You (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) drag in the ox in order to cheat (me): begone, God does not stick the horns of an ox upon a horse.”
پای گاو اندر میان آری ز داو ** رو ندوزد حق بر اسپی شاخ گاو
This renowned Master-builder observes great congruity in His workmanship: how should He attach to a horse's body part of (the body of) an ox?
بس مناسب صنعتست این شهره زاو ** کی نهد بر جسم اسپ او عضو گاو
The Master-builder has made (all) bodies congruously: He has constructed moving palaces,
زاو ابدان را مناسب ساخته ** قصرهای منتقل پرداخته
(With) balconies in them and cisterns (distributing water) from this (part of the palace) to that;
در میان قصرها تخریج‌ها ** از سوی این سوی آن صهریج‌ها
And within them an infinite world: all this (vast) expanse (is contained) in a single tent.3510
وز درونشان عالمی بی‌منتها ** در میان خرگهی چندین فضا
Now He causes (one beautiful as) the moon to seem like an incubus (nightmare), now He causes the bottom of a well to have the semblance of a garden.
گه چو کابوسی نماید ماه را ** گه نماید روضه قعر چاه را
Inasmuch as the closing and opening of the eye of the heart by the Almighty is continually working lawful magic,
قبض و بسط چشم دل از ذوالجلال ** دم به دم چون می‌کند سحر حلال
For this reason Mustafá (Mohammed) entreated God, saying, “Let the false appear as false and the true as true,
زین سبب درخواست از حق مصطفی ** زشت را هم زشت و حق را حق‌نما
So that at last, when Thou turnest the leaf, I may not (be stricken) by sorrow (and) fall into agitation.”
تا به آخر چون بگردانی ورق ** از پشیمانی نه افتم در قلق
(’Twas) the Lord of the Kingdom (that) guided the peerless ‘Imádu ’l- Mulk to the deception which he practised.3515
مکر که کرد آن عماد الملک فرد ** مالک الملکش بدان ارشاد کرد
God's deception is the fountainhead of (all) these deceptions: the heart is between the two fingers of the (Divine) Majesty.
مکر حق سرچشمه‌ی این مکرهاست ** قلب بین اصبعین کبریاست
He who creates deception and (false) analogy in your heart can (also) set the sackcloth (of deception) on fire.
آنک سازد در دلت مکر و قیاس ** آتشی داند زدن اندر پلاس
Return to the Story of the bailiff and the poor debtor: how they turned back from the Khwája's grave, and how the bailiff saw the Khwája in a dream, etc.
رجوع کردن به قصه‌ی آن پای‌مرد و آن غریب وام‌دار و بازگشتن ایشان از سر گور خواجه و خواب دیدن پای‌مرد خواجه را الی آخره
This goodly episode is endless (too long to relate in full). When the poor stranger turned back from the Khwája's grave,
بی‌نهایت آمد این خوش سرگذشت ** چون غریب از گور خواجه باز گشت
The bailiff took him to his house and handed over to him the purse of a hundred dinars.
پای مردش سوی خانه‌ی خویش برد ** مهر صد دینار را فا او سپرد
He fetched viands for him and told him stories, so that from the (feeling of) hope (with which the bailiff inspired him) a hundred roses blossomed in his heart.3520
لوتش آورد و حکایت‌هاش گفت ** کز امید اندر دلش صد گل شکفت
He (the bailiff) opened his lips to relate the ease (prosperity) which he had experienced after difficulty (adversity).
آنچ بعد العسر یسر او دیده بود ** با غریب از قصه‌ی آن لب گشود
Midnight passed, and (he was still) narrating: (then) sleep transported them to the meadow where the spirit feeds.
نیم‌شب بگذشت و افسانه کنان ** خوابشان انداخت تا مرعای جان
On that night the bailiff dreamed that he saw the blessed Khwája (seated) on the high-seat in the (heavenly) palace.
دید پامرد آن همایون خواجه را ** اندر آن شب خواب بر صدر سرا
The Khwája said, “O excellent bailiff, I have heard what you said, point by point,
خواجه گفت ای پای‌مرد با نمک ** آنچ گفتی من شنیدم یک به یک
But I was not commanded to answer, and I durst not open my lips without being directed.3525
Now that we have become acquainted with the conditions and degrees (of the spiritual world), a seal has been laid upon our lips,
ما چو واقف گشته‌ایم از چون و چند ** مهر با لب‌های ما بنهاده‌اند
Lest the mysteries of the Unseen should be divulged and (thereby) the life and livelihood (of mortals) be destroyed,
تا نگردد رازهای غیب فاش ** تا نگردد منهدم عیش و معاش
And lest the veil of forgetfulness should be entirely rent and (the meat in) the pot of tribulation be left half-raw.
تا ندرد پرده‌ی غفلت تمام ** تا نماند دیگ محنت نیم‌خام
We are all ear, (though) the (material) form of the ear has become deaf: we are all speech, but our lips are silent.
ما همه گوشیم کر شد نقش گوش ** ما همه نطقیم لیکن لب خموش
We now see (the result of) everything that we gave (during our life in the world): this (material) world is the veil, and that (spiritual) world is the vision.3530
هر چه ما دادیم دیدیم این زمان ** این جهان پرده‌ست و عینست آن جهان
The day of sowing is the day of concealment and scattering seed in a piece of earth.
