Every night in the villages (countryside) are new-comers who have no refuge there save God.
کل لیل فی القری وفد جدید ** ما لهم ثم سوی الله محید
The two aliens (the Jew and the Christian) were surfeited with food and suffering from indigestion; the true believer, as it happened, was fasting (all) day.
تخمه بودند آن دو بیگانه ز خور ** بود صایم روز آن مومن مگر
At the (time of) the evening prayer, when the halwá arrived, the true believer was reduced to extreme hunger.
چون نماز شام آن حلوا رسید ** بود مومن مانده در جوع شدید
The two (others) said, “We have eaten our fill: let us put it away to-night and eat it to-morrow.
آن دو کس گفتند ما از خور پریم ** امشبش بنهیم و فردایش خوریم
To-night let us practise self-denial and refrain from food; let us hide (reserve) the dainty for to-morrow.”2405
صبر گیریم امشب از خور تن زنیم ** بهر فردا لوت را پنهان کنیم
The true believer said, “Let this (sweetmeat) be eaten to-night; let us put away self-denial till to-morrow.”
گفت مومن امشب این خورده شود ** صبر را بنهیم تا فردا بود
Then they said to him, “Your purpose in this wisdom-mongering is that you may eat it (all) by yourself.”
پس بدو گفتند زین حکمت‌گری ** قصد تو آن است تا تنها خوری
“O my friends,” said he, “are not we three persons? Since disagreement has occurred, let us share.
گفت ای یاران نه که ما سه تنیم ** چون خلاف افتاد تا قسمت کنیم
Let him who wishes take his own share to his heart (enjoy it); let him who wishes put his share in hiding.”
هرکه خواهد قسم خود بر جان زند ** هرکه خواهد قسم خود پنهان کند
The two (others) said to him, “Abandon (the thought of) sharing: give ear to (the words) ‘The sharer is in Hell-fire’ from the Traditions (of the Prophet).”2410
آن دو گفتندش ز قسمت در گذر ** گوش کن قسام فی‌النار از خبر
He replied, “The sharer (referred to) is he that has shared himself between sensuality and God.”
گفت قسام آن بود کو خویش را ** کرد قسمت بر هوا و بر خدا
Thou art God's property and His share entirely: (if) thou givest the share (of God) to another, thou art a dualist.
ملک حق و جمله قسم اوستی ** قسم دیگر را دهی دوگوستی
This lion would have prevailed over the curs, if it had not been the turn of those evil-natured ones (to prevail).
این اسد غالب شدی هم بر سگان ** گر نبودی نوبت آن بدرگان
’Twas their intention that the Moslem should suffer pain and pass the night in want of food.
قصدشان آن کان مسلمان غم خورد ** شب برو در بی‌نوایی بگذرد
He was overpowered: he said, with resignation and acquiescence, “My friends, I hear and obey.”2415
بود مغلوب او به تسلیم و رضا ** گفت سمعا طاعة اصحابنا
So they slept (all) that night, and in the morning they rose and dressed themselves,
پس بخفتند آن شب و برخاستند ** بامدادان خویش را آراستند
And washed their faces and mouths; and each one had a (different) method and practice in his devotions.
روی شستند و دهان و هر یکی ** داشت اندر ورد راه و مسلکی
For a while each one applied himself to his devotions, seeking favour from God.
یک زمانی هر کسی آورد رو ** سوی ورد خویش از حق فضل‌جو
True believer and Christian, Jew and Guebre and Magian— the faces of them all are (turned) towards that mighty Sultan.
مومن و ترسا جهود و گبر و مغ ** جمله را رو سوی آن سلطان الغ
Nay, stone and earth and mountain and water have their invisible recourse to God.2420
بلک سنگ و خاک و کوه و آب را ** هست واگشت نهانی با خدا
This topic is infinite. At that time the three companions looked on one another friendlily,
این سخن پایان ندارد هر سه یار ** رو به هم کردند آن دم یاروار
And one (of them) said, “Let each (of us) relate what he dreamed last night.
آن یکی گفتا که هر یک خواب خویش ** آنچ دید او دوش گو آور به پیش
Let him who had the best dream eat this (sweetmeat): let the most excellent carry off the share of every one that is excelled (by him).”
هرکه خوابش بهتر این را او خورد ** قسم هر مفضول را افضل برد
He who mounts highest in (the scale of) reason—his eating is (equivalent to) the eating of all (his inferiors).
آنک اندر عقل بالاتر رود ** خوردن او خوردن جمله بود
His luminous spirit is supreme: ’tis enough for the rest of them to tend (cherish) him.2425
فوق آمد جان پر انوار او ** باقیان را بس بود تیمار او
Since those endowed with (perfect) reason endure for ever, in reality this world is enduring for ever.
