(He was) not a backslider like you, for at every moment you are farther back: you are moving away from the state of the (precious) pearl towards the state of the (worthless) stone.
نه چو تو پس‌رو که هر دم پس‌تری ** سوی سنگی می‌روی از گوهری
’Tis like the case of the guest who came to a certain Khwája: the Khwája inquired concerning his days and years.
آن‌چنان کان خواجه را مهمان رسید ** خواجه از ایام و سالش بر رسید
He asked, “How many years hast thou lived, my lad? Say (it) out and don't hide (it) away but count up (correctly).”1115
گفت عمرت چند سالست ای پسر ** بازگو و در مدزد و بر شمر
He replied, “Eighteen, seventeen, or sixteen, or fifteen, O adoptive brother.”
گفت هجده هفده یا خود شانزده ** یا که پانزده ای برادرخوانده
“(Go) backward, backward,” said he, “O giddy-headed one”; “keep going back usque ad cunnum matris tuae!” [“(Go) backward, backward,” said he, “O giddy-headed one”; “keep going back until (you return to) your mother’s vagina!”]
گفت واپس واپس ای خیره سرت ** باز می‌رو تا بکس مادرت
Story in exposition of the same topic.
حکایت در تقریر همین سخن
A certain man begged an Amír to give him a horse: he said, “Go and take that grey horse.”
آن یکی اسپی طلب کرد از امیر ** گفت رو آن اسپ اشهب را بگیر
He replied, “I don't want that one.” “Why not?” he asked. “It goes backward and is very restive,” said he;
گفت آن را من نخواهم گفت چون ** گفت او واپس‌روست و بس حرون
“It goes back, back very hard in the direction of its rump.” He replied, “Turn its tail towards home!”1120
سخت پس پس می‌رود او سوی بن ** گفت دمش را به سوی خانه کن
The tail of this beast you are riding, (namely), your carnal soul, is lust; hence that self-worshipper goes back, back.
دم این استور نفست شهوتست ** زین سبب پس پس رود آن خودپرست
O changer, make its (carnal) lust, which is the tail, to be entirely lust for the world hereafter.
شهوت او را که دم آمد ز بن ** ای مبدل شهوت عقبیش کن
When you bind its lust (and debar it) from the loaf, that lust puts forth its head from (is transformed into) noble reason.
چون ببندی شهوتش را از رغیف ** سر کند آن شهوت از عقل شریف
As, when you lop off a (superfluous) branch from a tree, vigour is imparted to the well-conditioned branches.
هم‌چو شاخی که ببری از درخت ** سر کند قوت ز شاخ نیک‌بخت
When you have turned its (the carnal steed's) tail in that direction, if it goes backward, it goes to the place of shelter.1125
چونک کردی دم او را آن طرف ** گر رود پس پس رود تا مکتنف
How excellent are the docile horses which go forward, not backward, and are not given over to restiveness,
حبذا اسپان رام پیش‌رو ** نه سپس‌رو نه حرونی را گرو
Going hot-foot, like the body of Moses the Kalím, to which (the distance) to the two seas (was) as the breadth of a blanket!
گرم‌رو چون جسم موسی کلیم ** تا به بحرینش چو پهنای گلیم
Seven hundred years is the duration of the journey on which he set out in the path of Love, (the journey that lasted) for an age.
هست هفصدساله راه آن حقب ** که بکرد او عزم در سیران حب
Since the aspiration (that carried him) on his journey in the body is (as immense as) this, his journey in the spirit must be (even) unto the highestParadise.
همت سیر تنش چون این بود ** سیر جانش تا به علیین بود
The kingly cavaliers sped forward in advance (of all); the boobies unloaded (their beasts of burden) in the stable-yard.1130
شهسواران در سباقت تاختند ** خربطان در پایگه انداختند
Parable.
مثل
’Tis like (the tale of) the caravaneers (who) arrived and entered a village and found a certain door open.
آن‌چنان که کاروانی می‌رسید ** در دهی آمد دری را باز دید
One (of them) said, “During this spell of cold weather let us unload (alight) here for a few days.”
آن یکی گفت اندرین برد العجوز ** تا بیندازیم اینجا چند روز
A voice cried, “Nay, unload outside, and then come indoors!”
بانگ آمد نه بینداز از برون ** وانگهانی اندر آ تو اندرون
Drop outside everything that ought to be dropped: do not come in with it, for this assembly-place is of high dignity.”
هم برون افکن هر آنچ افکندنیست ** در میا با آن کای ن مجلس سنیست
Hilál was a spiritual adept and a man of illumined soul, (though he was) the groom and slave of a Moslem Amír.1135
بد هلال استاددل جان‌روشنی ** سایس و بنده‌ی امیری مومنی
The youth served as a groom in the stable, but (he was really) a king of kings and a slave (only) in name.
سایسی کردی در آخر آن غلام ** لیک سلطان سلاطین بنده نام
The Amír was ignorant of his slave's (real) condition, for he had no discernment but of the sort possessed by Iblís.
آن امیر از حال بنده بی‌خبر ** که نبودش جز بلیسانه نظر
He saw the clay, but not the treasure (buried) in it: he saw the five (senses) and the six (directions), but not the source of the five.
آب و گل می‌دید و در وی گنج نه ** پنج و شش می‌دید و اصل پنج نه
The colour of clay is manifest, the light of religion is hidden: such was (the case of) every prophet in the world.
