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).
I know that God will give thee yonder an everlasting sovereignty in compensation.
دانم آنجا در مکافات ایزدت ** سروری جاودانه بخشدت
In hope of thy (open) hand as (bountiful as) the ocean and (in reliance) upon thy giving (me) a stipend and discharging (my obligations) in full,
بر امید کف چون دریای تو ** بر وظیفه دادن و ایفای تو
I recklessly incurred debts (amounting to) nine thousand pieces of gold: where art thou, that these dregs may become clear?
وام کردم نه هزار از زر گزاف ** تو کجایی تا شود این درد صاف
Where art thou, that laughing like the (verdant) garden thou mayst say, ‘Receive that (sum) and ten times as much from me’?3300
تو کجایی تا که خندان چون چمن ** گویی بستان آن و ده چندان ز من
Where art thou, that thou mayst make me laughing (flourishing) and show favour and beneficence as lords (are wont to do)?
تو کجایی تا مرا خندان کنی ** لطف و احسان چون خداوندان کنی
Where art thou, that thou mayst take me into thy treasury and make me secure from debt and poverty?—
تو کجایی تا بری در مخزنم ** تا کنی از وام و فاقه آمنم
(Whilst) I am saying continually, ‘Enough!’ and thou, my bounteous friend, replying, ‘Accept this too for my heart's sake.’
من همی‌گویم بس و تو مفضلم ** گفته کین هم گیر از بهر دلم
How can a world (microcosm) be contained under the clay (of the body)? How should a Heaven be contained in the earth?
چون همی‌گنجد جهانی زیر طین ** چون بگنجد آسمانی در زمین
God forfend! Thou art beyond this world both in thy lifetime and at the present hour.3305
حاش لله تو برونی زین جهان ** هم به وقت زندگی هم این زمان
A bird is flying in the atmosphere of the Unseen: its shadow falls on a piece of earth.
در هوای غیب مرغی می‌پرد ** سایه‌ی او بر زمینی می‌زند
The body is the shadow of the shadow of the shadow of the heart: how is the body worthy of the (lofty) rank of the heart?
جسم سایه‌ی سایه‌ی سایه‌ی دلست ** جسم کی اندر خور پایه‌ی دلست
A man lies asleep: his spirit is shining in Heaven, like the sun, while his body is in bed.
مرد خفته روح او چون آفتاب ** در فلک تابان و تن در جامه خواب
His spirit is hidden in the Void, like the fringe (sewn inside a garment): his body is turning to and fro beneath the coverlet.
جان نهان اندر خلا هم‌چون سجاف ** تن تقلب می‌کند زیر لحاف
Since the spirit, being from the command of my Lord, is invisible, every similitude that I may utter (concerning it) is denying (the truth of the description).3310
روح چون من امر ربی مختفیست ** هر مثالی که بگویم منتفیست
Oh, where, I wonder, is thy sugar-shedding ruby (lip) and those sweet replies and mysteries of thine?
ای عجب کو لعل شکربار تو ** وان جوابات خوش و اسرار تو
Oh, where, I wonder, is that candy-chewing cornelian (lip), the key to the lock of our perplexities?
ای عجب کو آن عقیق قندخا ** آن کلید قفل مشکل‌های ما
Oh, where, I wonder, is that breath (keen) as Dhu ’l-faqár, that used to make our understandings distraught?
ای عجب کو آن دم چون ذوالفقار ** آنک کردی عقل‌ها را بی‌قرار
How long, like a ringdove seeking her nest, (shall I cry) ‘where (kú) and where and where and where and where and where?’
چند هم‌چون فاخته کاشانه‌جو ** کو و کو و کو و کو و کو و کو
Where (is he now)? In the place where are the Attributes of (Divine) Mercy, and (the Divine) Power and Transcendence, and (celestial) Intelligence.3315
کو همان‌جا که صفات رحمتست ** قدرتست و نزهتست و فطنتست
Where (is he now)? In the same place where his heart and thought always dwelt, like the lion in his jungle.
کو همان‌جا که دل و اندیشه‌اش ** دایم آنجا بد چو شیر و بیشه‌اش
Where (is he now)? In that place whither the hope of (every) man and woman turns in the hour of anguish and sorrow.
کو همان‌جا که امید مرد و زن ** می‌رود در وقت اندوه و حزن
Where (is he now)? In the place to which in time of illness the eye takes wing in hope of (regaining) health—