(But) the words of tale-bearers do not take their abode in the presence of the King who is hearing and seeing.
پیش شاهی که سمیعست و بصیر ** گفت غمازان نباشد جای‌گیر
All the tale-bearers are reduced to despair by Him: they come to us and increase (our) bondage.
جمله غمازان ازو آیس شوند ** سوی ما آیند و افزایند پند
They speak much abuse of the King before us, saying, ‘Go! The Pen has dried (after writing your destiny). (Therefore) do not keep faith (with Him).’3150
بس جفا گویند شه را پیش ما ** که برو جف القلم کم کن وفا
How should the meaning of ‘the Pen has dried’ be (this), that acts of perfidy and acts of faithfulness are alike?
معنی جف القلم کی آن بود ** که جفاها با وفا یکسان بود
Nay, perfidy (in return) for acts of perfidy: the Pen has dried (on that); and faithfulness (in return) for those acts of faithfulness: the Pen has dried (on that).
بل جفا را هم جفا جف القلم ** وآن وفا را هم وفا جف القلم
(True), there may be pardon (for the sinner), but where (for him) is the glorious hope that through piety the servant of God may be (spiritually) illumined?
عفو باشد لیک کو فر امید ** که بود بنده ز تقوی روسپید
If a robber be pardoned, he saves his life, (but) how should he become a vizier and keeper of the treasury?
دزد را گر عفو باشد جان برد ** کی وزیر و خازن مخزن شود
Come, O godly Amínu’ddín, for every tiara and ensign has grown from trustworthiness (amánat).3155
ای امین الدین ربانی بیا ** کز امانت رست هر تاج و لوا
If the Sultan's son become a traitor to him, on that account his head will be severed from his body;
پور سلطان گر برو خاین شود ** آن سرش از تن بدان باین شود
And if a Hindú slave show faithfulness, sovereignty will applaud him (and cry), ‘Long may he live!’
وز غلامی هندوی آرد وفا ** دولت او را می‌زند طال بقا
What of a slave? If a dog is faithful (in keeping watch) at a door, there are a hundred feelings of satisfaction with him in the heart of the master (of the house).
چه غلام ار بر دری سگ باوفاست ** در دل سالار او را صد رضاست
Since, because of this (faithfulness), he kisses the mouth of a dog, if he (the faithful one) be a lion, how triumphant he will make him!
زین چو سگ را بوسه بر پوزش دهد ** گر بود شیری چه پیروزش کند
(Robbers get nothing but pardon), except, to be sure, the robber who performs acts of service (to God) and whose sincerity uproots his (former) perfidy,3160
جز مگر دزدی که خدمتها کند ** صدق او بیخ جفا را بر کند
Like Fudayl, the brigand who played straight, because he ran with the strength of ten men towards repentance;
چون فضیل ره‌زنی کو راست باخت ** زانک ده مرده به سوی توبه تاخت
And as the magicians (who) blackened the face of Pharaoh by their fortitude and faithfulness.
وآنچنان که ساحران فرعون را ** رو سیه کردند از صبر و وفا
They gave their hands and feet (to be cut off as a penalty) for the crime that entailed retaliation: how should that (degree of faithfulness) be attained by means of a hundred years' devotional service?
دست و پا دادند در جرم قود ** آن به صد ساله عبادت کی شود
You who have served (Him) for fifty years, when have you brought into your possession such a sincerity as this?
تو که پنجه سال خدمت کرده‌ای ** کی چنین صدقی به دست آورده‌ای
Story of the dervish who saw at Herát the well-equipped slaves of the ‘Amíd of Khurásán, mounted on Arab horses and wearing gold-embroidered coats, caps richly ornamented (with silver or gems), etc. He asked, ‘What princes and what kings are these?’ On being told that they were not princes, but the slaves of the ‘Amíd of Khurásán, he turned his face to Heaven, crying, ‘O God, learn from the ‘Amíd how to take care of slaves!’ There (in Khurásán) the State-accountant (Mustawfí) is called ‘Amíd.
حکایت آن درویش کی در هری غلامان آراسته‌ی عمید خراسان را دید و بر اسبان تازی و قباهای زربفت و کلاهای مغرق و غیر آن پرسید کی اینها کدام امیرانند و چه شاهانند گفت او را کی اینها امیران نیستند اینها غلامان عمید خراسانند روی به آسمان کرد کی ای خدا غلام پروردن از عمید بیاموز آنجا مستوفی را عمید گویند
A certain unmannerly (dervish) at Herát, when he saw a nobleman's slave3165
آن یکی گستاخ رو اندر هری ** چون بدیدی او غلام مهتری
Going about in satin raiment with a belt of gold, would turn his face to Heaven,
جامه‌ی اطلس کمر زرین روان ** روی کردی سوی قبله‌ی آسمان
And cry, ‘O God, why dost not Thou learn from this bountiful Khwája how to keep (Thy) slave?
کای خدا زین خواجه‌ی صاحب منن ** چون نیاموزی تو بنده داشتن
O God, let this ra’ís (high dignitary) and chosen (minister) of our king teach Thee how to care for Thy slave.’
بنده پروردن بیاموز ای خدا ** زین رئیس و اختیار شاه ما
He (the dervish) was needy and naked and without food: (’twas) in winter (and) he was trembling exceedingly from the (cold) air.
