Caravan on caravan, they arrive from this Desert every evening and morning.
کاروان بر کاروان زین بادیه ** می‌رسد در هر مسا و غادیه
They come and seize our houses in distraint, (each one) saying, “I have arrived, ’tis my turn, do thou begone!”
آید و گیرد وثاق ما گرو ** که رسیدم نوبت ما شد تو رو
When the son has opened the eye of reason (attained to years of discretion), the father at once puts his (own) baggage in the cart.2775
چون پسر چشم خرد را بر گشاد ** زود بابا رخت بر گردون نهاد
’Tis (like) the King's highway—(travellers) departing and arriving, one going in this direction, another in that direction.
جاده‌ی شاهست آن زین سو روان ** وآن از آن سو صادران و واردان
Consider well! We, (though apparently) sitting still, are (really) marching: don't you see that we are bound for a new place (of abode)?
نیک بنگر ما نشسته می‌رویم ** می‌نبینی قاصد جای نویم
You do not get (and spend) your capital for any present need; nay, but (you keep it) for your ultimate purposes.
بهر حالی می‌نگیری راس مال ** بلک از بهر غرض‌ها در مل
The traveller, then, O devotee of the Way, is he whose march and face are towards the future,
پس مسافر این بود ای ره‌پرست ** که مسیر و روش در مستقبلست
Even as the troops of Phantasy are at every moment arriving (and passing) unweariedly through the curtains of the heart.2780
هم‌چنانک از پرده‌ی دل بی‌کلال ** دم به دم در می‌رسد خیل خیال
If (these) ideas are not (sprung) from one (and the same) Plantation, how are they coming to the heart on each other's heels?
گر نه تصویرات از یک مغرس‌اند ** در پی هم سوی دل چون می‌رسند
Company after company, the army of our ideas, (impelled) by thirst, is speeding towards the fountain of the heart.
جوق جوق اسپاه تصویرات ما ** سوی چشمه‌ی دل شتابان از ظما
They fill their jars and go: they are continually appearing and vanishing.
جره‌ها پر می‌کنند و می‌روند ** دایما پیدا و پنهان می‌شوند
Regard (your) thoughts as stars of the sky (which are) revolving in the sphere of another heaven.
فکرها را اختران چرخ دان ** دایر اندر چرخ دیگر آسمان
(If) you have experienced good fortune (spiritual thoughts), give thanks (to God) and do works of charity; (if) you have experienced bad fortune (sensual thoughts), give alms and ask pardon (of God).2785
سعد دیدی شکر کن ایثار کن ** نحس دیدی صدقه و استغفار کن
Who am I in relation to this? Come, O my King, make my ruling star auspicious and wheel once (towards me).
ما کییم این را بیا ای شاه من ** طالعم مقبل کن و چرخی بزن
Illumine my spirit with moonbeams, for my soul is blackened (eclipsed) by contact with the (Dragon's) Tail.
روح را تابان کن از انوار ماه ** که ز آسیب ذنب جان شد سیاه
Deliver it from fancy and vain imagination and opinion, deliver it from the well and the tyranny of the rope,
از خیال و وهم و ظن بازش رهان ** از چه و جور رسن بازش رهان
In order that through Thy goodly lovingkindness a heart (such as mine) may lift its wings and soar up from a (body of) water and earth.
تا ز دلداری خوب تو دلی ** پر بر آرد بر پرد ز آب و گلی
O Prince of Egypt and faithful keeper of thy promise, the wronged Joseph is in thy prison.2790
ای عزیز مصر و در پیمان درست ** یوسف مظلوم در زندان تست
Quickly dream a dream of his release, for God loveth the beneficent.
در خلاص او یکی خوابی ببین ** زود که الله یحب المحسنین
The seven noxious lean kine are devouring its (the spirit's) seven fat kine.
هفت گاو لاغری پر گزند ** هفت گاو فربهش را می‌خورند
The seven dry, ugly, and unapproved ears of corn are feeding on its fresh ears.
هفت خوشه‌ی خشک زشت ناپسند ** سنبلات تازه‌اش را می‌چرند
Famine has arisen in its Egypt, O mighty Potentate: hark, O King, do not continue to sanction this.
قحط از مصرش بر آمد ای عزیز ** هین مباش ای شاه این را مستجیز
Let my Joseph sit in Thy prison, O King: come, deliver me from the wiles of the women.2795
یوسفم در حبس تو ای شه نشان ** هین ز دستان زنانم وا رهان
My mother's lust caused me to fall from the highest heaven which was my tethering-place (stable), for (God said), Fall ye down!
از سوی عرشی که بودم مربط او ** شهوت مادر فکندم که اهبطوا
So by the artfulness of a crone I fell from (a state of) complete perfection into the prison of the womb.
پس فتادم زان کمال مستتم ** از فن زالی به زندان رحم
She brings the spirit from the highest heaven to the (corporeal) Hatím (enclosure): great must be the craft of women.