عاقلان را چون بقا آمد ابد ** پس به معنی این جهان باقی بود
Then the Jew related his dream (and told them) whither his spirit had wandered during the night.
پس جهود آورد آنچ دیده بود ** تا کجا شب روح او گردیده بود
He said, “Moses met me on the way, (according to the adage) ‘the cat sees a fat sheep's tail in her dreams.’
گفت در ره موسی‌ام آمد به پیش ** گربه بیند دنبه اندر خواب خویش
I followed Moses to Mt Sinai: in the Light (of the Divine Epiphany) all three of us vanished.
در پی موسی شدم تا کوه طور ** هر سه‌مان گشتیم ناپیدا ز نور
All (our) three shadows disappeared in the Sun; after that, there came from the Light an opening of the door (revelation).2430
هر سه سایه محو شد زان آفتاب ** بعد از آن زان نور شد یک فتح باب
From the heart of that Light another Light sprang up, and then the second (Light) quickly sought to transcend it.
نور دیگر از دل آن نور رست ** پس ترقی جست آن ثانیش چست
Both I and Moses and also Mt Sinai, we were lost, all three, in that effulgence of the (second) Light.
هم من و هم موسی و هم کوه طور ** هر سه گم گشتیم زان اشراق نور
After that, I saw the mountain break into three pieces when the Light of God surged upon it.
بعد از آن دیدم که که سه شاخ شد ** چونک نور حق درو نفاخ شد
When the Attribute of Majesty was revealed to it, it burst asunder in every direction.
وصف هیبت چون تجلی زد برو ** می‌سکست از هم همی‌شد سو به سو
One piece of the mountain fell towards the sea, and the water bitter as poison was made sweet.2435
آن یکی شاخ که آمد سوی یم ** گشت شیرین آب تلخ هم‌چو سم
One piece thereof sank into the earth, and a medicinal spring of running water gushed forth,
آن یکی شاخش فرو شد در زمین ** چشمه‌ی دارو برون آمد معین
So that its water became a cure for all the sick by the blessedness of the goodly revelation.
که شفای جمله رنجوران شد آب ** از همایونی وحی مستطاب
The other (third) piece flew at once to the neighbourhood of the Ka‘ba where ‘Arafát was (situated).
آن یکی شاخ دگر پرید زود ** تا جوار کعبه که عرفات بود
When I came back to myself out of that swoon, Sinai was in its place, neither greater nor less (than before);
باز از آن صعقه چو با خود آمدم ** طور بر جا بد نه افزون و نه کم
But under the foot of Moses it was (inwardly) melting like ice: no spur or peak of it remained.2440
لیک زیر پای موسی هم‌چو یخ ** می‌گدازید او نماندش شاخ و شخ
The mountain was levelled to the earth by terror: it was turned upside down by that awful Majesty.
با زمین هموار شد که از نهیب ** گشت بالایش از آن هیبت نشیب
After that scattering (of my senses) I came to myself again and saw that Sinai and Moses were unchanged,
باز با خود آمدم زان انتشار ** باز دیدم طور و موسی برقرار
And that the desert skirting the mountain was filled from end to end with people resembling Moses in (the illumination of) their faces.
وآن بیابان سر به سر در ذیل کوه ** پر خلایق شکل موسی در وجوه
Their (staves and) mantles were like his staff and mantle: all (of them) were speeding joyously towards Sinai.
چون عصا و خرقه‌ی او خرقه‌شان ** جمله سوی طور خوش دامن کشان
All had lifted their hands in prayer and struck up together the tune of let me see (Thee).2445
جمله کفها در دعا افراخته ** نغمه‌ی ارنی به هم در ساخته
Again, as soon as the trance departed from me, the form of each one seemed to me to be diverse.
باز آن غشیان چو از من رفت زود ** صورت هر یک دگرگونم نمود
They were the prophets endowed with love (of God): (thus) the (spiritual) unity of the prophets was (clearly) apprehended by me.
انبیا بودند ایشان اهل ود ** اتحاد انبیاام فهم شد
Again, I beheld some mighty angels: their outward form was (composed) of bodies of snow;
باز املاکی همی دیدم شگرف ** صورت ایشان بد از اجرام برف
And (I saw) another circle of angels asking help (of God): their outward form was wholly of fire.”
حلقه‌ی دیگر ملایک مستعین ** صورت ایشان به جمله آتشین
On this wise did the Jew tell (his dream): there is many a Jew whose end was praiseworthy.2450
زین نسق می‌گفت آن شخص جهود ** بس جهودی که آخرش محمود بود