If he (the disputant of either party) had been incapable of refuting his adversary, their (respective) doctrines would have fallen out of sight (would have failed to maintain themselves),3215
گر فرو ماندی ز دفع خصم خویش ** مذهب ایشان بر افتادی ز پیش
Since (in that case) they (the disputants) would not have had the means of escape (which consists) in replying (to their opponents), they would therefore have recoiled from the way of perdition (from their erroneous doctrines);
چون برون‌شوشان نبودی در جواب ** پس رمیدندی از آن راه تباب
(But) inasmuch as their continuance in that course was (Divinely) destined, God feeds them with (logical) proofs,
چونک مقضی بد دوام آن روش ** می‌دهدشان از دلایل پرورش
In order that he (the disputant) may not be silenced by his adversary's difficult objection, and that he may be prevented from seeing his adversary's success,
تا نگردد ملزم از اشکال خصم ** تا بود محجوب از اقبال خصم
So that these two-and-seventy sects may always remain in the world till the Day of Resurrection.
تا که این هفتاد و دو ملت مدام ** در جهان ماند الی یوم القیام
Since this is the world of darkness and occultation, the earth is necessary for (the existence of) the shadow.3220
چون جهان ظلمتست و غیب این ** از برای سایه می‌باید زمین
These two-and-seventy (sects) will remain till the Resurrection: the heretic's talk and argument will not fail.
تا قیامت ماند این هفتاد و دو ** کم نیاید مبتدع را گفت و گو
The high value of a treasury is (shown by the circumstance) that there are many locks upon it.
عزت مخزن بود اندر بها ** که برو بسیار باشد قفلها
The greatness of the (traveller's) goal, O well-tried man, is (shown by) the intricate windings of the way and the mountain-passes and the brigands (infesting them).
عزت مقصد بود ای ممتحن ** پیچ پیچ راه و عقبه و راه‌زن
The greatness of the Ka‘ba and its assembly-place is (shown by) the brigandage of the Beduins and the length of the desert (traversed by the pilgrims).
عزت کعبه بود و آن نادیه ** ره‌زنی اعراب و طول بادیه
Every (religious) doctrine, every tenet, that is not praiseworthy is (like) a mountain-pass and a barrier and a brigand.3225
هر روش هر ره که آن محمود نیست ** عقبه‌ای و مانعی و ره‌زنیست
This doctrine has become the adversary and bitter enemy of that, so that the imitator (who adopts the beliefs of others) is in a dilemma;
این روش خصم و حقود آن شده ** تا مقلد در دو ره حیران شده
(For) he sees that both the opponents are firm in their doctrine: every sect is pleased with its own path.
صدق هر دو ضد بیند در روش ** هر فریقی در ره خود خوش منش
If it has no reply (to the arguments brought against it), it will cling obstinately to the same formula till the Day of Resurrection,
گر جوابش نیست می‌بندد ستیز ** بر همان دم تا به روز رستخیز
Saying, “Our great authorities know the reply to this, although the right method (of answering) is hidden from us.”
که مهان ما بدانند این جواب ** گرچه از ما شد نهان وجه صواب
The only muzzle for evil suggestions (of doubt) is Love; else, when has any one (ever) stopped (such) temptation?3230
پوزبند وسوسه عشقست و بس ** ورنه کی وسواس را بستست کس
Become a lover, seek a fair minion, hunt a waterfowl from river to river.
How will you get water (spirituality) from that one who takes your water away? How will you apprehend (the truth) from that one (who) consumes your (spiritual) apprehension?
کی بری زان آب کان آبت برد ** کی کنی زان فهم فهمت را خورد
In Love, (which is) glorious and resplendent, you will find intelligible things other than these intelligible things.
غیر این معقولها معقولها ** یابی اندر عشق با فر و بها
To God belong intelligences other than this intelligence of yours, (intelligences) by which the mediate celestial things are ruled;
غیر این عقل تو حق را عقلهاست ** که بدان تدبیر اسباب سماست
For by this (individual) intelligence you procure the means of subsistence, (while) by that other (universal intelligence) you make the tiers of Heaven a carpet (under your feet).3235
که بدین عقل آوری ارزاق را ** زان دگر مفرش کنی اطباق را
When you gamble away (sacrifice) your intelligence in love of the Lord, He gives you ten like unto it or seven hundred.
چون ببازی عقل در عشق صمد ** عشر امثالت دهد یا هفت‌صد
Those women (of Egypt), when they gambled away (sacrificed) their intelligences, sped onward to the pavilion of Joseph's love.
آن زنان چون عقلها درباختند ** بر رواق عشق یوسف تاختند
(Love which is) the cupbearer of life took away their intelligence in one moment: they drank their fill of wisdom all the rest of their lives.
عقلشان یک‌دم ستد ساقی عمر ** سیر گشتند از خرد باقی مرد
The beauty of the Almighty is the source of a hundred Josephs: O you who are less than a woman, devote yourself to that beauty!
اصل صد یوسف جمال ذوالجلال ** ای کم از زن شو فدای آن جمال
O (dear) soul, Love alone cuts disputation short, for it (alone) comes to the rescue when you cry for help against arguments.3240
عشق برد بحث را ای جان و بس ** کو ز گفت و گو شود فریاد رس
Eloquence is dumbfounded by Love: it dare not engage in altercation;
حیرتی آید ز عشق آن نطق را ** زهره نبود که کند او ماجرا
For he (the lover) fears that, if he answer back, a pearl (his inner experience) may fall out of his mouth.
