‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth was a congener of the peri: for nine years he was flying about invisibly, like a peri.
بود عبدالغوث هم‌جنس پری ** چون پری نه سال در پنهان‌پری
His wife had offspring by another husband, and his (‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth's) orphans used to talk of his death,2975
شد زنش را نسل از شوی دگر ** وآن یتیمانش ز مرگش در سمر
Saying, “A wolf or a brigand (must have) attacked him, or (perhaps) he fell into a pit or ambush.”
که مرورا گرگ زد یا ره‌زنی ** یا فتاد اندر چهی یا مکمنی
All his children were passionately absorbed in (worldly) occupations: they never said (thought) that they had a father (who might be alive).
جمله فرزندانش در اشغال مست ** خود نگفتندی که بابایی بدست
After nine years he came (back) temporarily: he appeared and (then) disappeared again.
بعد نه سال آمد او هم عاریه ** گشت پیدا باز شد متواریه
He was the guest of his children for one month, and after that nobody saw any more of him.
یک مهی مهمان فرزندان خویش ** بود و زان پس کس ندیدش رنگ بیش
(Inward) homogeneity with the peris carried him off, just as a spear-thrust ravishes the spirit (from the body).2980
برد هم جنسی پریانش چنان ** که رباید روح را زخم سنان
Since one who is destined for Paradise is (inwardly) homogeneous with Paradise, on account of homogeneity he also becomes a worshipper of God.
چون بهشتی جنس جنت آمدست ** هم ز جنسیت شود یزدان‌پرست
Has not the Prophet said, “Know that liberality and virtue are (drooping) branches of (the trees in) Paradise (and have) come (have been let down) into this world”?
نه نبی فرمود جود و محمده ** شاخ جنت دان به دنیا آمده
Declare all loves to be homogeneous with (Divine) Love; deem all wraths to be homogeneous with (Divine) Wrath.
مهرها را جمله جنس مهر خوان ** قهرها را جمله جنس قهر دان
The reckless man gets a reckless man (as his comrade), because they are congenial in respect of their understanding.
لاابالی لا ابالی آورد ** زانک جنس هم بوند اندر خرد
The congeniality (spiritual affinity) in Idrís was (derived) from the stars: for eight years he was coming along with Saturn.2985
بود جنسیت در ادریس از نجوم ** هشت سال او با زحل بد در قدوم
He was his (Saturn's) companion in the East and in the West; (he was) his partner in conversation and familiar with his characteristics.
در مشارق در مغارب یار او ** هم‌حدیث و محرم آثار او
When after his absence (from the body) he arrived (on earth), on the earth he was always giving lessons in astronomy.
بعد غیبت چونک آورد او قدوم ** در زمین می‌گفت او درس نجوم
The stars gladly ranged themselves in ranks before him: the stars attended his lectures,
پیش او استارگان خوش صف زده ** اختران در درس او حاضر شده
So that the people (present), nobles and commons alike, would hear the voices of the stars.
آنچنان که خلق آواز نجوم ** می‌شنیدند از خصوص و از عموم
The attraction exerted by homogeneity (spiritual affinity) drew the stars down to the earth and caused them to speak plainly before him.2990
جذب جنسیت کشیده تا زمین ** اختران را پیش او کرده مبین
Each one declared its name and its circumstances and expounded to him (the science of) astronomical observation.
هر یکی نام خود و احوال خود ** باز گفته پیش او شرح رصد
What is (real) homogeneity? A species of insight whereby people gain admission into (the minds and feelings of) one another.
چیست جنسیت یکی نوع نظر ** که بدان یابند ره در هم‌دگر
When God endows you with the same insight which He has hidden in him (another person), you become his congener.
آن نظر که کرد حق در وی نهان ** چون نهد در تو تو گردی جنس آن
What draws a body (person) in any direction? Insight. How should the conscious attract the unconscious?
هر طرف چه می‌کشد تن را نظر ** بی‌خبر را کی کشاند با خبر
When He (God) implants in a man the nature of a woman, fit catamitus et coitum dat. [When He (God) implants in a man the nature of a woman, he becomes a catamite and offers (anal) intercourse.]2995
چونک اندر مرد خوی زن نهد ** او مخنث گردد و گان می‌دهد
When God implants in a woman the masculine nature, illa femina feminam cupit et cum ea rem habet. [When God implants in a woman the masculine nature, that dildo-using woman becomes a seeker of women.]
چون نهد در زن خدا خوی نری ** طالب زن گردد آن زن سعتری
When He implants in you the qualities of Gabriel, you will seek the way up to the air, like a young bird,
چون نهد در تو صفات جبرئیل ** هم‌چو فرخی بر هواجویی سبیل
Gazing exspectantly, your eye fixed upon the air, estranged from the earth and enamoured of heaven.
منتظر بنهاده دیده در هوا ** از زمین بیگانه عاشق بر سما
When He implants in you the asinine qualities, (even) if you have a hundred wings (expedients) you will fly to the stable.
چون نهد در تو صفت‌های خری ** صد پرت گر هست بر آخر پری
The mouse is not despised for its (outward) form: it becomes a helpless victim of the kite because of its villainous character.3000
از پی صورت نیامد موش خوار ** از خبیثی شد زبون موش‌خوار
It is a (greedy) food-seeker and a traitor and a lover of darkness, besotted with cheese and pistachio nuts and syrup.
