No story is more laughable than thou (thyself): stand (and meditate) on the edge of thine own ruinous grave!1710
خندمین‌تر از تو هیچ افسانه نیست ** بر لب گور خراب خویش ایست
O thou who hast gone down into the grave of ignorance and doubt, how long wilt thou seek (to hear) the jests and tales of Time?
ای فرو رفته به گور جهل و شک ** چند جویی لاغ و دستان فلک
How long wilt thou listen to the blandishments of this world that leave neither thy mind underanged nor thy spirit?
تا بکی نوشی تو عشوه‌ی این جهان ** که نه عقلت ماند بر قانون نه جان
The jests of Time, this mean and petty boon-companion, have robbed of honour a hundred thousand like thee.
لاغ این چرخ ندیم کرد و مرد ** آب روی صد هزاران چون تو برد
This Universal Tailor is ever tearing and stitching the garments of a hundred travellers silly as children.
می‌درد می‌دوزد این درزی عام ** جامه‌ی صدسالگان طفل خام
If his jests conferred a gift on the orchards (in spring), when December came they (his jests) gave that gift to the winds.1715
لاغ او گر باغها را داد داد ** چون دی آمد داده را بر باد داد
The old children sit down beside him to beg that he will jest (and amuse them) by (giving them) fortunes good or bad.
پیره‌طفلان شسته پیشش بهر کد ** تا به سعد و نحس او لاغی کند
How the tailor said to the Turk, “Hey, hold your tongue: if I tell any more funny stories the coat will be (too) tight for you.”
گفتن درزی ترک را هی خاموش کی اگر مضاحک دگر گویم قبات تنگ آید
The tailor said, ‘Begone, unmanly fellow! Woe to you if I make another jest;
گفت درزی ای طواشی بر گذر ** وای بر تو گر کنم لاغی دگر
(For) then, after that, the coat will be (too) tight for you: does any one practice this (fraud) on himself?
پس قبایت تنگ آید باز پس ** این کند با خویشتن خود هیچ کس
What laughter (is this)? If you had an inkling (of the truth), instead of laughing you would weep (tears of) blood.’
خنده‌ی چه رمزی ار دانستیی ** تو به جای خنده خون بگرستیی
Explaining that the idle folk who wish (to hear) stories are like the Turk, and that the deluding and treacherous World is like the tailor, and that lusts and women are (like) this World's telling laughable jokes, and that Life resembles the piece of satin placed before this Tailor to be made into a coat of eternity and a garment of piety.
بیان آنک بی‌کاران و افسانه‌جویان مثل آن ترک‌اند و عالم غرار غدار هم‌چو آن درزی و شهوات و زبان مضاحک گفتن این دنیاست و عمر هم‌چون آن اطلس پیش این درزی جهت قبای بقا و لباس تقوی ساختن
The Tailor, (who is) Worldly Vanity, takes away the satin of your life, bit by bit, with his scissors, (which are) the months.1720
اطلس عمرت به مقراض شهور ** برد پاره‌پاره خیاط غرور
You wish that your star might always jest and your happiness continue for ever.
تو تمنا می‌بری که اختر مدام ** لاغ کردی سعد بودی بر دوام
You are very angry with its quartile aspects and its disdain and enmity and mischiefs;
سخت می‌تولی ز تربیعات او ** وز دلال و کینه و آفات او
You are very annoyed with its silence and inauspiciousness and severity and its endeavour to show hostility,
سخت می‌رنجی ز خاموشی او ** وز نحوس و قبض و کین‌کوشی او
Saying, ‘Why doesn't the merry Venus dance?’ Do not depend on its good luck and auspicious dance.
که چرا زهره‌ی طرب در رقص نیست ** بر سعود و رقص سعد او مه‌ایست
Your star says, ‘If I jest any more, I shall cause you to be swindled entirely.’1725
اخترت گوید که گر افزون کنم ** لاغ را پس کلیت مغبون کنم
Do not regard the counterfeiting of these stars: regard your love for the counterfeiter, O despicable man.
تو مبین قلابی این اختران ** عشق خود بر قلب‌زن بین ای مهان
Parable.
مثل
A certain man was on the way to his shop (when) he found the road in front of him barred by women.
آن یکی می‌شد به ره سوی دکان ** پیش ره را بسته دید او از زنان
He was hurrying along hot-foot, and the way was blocked by a crowd of women (beautiful) as the moon.
پای او می‌سوخت از تعجیل و راه ** بسته از جوق زنان هم‌چو ماه
He turned his face to one woman and said, ‘O vile (creature), how numerous you are, little girls, eh!’
رو به یک زن کرد و گفت ای مستهان ** هی چه بسیارید ای دخترچگان
The woman turned towards him and replied, ‘O man of trust, do not think it dreadful that there are so many of us.1730
رو بدو کرد آن زن و گفت ای امین ** هیچ بسیاری ما منکر مبین
Consider that notwithstanding the multitude of us on the earth you (men) find it insufficient for your enjoyment.
بین که با بسیاری ما بر بساط ** تنگ می‌آید شما را انبساط
Propter paucitatem feminarum inciditis in paedicationem: infamissini in mundo sunt agens et patiens.’ [Because of the scarcity of women, you engage in sodomy: (both) active and passive (homosexuals) are the shame of the world.]
در لواطه می‌فتید از قحط زن ** فاعل و مفعول رسوای زمن
(O Súfí), do not regard these happenings of Time which (proceed) from heaven (and) come to pass intolerably here.
