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
He caused him (Adam) to stumble and gave him a slap on the nape: that slap recoiled and became a (penal) retribution for him (the Devil).
اوش لغزانید و او را زد قفا ** آن قفا وا گشت و گشت این را جزا
He caused him (Adam) to stumble terribly in backsliding, but God was his (Adam's) support and helper.
اوش لغزانید سخت اندر زلق ** لیک پشت و دستگیرش بود حق
Adam was (like) a mountain: (even) if he was filled with serpents (of sin), he is a mine of the antidote (to snake-poison) and was unhurt.1345
کوه بود آدم اگر پر مار شد ** کان تریاقست و بی‌اضرار شد
You, who do not possess an atom of the antidote, why are you deluded by your (hope of) deliverance?
تو که تریاقی نداری ذره‌ای ** از خلاص خود چرایی غره‌ای
Where, in your case, is trust in God like (the trust of) Khalíl (Abraham), and whence will you get the (Divine) grace like (that bestowed upon) Kalím (Moses),
آن توکل کو خلیلانه ترا ** وآن کرامت چون کلیمت از کجا
So that your knife should not cut (the throat of) Ismá‘íl (Ishmael) and that you should make the depths of the Nile a (dry) highway?
تا نبرد تیغت اسمعیل را ** تا کنی شه‌راه قعر نیل را
If a blessed one fell from the minaret (and) was saved by the wind filling his raiment,
گر سعیدی از مناره اوفتید ** بادش اندر جامه افتاد و رهید
Why have you, O good man, committed yourself to the wind when you are not sure of that (same) fortune?1350
چون یقینت نیست آن بخت ای حسن ** تو چرا بر باد دادی خویشتن
From this minaret hundreds of thousands (of peoples) like ‘Ád fell down and gave to the wind (lost) their lives and souls.
زین مناره صد هزاران هم‌چو عاد ** در فتادند و سر و سر باد داد
Behold those who have fallen headlong from this minaret, hundreds of thousands on thousands!
سرنگون افتادگان را زین منار ** می‌نگر تو صد هزار اندر هزار
(If) you have no sure skill in rope-dancing, give thanks for your feet and walk on the ground.
تو رسن‌بازی نمیدانی یقین ** شکر پاها گوی و می‌رو بر زمین
Don't make wings of paper and fly from the (top of a) mountain, for many a head has gone (to destruction) in this craze.
پر مساز از کاغذ و از که مپر ** که در آن سودا بسی رفتست سر
Although the Súfí was afire with anger, yet he cast his eye on the consequence.1355
گرچه آن صوفی پر آتش شد ز خشم ** لیک او بر عاقبت انداخت چشم
The highest success belongs permanently to him who does not take the bait and sees (the danger of) imprisonment in the trap.
اول صف بر کسی ماندم به کام ** کو نگیرد دانه بیند بند دام
How excellent are two noble end-discerning eyes that preserve the body from corruption!
حبذا دو چشم پایان بین راد ** که نگه دارند تن را از فساد
That (foresight) was (derived) from the vision of the end that was seen by Ahmad (Mohammed), who even here (in the present life) saw Hell, hair by hair,
آن ز پایان‌دید احمد بود کو ** دید دوزخ را همین‌جا مو به مو