I knew no remedy for it until this muezzin chanted the adhán (call to prayer).
هیچ چاره می‌ندانستم در آن ** تا فرو خواند این مذن آن اذان
(Then) my daughter said, ‘What is this detestable noise? It grates on my ear.
گفت دختر چیست این مکروه بانگ ** که بگوشم آمد این دو چار دانگ
Never in all my life have I heard such a harsh voice in this Christian convent and church.’3380
من همه عمر این چنین آواز زشت ** هیچ نشنیدم درین دیر و کنشت
Her sister said to her, ‘This chant, namely the adhán, gives (the Moslems) notice (of prayer-time) and is the watchword of the Faithful.’
خوهرش گفتا که این بانگ اذان ** هست اعلام و شعار مومنان
She would not believe it, and asked some one else: that person too said, ‘Yes, (it is true), O father.’
باورش نامد بپرسید از دگر ** آن دگر هم گفت آری ای پدر
When she became sure (of this), her face turned pale and her heart grew cold (averse) to Islam.
چون یقین گشتش رخ او زرد شد ** از مسلمانی دل او سرد شد
I was delivered from anxiety and torment: last night I slept sound in a peaceful sleep.
باز رستم من ز تشویش و عذاب ** دوش خوش خفتم در آن بی‌خوف خواب
This was the pleasure (that came) to me from his voice: in gratitude I bring (these) gifts: where is the man?”3385
راحتم این بود از آواز او ** هدیه آوردم به شکر آن مرد کو
When he saw him (the muezzin), he said, “Accept the gift, for thou hast been my protector and saviour.
چون بدیدش گفت این هدیه پذیر ** که مرا گشتی مجیر و دستگیر
(On account of) the benefit and kindness that thou hast done to me, I have become thy slave perpetually.
آنچ کردی با من از احسان و بر ** بنده‌ی تو گشته‌ام من مستمر
If I were eminent in respect of property, possessions, and riches, I would fill thy mouth with gold.”
گر به مال و ملک و ثروت فردمی ** من دهانت را پر از زر کردمی
“The Faith of you (Moslems) is hypocrisy and falsehood: like that call to prayer, it waylays (the seeker and prevents him from embracing Islam);
هست ایمان شما زرق و مجاز ** راه‌زن هم‌چون که آن بانگ نماز
But many a regret has come into my heart and soul from (my admiration for) the Faith and sincerity of Báyazíd.”3390
لیک از ایمان و صدق بایزید ** چند حسرت در دل و جانم رسید
Tanquam illa femina quae, cum concubitum asini videret, dixit: “Eheu, quid est hic admissarius egregius? [Just like that woman who observed sexual intercourse with the ass, she said (to herself): “Oh, what is this incomparable stallion?]
هم‌چو آن زن کو جماع خر بدید ** گفت آوه چیست این فحل فرید
Si concubitus hoc est, hi asini (praemium) abstulerunt: cacant super vulvis nostris hi mariti.” [If sexual intercourse is (like) this, these asses have won (the prize): these husbands (just) defecate on our vulvas.”]
گر جماع اینست بردند این خران ** بر کس ما می‌ریند این شوهران
Báyazíd paid all that is due to (fulfilled every obligation of) the Faith: blessings be on such a peerless lion!
داد جمله داد ایمان بایزید ** آفرینها بر چنین شیر فرید
If a single drop of his Faith enter into the ocean, the ocean will be submerged in his drop,
قطره‌ای ز ایمانش در بحر ار رود ** بحر اندر قطره‌اش غرقه شود
As (when) a mote of fire (falls) amidst forests, the (whole) forest passes away in that mote;3395
هم‌چو ز آتش ذره‌ای در بیشه‌ها ** اندر آن ذره شود بیشه فنا
(Or) as (when) a phantasy (appears) in the heart of a king or his army, (a phantasy which) destroyed his enemies in war.
چون خیالی در دل شه یا سپاه ** کرد اندر جنگ خصمان را تباه
A star (of Divine illumination) appeared in Mohammed, so that the substance of (the beliefs of) Magian and Jew passed away.
یک ستاره در محمد رخ نمود ** تا فنا شد گوهر گبر و جهود
He that received the Faith entered into security; the infidelities of the rest became (a matter on which there were) two opinions.
آنک ایمان یافت رفت اندر امان ** کفرهای باقیان شد دو گمان
At any rate, their first pure (entire) unbelief did not remain (with them): it (the star of Mohammed) planted (in them) either (formal acceptance of) Islam or a (great) dread (of it).
کفر صرف اولین باری نماند ** یا مسلمانی و یا بیمی نشاند
This (description of the Faith of Báyazíd) is a (mere) makeshift varnishing: these similes are not equivalent to the mote of (Divine light).3400
این به حیله آب و روغن کردنیست ** این مثلها کفو ذره‌ی نور نیست
A mote is only a paltry bodily thing: a mote is not the indivisible Sun.
ذره نبود جز حقیری منجسم ** ذره نبود شارق لا ینقسم
Know that (my) calling it (the Sun) a mote has a purpose hidden (from thee, for) thou art not familiar with the Sea: at present thou art (but) the foam.