روز کشتن روز پنهان کردنست ** تخم در خاکی پریشان کردنست
The season of reaping and the time of plying the sickle is the day of recompense and manifestation.
وقت بدرودن گه منجل زدن ** روز پاداش آمد و پیدا شدن
[How the Khwája disclosed to the bailiff in his dream the means of paying the debts incurred by the friend who had come (to visit him); and how he indicated the spot where the money was buried, and sent a message to his heirs that on no account should they regard that (sum of money) as too much (for the debtor) or withhold anything (from him), and that (even) though he were to refuse the whole or a part of it they must let it remain in the place (where it was accessible), in order that any one who wished might take it away; ‘for,’ said he, ‘I have made vows to God that not one mite of that money shall come back again to me and those connected with me,’ etc.]
گفتن خواجه در خواب به آن پای‌مرد وجوه وام آن دوست را کی آمده بود و نشان دادن جای دفن آن سیم و پیغام کردن به وارثان کی البته آن را بسیار نبینند وهیچ باز نگیرند و اگر چه او هیچ از آن قبول نکند یا بعضی را قبول نکند هم آنجا بگذارند تا هر آنک خواهد برگیرد کی من با خدا نذرها کردم کی از آن سیم به من و به متعلقان من حبه‌ای باز نگردد الی آخره
Now hear the bounty (which I have reserved) for my new guest. I foresaw that he would arrive,
بشنو اکنون داد مهمان جدید ** من همی دیدم که او خواهد رسید
And I had heard the news of his debt, (so) I packed up two or three jewels for him,
من شنوده بودم از وامش خبر ** بسته بهر او دو سه پاره گهر
Which are (enough for) the full payment of his debt, and more: (this I did) in order that the heart of my guest should not be wounded (torn with anxiety).3535
که وفای وام او هستند و بیش ** تا که ضیفم را نگردد سینه ریش
He owes nine thousand (pieces) of gold: let him discharge his debt with some of these (jewels).
وام دارد از ذهب او نه هزار ** وام را از بعض این گو بر گزار
There will be a great many of them left over: let him expend (this surplus) and include me too in a benediction.
فضله ماند زین بسی گو خرج کن ** در دعایی گو مرا هم درج کن
I wished to give them (to him) with my own hand: (all) these assignments are written in such-and-such a note-book.
خواستم تا آن به دست خود دهم ** در فلان دفتر نوشتست این قسم
Death, however, did not allow me time to hand over to him secretly the pearls of Aden.
خود اجل مهلت ندادم تا که من ** خفیه بسپارم بدو در عدن
Rubies and corundums for (the payment of) his debt are (stored) in a certain vessel on which his name is written.3540
لعل و یاقوتست بهر وام او ** در خنوری و نبشته نام او
I have buried it in a certain vault: I have shown solicitude for my ancient friend.
در فلان طاقیش مدفون کرده‌ام ** من غم آن یار پیشین خورده‌ام
None but kings can know the value of that (treasure): take care, then, that they (the purchasers) do not cheat you in the sale.
قیمت آن را نداند جز ملوک ** فاجتهد بالبیع ان لا یخدعوک
In sales (commercial transactions), for fear of being swindled, behave in the same manner as the Prophet, who taught (his followers to demand) three days' option.
در بیوع آن کن تو از خوف غرار ** که رسول آموخت سه روز اختیار
Do not be afraid of it (the treasure) depreciating and do not fall (into anxiety), since the demand for it will never decline.
از کساد آن مترس و در میفت ** که رواج آن نخواهد هیچ خفت
Give my heirs a greeting from me and rehearse to them this injunction, point by point,3545
وارثانم را سلام من بگو ** وین وصیت را بگو هم مو به مو
In order that they may not be deterred by the largeness of the (sum of) gold, but may deliver it to that guest (of mine) without reluctance.
تا ز بسیاری آن زر نشکهند ** بی‌گرانی پیش آن مهمان نهند
And if he say that he does not want so much, bid him take it and bestow it on whom he will.
ور بگوید او نخواهم این فره ** گو بگیر و هر که را خواهی بده
I will not take back a jot of what I have given: the milk never comes back to the teat.
زانچ دادم باز نستانم نقیر ** سوی پستان باز ناید هیچ شیر
According to the Prophet's saying, he who reclaims a gift will have become like a dog devouring his vomit.
گشته باشد هم‌چو سگ قی را اکول ** مسترد نحله بر قول رسول
And if he shut the door and (declare that he) has no need of the gold, let them pour the bounty at his door,3550
ور ببندد در نباید آن زرش ** تا بریزند آن عطا را بر درش
(So that) every one who passes may carry gold away: the gifts of the sincere are never taken back.
هر که آنجا بگذرد زر می‌برد ** نیست هدیه‌ی مخلصان را مسترد
I laid it in store for him two years ago and vowed to the Almighty (that it should be his).
بهر او بنهاده‌ام آن از دو سال ** کرده‌ام من نذرها با ذوالجلال
And if they (my heirs) deem it permissible to take aught (for themselves), verily twentyfold loss will befall them.
ور روا دارند چیزی زان ستد ** بیست چندان خو زیانشان اوفتد
If they vex my spirit, a hundred doors of tribulation will at once be opened for them.
گر روانم را پژولانند زود ** صد در محنت بریشان بر گشود
I have good hope of God that He will cause the due (payment) to reach the person who has the right to it.”3555
از خدا اومید دارم من لبق ** که رساند حق را در مستحق