Thy servant cannot refrain from depicting Thy beauty: every moment he says to Thee, “May my soul be Thy carpet!”
بنده نشکیبد ز تصویر خوشت ** هر دمت گوید که جانم مفرشت
(He is) like the shepherd who used to say, “O God, come to Thy shepherd and lover,3320
هم‌چو آن چوپان که می‌گفت ای خدا ** پیش چوپان و محب خود بیا
That I may seek out the lice in Thy smock and stitch Thy shoon and kiss Thy skirt.”
تا شپش جویم من از پیراهنت ** چارقت دوزم ببوسم دامنت
There was none equal to him in passion and love, but he fell short in glorification and (respectful) speech.
کس نبودش در هوا و عشق جفت ** لیک قاصر بود از تسبیح و گفت
His love pitched its tent on the sky: the (beloved) Soul became the dog (guardian) of that shepherd's tent.
عشق او خرگاه بر گردون زده ** جان سگ خرگاه آن چوپان شده
When the sea of Divine Love surged up, it struck upon his heart; it struck (only) upon your ear.
چونک بحر عشق یزدان جوش زد ** بر دل او زد ترا بر گوش زد
Story of Júhí, who put on a chádar, went to hear the sermon, seated himself amongst the women, and behaved in such a way that a certain woman knew he was a man and screamed.
حکایت جوحی کی چادر پوشید و در وعظ میان زنان نشست و حرکتی کرد زنی او را بشناخت کی مردست نعره‌ای زد
There was a preacher, very fine in his exposition, under whose pulpit a great number of men and women were assembled.3325
واعظی بد بس گزیده در بیان ** زیر منبر جمع مردان و زنان
Júhí went (to hear him): he got a chádar and veil and entered amongst the women without (his sex) being recognised.
رفت جوحی چادر و روبند ساخت ** در میان آن زنان شد ناشناخت
Someone asked the preacher secretly num pili in pube precibus sollennibus detrimentum faciant. [Some one asked the preacher secretly, “Are pubic hairs a deficiency in (doing) the ritual prayer?”]
سایلی پرسید واعظ را به راز ** موی عانه هست نقصان نماز
The preacher replied, “Quo tempore pili in pube longi fiunt, tum noxa est ob illos in precibus sollennibus. [The preacher replied, “When the pubic hair becomes long, then there is (legal) dislike of it in the ritual prayer.]
گفت واعظ چون شود عانه دراز ** پس کراهت باشد از وی در نماز
Vel psilothro vel novacula illos tonde, in order that your ritual prayer may be perfect and excellent and seemly.” [Scrape (it off) with a depilatory (of lime) or a razor, in order that your ritual prayer may be perfect and excellent and seemly.”]
یا به آهک یا ستره بسترش ** تا نمازت کامل آید خوب و خوش
The questioner said, “Ad quem modum pervenire oportet eorum longitudinem ut preces meae detrimentum capiant?” [The questioner said, “To what limit is the length stipulated, so that my ritual prayer is deficient?”]3330
گفت سایل آن درازی تا چه حد ** شرط باشد تا نمازم کم بود
He replied, “Cum longitudine tanti evaserint quantum hordei unum granum, relligio est ut tondeas, O multa rogitans.” [He replied, “When it becomes the size of a barley seed in length, then shaving is a (religious) requirement, O (excessive) questioner.”]
گفت چون قدر جوی گردد به طول ** پس ستردن فرض باشد ای سول
At once Júhí said (to the woman beside him), “O soror, inspice piline in pube mea hujusmodi facti sint. [At once Júhí said (to the woman beside him), “O sister, find out (if) my pubic hair has become (a length) such as this.]
گفت جوحی زود ای خوهر ببین ** عانه‌ی من گشته باشد این چنین
Deo ut placeas, manum affer, (tenta) num illi usque ad modum noxae pervenerint.” [In order to satisfy (the requirement of) God, bring forth (your) hand (to determine) whether it has reached to the disliked amount.”]
بهر خشنودی حق پیش آر دست ** که آن به مقدار کراهت آمدست
Mulier manum in bracas viri demisit: penis ejus impegit manum mulieris. [The woman put (her) hand into the man’s trousers: his penis contacted the woman’s hand.]
