They prostrated themselves before him, crying, “Mercy! Make us thy thralls, (but) spare our lives!
سجده آوردند پیشش کالامان ** حلقه‌مان در گوش کن وا بخش جان
Whatever thou requirest (in the way of) tribute or presents will come to thee from us with increase (abundantly) at every fixed time (of payment).
هر خراج و صلتی که بایدت ** آن ز ما هر موسمی افزایدت
Our lives are thine, O lion-natured (prince): let them be on deposit with us for a (little) while.”
جان ما آن توست ای شیرخو ** پیش ما چندی امانت باش گو
He replied, “Ye will not save your lives from me unless ye bring an Abú Bakr into my presence.850
گفت نرهانید از من جان خویش ** تا نیاریدم ابوبکری به پیش
Unless ye bring to me as a gift from your city one whose name is Abú Bakr, O people who have fled (from righteousness),
تا مرا بوبکر نام از شهرتان ** هدیه نارید ای رمیده امتان
I will mow you down like corn, O vile folk: I will accept neither tribute nor blandishments.”
بدرومتان هم‌چو کشت ای قوم دون ** نه خراج استانم و نه هم فسون
They offered him many sacks of gold, saying, “Do not demand an Abú Bakr from a city like this.
بس جوال زر کشیدندش به راه ** کز چنین شهری ابوبکری مخواه
How should there be an Abú Bakr in Sabzawár, or a dry sod in the river?”
کی بود بوبکر اندر سبزوار ** یا کلوخ خشک اندر جویبار
He averted his face from the gold and said, “O Magians (infidels), unless ye bring me an Abú Bakr as an offering,855
رو بتابید از زر و گفت ای مغان ** تا نیاریدم ابوبکر ارمغان
’Tis of no avail. I am not a child that I should stand dumbfounded (fascinated) by gold and silver.”
هیچ سودی نیست کودک نیستم ** تا به زر و سیم حیران بیستم
Unless thou prostrate thyself (in humble submission to God), thou wilt not escape (from punishment), O wretch, (even) if thou traverse the (whole) mosque on thy séant.
تا نیاری سجده نرهی ای زبون ** گر بپیمایی تو مسجد را به کون
They (the inhabitants of Sabzawár) despatched emissaries, (to inquire) where in this desolate (corrupt) place an Abú Bakr was (to be found).
منهیان انگیختند از چپ و راست ** که اندرین ویرانه بوبکری کجاست
After three days and three nights, during which they made haste (in searching), they found an emaciated Abú Bakr.
بعد سه روز و سه شب که اشتافتند ** یک ابوبکری نزاری یافتند
He was a wayfarer and, on account of sickness, had remained in the corner of a ruin, in utter exhaustion.860
ره گذر بود و بمانده از مرض ** در یکی گوشه‌ی خرابه پر حرض
He was lying in a ruined nook. When they espied him, they said to him hurriedly,
خفته بود او در یکی کنجی خراب ** چون بدیدندش بگفتندش شتاب
“Arise! The Sultan has demanded thee: by thee our city will be saved from slaughter.”
خیز که سلطان ترا طالب شدست ** کز تو خواهد شهر ما از قتل رست
He replied, “If I had the foot (power to walk) or any (means of) arrival, I myself would have gone by my own road to my destination.
گفت اگر پایم بدی یا مقدمی ** خود به راه خود به مقصد رفتمی
How should I have remained in this abode of my enemies? I would have pushed on towards the city of my friends.”
اندرین دشمن‌کده کی ماندمی ** سوی شهر دوستان می‌راندمی
They raised the corpse-bearers' board and lifted our Abú Bakr (upon it).865
تخته‌ی مرده‌کشان بفراشتند ** وان ابوبکر مرا برداشتند
The carriers were taking him along to Khwárizmsháh, that he (the Sultan) might behold the token (which he desired).
سوی خوارمشاه حمالان کشان ** می‌کشیدندش که تا بیند نشان
Sabzawár is this world, and in this place the man of God is wasted and goodfor- naught.
سبزوارست این جهان و مرد حق ** اندرین جا ضایعست و ممتحق
Khwárizmsháh is God Almighty: He demands from this wicked folk the (pure) heart.
He (the Prophet) said, “He (God) doth not regard your (outward) form: therefore in your devising seek ye the owner of the Heart.”
گفت لا ینظر الی تصویرکم ** فابتغوا ذا القلب فی‌تدبیر کم
(God says), “I regard thee through the owner of the Heart, not because of the (external) marks of prostration (in prayer) and the giving away of gold (in charities).”870
من ز صاحب‌دل کنم در تو نظر ** نه به نقش سجده و ایثار زر
Since thou hast deemed thy heart to be the Heart, thou hast abandoned the search after those who possess the Heart—
تو دل خود را چو دل پنداشتی ** جست و جوی اهل دل بگذاشتی
The Heart into which if seven hundred (heavens) like these Seven Heavens should enter, they would be lost and hidden (from view).
