Hark, avert your face and head from searching, now that the Destination and Dwelling-place has come into view.
هین بگردان از تحری رو و سر ** که پدید آمد معاد و مستقر
If you forget this Qibla for one moment, you will become in thrall to every worthless qibla (object of desire).
یک زمان زین قبله گر ذاهل شوی ** سخره‌ی هر قبله‌ی باطل شوی
When you show ingratitude to him that gives you discernment, the thought that recognises the Qibla will dart away from you.
چون شوی تمییزده را ناسپاس ** بجهد از تو خطرت قبله‌شناس
If you desire benefit and (spiritual) wheat from this Barn, do not part, even for half an hour, from those who sympathise,2630
گر ازین انبار خواهی بر و بر ** نیم‌ساعت هم ز همدردان مبر
For at the moment when you part from this helper you will be afflicted with an evil comrade
که در آن دم که ببری زین معین ** مبتلی گردی تو با بس القرین
Story of the attachment between the mouse and the frog: how they tied their legs together with a long string, and how a raven carried off the mouse, and how the frog was suspended (in the air) and lamented and repented of having attached himself to an animal of a different species instead of sorting with one of his own kind.
حکایت تعلق موش با چغز و بستن پای هر دو به رشته‌ای دراز و بر کشیدن زاغ موش را و معلق شدن چغز و نالیدن و پشیمانی او از تعلق با غیر جنس و با جنس خود ناساختن
As it happened, a mouse and a faithful frog had become friends on the bank of a river.
از قضا موشی و چغزی با وفا ** بر لب جو گشته بودند آشنا
Both of them were bound to (keep) a (daily) tryst: every morning they would come into a nook,
هر دو تن مربوط میقاتی شدند ** هر صباحی گوشه‌ای می‌آمدند
(Where) they played heart-and-soul with one another and emptied their breasts of evil (suspicious) thoughts.
نرد دل با هم‌دگر می‌باختند ** از وساوس سینه می‌پرداختند
The hearts of both swelled (with joy) from meeting: they recited stories and listened to each other,2635
هر دو را دل از تلاقی متسع ** هم‌دگر را قصه‌خوان و مستمع
Telling secrets with and without tongue, knowing how to interpret (the Tradition), “A united party is a (Divine) mercy.”
رازگویان با زبان و بی‌زبان ** الجماعه رحمه را تاویل دان
Whenever the exultant (mouse) consorted with the merry (frog), a five years' tale would come into his mind.
آن اشر چون جفت آن شاد آمدی ** پنج ساله قصه‌اش یاد آمدی
Flow of speech from the heart is a sign of (intimate) friendship; obstruction of speech arises from lack of intimacy.
جوش نطق از دل نشان دوستیست ** بستگی نطق از بی‌الفتیست
The heart that has seen the sweetheart, how should it remain bitter? (When) a nightingale has seen the rose, how should he remain silent?
دل که دلبر دید کی ماند ترش ** بلبلی گل دید کی ماند خمش
At the touch of Khadir the roasted fish came to life and took its abode in the sea.2640
ماهی بریان ز آسیب خضر ** زنده شد در بحر گشت او مستقر
To the friend, when he is seated beside his Friend, a hundred thousand tablets of mystery are made known.
یار را با یار چون بنشسته شد ** صد هزاران لوح سر دانسته شد
The brow of the Friend is a Guarded Tablet: to him (his friend) it reveals plainly the secret of the two worlds.
لوح محفوظ است پیشانی یار ** راز کونینش نماید آشکار
The Friend is the guide on the way during (his friend's) advance: hence Mustafá (Mohammed) said, “My Companions are (like) the stars.”
The star shows the way in (desert) sands and on the sea: fix thine eye on the (spiritual) Star, for he is the one to be followed.
نجم اندر ریگ و دریا رهنماست ** چشم اندر نجم نه کو مقتداست
Keep thine eye always paired with (unseparated from) his face: do not stir up dust by way of discussion and argument,2645
چشم را با روی او می‌دار جفت ** گرد منگیزان ز راه بحث و گفت
Because the Star will be hidden by that dust: the eye is better than the stumbling tongue.
زانک گردد نجم پنهان زان غبار ** چشم بهتر از زبان با عثار
(Be silent) in order that he may speak whose innermost garment is (Divine) inspiration which lays the dust and does not stir up trouble.
تا بگوید او که وحیستش شعار ** کان نشاند گرد و ننگیزد غبار
When Adam became the theatre of (Divine) inspiration and love, his rational soul revealed (to him) the knowledge of the Names.
چون شد آدم مظهر وحی و وداد ** ناطقه‌ی او علم الاسما گشاد
His tongue, (reading) from the page of his heart, recited the name of everything as it (really) is.
نام هر چیزی چنانک هست آن ** از صحیفه‌ی دل روی گشتش زبان
Through his (inward) vision his tongue was divulging the properties and quiddities of all things.2650
فاش می‌گفتی زبان از ریتش ** جمله را خاصیت و ماهیتش
(It was bestowing) such a name as fits the things (named), not so as to call a catamite a lion (hero).
آنچنان نامی که اشیا را سزد ** نه چنانک حیز را خواند اسد
Nine hundred years Noah (walked) in the straight way, and every day he had a new sermon to preach.
