A certain sick man went to a physician and said, “Feel my pulse, O sagacious one,
آن یکی رنجور شد سوی طبیب ** گفت نبضم را فرو بین ای لبیب
That by (feeling) the pulse you may diagnose the state of my heart, for the hand-vein is connected with the heart.”
که ز نبض آگه شوی بر حال دل ** که رگ دستست با دل متصل
Since the heart is invisible, if you want a symbol of it, seek (it) from him who hath connexion with the heart.1295
چونک دل غیبست خواهی زو مثال ** زو بجو که با دلستش اتصال
The wind is hidden from the eye, O trusty (friend), (but) see it in the dust and in the movement of the leaves,
باد پنهانست از چشم ای امین ** در غبار و جنبش برگش ببین
(And observe) whether it is blowing from the right or from the left: the movement of the leaves will describe its condition to you.
کز یمینست او وزان یا از شمال ** جنبش برگت بگوید وصف حال
(If) you know not intoxication of the heart (and ask) where (it is), seek the description of it from the inebriated (languid) eye.
مستی دل را نمی‌دانی که کو ** وصف او از نرگس مخمور جو
Since you are far from (knowing) the Essence of God, you may recognise the description of the Essence in the Prophet and (his) evidentiary miracles.
چون ز ذات حق بعیدی وصف ذات ** باز دانی از رسول و معجزات
Certain secret miracles and graces (proceeding) from the elect (Súfí) Elders impress the heart (of the disciple);1300
معجزاتی و کراماتی خفی ** بر زند بر دل ز پیران صفی
For within them (those Elders) there are a hundred immediate (spiritual) resurrections, (of which) the least is this, that their neighbour becomes intoxicated;
که درونشان صد قیامت نقد هست ** کمترین آنک شود همسایه مست
Hence that fortunate (disciple) who has devoted himself to a blessed (saint) has become the companion of God.
پس جلیس الله گشت آن نیک‌بخت ** کو به پهلوی سعیدی برد رخت
The evidentiary miracle that produced an effect upon something inanimate (is) either (like) the rod (of Moses) or (the passage of) the sea (by the Israelites) or the splitting of the moon.
معجزه کان بر جمادی زد اثر ** یا عصا با بحر یا شق‌القمر
If it (the evidentiary miracle) produces an immediate effect upon the soul, (the reason is that) it (the soul) is brought into connexion (with the producer of the effect) by means of a hidden link.
گر ترا بر جان زند بی‌واسطه ** متصل گردد به پنهان رابطه
The effects produced upon inanimate objects are (only) accessory: they are (really) for the sake of the fair invisible spirit,1305
بر جمادات آن اثرها عاریه‌ست ** از پی روح خوش متواریه‌ست
In order that the inmost heart may be affected by means of that inanimate object. (But) how (much more) excellent is bread (produced) without the substance (of bread), (namely), dough!
تا از آن جامد اثر گیرد ضمیر ** حبذا نان بی‌هیولای خمیر
How excellent is the Messiah's table of food without stint! How excellent is Mary's fruit (that was produced) without an orchard!
Miracles (proceeding) from the spirit of the perfect (saint) affect the soul of the seeker as life (bestowed on the dead).
بر زند از جان کامل معجزات ** بر ضمیر جان طالب چون حیات
The miracle is (like) the sea, and the deficient (heedless) man is (like) the land-bird (which perishes in the sea); (but) the water-bird is safe from destruction there.
معجزه بحرست و ناقص مرغ خاک ** مرغ آبی در وی آمن از هلاک
It (the miracle) bestows infirmity on any one that is uninitiated, but it bestows power on the spirit of an intimate.1310
عجزبخش جان هر نامحرمی ** لیک قدرت‌بخش جان هم‌دمی
Since you do not feel this bliss in your inmost heart, then continually seek the clue to it from outside,
چون نیابی این سعادت در ضمیر ** پس ز ظاهر هر دم استدلال گیر
For effects are apparent to the senses, and these effects give information concerning their producer.
که اثرها بر مشاعر ظاهرست ** وین اثرها از مثر مخبرست
The virtue of every drug is hidden like magic and the art of any sorcerer;
هست پنهان معنی هر داروی ** هم‌چو سحر و صنعت هر جادوی
(But) when you regard its action and effects, you bring it to light (even) though it is hidden.
چون نظر در فعل و آثارش کنی ** گرچه پنهانست اظهارش کنی
The potency that is concealed within it is clearly seen and made manifest when it comes into action.1315
قوتی کان اندرونش مضمرست ** چون به فعل آید عیان و مظهرست
Since all these things are revealed to you by means of effects, how is not God revealed to you by the production of effects?
چون به آثار این همه پیدا شدت ** چون نشد پیدا ز تاثیر ایزدت
Causes and effects, (both) kernel and husk—are not the whole (of them), when you investigate, effects produced by Him?