دل که گر هفصد چو این هفت آسمان ** اندرو آید شود یاوه و نهان
Do not call such fragments of heart as these “the Heart”: do not seek an Abú Bakr in Sabzawár!
این چنین دل ریزه‌ها را دل مگو ** سبزوار اندر ابوبکری بجو
The owner of the Heart becomes a six-faced mirror: through him God looks upon (all) the six directions.
صاحب دل آینه‌ی شش‌رو شود ** حق ازو در شش جهت ناظر بود
Whosoever hath his dwelling-place in (the world of) six directions God doth not look upon him except through the mediation of him (the owner of the Heart).875
هر که اندر شش جهت دارد مقر ** نکندش بی‌واسطه‌ی او حق نظر
If He (God) reject (any one), He does it for his sake; and if He accept (any one), he likewise is the authority.
گر کند رد از برای او کند ** ور قبول آرد همو باشد سند
Without him God does not bestow bounty on any one. I have told (only) one sample of (the sublimity of) the possessor of union (with God).
بی‌ازو ندهد کسی را حق نوال ** شمه‌ای گفتم من از صاحب‌وصال
He (God) lays His gift on the palm of his hand, and from his palm dispenses it to those who are the objects of His mercy.
موهبت را بر کف دستش نهد ** وز کفش آن را به مرحومان دهد
The unitedness of the Universal Sea (of Bounty) with his palm is unqualified and unconditional and perfect.
با کفش دریای کل را اتصال ** هست بی‌چون و چگونه و بر کمال
A unitedness that is not containable in words—to speak of it were a vain task, so farewell.880
اتصالی که نگنجد در کلام ** گفتنش تکلیف باشد والسلام
O rich man, (if) thou bring a hundred sacks of gold, God will say, “Bring the Heart, O thou that art bent (in devotion).
صد جوال زر بیاری ای غنی ** حق بگوید دل بیار ای منحنی
If the Heart be pleased with thee, I am pleased; and if it be averse to thee, I am averse.
گر ز تو راضیست دل من راضیم ** ور ز تو معرض بود اعراضیم
I do not regard thee, I regard that Heart: bring it, O soul, as a gift to My door!
ننگرم در تو در آن دل بنگرم ** تحفه او را آر ای جان بر درم
According as it is in relation to thee, so am I: Paradise is under the feet of mothers.”
با تو او چونست هستم من چنان ** زیر پای مادران باشد جنان
It (the Heart) is the mother and father and origin of (all) the creatures: oh, blest is that one who knows the Heart from the skin.885
مادر و بابا و اصل خلق اوست ** ای خنک آنکس که داند دل ز پوست
Thou wilt say, “Lo, I have brought unto Thee a heart”: He (God) will say to thee, “Qutú is full of these hearts.
تو بگویی نک دل آوردم به تو ** گویدت پرست ازین دلها قتو
Bring the Heart that is the Qutb (Pole) of the world and the soul of the soul of the soul of the soul of Adam.”
آن دلی آور که قطب عالم اوست ** جان جان جان جان آدم اوست
The Sultan of (all) hearts is waiting expectantly for that Heart full of light and goodness.
از برای آن دل پر نور و بر ** هست آن سلطان دلها منتظر
Thou mayst wander (many) days in Sabzawár, (but) thou wilt not find (there) a Heart like that by (the most) careful observation.
تو بگردی روزها در سبزوار ** آنچنان دل را نیابی ز اعتبار
Then thou wilt lay upon a bier the corrupt heart, whose soul is rotten, to carry (it) Yonder,890
پس دل پژمرده‌ی پوسیده‌جان ** بر سر تخته نهی آن سو کشان
And say, “I bring Thee a heart, O King: there is no better heart than this in Sabzawár.”
که دل آوردم ترا ای شهریار ** به ازین دل نبود اندر سبزوار
He (God) will answer thee, saying, “O audacious man, is this a graveyard that thou shouldst bring a dead heart hither?
گویدت این گورخانه‌ست ای جری ** که دل مرده بدینجا آوری
Go, bring the Heart that is kingly, from which is (derived) the security of the Sabzawár of (mundane) existence.”
رو بیاور آن دلی کو شاه‌خوست ** که امان سبزوار کون ازوست
You may say that that Heart is hidden from this world, because darkness and light are opposites.
گویی آن دل زین جهان پنهان بود ** زانک ظلمت با ضیا ضدان بود
From the Day of Alast there is an hereditary enmity of that Heart to the Sabzawár of the carnal nature;895
دشمنی آن دل از روز الست ** سبزوار طبع را میراثی است
For it is a falcon, while this world is the city of the crow: the sight of one who is uncongenial inflicts pain upon him who is not his congener;
زانک او بازست و دنیا شهر زاغ ** دیدن ناجنس بر ناجنس داغ