نوح نهصد سال در راه سوی ** بود هر روزیش تذکیر نوی
His ruby (lip) drew its eloquence from the corundum (precious jewel) in the hearts (of prophets): he had not read (mystical books like) the Risála or the Qútu ’l-qulúb.
لعل او گویا ز یاقوت القلوب ** نه رساله خوانده نه قوت القلوب
He had never learned to preach from (studying) commentaries; nay, (he learned) from the fountain of revelations and from the exposition (set forth) by the spirit—
وعظ را ناموخته هیچ از شروح ** بلک ینبوع کشوف و شرح روح
From the wine that (is so potent that) when it is quaffed the water of speech gushes from (the mouth of) the dumb,2655
زان میی کان می چو نوشیده شود ** آب نطق از گنگ جوشیده شود
And the new-born child becomes an eloquent divine and, like the Messiah (Christ), recites (words of) mature wisdom.
طفل نوزاده شود حبر فصیح ** حکمت بالغ بخواند چون مسیح
The prophet David learned a hundred odes (melodies) from the mountain that gained from that wine (the gift of) sweet song.
از کهی که یافت زان می خوش‌لبی ** صد غزل آموخت داود نبی
All the birds left off chirping and joined their voices with King David as accompanists.
جمله مرغان ترک کرده چیک چیک ** هم‌زبان و یار داود ملیک
What wonder that a bird should be enraptured by him, since (even) iron obeyed the call of his hand?
چه عجب که مرغ گردد مست او ** هم شنود آهن ندای دست او
A roaring wind became murderous to (the people of) ‘Ád, (but) to Solomon it became (serviceable) as a carrier.2660
صرصری بر عاد قتالی شده ** مر سلیمان را چو حمالی شده
A roaring wind carried on its head the throne of the king (Solomon) a month's journey every morn and eve.
صرصری می‌برد بر سر تخت شاه ** هر صباح و هر مسا یک ماهه راه
It became both a carrier and a spy for him, making the talk of the absent to be apprehended by him.
هم شده حمال و هم جاسوس او ** گفت غایب را کنان محسوس او
The waft of air that caught the words of the absent would hasten to the ear of the king,
باد دم که گفت غایب یافتی ** سوی گوش آن ملک بشتافتی
Saying, “Such-and-such an one said so-and-so just now, O mighty Solomon of auspicious fortune!”
که فلانی این چنین گفت این زمان ** ای سلیمان مه صاحب‌قران
How the mouse made an arrangement with the frog, saying, “I cannot come to you in the water when I want (to see you). There must be some means of communication between us, so that when I come to the river-bank I may be able to let you know, and when you come to the mouse-hole you may be able to let me know, etc.”
تدبیر کردن موش به چغز کی من نمی‌توانم بر تو آمدن به وقت حاجت در آب میان ما وصلتی باید کی چون من بر لب جو آیم ترا توانم خبر کردن و تو چون بر سر سوراخ موش‌خانه آیی مرا توانی خبر کردن الی آخره
This topic is endless. One day the mouse said to the frog, “O lamp of intelligence,2665
این سخن پایان ندارد گفت موش ** چغز را روزی کای مصباح هوش
At times I wish to talk with you in secret, and you are gambolling in the water.
وقتها خواهم که گویم با تو راز ** تو درون آب داری ترک‌تاز
I am on the river-bank, crying aloud for you, (but) you in the water do not hear the wailing of lovers.
بر لب جو من ترا نعره‌زنان ** نشنوی در آب ناله‌ی عاشقان
(When we meet) at this appointed time, O brave (frog), I never become weary of conversing with you.”
من بدین وقت معین ای دلیر ** می‌نگردم از محاکات تو سیر
The (ritual) prayer is five times (daily), but the guide for lovers is (the Verse), (they who are) in prayer continually.
پنج وقت آمد نماز و رهنمون ** عاشقان را فی صلاة دائمون
The wine-headache that is in those heads is not relieved by five (times) nor by five hundred thousand.2670
نه به پنج آرام گیرد آن خمار ** که در آن سرهاست نی پانصد هزار
“Visit once a week” is not the ration for lovers; the soul of the sincere (lovers) has an intense craving to drink.
نیست زر غبا وظیفه‌ی عاشقان ** سخت مستسقیست جان صادقان
“Visit once a week” is not the ration for (those) fishes, since they feel no spiritual joy without the Sea.
Notwithstanding the crop-sickness of the fishes, the water of this Sea, which is a tremendous place, is but a single draught (too little to satisfy them).
آب این دریا که هایل بقعه‌ایست ** با خمار ماهیان خود جرعه‌ایست
To the lover one moment of separation is as a year; to him a (whole) year's uninterrupted union is a (fleeting) fancy.
یک دم هجران بر عاشق چو سال ** وصل سالی متصل پیشش خیال
Love craves to drink and seeks him who craves to drink: this (Love) and that (lover) are at each other's heels, like Day and Night.2675
عشق مستسقیست مستسقی‌طلب ** در پی هم این و آن چون روز و شب
Day is in love with Night and has lost control of itself; when you look (inwardly), (you will see that) Night is (even) more in love with it.
روز بر شب عاشقست و مضطرست ** چون ببینی شب برو عاشق‌ترست