Waiting to see is poison to (spiritual) perception: by that method thou wilt remain perpetually in death.
زهر آمد انتظارش اندر چشش ** دایما در مرگ باشی زان روش
Recognise it as the root, clasp it to thy bosom, and be for ever delivered from the death of waiting to see.
اصل دان آن را بگیرش در کنار ** بازره دایم ز مرگ انتظار
How the Sultan (Mahmud) showed favour to Ayáz.
نواختن سلطان ایاز را
“O Ayáz, who art full of humbleness and sincere in all thy ways, thy sincerity is mightier than sea and mountain.
ای ایاز پر نیاز صدق‌کیش ** صدق تو از بحر و از کوهست بیش
For thee there is no stumbling in the hour of lust, so that thy reason, which resembles a mountain (in solidity), should go (hither and thither) like a straw;
نه به وقت شهوتت باشد عثار ** که رود عقل چو کوهت کاه‌وار
Nor in the hour of anger and vengeance do thy powers of long-suffering fail to hold fast and firm.”3710
نه به وقت خشم و کینه صبرهات ** سست گردد در قرار و در ثبات
Virilitas haec virilitas est, barba et penis non est; sin minus, rex virorum esset veretrum asini. [Manhood is this manliness, not (just) a beard and a penis; otherwise, an ass’s penis would be the king of men.]
مردی این مردیست نه ریش و ذکر ** ورنه بودی شاه مردان کیر خر
Whom has God in the Qur’an called men? How should there be room for this body there?
حق کرا خواندست در قرآن رجال ** کی بود این جسم را آنجا مجال
What worth has the animal soul? O father, come now, pass through the market of the butchers,
روح حیوان را چه قدرست ای پدر ** آخر از بازار قصابان گذر
(And you will see) a hundred thousand (sheeps’) heads laid on paunches (tripe), of which (heads) the value is less than (that of) the fat caudal part and tail.
صد هزاران سر نهاده بر شکم ** ارزشان از دنبه و از دم کم
Meretrix est (quaevis femina) cui penis impetu mens (tanquam) mus fiat, libido tanquam leo. [A prostitute is (one) who, due to the movement of a penis, (her) intellect becomes a mouse (and her) lust like a lion.]3715
روسپی باشد که از جولان کیر ** عقل او موشی شود شهوت چو شیر
How a father enjoined his daughter to take care lest she should become with child by her husband.
وصیت کردن پدر دختر را کی خود را نگهدار تا حامله نشوی از شوهرت
There was a Khwája who had a daughter with cheeks like (those of) Venus, a face like the moon, and a breast (white) as silver.
خواجه‌ای بودست او را دختری ** زهره‌خدی مه‌رخی سیمین‌بری
(When) she reached maturity, he gave his daughter to a husband: as regards social rank the husband was not a (good) match for her.
گشت بالغ داد دختر را به شو ** شو نبود اندر کفائت کفو او
When a melon is ripe it becomes watery and goes to waste and ruin unless you slice it.
خربزه چون در رسد شد آبناک ** گر بنشکافی تلف گردد هلاک
Since it was (a case of) necessity, he gave his daughter to one who was not (socially) her match, in fear of the evil (that might ensue).
چون ضرورت بود دختر را بداد ** او بناکفوی ز تخویف فساد
He said to his daughter, “Guard thyself from this new bridegroom, do not become with child;3720
For thy marriage to this beggar was (dictated) by necessity; there is no constancy in this vagabond fellow.
کز ضرورت بود عقد این گدا ** این غریب‌اشمار را نبود وفا
Of a sudden he will jump off and leave all behind: his child will remain on thy hands as a wrong (for which there is no redress).”
ناگهان به جهد کند ترک همه ** بر تو طفل او بماند مظلمه
The daughter replied, “O father, I will do service (to thee): thy counsel is acceptable and prized.”
گفت دختر کای پدر خدمت کنم ** هست پندت دل‌پذیر و مغتنم
Every two or three days the father would enjoin his daughter to take precautions;
هر دو روزی هر سه روزی آن پدر ** دختر خود را بفرمودی حذر
(Nevertheless) she suddenly became with child by him (her husband): how should it be (otherwise when) both the wife and the husband are young?.3725
حامله شد ناگهان دختر ازو ** چون بود هر دو جوان خاتون و شو
She kept it (the child) hidden from her father, (till) the child was five or six months old.
از پدر او را خفی می‌داشتش ** پنج ماهه گشت کودک یا که شش
(Then) the discovery was made. “What is this?” asked her father; “did not I tell thee to adopt (the practice of) withdrawal from him?
گشت پیدا گفت بابا چیست این ** من نگفتم که ازو دوری گزین
These injunctions of mine were (mere) wind, forsooth! My counsel and exhortations have been of no use to thee.”
این وصیتهای من خود باد بود ** که نکردت پند و وعظم هیچ سود
“Father,” said she, “how should I guard myself? Man and wife, beyond doubt, are (as) fire and cotton.
گفت بابا چون کنم پرهیز من ** آتش و پنبه‌ست بی‌شک مرد و زن
What means has the cotton of guarding itself from the fire, or when is there (any) carefulness and caution in the fire?”3730
پنبه را پرهیز از آتش کجاست ** یا در آتش کی حفاظست و تقاست
He replied, “I said, ‘noli te viro admovere, noli semen ejus recipere. [He replied, “I said, ‘don’t go to him (for sexual pleasure), don’t accept his sperm.]
گفت من گفتم که سوی او مرو ** تو پذیرای منی او مشو
Tempore summae voluptatis et emissionis et deliciarum te corpus ab eo retrahere oportet.’” [At the moment of ecstasy, (seminal) emission, and pleasure you must draw yourself away from him.’”]
