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
Another (thief) said, “O company of gold-worshippers, my specialty lies wholly in my eyes.
آن دگر گفت ای گروه زرپرست ** جمله خاصیت مرا چشم اندرست
If I see any one in the world by night, I know him by day without (having any) doubt (as to his identity).”
هر که را شب بینم اندر قیروان ** روز بشناسم من او را بی‌گمان
Another said, “My specialty lies in my arm: I make tunnels (through walls) by strength of hand.”
گفت یک خاصیتم در بازو است ** که زنم من نقبها با زور دست
Another said, “My specialty lies in my nose: my business is to detect the (characteristic) smell in (different) earths (soils).2825
گفت یک خاصیتم در بینی است ** کار من در خاکها بوبینی است
The secret of ‘men are mines’ has yielded itself (to me), so that (I know the reason) why the Prophet has said it.
سرالناس معادن داد دست ** که رسول آن را پی چه گفته است
From (smelling) the earth of the body I know how much good ore is (hidden) therein and what (sort of) mine it holds.
من ز خاک تن بدانم کاندر آن ** چند نقدست و چه دارد او ز کان
In one mine is contained gold immeasurable, while (in the case of) another the revenue (derived) from it is less than the expenditure (cost of working it).
در یکی کان زر بی‌اندازه درج ** وان دگر دخلش بود کمتر ز خرج
Like Majnún, I smell the soil and detect the soil (abode) of Laylá without mistake.
هم‌چو مجنون بو کنم من خاک را ** خاک لیلی را بیابم بی‌خطا
I smell and know from (the scent of) every shirt whether ’tis (belongs to) a Joseph or an Ahriman (devil).2830
بو کنم دانم ز هر پیراهنی ** گر بود یوسف و گر آهرمنی
Like Ahmad (Mohammed), who catches scent from Yemen, this nose of mine has gained (been endowed with) some portion of that (spiritual faculty),
هم‌چو احمد که برد بو از یمن ** زان نصیبی یافت این بینی من
(So that I can smell) which soil is a neighbour of gold, or which soil is empty and poor.”
که کدامین خاک همسایه‌ی زرست ** یا کدامین خاک صفر و ابترست
Another said, “Look here, my specialty lies in my fist: I can throw a lasso to the height of a mountain,
گفت یک نک خاصیت در پنجه‌ام ** که کمندی افکنم طول علم
Like Ahmad (Mohammed), whose spirit threw a lasso so (high) that his lasso bore him to Heaven,
هم‌چو احمد که کمند انداخت جانش ** تا کمندش برد سوی آسمانش
And God said to him, ‘O thrower of the lasso (of thy aspiration) at the (celestial) House, deem that (act of throwing) to be from Me: thou didst not throw when thou threwest.’”2835
گفت حقش ای کمندانداز بیت ** آن ز من دان ما رمیت اذ رمیت
Then they (the thieves) asked the King, saying, “O man of authority, in what may thy special talent consist?”
پس بپرسیدند زان شه کای سند ** مر ترا خاصیت اندر چه بود
He replied, “My specialty lies in my beard: I can save criminals from punishment.
گفت در ریشم بود خاصیتم ** که رهانم مجرمان را از نقم
When criminals are handed over to the executioners, as soon as my beard moves they are saved.
مجرمان را چون به جلادان دهند ** چون بجنبد ریش من زیشان رهند
When I move my beard in mercy, they (the executioners) put an end to the killing and (all) the trouble.”
چون بجنبانم به رحمت ریش را ** طی کنند آن قتل و آن تشویش را
The company said to him, “Thou art our qutb (supreme chief), for thou wilt be the (means of our) deliverance on the day of tribulation.”2840
قوم گفتندش که قطب ما توی ** که خلاص روز محنتمان شوی
Afterwards they all set out together and went towards the palace of the fortunate king.
بعد از آن جمله به هم بیرون شدند ** سوی قصرآن شه میمون شدند
When a dog barked on the right, (one of them) said, “It says ‘The Sultan is with you.’”
چون سگی بانگی بزد از سوی راست ** گفت می‌گوید که سلطان با شماست
Another smelt the ground from (the top of) a hill and said, “This belongs to the house of a widow.”
خاک بو کرد آن دگر از ربوه‌ای ** گفت این هست از وثاق بیوه‌ای
Then the skilful master of the lasso threw his lasso, so that (by means of it) they got over the lofty wall.