که بترسد گر جوابی وا دهد ** گوهری از لنج او بیرون فتد
He closes his lips tight against (uttering) good or evil (words) lest the pearl should fall from his mouth (and be lost),
لب ببندد سخت او از خیر و شر ** تا نباید کز دهان افتد گهر
Even as the Companion of the Prophet said, “Whenever the Prophet recited sections (of the Qur’án) to us,
هم‌چنانک گفت آن یار رسول ** چون نبی بر خواندی بر ما فصول
At the moment of munificence that chosen Messenger would demand of us attentiveness and a hundred reverences.”3245
آن رسول مجتبی وقت نثار ** خواستی از ما حضور و صد وقار
’Tis as when a bird is (perched) on your head, and your soul trembles for fear of its flitting,
آنچنان که بر سرت مرغی بود ** کز فواتش جان تو لرزان شود
So you dare not stir from your place, lest your beautiful bird should take to the air;
پس نیاری هیچ جنبیدن ز جا ** تا نگیرد مرغ خوب تو هوا
You dare not breathe, you suppress a cough, lest that humá should fly away;
دم نیاری زد ببندی سرفه را ** تا نباید که بپرد آن هما
And if any one speak sweet or sour (words) to you, you lay a finger on your lip, meaning, “Hush!”
ور کست شیرین بگوید یا ترش ** بر لب انگشتی نهی یعنی خمش
Bewilderment is (like) that bird: it makes you silent: it puts the lid on the kettle and fills you with the boiling (of love).3250
حیرت آن مرغست خاموشت کند ** بر نهد سردیگ و پر جوشت کند
How the King (Mahmúd) purposely asked Ayáz, “(Why) art thou telling all this sorrow and joy to a rustic shoe and a sheepskin jacket, which are inanimate?” (His purpose was) that he might induce Ayáz to speak.
پرسیدن پادشاه قاصدا ایاز را کی چندین غم و شادی با چارق و پوستین کی جمادست می‌گویی تا ایاز را در سخن آورد
(The King said), “O Ayáz, pray, why are these marks of affection, like (those of) a lover to his adored one, (shown by thee) to a rustic shoe?
ای ایاز این مهرها بر چارقی ** چیست آخر هم‌چو بر بت عاشقی
Thou hast made a rustic shoe (the object of) thy devotion and religion, as Majnún (made) of his Laylá’s face (an object of the same kind).
هم‌چو مجنون از رخ لیلی خویش ** کرده‌ای تو چارقی را دین و کیش
Thou hast mingled thy soul’s love with two old articles (of dress) and hung them both in a chamber.
با دو کهنه مهر جان آمیخته ** هر دو را در حجره‌ای آویخته
How long wilt thou speak new words to (those) two old things and breathe the ancient secret into a substance devoid of life?
چند گویی با دو کهنه نو سخن ** در جمادی می‌دمی سر کهن
Like (the poets among) the Arabs, O Ayáz, thou art drawing out long and lovingly thy converse with the (deserted) abodes and the traces of former habitation.3255
چون عرب با ربع و اطلال ای ایاز ** می‌کشی از عشق گفت خود دراز
Of what Ásaf are thy shoon the abode? One would say that thy sheepskin jacket is the shirt of Joseph.”
چارقت ربع کدامین آصفست ** پوستین گویی که کرته‌ی یوسفست
(This is) like (the case of) the Christian who recounts to his priest a year’s sins––fornication and malice and hypocrisy––
هم‌چو ترسا که شمارد با کشش ** جرم یکساله زنا و غل و غش
In order that the priest may pardon his sins, for he regards his (the priest’s) forgiveness as forgiveness from God.
تا بیامرزد کشش زو آن گناه ** عفو او را عفو داند از اله
The priest has no (real) knowledge of sin and pardon; but love and firm belief are mightily bewitching.
نیست آگه آن کشش از جرم و داد ** لیک بس جادوست عشق و اعتقاد
Love and imagination weave (create) a hundred (forms beautiful as) Joseph: in sooth they are greater sorcerers than Hárút and Márút.3260
دوستی و وهم صد یوسف تند ** اسحر از هاروت و ماروتست خود
They cause a form (of phantasy) to appear in memory of him (your Beloved): the attraction of the form leads you into (conversation with it).
صورتی پیدا کند بر یاد او ** جذب صورت آردت در گفت و گو
You tell a hundred thousand secrets in the form’s presence, just as a friend speaks (intimately) in the presence of a friend.
رازگویی پیش صورت صد هزار ** آن چنان که یار گوید پیش یار
No (material) form or shape is there; (yet) from it proceed a hundred (utterances of the words) “Am not I (thy Beloved)?” and (from you) a hundred “Yeas.”
نه بدانجا صورتی نه هیکلی ** زاده از وی صد الست و صد بلی
(‘Tis) as when a mother, distraught (with grief) beside the grave of a child newly dead,
آن چنان که مادری دل‌برده‌ای ** پیش گور بچه‌ی نومرده‌ای