’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
And that my palace may surpass heaven (in glory), saying, ‘I have seen the Pole on which Time revolves.’”
تا فزاید قصر من بر آسمان ** که بدیدم قطب دوران زمان
The venerable (Prophet) said to him by way of rebuke, “I have not come to visit you.”
گفتش از بهر عتاب آن محترم ** من برای دیدن تو نامدم
He replied, “My spirit belongs to thee—what, indeed, is my spirit (before thee)? Oh, say on whose account is this solicitude?—1165
گفت روحم آن تو خود روح چیست ** هین بفرما کین تجشم بهر کیست
That I may become dust for the feet of the person who is planted in the orchard of thy favour.”
تا شوم من خاک پای آن کسی ** که به باغ لطف تستش مغرسی
Then he (the Prophet) said to him, “Where is that New-moon (Hilál) of the highest heaven? Where is he that in his humility is spread as moonbeams (like a carpet on the ground)?—
پس بگفتش کان هلال عرش کو ** هم‌چو مهتاب از تواضع فرش کو
That king who is disguised as a slave and has come (down) to this world for the purpose of spying?
آن شهی در بندگی پنهان شده ** بهر جاسوسی به دنیا آمده
Do not say, ‘He is my slave and stableman’: know this, that he is a treasure (buried) in ruins.
تو مگو کو بنده و آخرجی ماست ** این بدان که گنج در ویرانه‌هاست
Oh, I wonder to what state he has been reduced by sickness— that New-moon by which thousands of full-moons are trodden underfoot.”1170
ای عجب چونست از سقم آن هلال ** که هزاران بدر هستش پای‌مال
He (the Amír) said, “I have no knowledge of his illness, but he has not been at the palace-gate for several days.
گفت از رنجش مرا آگاه نیست ** لیک روزی چند بر درگاه نیست
He keeps company with the horses and mules: he is a groom, and this stable is his dwelling-place.”
صحبت او با ستور و استرست ** سایس است و منزلش این آخرست
How Mustafá, on whom be peace, came into the Amír's stable to see the sick Hilál, and how he caressed Hilál, may God be pleased with him!
در آمدن مصطفی علیه‌السلام از بهر عیادت هلال در ستورگاه آن امیر و نواختن مصطفی هلال را رضی الله عنه
The Prophet went eagerly into the stable (to look) for him and began to search.
رفت پیغامبر به رغبت بهر او ** اندر آخر وآمد اندر جست و جو
The stable was dark, foul, and dirty, (but) all this vanished (from Hilál's mind) when friendship arrived.
بود آخر مظلم و زشت و پلید ** وین همه برخاست چون الفت رسید
That fierce (spiritual) lion scented the Prophet just as the scent of Joseph was perceived by his father (Jacob).1175
بوی پیغامبر ببرد آن شیر نر ** هم‌چنانک بوی یوسف را پدر
Miracles are not the cause of religious faith; ’tis the scent of homogeneity that attracts (to itself) qualities (of the same kind).
موجب ایمان نباشد معجزات ** بوی جنسیت کند جذب صفات
Miracles are (wrought) for the purpose of subjugating the foe: the scent of homogeneity is (only) for the winning of hearts.
معجزات از بهر قهر دشمنست ** بوی جنسیت پی دل بردنست
A foe is subjugated, but not a friend: how should a friend have his neck bound?
قهر گردد دشمن اما دوست نی ** دوست کی گردد ببسته گردنی
He (Hilál) was awakened from sleep by his (the Prophet's) scent: he said (to himself), “A stable full of dung, and this kind of scent within it!”
اندر آمد او ز خواب از بوی او ** گفت سرگین‌دان درون زین گونه بو
(Then) through the legs of the riding-beasts he saw the holy skirt of the peerless Prophet,1180