گفتن ذره مرادی دان خفی ** محرم دریا نه‌ای این دم کفی
If the luminous sun of the Shaykh's Faith should display itself from the Orient of the Shaykh's spirit,
آفتاب نیر ایمان شیخ ** گر نماید رخ ز شرق جان شیخ
All below, down to the moist clay (beneath the earth's crust), would gain (abundant) treasure, and all above would gain a verdant Paradise.
جمله پستی گنج گیرد تا ثری ** جمله بالا خلد گیرد اخضری
He hath a spirit of resplendent light, he hath a body of despicable earth.3405
او یکی جان دارد از نور منیر ** او یکی تن دارد از خاک حقیر
Oh, I wonder whether he is this or that. Tell (me), uncle, for I am left (helpless) in this difficulty.
ای عجب اینست او یا آن بگو ** که بماندم اندرین مشکل عمو
O brother, if he is this, (then) what is that?—for the Seven Heavens are filled with its light—
گر وی اینست ای برادر چیست آن ** پر شده از نور او هفت آسمان
And if he is that (spirit), (then) what is this body, my friend? Oh, I wonder which of these twain he is and who?
ور وی آنست این بدن ای دوست چیست ** ای عجب زین دو کدامین است و کیست
Story of the woman who told her husband that the cat had eaten the meat, (whereupon) the husband put the cat in the balance (in order to weigh her). (Finding that) her weight amounted to half a “mann”, he said, “O wife, the meat weighed half a ‘mann’ and more. If this is the meat, where is the cat? Or if this is the cat, where is the meat?”
حکایت آن زن کی گفت شوهر را کی گوشت را گربه خورد شوهر گربه را به ترازو بر کشید گربه نیم من برآمد گفت ای زن گوشت نیم من بود و افزون اگر این گوشتست گربه کو و اگر این گربه است گوشت کو
There was a man, a householder, who had a very sneering, dirty, and rapacious wife.
بود مردی کدخدا او را زنی ** سخت طناز و پلید و ره‌زنی
Whatever (food) he brought (home), his wife would consume it, and the man was forced to keep silence.3410
هرچه آوردی تلف کردیش زن ** مرد مضطر بود اندر تن زدن
(One day) that family man brought home, for a guest, (some) meat (which he had procured) with infinite pains.
بهر مهمان گوشت آورد آن معیل ** سوی خانه با دو صد جهد طویل
His wife ate it up with kabáb and wine: (when) the man came in, she put him off with useless words.
زن بخوردش با کباب و با شراب ** مرد آمد گفت دفع ناصواب
The man said to her, “Where is the meat? The guest has arrived: one must set nice food before a guest.”
مرد گفتش گوشت کو مهمان رسید ** پیش مهمان لوت می‌باید کشید
“This cat has eaten the meat,” she replied: “hey, go and buy some more meat if you can!”
گفت زن این گربه خورد آن گوشت را ** گوشت دیگر خر اگر باشد هلا
He said (to the servant), “O Aybak, fetch the balance: I will weigh the cat.3415
گفت ای ایبک ترازو را بیار ** گربه را من بر کشم اندر عیار
He weighed her. The cat was half a mann. Then the man said, “O deceitful wife,
بر کشیدش بود گربه نیم من ** پس بگفت آن مرد کای محتال زن
The meat was half a mann and one sitír over; the cat is just half a mann, my lady.
گوشت نیم من بود و افزون یک ستیر ** هست گربه نیم‌من هم ای ستیر
If this is the cat, then where is the meat? Or, if this is the meat, where is the cat? Search (for her)!”
این اگر گربه‌ست پس آن گوشت کو ** ور بود این گوشت گربه کو بجو
If Báyazíd is this (body), what is that spirit? And if he is that spirit, who is this (bodily) image?
بایزید ار این بود آن روح چیست ** ور وی آن روحست این تصویر کیست
’Tis bewilderment on bewilderment. O my friend, (the solution of) this (problem) is not your affair, nor is it mine either.3420
حیرت اندر حیرتست ای یار من ** این نه کار تست و نه هم کار من
He is both (spirit and body), but in the corn-crop the grain is fundamental, while the stalk is derivative.
هر دو او باشد ولیک از ریع زرع ** دانه باشد اصل و آن که پره فرع
(The Divine) Wisdom has bound these contraries together: O butcher, this fleshy thigh-bone goes along with the neck.
حکمت این اضداد را با هم ببست ** ای قصاب این گردران با گردنست
The spirit cannot function without the body; your body is frozen (inanimate) and cold (inert) without the spirit.
روح بی‌قالب نداند کار کرد ** قالبت بی‌جان فسرده بود و سرد
Your body is visible, while your spirit is hidden from view: the business of the world is conducted by means of them both.
قالبت پیدا و آن جانت نهان ** راست شد زین هر دو اسباب جهان
If you throw earth at (some one's) head, his head will not be broken; if you throw water at his head, it will not be broken.3425
خاک را بر سر زنی سر نشکند ** آب را بر سر زنی در نشکند
If you wish to break his head, you bring the earth and the water into contact with each other (and make a lump of clay).
گر تو می‌خواهی که سر را بشکنی ** آب را و خاک را بر هم زنی
When you have broken your head, its water (the spirit) returns to its source, and earth returns to earth on the day of separation.
چون شکستی سر رود آبش به اصل ** خاک سوی خاک آید روز فصل