طعمه‌جوی و خاین و ظلمت‌پرست ** از پنیر و فستق و دوشاب مست
When the white falcon has the nature of a mouse, it is an object of contempt to the mice and a disgrace to the wild animals.
باز اشهب را چو باشد خوی موش ** ننگ موشان باشد و عار وحوش
O son, when the nature of Hárút and Márút was changed and He (God) bestowed on them the nature of man,
خوی آن هاروت و ماروت ای پسر ** چون بگشت و دادشان خوی بشر
They fell from (the eminence of) verily, we are they that stand in rowsinto the pit at Babylon (where they remain) shackled head-foremost.
در فتادند از لنحن الصافون ** در چه بابل ببسته سرنگون
The Guarded Tablet was removed from their sight: sorcerer and ensorcelled became their tablet.3005
لوح محفوظ از نظرشان دور شد ** لوح ایشان ساحر و مسحور شد
The same arms, the same head, the same figure—(yet) a Moses is celestial (in his nature), while a Pharaoh is contemptible.
پر همان و سر همان هیکل همان ** موسیی بر عرش و فرعونی مهان
Be always in quest of the (inward) nature and consort with him whose nature is good: observe how rose-oil (otto) has received (imbibed) the nature (of the rose).
در پی خو باش و با خوش‌خو نشین ** خوپذیری روغن گل را ببین
The earth of the grave is ennobled by the (holy) man (buried there), so that the (owner of an illumined) heart lays his face and hands on his grave.
خاک گور از مرد هم یابد شرف ** تا نهد بر گور او دل روی و کف
Since the earth (of the grave) is ennobled and made fortunate by the neighbourhood of the pure body,
خاک از همسایگی جسم پاک ** چون مشرف آمد و اقبال‌ناک
Do thou too, then, say, “(First) the neighbour, then the house”: if thou hast a heart, go, seek a sweetheart.3010
پس تو هم الجار ثم الدار گو ** گر دلی داری برو دلدار جو
His dust (body) is endued with the character of his soul: it becomes a collyrium for the eyes of those who are dear (to God).
خاک او هم‌سیرت جان می‌شود ** سرمه‌ی چشم عزیزان می‌شود
Oh, many a one sleeping like dust in the grave is superior in usefulness and open-handedness to a hundred living.
ای بسا در گور خفته خاک‌وار ** به ز صد احیا به نفع و انتشار
He has taken away (from us) his shadow (body), but his dust is overshadowing (blessing and protecting us): hundreds of thousands of the living are in his shadow (under his protection).
سایه برده او و خاکش سایه‌مند ** صد هزاران زنده در سایه‌ی ویند
Story of the man who had an allowance from the Police Inspector of Tabríz and had incurred (large) debts in expectation of that allowance, since he was unaware of his (the Inspector's) death. The gist (of the story is that) his debts were paid, not by any living person, but by the deceased Inspector, (for) as has been said, “He that died and found peace is not dead: the (real) dead one is the man (spiritually) dead among the (materially) living.”
داستان آن مرد کی وظیفه داشت از محتسب تبریز و وامها کرده بود بر امید آن وظیفه و او را خبر نه از وفات او حاصل از هیچ زنده‌ای وام او گزارده نشد الا از محتسب متوفی گزارده شد چنانک گفته‌اند لیس من مات فاستراح بمیت انما المیت میت الاحیاء
A certain dervish, who was in debt, came from the outlying provinces to Tabríz.
آن یکی درویش ز اطراف دیار ** جانب تبریز آمد وامدار
His debts amounted to nine thousand pieces of gold. It happened that in Tabríz was (a man named) Badru’ddín ‘Umar.3015
نه هزارش وام بد از زر مگر ** بود در تبریز بدرالدین عمر
He was the Police Inspector, (but) at heart he was an ocean (of bounty): every hair's tip of him was a dwelling-place (worthy) of Hátim.
محتسب بد او به دل بحر آمده ** هر سر مویش یکی حاتم‌کده
Hátim, had he been (alive), would have become a beggar to him and laid his head (before him) and made himself (as) the dust of his feet.
حاتم ار بودی گدای او شدی ** سر نهادی خاک پای او شدی
If he had given an ocean of limpid water to a thirsty man, such was his generosity that he would be ashamed of (bestowing) that gift;
گر بدادی تشنه را بحری زلال ** در کرم شرمنده بودی زان نوال
And if he had made a mote (as full of splendour as) a place of sunrise, (even) that would (seem) to his lofty aspiration (to) be an unworthy action.
ور بکردی ذره‌ای را مشرقی ** بودی آن در همتش نالایقی
That poor stranger came (to Tabríz) in hope of him, for to poor strangers he was always (like) a kinsman and relative.3020
بر امید او بیامد آن غریب ** کو غریبان را بدی خویش و نسیب
That poor stranger was familiar with his door and had paid innumerable debts from his bounty.
با درش بود آن غریب آموخته ** وام بی‌حد از عطایش توخته
In reliance upon that generous (patron) he ran into debt, for the (poor) man was confident of (receiving) his donations.
هم به پشت آن کریم او وام کرد ** که ببخششهاش واثق بود مرد
He had been made reckless by him (the Inspector) and eager to incur debts in hope of (being enriched by) that munificent sea.
لا ابالی گشته زو و وام‌جو ** بر امید قلزم اکرام‌خو