تو مبین این واقعات روزگار ** کز فلک می‌گردد اینجا ناگوار
Do not regard the (anxious) husbanding of (one's) daily bread and livelihood and this dearth (of food) and fear and trembling,
تو مبین تحشیر روزی و معاش ** تو مبین این قحط و خوف و ارتعاش
(But) consider that in spite of all its (the World's) bitternesses ye are mortally enamoured of it and recklessly devoted to it.1735
بین که با این جمله تلخیهای او ** مرده‌ی اویید و ناپروای او
Deem bitter tribulation to be a (Divine) mercy, deem the kingdom of Merv and Balkh to be a (Divine) vengeance.
رحمتی دان امتحان تلخ را ** نقمتی دان ملک مرو و بلخ را
That Ibráhím fled not from destruction and remained (safe), while this Ibráhím fled from (worldly) honour and rode away.
آن براهیم از تلف نگریخت و ماند ** این براهیم از شرف بگریخت و راند
That one is not burnt, and this one is burnt. Oh, wonderful! In the Way of search (for God) everything is upside down.”
آن نسوزد وین بسوزد ای عجب ** نعل معکوس است در راه طلب
How the Súfí repeated his questions.
باز مکرر کردن صوفی سال را
The Súfí said, “He (God) whose help is invoked hath the power to make our trading free from loss.
گفت صوفی قادرست آن مستعان ** که کند سودای ما را بی زیان
He who turns the fire (of Nimrod) into roses and trees is also able to make this (World-fire) harmless.1740
آنک آتش را کند ورد و شجر ** هم تواند کرد این را بی‌ضرر
He who brings forth roses from the very midst of thorns is also able to turn this winter into spring.
آنک گل آرد برون از عین خار ** هم تواند کرد این دی را بهار
He by whom every cypress is made ‘free’ (evergreen) hath the power if He would turn sorrow into joy.
آنک زو هر سرو آزادی کند ** قادرست ار غصه را شادی کند
He by whom every non-existence is made existent—what damage would He suffer if He were to preserve it for ever?
آنک شد موجود از وی هر عدم ** گر بدارد باقیش او را چه کم
He who gives the body a soul that it may live—how would He be a loser if He did not cause it to die?
آنک تن را جان دهد تا حی شود ** گر نمیراند زیانش کی شود
What, indeed, would it matter if that Bounteous One should bestow on His servant the desire of his soul without (painful) toil,1745
خود چه باشد گر ببخشد آن جواد ** بنده را مقصود جان بی‌اجتهاد
And keep far off from poor (mortals) the cunning of the flesh and the temptation of the Devil (which lurk) in ambush?”
دور دارد از ضعیفان در کمین ** مکر نفس و فتنه‌ی دیو لعین
The Cadi's reply to the Súfí.
جواب دادن قاضی صوفی را
The Cadi said, “Were there no bitter (stern) Commandment (from God) and were there no good and evil and no pebbles and pearls,
گفت قاضی گر نبودی امر مر ** ور نبودی خوب و زشت و سنگ و در
And were there no flesh and Devil and passions, and were there no blows and battle and war,
ور نبودی نفس و شیطان و هوا ** ور نبودی زخم و چالیش و وغا
Then by what name and title would the King call His servants, O abandoned man?
پس به چه نام و لقب خواندی ملک ** بندگان خویش را ای منهتک
How could He say, ‘O steadfast one’ and ‘O forbearing one’? How could He say, ‘O brave one’ and ‘O wise one’?1750
چون بگفتی ای صبور و ای حلیم ** چون بگفتی ای شجاع و ای حکیم
How could there be steadfast and sincere and spending men without a brigand and accursed Devil?
صابرین و صادقین و منفقین ** چون بدی بی ره‌زن و دیو لعین
Rustam and Hamza and a catamite would be (all) one; knowledge and wisdom would be annulled and utterly demolished.
رستم و حمزه و مخنث یک بدی ** علم و حکمت باطل و مندک بدی
Knowledge and wisdom exist for the purpose of (distinguishing between) the right path and the wrong paths: when all (paths) are the right path, knowledge and wisdom are void (of meaning).
علم و حکمت بهر راه و بی‌رهیست ** چون همه ره باشد آن حکمت تهیست
Do you think it allowable that both the worlds should be ruined for the sake of this briny (foul) shop of the (sensual) nature?
بهر این دکان طبع شوره‌آب ** هر دو عالم را روا داری خراب
I know that you are pure (enlightened), not raw (foolish), and that these questions of yours are (asked) for the sake of (instructing) the vulgar.1755
من همی‌دانم که تو پاکی نه خام ** وین سالت هست از بهر عوام
The cruelty of Time (Fortune) and every affliction that exists are lighter than farness from God and forgetfulness (of Him),
جور دوران و هر آن رنجی که هست ** سهل‌تر از بعد حق و غفلتست
Because these (afflictions) will pass, (but) that (forgetfulness) will not. (Only) he that brings his spirit (to God) awake (and mindful of Him) is possessed of felicity.”
زآنک اینها بگذرند آن نگذرد ** دولت آن دارد که جان آگه برد
A Story setting forth that patience in bearing worldly affliction is easier than patience in bearing separation from the Beloved.
حکایت در تقریر آنک صبر در رنج کار سهل‌تر از صبر در فراق یار بود
A certain woman said to her husband, “Hey, O you who have finished with generosity once and for all,
آن یکی زن شوی خود را گفت هی ** ای مروت را به یک ره کرده طی
Why have you no care for me? How long shall I dwell in this abode of misery?”
هیچ تیمارم نمی‌داری چرا ** تا بکی باشم درین خواری چرا