در زمان حال و انزال و خوشی ** خویشتن باید که از وی در کشی
She said, “Quando sit ejus emissio quomodo intelligam? hoc enim occultum et valde difficile est.” [She said, “How may I know when his emission is? It is hidden and is very remote (difficult to predict).”]
گفت کی دانم که انزالش کیست ** این نهانست و بغایت دوردست
He replied, “Cum res eo redierit ut oculi ejus volvantur, intellige id esse tempus emissionis.” [He replied, “When his eyes start to roll (and show whiteness), know that it is the moment of his emission.”]
گفت چشمش چون کلاپیسه شود ** فهم کن که آن وقت انزالش بود
She said, “Eo usque donec oculi ejus volvantur, hi mei oculi caeci occaecati sunt.” [She said, “Up to (when) his eyes start to roll, these two blind eyes of mine have been blinded (by passion).” ]3735
گفت تا چشمش کلاپیسه شدن ** کور گشتست این دو چشم کور من
Not every despicable understanding remains steadfast in the hour of desire and anger and combat.
نیست هر عقلی حقیری پایدار ** وقت حرص و وقت خشم و کارزار
Description of the pusillanimity and weakness of the Súfí who has been brought up in ease and has never struggled with himself or experienced the pain and searing anguish of (Divine) love, and has been deluded by the homage and hand-kissing of the vulgar and their gazing on him with veneration and pointing at him with their fingers and saying, “He is the (most famous) Súfí in the world to-day”; and has been made sick by vain imagination, like the teacher who was told by the children that he was ill. In the conceit of being a (spiritual) warrior and regarded as a hero in this (spiritual) Way, he goes on campaign with the soldiers engaged in the war against the infidels. “I will show my valour outwardly too,” says he; “I am unparalleled in the Greater Warfare: what difficulty, forsooth, should the Lesser Warfare present to me?” He has beheld the phantasm of a lion and performed (imaginary) feats of bravery and become intoxicated with this bravery and has set out for the jungle to seek the lion. (But) the lion says with mute eloquence, “Nay, ye will see! and again, nay, ye will see!”
وصف ضعیف دلی و سستی صوفی سایه پرورد مجاهده ناکرده درد و داغ عشق ناچشیده به سجده و دست‌بوس عام و به حرمت نظر کردن و بانگشت نمودن ایشان کی امروز در زمانه صوفی اوست غره شده و بوهم بیمار شده هم‌چون آن معلم کی کودکان گفتند کی رنجوری و با این وهم کی من مجاهدم مرا درین ره پهلوان می‌دانند با غازیان به غزا رفته کی به ظاهر نیز هنر بنمایم در جهاد اکبر مستثناام جهاد اصغر خود پیش من چه محل دارد خیال شیر دیده و دلیریها کرده و مست این دلیری شده و روی به بیشه نهاده به قصد شیر و شیر به زبان حال گفته کی کلا سوف تعلمون ثم کلا سوف تعلمون
A Súfí went with the army to fight the infidels: suddenly came the clangours and din of war.
رفت یک صوفی به لشکر در غزا ** ناگهان آمد قطاریق و وغا
The Súfí stayed behind with the baggage-train and tents and invalids, (while) the horsemen rode into the line of battle.
ماند صوفی با بنه و خیمه و ضعاف ** فارسان راندند تا صف مصاف
The earth-bound heavies remained in their place; the foremost in the march, the foremost in the march, rode on.
مثقلان خاک بر جا ماندند ** سابقون السابقون در راندند
After the combat, they came (back) victorious: they returned in possession of profit and (laden) with spoils.3740
جنگها کرده مظفر آمدند ** باز گشته با غنایم سودمند
They gave (him) a present (from the battle-field), saying, “Thou too, O Súfí!” (but) he cast it out (of the tent) and would not take anything.
ارمغان دادند کای صوفی تو نیز ** او برون انداخت نستد هیچ چیز
Then they said to him, “Why art thou angry?” He answered, “I have been deprived of (my share in) the fighting.”
پس بگفتندش که خشمینی چرا ** گفت من محروم ماندم از غزا
The Súfí was not at all pleased with that act of kindness, because he had not drawn the sword in the holy war.
زان تلطف هیچ صوفی خوش نشد ** که میان غزو خنجر کش نشد
So they said to him, “We have brought prisoners in: do thou take that one to kill.
پس بگفتندش که آوردیم اسیر ** آن یکی را بهر کشتن تو بگیر
Cut off his head, in order that thou too mayst be a holy warrior.” (Thereupon) the Súfí was somewhat pleased and encouraged;3745
سر ببرش تا تو هم غازی شوی ** اندکی خوش گشت صوفی دل‌قوی
For, though in the ritual ablution water has a hundred excellences, (yet) when it is not (obtainable) one must make use of sand.
که آب را گر در وضو صد روشنیست ** چونک آن نبود تیمم کردنیست
The Súfí led the pinioned prisoner behind the tent in order to wage the holy war.
برد صوفی آن اسیر بسته را ** در پس خرگه که آرد او غزا
The Súfí tarried with the prisoner a long while; the party (of soldiers) said, “The dervish has made a long stay there.
دیر ماند آن صوفی آنجا با اسیر ** قوم گفتا دیر ماند آنجا فقیر
An infidel with both hands tied! (Surely) he is ready for killing: what is the cause of this delay in slaughtering him?”
کافر بسته دو دست او کشتنیست ** بسملش را موجب تاخیر چیست
One of them went after him to investigate: he found the infidel on the top of him (the Súfí),3750
آمد آن یک در تفحص در پیش ** دید کافر را به بالای ویش
Tanquam mas super femina, and the infidel couching upon the dervish like a lion. [Like a male upon a female, and the infidel [sic: prisoner] couching upon the dervish like a lion.]