Though a mother's tenderness is (derived) from God, (yet) ’tis a sacred duty and a worthy task to serve her.
رحمت مادر اگر چه از خداست ** خدمت او هم فریضه‌ست و سزاست
For this reason God hath said, ‘Do ye bless him (the Prophet),’ for Mohammed was one to whom (the attributes of Divine Providence) were transferred.
زین سبب فرمود حق صلوا علیه ** که محمد بود محتال الیه
At the Resurrection God will say to His servant, ‘Hark, what have you done with that which I bestowed on you?’
در قیامت بنده را گوید خدا ** هین چه کردی آنچ دادم من ترا
He will reply, ‘O Lord, I gave thanks to Thee with (all) my soul, since the source of my daily provision and bread was in Thee.’3260
گوید ای رب شکر تو کردم به جان ** چون ز تو بود اصل آن روزی و نان
(Then) God will say to him, ‘Nay, you did not give thanks to Me, inasmuch as you did not give thanks to him who made a practice of generosity.
گویدش حق نه نکردی شکر من ** چون نکردی شکر آن اکرام‌فن
You have done wrong and injustice to a generous man: did not My bounty come to you by his hand?’”
بر کریمی کرده‌ای ظلم و ستم ** نه ز دست او رسیدت نعمتم
When he (the debtor) arrived at the tomb of his benefactor, he began to weep bitterly and broke into loud lamentation.
چون به گور آن ولی‌نعمت رسید ** گشت گریان زار و آمد در نشید
He said, “O thou who wert the support and refuge of every noble (righteous) man and the hope and helper of wayfarers,
گفت ای پشت و پناه هر نبیل ** مرتجی و غوث ابناء السبیل
O thou on whose heart the care for our means of livelihood (lay constantly), O thou whose beneficence and charity were (like) the universal provision of sustenance,3265
ای غم ارزاق ما بر خاطرت ** ای چو رزق عام احسان و برت
O thou who wert (as) kinsfolk and parents to the poor in (paying) their taxes and expenses and in discharging their debts,
ای فقیران را عشیره و والدین ** در خراج و خرج و در ایفاء دین
O thou who, like the sea, gavest pearls for those near (to thee) and (didst send) rain as a gift to those afar,
ای چو بحر از بهر نزدیکان گهر ** داده و تحفه سوی دوران مطر
Our backs were warmed by thee, O sun (who wert) the splendour in every palace and the treasure in every ruin.
پشت ما گرم از تو بود ای آفتاب ** رونق هر قصر و گنج هر خراب
O thou in whose eyebrow none ever saw knots (wrinkles), O thou (who wert) generous and bountiful as (the archangel) Michael,
ای در ابرویت ندیده کس گره ** ای چو میکائیل راد و رزق‌ده
O thou whose heart was connected with the Sea of the Unseen, O thou who wert the invisible ‘Anqá on the Qáf (mountain) of munificence,3270
ای دلت پیوسته با دریای غیب ** ای به قاف مکرمت عنقای غیب
Who never tookest thought how much of thy wealth had gone, and the roof of the azimuth (amplitude) of thy magnanimity was never cloven,
یاد ناورده که از مالم چه رفت ** سقف قصد همتت هرگز نکفت
O thou to whom in (every) month and year I and a hundred like me had become a family (tenderly cared for) like thine own children,
ای من و صد هم‌چو من در ماه و سال ** مر ترا چون نسل تو گشته عیال
Thou wert our ready money and our movables and our furniture, our fame and our glory and our fortune.
نقد ما و جنس ما و رخت ما ** نام ما و فخر ما و بخت ما
Thou art not dead; (but) our luxury and fortune are dead, our happy life is dead and the sustenance that was provided in full measure.
تو نمردی ناز و بخت ما بمرد ** عیش ما و رزق مستوفی بمرد
(Thou wert) a single person like (equivalent to) a thousand in warfare and in generosity; (thou wert) as a hundred Hátims in the hour of lavishing bounties unselfishly.3275
واحد کالالف در رزم و کرم ** صد چو حاتم گاه ایثار نعم
If Hátim bestows dead (worldly goods) on the (spiritually) dead (worldlings), he (is like one who) bestows a certain number of walnuts (on children).
