These (others) are not men, they are (mere) forms: they are dead with (desire for) bread and killed by appetite.
این نه مردانند اینها صورتند ** مرده‌ی نانند و کشته‌ی شهوتند
Story of the Christian ascetic who went about with a lamp in the daytime in the midst of the bazaar because of the ecstasy which he had (in his heart).
حکایت آن راهب که روز با چراغ می‌گشت در میان بازار از سر حالتی کی او را بود
That person was going about in a bazaar in the daytime with a candle, his heart full of love and (spiritual) ardour.
آن یکی با شمع برمی‌گشت روز ** گرد بازاری دلش پر عشق و سوز
A busybody said to him, “Hey, O such-and-such, what are you seeking beside every shop?
بوالفضولی گفت او را کای فلان ** هین چه می‌جویی به سوی هر دکان
Hey, why are you going about in search (of something) with a lamp in bright daylight? What is the joke?”
هین چه می‌گردی تو جویان با چراغ ** در میان روز روشن چیست لاغ
He replied, “I am searching everywhere for a man that is alive with the life inspired by that (Divine) Breath.2890
گفت می‌جویم به هر سو آدمی ** که بود حی از حیات آن دمی
Is there a man in existence?” “This bazaar,” said the other, “is full: surely they are men, O noble sage.”
هست مردی گفت این بازار پر ** مردمانند آخر ای دانای حر
He answered, “I want (one who is) a man on the two-wayed road—in the way of anger and at the time of desire.
گفت خواهم مرد بر جاده‌ی دو ره ** در ره خشم و به هنگام شره
Where is (one who is) a man at the moment of anger and at the moment of appetite? In search of (such) a man I am running from street to street.
وقت خشم و وقت شهوت مرد کو ** طالب مردی دوانم کو به کو
Where in the world is (one who is) a man on these two occasions, that I may devote my life to him to-day?”
کو درین دو حال مردی در جهان ** تا فدای او کنم امروز جان
“You are seeking a rare thing,” said he; “but you take no heed of the (Divine) ordinance and destiny. Consider well!2895
گفت نادر چیز می‌جویی ولیک ** غافل از حکم و قضایی بین تو نیک
You regard (only) the branch, you are unaware of the root: we are the branch, the ordinances of the (Divine) decree are the root.”
ناظر فرعی ز اصلی بی‌خبر ** فرع ماییم اصل احکام قدر
The (Divine) destiny causes the rolling sphere (of heaven) to lose its way; the (Divine) destiny makes a hundred Mercuries to be ignorant;
چرخ گردان را قضا گمره کند ** صدعطارد را قضا ابله کند
It makes the world of (our) contrivance to be straitened; it makes iron and hard rock to be (unresisting as) water.
تنگ گرداند جهان چاره را ** آب گرداند حدید و خاره را
O thou who hast resolved upon the way (thou wilt go), step by step, thou art the rawest of the raw, the rawest of the raw, the rawest of the raw.
ای قراری داده ره را گام گام ** خام خامی خام خامی خام خام
Since thou hast seen the revolution of the millstone, come now, see also the water of the river.2900
چون بدیدی گردش سنگ آسیا ** آب جو را هم ببین آخر بیا
Thou hast seen the dust rise into the air: amidst the dust see the wind.
خاک را دیدی برآمد در هوا ** در میان خاک بنگر باد را
Thou seest the kettles of thought boiling: look with intelligence on the fire too.
دیگهای فکر می‌بینی به جوش ** اندر آتش هم نظر می‌کن به هوش
God said to Job, “I have graciously bestowed a (gift of) patience upon every hair of thee.
گفت حق ایوب را در مکرمت ** من بهر موییت صبری دادمت
Hark, do not pay so much regard to thy patience: thou hast seen (thy) patience, (now) look at (My) giving (thee) patience.”
هین به صبر خود مکن چندین نظر ** صبر دیدی صبر دادن را نگر
How long wilt thou behold the revolution of the water-wheel? Put forth thy head and behold the rapid water (that turns it).2905
چند بینی گردش دولاب را ** سر برون کن هم ببین تیز آب را
Thou wilt say, “I am beholding it”; but there are many good signs of (really) beholding it.
تو همی‌گویی که می‌بینم ولیک ** دید آن را بس علامتهاست نیک
When thou hast taken a summary view of the circling movement of the foam, look upon the Sea if thou wantest (to feel) bewilderment.
گردش کف را چو دیدی مختصر ** حیرتت باید به دریا در نگر
He that regards the foam tells of the mystery, while he that regards the Sea is bewildered.
آنک کف را دید سر گویان بود ** وانک دریا دید او حیران بود
He that regards the foam forms intentions, while he that regards the Sea makes his heart (one with) the Sea.
آنک کف را دید نیتها کند ** وانک دریا دید دل دریا کند
He that regards the foam-flakes is (engaged) in reckoning (and calculation), while he that regards the Sea is without (conscious) volition.2910
آنک کفها دید باشد در شمار ** و آنک دریا دید شد بی‌اختیار
He that regards the foam is in (continual) movement, while he that regards the Sea is devoid of hypocrisy.