دست زن در کرد در شلوار مرد ** کیر او بر دست زن آسیب کرد
Thereupon the woman gave a loud scream: the preacher said, “My discourse has smitten her heart.”3335
نعره‌ای زد سخت اندر حال زن ** گفت واعظ بر دلش زد گفت من
He (Júhí) answered, “Minime: cor ejus non percussit, manum percussit. O si cor percussisset, vir sapientissime!” [He (Júhí) answered, “No, it did not smite (her) heart; it smote (her) hand. Oh, (what) if it had smitten (her) heart, O very wise (man)!”]
گفت نه بر دل نزد بر دست زد ** وای اگر بر دل زدی ای پر خرد
(When) it (Divine Love) struck a little upon the hearts of the magicians (of Pharaoh), staff and hand became one to them.
بر دل آن ساحران زد اندکی ** شد عصا و دست ایشان را یکی
O king, if you take away the staff from an old man, he will be more grieved than that party (the magicians) were (grieved) by (the amputation of) their hands and feet.
گر عصا بستانی از پیری شها ** بیش رنجد که آن گروه از دست و پا
The cry, “No harm,” reached Heaven: (they said to Pharaoh), “Hark, cut (them) off, for our souls are delivered from the agony.
نعره‌ی لاضیر بر گردون رسید ** هین ببر که جان ز جان کندن رهید
We have come to know (that) we are not this body: beyond the body we are living through God.”3340
ما بدانستیم ما این تن نه‌ایم ** از ورای تن به یزدان می‌زییم
Oh, blest is he that has recognised his (real) essence and built (for himself) a palace in everlasting security.
ای خنک آن را که ذات خود شناخت ** اندر امن سرمدی قصری بساخت
A child weeps for walnuts and raisins; those are very trifling things in the view of a reasonable man.
کودکی گرید پی جوز و مویز ** پیش عاقل باشد آن بس سهل چیز
(So) in the spirit's view the body is (like) walnuts and raisins, (but) how should (one who is) a child (in spiritual matters) attain to the knowledge possessed by (spiritual) men?
پیش دل جوز و مویز آمد جسد ** طفل کی در دانش مردان رسد
Whoever is veiled (from God) is really a child: the man is he who is beyond (all) uncertainty.
هر که محجوبست او خود کودکست ** مرد آن باشد که بیرون از شکست
Siquis barba et testiculis vir esset, every he-goat has a beard and plenty of hair.” [If someone were (defined as) a man by a beard and testicles, every he-goat has a beard and plenty of hair.”]3345
گر بریش و خایه مردستی کسی ** هر بزی را ریش و مو باشد بسی
That goat is a bad leader: he is taking his followers quickly along to the butcher.
پیشوای بد بود آن بز شتاب ** می‌برد اصحاب را پیش قصاب
He has combed his beard, saying, “I am the foremost.” (Yes); thou art the foremost, but in the direction of death and anguish.
ریش شانه کرده که من سابقم ** سابقی لیکن به سوی مرگ و غم
Hark, adopt (as thy vocation) travelling (on the Way of righteousness) and abandon thy beard: abandon this egoism and troubled thought,
هین روش بگزین و ترک ریش کن ** ترک این ما و من و تشویش کن
That thou mayst become like the scent of the rose to (God's) lovers (and mayst be) their leader and guide to the Rose-garden.
تا شوی چون بوی گل با عاشقان ** پیشوا و رهنمای گلستان
Who (what) is the scent of the rose? The breath (voice) of reason and intelligence (which is) a sweet guide on the way to the Kingdom Everlasting.3350
کیست بوی گل دم عقل و خرد ** خوش قلاووز ره ملک ابد
How the King (Mahmúd) once more commanded Ayáz, saying, "Give a clear explanation concerning thy rustic shoon and sheepskin jacket in order that thy fellow-servants may be admonished by that indication, for (the Prophet has said), ‘Religion consists in (giving) sincere counsel.’"
