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
And saw the Throne (of God) and the Footstool and the Gardens (of Paradise), so that he rent the veil of (our) forgetfulnesses.
دید عرش و کرسی و جنات را ** تا درید او پرده‌ی غفلات را
If you desire to be safe from harm, close your eye to the beginning and contemplate the end,1360
گر همی‌خواهی سلامت از ضرر ** چشم ز اول بند و پایان را نگر
That you may regard all (apparent) nonentities as (really) existent and look upon (all) entities, (so far as they are) perceived by the senses, as of low degree.
تا عدمها ار ببینی جمله هست ** هستها را بنگری محسوس پست
At least consider this, that every one who possesses reason is daily and nightly in quest of the (relatively) non-existent.
این ببین باری که هر کش عقل هست ** روز و شب در جست و جوی نیستست
In begging, he seeks a munificence that is not in being; in the shops he seeks a profit that is not in being.
در گدایی طالب جودی که نیست ** بر دکانها طالب سودی که نیست
In the cornfields he seeks an income (crop) that is not in being; in the plantations he seeks a date-palm that is not in being.
در مزارع طالب دخلی که نیست ** در مغارس طالب نخلی که نیست
In the colleges he seeks a knowledge that is not in being; in the Christian monasteries he seeks a morality that is not in being.1365
در مدارس طالب علمی که نیست ** در صوامع طالب حلمی که نیست
They (the intelligent) have thrown the (actually) existent things behind them and are seekers of, and devoted to, the (relatively) non-existent things,
هستها را سوی پس افکنده‌اند ** نیستها را طالبند و بنده‌اند
Because the mine and treasury of God's doing is not other than non-existence in (process of) being brought into manifestation.
زانک کان و مخزن صنع خدا ** نیست غیر نیستی در انجلا
We have previously given some indication of this (matter): regard this (present discourse) and that (former discourse) as one, not as two.
پیش ازین رمزی بگفتستیم ازین ** این و آن را تو یکی بین دو مبین
It was stated (formerly) that every craftsman who appeared (in the world) sought the abode of (relative) non-existence in (exercising) his craft.
گفته شد که هر صناعت‌گر که رست ** در صناعت جایگاه نیست جست
The builder sought an unrepaired place that had become ruined and (where) the roofs (were) fallen in.1370