آنک او کف دید در گردش بود ** وانک دریا دید او بی‌غش بود
How a Moslem called a Magian (to accept Islam).
دعوت کردن مسلمان مغ را
A certain man said to a Magian, “O such-and-such, hark, become a Moslem, be one of the true believers!”
مر مغی را گفت مردی کای فلان ** هین مسلمان شو بباش از مومنان
He replied, “If God will, I shall become a true believer; and if He increase His grace, I shall become possessed of intuitive faith.”
گفت اگر خواهد خدا مومن شوم ** ور فزاید فضل هم موقن شوم
He (the Moslem) said, “God wills thy true belief, in order that thy spirit may be delivered from the hand (power) of Hell;
گفت می‌خواهد خدا ایمان تو ** تا رهد از دست دوزخ جان تو
But thy ill-omened carnal soul and the wicked Devil are dragging thee towards infidelity and the fire-temple.”2915
لیک نفس نحس و آن شیطان زشت ** می‌کشندت سوی کفران و کنشت
He replied, “O reasonable man, since they are predominant I shall (necessarily) be on the side of the stronger.
گفت ای منصف چو ایشان غالب‌اند ** یار او باشم که باشد زورمند
I can side (only) with him who is predominant: I (must) fall in the direction to which the predominant one is pulling (me).
یار آن تانم بدن کو غالبست ** آن طرف افتم که غالب جاذبست
Since (according to thy assertion) God was desiring of me a firm belief (in Islam), what is the use of His desire when He does not succeed (in attaining His object)?
چون خدا می‌خواست از من صدق زفت ** خواست او چه سود چون پیشش نرفت
The carnal soul and the Devil have carried their will to success, while that act of (Divine) favour has been defeated and pulverised.
نفس و شیطان خواست خود را پیش برد ** وآن عنایت قهر گشت و خرد و مرد
(’Tis as if) thou hadst built a palace and pavilion and erected therein a hundred beautiful (ornamental) designs,2920
تو یکی قصر و سرایی ساختی ** اندرو صد نقش خوش افراختی
And desired that that goodly place should be a mosque— and (then) some one else had come and made it a Christian monastery;
خواستی مسجد بود آن جای خیر ** دیگری آمد مر آن را ساخت دیر
Or (as if) thou hadst woven a piece of linen cloth, in order deftly to make it a coat for some one to wear,
یا تو بافیدی یکی کرباس تا ** خوش بسازی بهر پوشیدن قبا
And (when) thou wert desiring (it to be) a coat, a rival, from (motives of) hostility, made the linen stuff into a pair of trousers in spite of thee.
تو قبا می‌خواستی خصم از نبرد ** رغم تو کرباس را شلوار کرد
What resource has the linen, my dear friend, but to submit to the purpose of the one who is predominant?
چاره کرباس چه بود جان من ** جز زبون رای آن غالب شدن
(Since) he (the owner of the cloth) is reduced to submission, what is the crime of this linen? Who is he that is not dominated by the predominant?2925
او زبون شد جرم این کرباس چیست ** آنک او مغلوب غالب نیست کیست
When some one has forced his way in against his (the householder's) will and planted a thornbush in his property and house,
چون کسی بی‌خواست او بر وی براند ** خاربن در ملک و خانه‌ی او نشاند
The master of the house is humiliated because such a shabbiness (abasement) is inflicted on him.
صاحب خانه بدین خواری بود ** که چنین بر وی خلاقت می‌رود
I too, though I am fresh and new, would become shabby (abased) through being associated with such a contemptible person.
هم خلق گردم من ار تازه و نوم ** چونک یار این چنین خواری شوم
Since the will of the carnal soul is besought for help, ’tis mockery (to say) that whatever God wills shall come to pass.
چونک خواه نفس آمد مستعان ** تسخر آمد ایش شاء الله کان
(Even) if I am a disgrace to the Magians or am an infidel, I am not such (a miscreant) as to think this of God,2930
من اگر ننگ مغان یا کافرم ** آن نیم که بر خدا این ظن برم
That any one should seek to exercise authority in His kingdom against His will and in spite of Him,
که کسی ناخواه او و رغم او ** گردد اندر ملکت او حکم جو
And thus should occupy His kingdom, so that the Creator of the breath dare not breathe a word (in opposition),
ملکت او را فرو گیرد چنین ** که نیارد دم زدن دم آفرین
(And that though) He wishes to repel him and must needs (do so), (yet) the Devil at every moment is increasing His anxiety.
دفع او می‌خواهد و می‌بایدش ** دیو هر دم غصه می‌افزایدش
(On this hypothesis) I must worship the Devil, inasmuch as he is predominant in every assembly,
بنده‌ی این دیو می‌باید شدن ** چونک غالب اوست در هر انجمن
Lest the Devil take vengeance on me—and then in that case how can the Gracious (God) lend me a (helping) hand?2935
تا مبادا کین کشد شیطان ز من ** پس چه دستم گیرد آنجا ذوالمنن