فرمودن شاه به ایاز بار دگر کی شرح چارق و پوستین آشکارا بگو تا خواجه تاشانت از آن اشارت پند گیرد کی الدین النصیحة و موعظه یابند
“O Ayáz, declare the mystery of the rustic shoon and why in the presence of the shoon thou showest all this humility,
سر چارق را بیان کن ای ایاز ** پیش چارق چیستت چندین نیاز
So that thy (fellow-servants) Sunqur and Bakyáruq may hear the inmost secret of thy sheepskin jacket and rustic shoon.
تا بنوشد سنقر و بک یا رقت ** سر سر پوستین و چارقت
O Ayáz, slavery hath gained lustre from thee: thy lustre hath sped from lowliness towards heaven.
ای ایاز از تو غلامی نور یافت ** نورت از پستی سوی گردون شتافت
Servitude has become an object of regret to the free, since thou hast given life (and splendour) to servitude.
حسرت آزادگان شد بندگی ** بندگی را چون تو دادی زندگی
The true believer is he by whose true belief amidst the ebb and flow (of fortune) the infidel is made regretful.”3355
مؤمن آن باشد که اندر جزر و مد ** کافر از ایمان او حسرت خورد
Story of the infidel whom, in the time of Abá Yazíd (Báyazíd), they invited to become a Moslem; and how he answered them.
حکایت کافری کی گفتندش در عهد ابا یزید کی مسلمان شو و جواب گفتن او ایشان را
There was a certain infidel in the time of Báyazíd: a blessed Moslem said to him,
بود گبری در زمان بایزید ** گفت او را یک مسلمان سعید
“How would it be if you profess Islam, so that you may gain a hundred salvations and sovereignties?”
که چه باشد گر تو اسلام آوری ** تا بیابی صد نجات و سروری
He replied, “If this Faith (of thine), O disciple, is (the same as) that which is held by Báyazíd, the Shaykh (spiritual Director) of the world,
گفت این ایمان اگر هست ای مرید ** آنک دارد شیخ عالم بایزید
I cannot endure the glowing heat thereof, which is too great for (all) the strivings of my soul (to attain unto it).
من ندارم طاقت آن تاب آن ** که آن فزون آمد ز کوششهای جان
Although I feel no certainty as regards the Faith and Religion (of Islam), yet I believe mightily in his Faith.3360
گرچه در ایمان و دین ناموقنم ** لیک در ایمان او بس مؤمنم
I hold the faith that that (Faith of his) is higher than all (others): ’tis very beautiful, resplendent, and glorious.
دارم ایمان که آن ز جمله برترست ** بس لطیف و با فروغ و با فرست
Inwardly I am a believer in his Faith, though a seal is set firmly on my mouth.
مؤمن ایمان اویم در نهان ** گرچه مهرم هست محکم بر دهان
Again, if indeed the Faith (which thou wouldst have me embrace) is your Faith, I have no inclination or desire for it.
باز ایمان خود گر ایمان شماست ** نه بدان میلستم و نه مشتهاست
He that feels a hundred inclinations to believe—that (inclination) languishes as soon as he sees you (Moslems),
آنک صد میلش سوی ایمان بود ** چون شما را دید آن فاتر شود
Because he sees a (mere) name and no meaning in it, like calling the desert mafáza (a safe place).3365
زانک نامی بیند و معنیش نی ** چون بیابان را مفازه گفتنی
When he looks upon your Faith, his love is chilled (and shrinks) from professing it.”
عشق او ز آورد ایمان بفسرد ** چون به ایمان شما او بنگرد
Story of the harsh-voiced muezzin who called (the Moslems) to prayer in the land of the infidels and to whom a certain infidel offered presents.
حکایت آن مذن زشت آواز کی در کافرستان بانگ نماز داد و مرد کافری او را هدیه داد
A certain muezzin had a very harsh voice: he called (the Moslems to prayer) in the land of the infidels.
یک مذن داشت بس آواز بد ** در میان کافرستان بانگ زد
They said to him several times, “Do not give the call to prayer, for (otherwise) fighting and acts of hostility (against us) will be prolonged.”
چند گفتندش مگو بانگ نماز ** که شود جنگ و عداوتها دراز