نه سببها و اثرها مغز و پوست ** چون بجویی جملگی آثار اوست
You make friends with things because of the effect (which they produce): why, then, are you ignorant of Him who produces (all) effects?
دوست گیری چیزها را از اثر ** پس چرا ز آثاربخشی بی‌خبر
You make friends with people on the ground of a phantasy: why do not you make friends with the King of west and east?
از خیالی دوست گیری خلق را ** چون نگیری شاه غرب و شرق را
This topic hath no end. O (spiritual) emperor, may there be no end to our desire for this (mystic knowledge)!1320
این سخن پایان ندارد ای قباد ** حرص ما را اندرین پایان مباد
Returning to the Story of the sick man.
رجوع به قصه‌ی رنجور
Return (from the digression) and tell the story of the sick man and the wise physician whose nature was to palliate.
باز گرد و قصه‌ی رنجور گو ** با طبیب آگه ستارخو
He felt his pulse and ascertained his state (of health): (he saw) that it was absurd to hope for his recovery.
نبض او بگرفت و واقف شد ز حال ** که امید صحت او بد محال
He said, “Do whatever your heart desires, in order that this old malady may quit your body.
گفت هر چت دل بخواهد آن بکن ** تا رود از جسمت این رنج کهن
Do not withhold anything that your inclination craves, lest your self-restraint and abstinence turn to gripes.
هرچه خواهد خاطر تو وا مگیر ** تا نگردد صبر و پرهیزت زحیر
Know that self-restraint and abstinence are injurious to this disease: proffer to your heart whatever it may desire.1325
صبر و پرهیز این مرض را دان زیان ** هرچه خواهد دل در آرش در میان
O uncle, (it was) in reference to a sick man like this (that) God most High said, ‘Do what ye will.”
این چنین رنجور را گفت ای عمو ** حق تعالی اعملوا ما شتم
He (the sick man) said, “(Now) go; look you, my dear nephew, I am going for a walk on the bank of the river.”
گفت رو هین خیر بادت جان عم ** من تماشای لب جو می‌روم
He was strolling beside the water, as his heart desired, in order that he might find the door to health opened to him.
بر مراد دل همی‌گشت او بر آب ** تا که صحت را بیابد فتح باب
On the river-bank a Súfí was seated, washing his hands and face and cleansing himself more and more.
بر لب جو صوفیی بنشسته بود ** دست و رو می‌شست و پاکی می‌فزود
He saw the nape of his (the Súfí's) neck and, like a crazy man, felt a longing to give it a slap;1330
او قفااش دید چون تخییلیی ** کرد او را آرزوی سیلیی
(So) he raised his hand to inflict a blow on the nape of the pottage-worshipping Súfí,
بر قفای صوفی حمزه‌پرست ** راست می‌کرد از برای صفع دست
Saying (to himself), “The physician told me it would make me ill if I would not let my desire have its way.
کارزو را گر نرانم تا رود ** آن طبیبم گفت کان علت شود
I will give him a slap in quarrel, for (God hath said), ‘Do not cast yourselves with your own hands into destruction.’
سیلیش اندر برم در معرکه ** زانک لا تلقوا بایدی تهلکه
O such-and-such, this self-restraint and abstinence is (thy) destruction: give him a good blow, do not keep quiet like the others.”
تهلکه‌ست این صبر و پرهیز ای فلان ** خوش بکوبش تن مزن چون دیگران
When he slapped him, there was the sound of a crack: the Súfí cried, “Hey, hey, O rascally pimp!”1335
چون زدش سیلی برآمد یک طراق ** گفت صوفی هی هی ای قواد عاق
The Súfí was about to give him two or three blows with his fist and tear out his moustache and beard piecemeal (but refrained from doing so).
خواست صوفی تا دو سه مشتش زند ** سبلت و ریشش یکایک بر کند
Mankind are (like) sufferers from phthisis and without a remedy (for their disease), and through the Devil's deception they are passionately addicted to slapping (each other).
خلق رنجور دق و بیچاره‌اند ** وز خداع دیو سیلی باره‌اند
All (of them) are eager to injure the innocent and are seeking (to find) fault behind each others' backs.
جمله در ایذای بی‌جرمان حریص ** در قفای همدگر جویان نقیص
O you who strike the napes of the guiltless, don't you see the retribution (that is coming) behind you?
ای زننده بی‌گناهان را قفا ** در قفای خود نمی‌بینی جزا
O you who fancy that (indulgence of) desire is your (right) medicine and inflict slaps on the weak,1340
ای هوا را طب خود پنداشته ** بر ضعیفان صفع را بگماشته
He who told you that this is the cure (for your disease) mocked at you: ’tis he that guided Adam to the wheat,
بر تو خندید آنک گفتت این دواست ** اوست که آدم را به گندم رهنماست
Saying, “O ye twain who implore help, eat this grain as a remedy that ye may abide (in Paradise) for ever.”
که خورید این دانه او دو مستعین ** بهر دارو تا تکونا خالدین