بود محتاج و برهنه و بی‌نوا ** در زمستان لرز لرزان از هوا
That man (who was) beside himself (with cold and hunger) committed an impertinence: from grossness (of disposition) he displayed an (impious) audacity.3170
انبساطی کرد آن از خود بری ** جراتی بنمود او از لمتری
He relied on the thousands (infinite number) of (God's) gifts, saying (to himself) that the gnostic has become God's boon-companion.
اعتمادش بر هزاران موهبت ** که ندیم حق شد اهل معرفت
If the king's boon-companion take a liberty, (yet) do not thou behave so, who hast not the same support.
گر ندیم شاه گستاخی کند ** تو مکن آنک نداری آن سند
God gave the waist, and the waist is better than the belt: if any one give (thee) a tiara, (yet) He gave the head (that bears it).
حق میان داد و میان به از کمر ** گر کسی تاجی دهد او داد سر
(The dervish continued his reproaches) till a certain day when the king accused the Khwája (of dishonesty) and bound him hand and foot,
تا یکی روزی که شاه آن خواجه را ** متهم کرد و ببستش دست و پا
(While) he put those slaves to the rack, saying, ‘Show (to me) at once the Khwája's buried treasure;3175
آن غلامان را شکنجه می‌نمود ** که دفینه‌ی خواجه بنمایید زود
Tell me his secret; O ye rascals, or I will cut your throats and (cut out) your tongues.’
سر او با من بگویید ای خسان ** ورنه برم از شما حلق و لسان
He tortured them during a (whole) month: (’twas) the rack, torment, and anguish by day and by night.
مدت یک ماهشان تعذیب کرد ** روز و شب اشکنجه و افشار و درد
He rent them to pieces, but from their anxiety (for their master) not one slave betrayed the Khwája's secret.
پاره پاره کردشان و یک غلام ** راز خواجه وا نگفت از اهتمام
A voice from Heaven said to him (the dervish) in his dream, ‘O sir, do thou also learn how to be a slave, and (then) come (to Me).’
گفتش اندر خواب هاتف کای کیا ** بنده بودن هم بیاموز و بیا
O you who have torn the coats of the (spiritual) Josephs, know that it is your own fault if the wolf tear you.3180
ای دریده پوستین یوسفان ** گر بدرد گرگت آن از خویش دان
Wear, all the year round, (a garment) of that (cloth) which you are weaving; eat and drink, all the year round, of that (crop) which you are sowing.
زانک می‌بافی همه‌ساله بپوش ** زانک می‌کاری همه ساله بنوش
These continual pangs (which you are suffering) are (the effect of) your own action: this is the meaning of ‘the Pen has dried,’
فعل تست این غصه‌های دم به دم ** این بود معنی قد جف القلم
(Namely, that God says), ‘My Law (Sunna) does not turn aside from rectitude: good shall befall the good, evil the evil.’
که نگردد سنت ما از رشد ** نیک را نیکی بود بد راست بد
Beware, do (good) works, for Solomon is alive: so long as you are a devil, his sword is cutting;
کار کن هین که سلیمان زنده است ** تا تو دیوی تیغ او برنده است
When he (the devil) becomes an angel, he is safe from the sword and has no dread of Solomon.3185
چون فرشته گشته از تیغ آمنیست ** از سلیمان هیچ او را خوف نیست
His (Solomon's) sway is over the devil, not (over) the angel: pain is on the earth, not above the sky.
حکم او بر دیو باشد نه ملک ** رنج در خاکست نه فوق فلک
Abandon this Necessitarianism, which is very empty (of good), in order that you may know what is the inmost secret of Necessity.
ترک کن این جبر را که بس تهیست ** تا بدانی سر سر جبر چیست
Abandon this Necessitarianism of the idle party, in order that you may gain knowledge of the Necessity that is (dear) as the soul.
ترک کن این جبر جمع منبلان ** تا خبر یابی از آن جبر چو جان
Abandon the state of being loved (by men) and adopt the practice of loving (God), O you who think that you are excellent and pre-eminent.
ترک معشوقی کن و کن عاشقی ** ای گمان برده که خوب و فایقی
O you who really are more silent than Night, how long will you seek a purchaser for your words?3190
ای که در معنی ز شب خامش‌تری ** گفت خود را چند جویی مشتری
They (your hearers) nod their heads in your presence for (the purpose of assenting to) you: your time is wasted in the passionate desire of (attracting) them.
سر بجنبانند پیشت بهر تو ** رفت در سودای ایشان دهر تو
You say to me, ‘Don't indulge in envy,’ (but) how should any one feel envy in consequence of losing naught?
تو مرا گویی حسد اندر مپیچ ** چه حسد آرد کسی از فوت هیچ
O impudent man, instruction given to the worthless is like drawing a little design on a clod of earth.
هست تعلیم خسان ای چشم‌شوخ ** هم‌چو نقش خرد کردن بر کلوخ
Instruct thyself in love (of God) and (spiritual) insight; for that is like a design (engraved) on a solid mass of stone.
خویش را تعلیم کن عشق و نظر ** که آن بود چون نقش فی جرم الحجر
Your own self is the (only) pupil that is (really) faithful to you: (all) the others perish: where will you seek them, where?3195
نفس تو با تست شاگرد وفا ** غیر فانی شد کجا جویی کجا
In order that you may make others erudite and eminent, you are making yourself evil-natured and empty (of true knowledge).
تا کنی مر غیر را حبر و سنی ** خویش را بدخو و خالی می‌کنی
(But) when your heart is united with that Eden (of Reality), hark, speak on, and be not afraid of becoming empty.
متصل چون شد دلت با آن عدن ** هین بگو مهراس از خالی شدن