روح را از عرش آرد در حطیم ** لاجرم کید زنان باشد عظیم
(Both) my first and my last fall were caused by woman, since I was spirit—and how have I become body?
اول و آخر هبوط من ز زن ** چونک بودم روح و چون گشتم بدن
Hearken to this lament of Joseph in his lapse (from grace), or take pity on that distraught Jacob.2800
بشنو این زاری یوسف در عثار ** یا بر آن یعقوب بی‌دل رحم آر
Shall I complain of my brethren or of the women who have cast me, like Adam, from the gardens (of Eden)?
ناله از اخوان کنم یا از زنان ** که فکندندم چو آدم از جنان
I am withered like leaves in December because I have eaten the wheat from the Paradise of union.
زان مثال برگ دی پژمرده‌ام ** کز بهشت وصل گندم خورده‌ام
When I saw Thy graciousness and kindness and Thy greeting of peace and Thy message,
چون بدیدم لطف و اکرام ترا ** وآن سلام سلم و پیغام ترا
I produced rue (to burn as a charm) against the evil eye; (but) the evil eye reached even my rue.
من سپند از چشم بد کردم پدید ** در سپندم نیز چشم بد رسید
(’Tis) only Thy languishing eyes (that) are able to avert every evil eye (whether) in front or behind.2805
دافع هر چشم بد از پیش و پس ** چشم‌های پر خمار تست و بس
Thy good eye, O King, defeats and extirpates the evil eye: how excellent it is as a remedy!
چشم بد را چشم نیکویت شها ** مات و مستاصل کند نعم الدوا
Nay, from Thine eye come (wondrous) alchemies (transmutations): they turn the evil eye into the good eye.
بل ز چشمت کیمیاها می‌رسد ** چشم بد را چشم نیکو می‌کند
The King's eye hath smitten the eye of the falcon-heart, and its falcon-eye hath become mightily aspiring,
چشم شه بر چشم باز دل زدست ** چشم بازش سخت با همت شدست
So that, because of the great aspiration which it has gained from the (King's) look, the royal falcon will (now) catch (hunt) nothing but the fierce lion.
تا ز بس همت که یابید از نظر ** می‌نگیرد باز شه جز شیر نر
What (of the) lion? The spiritual royal falcon is Thy quarry and at the same time Thou art its prey.2810
شیر چه کان شاه‌باز معنوی ** هم شکار تست و هم صیدش توی
The call uttered by the falcon-soul in the meadow of devotion is cries of “I love not them that set.”
شد صفیر باز جان در مرج دین ** نعره‌های لا احب الافلین
From Thy infinite bounty there came an (inward) eye to the falcon-soul that was flying for Thy sake.
باز دل را که پی تو می‌پرید ** از عطای بی‌حدت چشمی رسید
From Thee its nose gained (the inward sense of) smell, and its ear the (inward) hearing: to each sense was allotted a portion (of the spiritual sense that was) distributed (amongst them all).
یافت بینی بوی و گوش از تو سماع ** هر حسی را قسمتی آمد مشاع
Since Thou givest to each sense the means of access to the Unseen, that (spiritual) sense is not subject to the frailty of death and hoary eld.
هر حسی را چون دهی ره سوی غیب ** نبود آن حس را فتور مرگ و شیب
Thou art the Lord of the kingdom: Thou givest to the (spiritual) sense something (peculiar to itself), so that that sense exercises sovereignty over (all) the senses.2815
مالک الملکی به حس چیزی دهی ** تا که بر حس‌ها کند آن حس شهی
Story of the night-thieves with whom Sultan Mahmúd fell in during the night (and joined them), saying, “I am one of you”; and how he became acquainted with their affairs, etc.
حکایت شب دزدان کی سلطان محمود شب در میان ایشان افتاد کی من یکی‌ام از شما و بر احوال ایشان مطلع شدن الی آخره
While King Mahmúd was roaming about alone at night he encountered a band of thieves.
شب چو شه محمود برمی‌گشت فرد ** با گروهی قوم دزدان باز خورد
Thereupon they said to him, “Who art thou, O honest man?” “I am one of you,” replied the King.
پس بگفتندش کیی ای بوالوفا ** گفت شه من هم یکی‌ام از شما
One (of the thieves) said, “O company practised in cunning, let each of us declare his (special) talent;
آن یکی گفت ای گروه مکر کیش ** تا بگوید هر یکی فرهنگ خویش
Let him tell his comrades in the night-talk what (eminent) skill he possesses in his nature.”
تا بگوید با حریفان در سمر ** کو چه دارد در جبلت از هنر
One said, “O ye fellows who are exhibiting (your) cleverness, my specialty lies in my two ears.2820
آن یکی گفت ای گروه فن‌فروش ** هست خاصیت مرا اندر دو گوش
(It is this), that I know what a dog is saying when it barks.” The (rest of the) party replied, “Two dángs of a dínár.”
که بدانم سگ چه می‌گوید به بانگ ** قوم گفتندش ز دیناری دو دانگ