حاتم ار مرده به مرده می‌دهد ** گردگان‌های شمرده می‌دهد
Thou at every moment art bestowing a life that, because of its preciousness, cannot be contained in breath (words).
تو حیاتی می‌دهی در هر نفس ** کز نفیسی می‌نگنجد در نفس
Thou art bestowing a life exceedingly enduring, real gold coin exempt from depreciation and beyond count.
تو حیاتی می‌دهی بس پایدار ** نقد زر بی‌کساد و بی‌شمار
There exists no heir (even) to one (noble) disposition of thine, O thou to whose abode Heaven is bowing in worship.
وارثی نا بوده یک خوی ترا ** ای فلک سجده کنان کوی ترا
Thy grace is the shepherd of all who have been created, (guarding them) from the wolf of pain—a loving shepherd like God's Kalím (Moses).”3280
خلق را از گرگ غم لطفت شبان ** چون کلیم الله شبان مهربان
One sheep fled from God's Kalím: the feet of Moses were blistered (in following it) and his shoes dropped off.
گوسفندی از کلیم الله گریخت ** پای موسی آبله شد نعل ریخت
(He continued) searching after it till nightfall, and (meanwhile) the flock had vanished from his sight.
در پی او تا به شب در جست و جو ** وان رمه غایب شده از چشم او
The (lost) sheep was enfeebled and exhausted by fatigue: then God's Kalím shook the dust off it,
گوسفند از ماندگی شد سست و ماند ** پس کلیم الله گرد از وی فشاند
And stroked its back and head with his hand, fondling it lovingly like a mother.
کف همی‌مالید بر پشت و سرش ** می‌نواخت از مهر هم‌چون مادرش
Not (even) half a mite of irritation and anger, nothing but love and pity and tears!3285
نیم ذره طیرگی و خشم نی ** غیر مهر و رحم و آب چشم نی
He said (to the sheep), “I grant you (naturally) had no pity on me, (but) why did your nature show (such) cruelty to itself?”
گفت گیرم بر منت رحمی نبود ** طبع تو بر خود چرا استم نمود
At that moment God said to the angels, “So-and-so is suitable for prophethood.”
با ملایک گفت یزدان آن زمان ** که نبوت را نمی‌زیبد فلان
Mustafá (Mohammed) himself has said that every prophet herded sheep as a young man or boy,
مصطفی فرمود خود که هر نبی ** کرد چوپانیش برنا یا صبی
(And that) without his having been a shepherd and (having undergone) that trial, God did not bestow on him the leadership of the world.
بی‌شبانی کردن و آن امتحان ** حق ندادش پیشوایی جهان
A questioner said, “Even thou, O man of might?” “I too,” he replied, “was a shepherd for a long while.”3290
گفت سایل هم تو نیز ای پهلوان ** گفت من هم بوده‌ام دهری شبان
In order that their (the prophets') calmness and fortitude should be displayed, God made them shepherds before (investing them with) prophethood.
تا شود پیدا وقار و صبرشان ** کردشان پیش از نبوت حق شبان
Every prince who performs the task of shepherding mankind in such wise that he obeys the Commandments (of God),
هر امیری کو شبانی بشر ** آنچنان آرد که باشد متمر
(And) in tending them with foresight and understanding shows a forbearance like that of Moses,
حلم موسی‌وار اندر رعی خود ** او به جا آرد به تدبیر و خرد
Inevitably God will bestow on him a spiritual shepherd's office (exalted) above the sphere of the moon,
لاجرم حقش دهد چوپانیی ** بر فراز چرخ مه روحانیی
Even as He raised the prophets from this herding (of sheep) and gave them the task of tending the righteous.3295
آنچنان که انبیا را زین رعا ** بر کشید و داد رعی اصفیا
“Thou, in short, O Khwája, hast performed in thy shepherding (of the poor) that which causes him that hates thee to become blind (utterly confounded).