویز
Hunger is the daily bread of the souls of God's elect: how is it amenable to (in the power of) a beggarly fool like thee?
جوع رزق جان خاصان خداست ** کی زبون هم‌چو تو گیج گداست
Be at ease: thou art not (one) of those, so that thou shouldst tarry without bread in this kitchen.”
باش فارغ تو از آنها نیستی ** که درین مطبخ تو بی‌نان بیستی
There are always bowls on bowls and loaves on loaves for these vulgar belly-gods.
کاسه بر کاسه‌ست و نان بر نان مدام ** از برای این شکم‌خواران عام
When he (such a person) dies, the bread comes forward, saying, “O thou who didst (almost) kill thyself from fear of having no food,
چون بمیرد می‌رود نان پیش پیش ** کای ز بیم بی‌نوایی کشته خویش
Thou art gone (from the world), (but) the bread is still there: arise and take it (if thou canst), O thou who didst (almost) kill thyself in agony!”2850
تو برفتی ماند نان برخیز گیر ** ای بکشته خویش را اندر زحیر
Hark, put trust in God, do not let thy feet and hands tremble (with fear): thy daily bread is more in love with thee than thou (with it).
هین توکل کن ملرزان پا و دست ** رزق تو بر تو ز تو عاشق‌ترست
It is in love (with thee) and is lingering (only) because it knows of thy lack of self-denial, O trifler.
عاشقست و می‌زند او مول‌مول ** که ز بی‌صبریت داند ای فضول
If thou hadst any self-denial, the daily bread would come and throw itself upon thee as lovers do.
گر ترا صبری بدی رزق آمدی ** خویشتن چون عاشقان بر تو زدی
What is this feverish trembling for fear of hunger? In (possession of) trust in God one can live full-fed.
این تب لرزه ز خوف جوع چیست ** در توکل سیر می‌تانند زیست
Story of the cow that is alone in a great island. God most High fills the great island with plants and sweet herbs which are cows' fodder, and the cow feeds on all that (vegetation) till nightfall and grows fat (and big) as a mountain-crag. When night comes, she cannot sleep for anxiety and fear, (for she thinks), “I have fed on the whole field: what shall I eat to-morrow?” So in consequence of this anxiety she becomes thin like a toothpick. At daybreak she sees the whole field is greener and richer than it was yesterday, and again she eats and grows fat. Then again at nightfall the same anxiety seizes her. For years she has been experiencing the like of this, and (yet) she puts no confidence (in the Provider).
حکایت آن گاو کی تنها در جزیره ایست بزرگ حق تعالی آن جزیره‌ی بزرگ را پر کند از نبات و ریاحین کی علف گاو باشد تا به شب آن گاو همه را بخورد و فربه شود چون کوه پاره‌ای چون شب شود خوابش نبرد از غصه و خوف کی همه صحرا را چریدم فردا چه خورم تا ازین غصه لاغر شود هم‌چون خلال روز برخیزد همه صحرا را سبزتر و انبوه‌تر بیند از دی باز بخورد و فربه شود باز شبش همان غم بگیرد سالهاست کی او هم‌چنین می‌بیند و اعتماد نمی‌کند
There is in the world a green island where a sweet-mouthed cow lives alone.2855
یک جزیره‌ی سبز هست اندر جهان ** اندرو گاویست تنها خوش‌دهان
She feeds on the whole field till nightfall, so that she grows stout and big and choice.
جمله صحرا را چرد او تا به شب ** تا شود زفت و عظیم و منتجب
During the night she becomes thin as a hair from anxiety, because she thinks, “What shall I eat to-morrow?”
شب ز اندیشه که فردا چه خورم ** گردد او چون تار مو لاغر ز غم
At rise of dawn the field becomes green: the green blades and grain have grown up to (a man's) middle.
چون برآید صبح گردد سبز دشت ** تا میان رسته قصیل سبز و کشت
The cow falls to ravenously: till night she feeds on that (vegetation and devours it) entirely.
اندر افتد گاو با جوع البقر ** تا به شب آن را چرد او سر به سر
Again she becomes stout and fat and bulky: her body is filled with fat and strength.2860
باز زفت و فربه و لمتر شود ** آن تنش از پیه و قوت پر شود
Then again at night she (is stricken) by panic (and) falls into a fever (of anxiety), so that from fear of seeking (vainly) for fodder she becomes lean,
باز شب اندر تب افتد از فزع ** تا شود لاغر ز خوف منتجع