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
جست بنا موضعی ناساخته ** گشته ویران سقفها انداخته
The water-carrier sought a pot with no water in it, and the carpenter a house with no door.
جست سقا کوزای کش آب نیست ** وان دروگر خانهای کش باب نیست
At the moment of pursuing (their object) they rushed into (relative) nonexistence; then (afterwards) they all are fleeing from non-existence.
وقت صید اندر عدم بد حملهشان ** از عدم آنگه گریزان جملهشان
Since your hope is (in) non-existence, why (this) avoidance of it? Why (this) strife with what is congenial to your desire?
چون امیدت لاست زو پرهیز چیست ** با انیس طمع خود استیز چیست
Since that non-existence is congenial to your desire, why this avoidance of nonentity and non-existence?
چون انیس طمع تو آن نیستیست ** از فنا و نیست این پرهیز چیست
O (dear) soul, if you are not inwardly congenial to non-existence, why are you waiting in ambush for non-existence?1375
گر انیس لا نهای ای جان به سر ** در کمین لا چرایی منتظر
You have torn your heart away from all that you own, you have cast the net of your heart into the sea of non-existence.
زانک داری جمله دل برکندهای ** شست دل در بحر لا افکندهای
Wherefore, then, (this) flight from this sea of (heart's) desire that has put hundreds of thousands of prey into your net?
پس گریز از چیست زین بحر مراد ** که بشستت صد هزاران صید داد
Wherefore have you given the name “death” to (what is really) provision (for the spirit)? Observe the sorcery that has caused the provision (barg) to seem to you death (marg).
از چه نام برگ را کردی تو مرگ ** جادوی بین که نمودت مرگ برگ
The magic of His (God's) doing has bound both your eyes, so that desire for the (worldly) pit has come over your soul.
هر دو چشمت بست سحر صنعتش ** تا که جان را در چه آمد رغبتش
Through the contrivance of the Creator, in its (your soul's) fancy all the expanse above the pit is (full of) poison and snakes;1380
در خیال او ز مکر کردگار ** جمله صحرا فوق چه زهرست و مار
Consequently it has made the pit a refuge (for itself), so that (fear of) death has cast it into the pit.
لاجرم چه را پناهی ساختست ** تا که مرگ او را به چاه انداختست
(Having heard) what I have said concerning your misapprehensions, O dear friend, hear also the utterance of ‘Attár on this same (subject).
اینچ گفتم از غلطهات ای عزیز ** هم برین بشنو دم عطار نیز
Story of Sultan Mahmúd and the Hindú boy.
قصهی سلطان محمود و غلام هندو
He, God have mercy upon him, has told it: he has strung together the tale of King Mahmúd, the Ghází—
رحمة الله علیه گفته است ** ذکر شه محمود غازی سفته است
How, amongst the booty of his campaign in India, (there was) a boy (who) was brought into the presence of that sovereign.
کز غزای هند پیش آن همام ** در غنیمت اوفتادش یک غلام
Afterwards he made him his vicegerent and seated him on the throne and gave him preferment above (the rest of) the army and called him “son.”1385
پس خلیفهش کرد و بر تختش نشاند ** بر سپه بگزیدش و فرزند خواند
Seek the length and breadth and all particulars of the story in the discourse of that prince of the Faith.
طول و عرض و وصف قصه تو به تو ** در کلام آن بزرگ دین بجو
In short, the lad was seated on this throne of gold beside the King-emperor.
حاصل آن کودک برین تخت نضار ** شسته پهلوی قباد شهریار
He wept and shed tears in burning grief. The King said to him, “O thou whose day (fortune) is triumphant,
گریه کردی اشک میراندی بسوز ** گفت شه او را کای پیروز روز
Wherefore shouldst thou weep? Has thy fortune become disagreeable to thee? Thou art above kings, (thou art) the familiar companion of the Emperor.
از چه گریی دولتت شد ناگوار ** فوق املاکی قرین شهریار
Thou art (seated) on this throne, while the viziers and soldiers are ranged in file before thy throne, like the stars and the moon.”1390
تو برین تخت و وزیران و سپاه ** پیش تختت صف زده چون نجم و ماه
The boy said, “The cause of my weeping bitterly is that in yonder city and country my mother
گفت کودک گریهام زانست زار ** که مرا مادر در آن شهر و دیار
Was always threatening me with thee, (saying), ‘May I see you in the hands of the lion, Mahmúd!’
از توم تهدید کردی هر زمان ** بینمت در دست محمود ارسلان
Then my father would wrangle with my mother (and say) in reply, ‘What wrath and torment is this (that you would inflict on him)?
پس پدر مر مادرم را در جواب ** جنگ کردی کین چه خشمست و عذاب
Cannot you find any other curse lighter than this deadly curse?
مینیابی هیچ نفرینی دگر ** زین چنین نفرین مهلک سهلتر
You are very pitiless and exceedingly hard-hearted, for you are (virtually) killing him with a hundred swords.’1395
سخت بیرحمی و بس سنگیندلی ** که به صد شمشیر او را قاتلی
I used to be dismayed by the talk of both: a (great) terror and pain would come into my heart,
من ز گفت هر دو حیران گشتمی ** در دل افتادی مرا بیم و غمی
(Thinking), ‘Oh, wonderful! What a hellish person Mahmúd must be, since he has become proverbial for woe and anguish!’
تا چه دوزخخوست محمود ای عجب ** که مثل گشتست در ویل و کرب
I used to tremble in fear of thee, being ignorant of thy gracious treatment and high regard.
من همیلرزیدمی از بیم تو ** غافل از اکرام و از تعظیم تو
Where is my mother, that she might see me now (seated) on the throne, O King of the world?”
مادرم کو تا ببیند این زمان ** مر مرا بر تخت ای شاه جهان
(Spiritual) poverty is your Mahmúd, O man without affluence: your (sensual) nature is always making you afraid of it.1400
فقر آن محمود تست ای بیسعت ** طبع ازو دایم همی ترساندت
If you come to know the mercifulness of this noble Mahmúd, you will cry joyously, “May the end be praised (mahmúd)!”
گر بدانی رحم این محمود راد ** خوش بگویی عاقبت محمود باد
Poverty is your Mahmúd, O craven-hearted one: do not listen to this mother, namely, your misguiding nature.
فقر آن محمود تست ای بیمدل ** کم شنو زین مادر طبع مضل
When you become a prey to poverty, you will certainly shed tears (of delight), like the Hindú boy, on the Day of Judgement.
چون شکار فقر کردی تو یقین ** همچوکودک اشک باری یوم دین
Although the body is (like) a mother in fostering (the spirit), yet it is more inimical to you than a hundred enemies.
گرچه اندر پرورش تن مادرست ** لیک از صد دشمنت دشمنترست
When your body falls ill it makes you seek medicine; and if it grows strong it makes you an outrageous devil.1405
تن چو شد بیمار داروجوت کرد ** ور قوی شد مر ترا طاغوت کرد