پس کمند انداخت استاد کمند ** تا شدند آن سوی دیوار بلند
When he (the thief who had previously smelt from the hill) smelt the earth in this other place, he said, “’Tis the earth (site) of the treasury of a peerless king.”2845
جای دیگر خاک را چون بوی کرد ** گفت خاک مخزن شاهیست فرد
The tunneller made a tunnel and reached the treasury: every one carried off some goods from the treasury.
نقب‌زن زد نقب در مخزن رسید ** هر یکی از مخزن اسبابی کشید
The band took away much gold and gold-embroidered cloth and big pearls and quickly concealed them.
بس زر و زربفت و گوهرهای زفت ** قوم بردند و نهان کردند تفت
The King saw distinctly their lodging-place and (noticed) their personal appearance and names and (where they took) refuge and (what) way (they went).
شه معین دید منزل‌گاهشان ** حلیه و نام و پناه و راهشان
He stole away from them and returned (to the palace), and (next) day related his adventure (to the ministers) in council.
خویش را دزدید ازیشان بازگشت ** روز در دیوان بگفت آن سرگذشت
Thereupon furious officers rushed away to arrest and pinion the thieves.2850
پس روان گشتند سرهنگان مست ** تا که دزدان را گرفتند و ببست
They (the thieves) came handcuffed into the council-chamber, and they were trembling in fear for their lives.
دست‌بسته سوی دیوان آمدند ** وز نهیب جان خود لرزان شدند
When they stood before the King's throne, that moon-like King was their (last) night's companion.
چونک استادند پیش تخت شاه ** یار شبشان بود آن شاه چو ماه
He (the thief) who could without hesitation recognise by day any one on whom he had cast his eye by night
آنک چشمش شب بهرکه انداختی ** روز دیدی بی شکش بشناختی
Saw the King on the throne and said, “This man was going about with us last night and was our comrade.
شاه را بر تخت دید و گفت این ** بود با ما دوش شب‌گرد و قرین
He who has such a great talent in his beard—our arrest is the result of his enquiry.”2855
آنک چندین خاصیت در ریش اوست ** این گرفت ما هم از تفتیش اوست
His (the thief's) eye was a knower of the King: consequently he opened his lips (to speak) of (mystic) knowledge to his followers.
عارف شه بود چشمش لاجرم ** بر گشاد از معرفت لب با حشم
He said, “This King was (the subject of) and He is with you: he was seeing our actions and hearing our secret.
گفت و هو معکم این شاه بود ** فعل ما می‌دید و سرمان می‌شنود
My eye made its way (to him), recognised the King by night, and all night long played the game of love with his moon-like face.
چشم من ره برد شب شه را شناخت ** جمله شب با روی ماهش عشق باخت
I will beg (forgiveness for) my people from him, for he never averts his face from the knower.
امت خود را بخواهم من ازو ** کو نگرداند ز عارف هیچ رو
Deem the eye of the knower to be the salvation of the two worlds, whereby every Bahrám (sovereign) obtained help.2860
چشم عارف دان امان هر دو کون ** که بدو یابید هر بهرام عون
Mohammed was the intercessor for every brand (of disgrace) because his eye did not swerve for aught except God.
زان محمد شافع هر داغ بود ** که ز جز شه چشم او مازاغ بود
In the night of this world, where the sun (of Reality) is veiled, he was beholding God, and (all) his hope was in Him.
در شب دنیا که محجوبست شید ** ناظر حق بود و زو بودش امید
His eyes received collyrium from Did not We expand (thy breast)? He saw that which Gabriel could not endure.
از الم نشرح دو چشمش سرمه یافت ** دید آنچ جبرئیل آن بر نتافت
The orphan to whom (to whose eyes) God applies collyrium becomes the orphan (unique) pearl endowed with (Divine) guidance.
مر یتیمی را که سرمه حق کشد ** گردد او در یتیم با رشد
Its light overpowers (that of all other) pearls, (because) it desires such an (exalted) object of desire.2865
نور او بر ذره‌ها غالب شود ** آن‌چنان مطلوب را طالب شود
(All) the (spiritual) stations (attainments) of God's servants were visible to him (the Prophet): consequently God named him ‘The Witness.’
در نظر بودش مقامات العباد ** لاجرم نامش خدا شاهد نهاد
The weapons of the Witness are a trenchant (veracious) tongue and a keen eye, whose nightly vigil no secret can elude.
آلت شاهد زبان و چشم تیز ** که ز شب‌خیزش ندارد سر گریز