رنگ طین پیدا و نور دین نهان ** هر پیمبر این چنین بد در جهان
One (person) saw the minaret, but not the bird (perched) upon it, (though) upon the minaret (was) a fully accomplished royal falcon;1140
آن مناره دید و در وی مرغ نی ** بر مناره شاه‌بازی پر فنی
And a second (observer) saw a bird flapping its wings, but not the hair in the bird's mouth (beak);
وان دوم می‌دید مرغی پرزنی ** لیک موی اندر دهان مرغ نی
But that one who was seeing by the light of God was aware both of the bird and of the hair,
وانک او ینظر به نور الله بود ** هم ز مرغ و هم ز مو آگاه بود
And said (to the other), “Pray, direct thine eye towards the hair: till thou see the hair, the knot will not be untied.”
گفت آخر چشم سوی موی نه ** تا نبینی مو بنگشاید گره
The one saw in the mud (only) figured clay, while the other saw clay replete with knowledge and works.
آن یکی گل دید نقشین دو وحل ** وآن دگر گل دید پر علم و عمل
1145 The body is the minaret, knowledge and obedience (to God) are like the bird: suppose three hundred birds (to be perched on it) or (only) two birds, whichever you please.1145
تن مناره علم و طاعت هم‌چو مرغ ** خواه سیصد مرغ‌گیر و یا دو مرغ
The middle man sees the bird only: neither before nor behind (him) does he see anything but a bird.
مرد اوسط مرغ‌بینست او و بس ** غیر مرغی می‌نبیند پیش و پس
The hair is the hidden light belonging to the bird, whereby the soul of the bird is enduring (for ever).
موی آن نور نیست پنهان آن مرغ ** هیچ عاریت نباشد کار او
The works of the bird in whose beak is that hair are never counterfeit.
مرغ کان مویست درمنقار او ** هیچ عاریت نباشد کار او
Its knowledge gushes perpetually from its soul: it (this bird) has nothing that is borrowed (from others) and (owes) no debt.
علم او از جان او جوشد مدام ** پیش او نه مستعار آمد نه وام
How this Hilál fell ill, and how his master was unaware of his being ill, because he despised him and did not recognise (his real worth); and how the heart of Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, came to know of his illness and his state (of weakness), and how the Prophet, on whom be peace, inquired after this Hilál and went to see him.
رنجور شدن این هلال و بی‌خبری خواجه‌ی او از رنجوری او از تحقیر و ناشناخت و واقف شدن دل مصطفی علیه‌السلام از رنجوری و حال او و افتقاد و عیادت رسول علیه‌السلام این هلال را
By (Divine) destiny Hilál became ill and weak: inspiration acquainted Mustafá with his condition.1150
از قضا رنجور و ناخوش شد هلال ** مصطفی را وحی شد غماز حال
His master was unaware of his illness, for in his eyes he (Hilál) was worth little and without importance.
بد ز رنجوریش خواجه‌ش بی‌خبر ** که بر او بد کساد و بی‌خطر
(Such) a well-doer lay (ill) in the stable for nine days, and none took notice of his plight.
خفته نه روز اندر آخر محسنی ** هیچ کس از حال او آگاه نی
(But) he who was a personage and the Emperor of (all) personages, he whose oceanic mind reaches every place—
آنک کس بود و شهنشاه کسان ** عقل صد چون قلزمش هر جا رسان
To him came the (Divine) inspiration: God's Mercy sympathised (with Hilál), saying (to the Prophet), “Such-and-such an one who longs for thee is fallen sick.”
وحیش آمد رحم حق غم‌خوار شد ** که فلان مشتاق تو بیمار شد
(Thereupon) Mustafá went thither to pay a visit to the noble Hilál.1155
مصطفی بهر هلال با شرف ** رفت از بهر عیادت آن طرف
The (Prophetic) Moon was running behind the Sun of inspiration, while the Companions followed behind him, like the stars.
در پی خورشید وحی آن مه دوان ** وآن صحابه در پیش چون اختران
The Moon is saying, “My Companions are stars—a model for (those who follow them in) the night-journey, and missiles hurled at the disobedient.”
ماه می‌گوید که اصحابی نجوم ** للسری قدوه و للطاغی رجوم
(When) the Amír was told of the arrival of that (spiritual) Sultan, he sprang up, beside himself with joy;
میر را گفتند که آن سلطان رسید ** او ز شادی بی‌دل و جان برجهید
He clapped his hands joyously, thinking that the (spiritual) Emperor had come on his account.
برگمان آن ز شادی زد دو دست ** کان شهنشه بهر او میر آمدست
When the Amír came down from the upper chamber, he was ready to lavish his soul on the messenger as a reward (for the news he had brought).1160
چون فرو آمد ز غرفه آن امیر ** جان همی‌افشاند پامزد بشیر
Then he kissed the earth (before the Prophet) and gave the salaam (with great ceremony): in his delight he made his countenance like a rose.
پس زمین‌بوس و سلام آورد او ** کرد رخ را از طرب چون ورد او
“In God's name,” he said, “bestow honour on the house (by entering it), so that this assembly-place may become a Paradise,
گفت بسم‌الله مشرف کن وطن ** تا که فردوسی شود این انجمن