This is not (to be gained) by a certain amount of contrivance: nothing avails until you die to (all) these contrivings.
این به قدر حیله‌ی معدود نیست ** زین حیل تا تو نمیری سود نیست
Story of the Sadr-i Jahán of Bukhárá. (It was his custom that) any beggar who begged with his tongue was excluded from his universal and unstinted charity. A certain poor savant, forgetting (this rule) and being excessively eager and in a hurry, begged (alms) with his tongue (while the Sadr was passing) amidst his cavalcade. The Sadr-i Jahán averted his face from him, and (though) he contrived a new trick every day and disguised himself, now as a woman veiled in a chádar and now as a blind man with bandaged eyes and face, he (the Sadr) always had discernment enough to recognize him, etc.
حکایت صدر جهان بخارا کی هر سایلی کی به زبان بخواستی از صدقه‌ی عام بی‌دریغ او محروم شدی و آن دانشمند درویش به فراموشی و فرط حرص و تعجیل به زبان بخواست در موکب صدر جهان از وی رو بگردانید و او هر روز حیله‌ی نو ساختی و خود را گاه زن کردی زیر چادر وگاه نابینا کردی و چشم و روی خود بسته به فراستش بشناختی الی آخره
It was the habit of that most noble lord in Bukhárá to deal kindly with beggars.
در بخارا خوی آن خواجیم اجل ** بود با خواهندگان حسن عمل
His great bounty and immeasurable munificence were always scattering gold till nightfall.3800
داد بسیار و عطای بی‌شمار ** تا به شب بودی ز جودش زر نثار
The gold was wrapped in bits of paper: he continued to lavish bounty as long as he lived.
زر به کاغذپاره‌ها پیچیده بود ** تا وجودش بود می‌افشاند جود
(He was) like the sun and the spendthrift moon; (for) they give back (all) the radiance that they receive (from God).
هم‌چو خورشید و چو ماه پاک‌باز ** آنچ گیرند از ضیا بدهند باز
Who bestows gold on the earth? The sun. Through him, gold is in the mine and treasure in the ruin.
خاک را زربخش کی بود آفتاب ** زر ازو در کان و گنج اندر خراب
Every morning an allowance (was distributed) to a (different) set of people, in order that no class should be left disappointed by him.
هر صباحی یک گره را راتبه ** تا نماند امتی زو خایبه
On one day his gifts were made to those afflicted (by disease); next day the same generosity (was shown) to widows;3805
مبتلایان را بدی روزی عطا ** روز دیگر بیوگان را آن سخا
Next day to impoverished descendants of ‘Alí together with poor jurists engaged in study (of the canon-law);
روز دیگر بر علویان مقل ** با فقیهان فقیر مشتغل
Next day to empty-handed common folk; next day to persons fallen into debt.
روز دیگر بر تهی‌دستان عام ** روز دیگر بر گرفتاران وام
His rule (in giving alms) was that no one should beg for gold with his tongue or open his lips at all;
شرط او آن بود که کس با زبان ** زر نخواهد هیچ نگشاید لبان
But the paupers stood in silence, like a wall, on the outskirts of his path,
لیک خامش بر حوالی رهش ** ایستاده مفلسان دیواروش
And any one who suddenly begged with his lips was punished for this offence by not getting from him (even) a mite of money.3810
هر که کردی ناگهان با لب سال ** زو نبردی زین گنه یک حبه مال
His maxim was “Those of you who keep silence are saved”: his purses and bowls (of food) were (reserved) for the silent.
من صمت منکم نجا بد یاسه‌اش ** خامشان را بود کیسه و کاسه‌اش
One day (it happened) extraordinarily (that) an old man said, “Give me alms, for I am hungry.”
نادرا روزی یکی پیری بگفت ** ده زکاتم که منم با جوع جفت
He refused (alms) to the old man, but the old man importuned him: the people were astounded by the old man's importunity.
منع کرد از پیر و پیرش جد گرفت ** مانده خلق از جد پیر اندر شگفت
He (the Sadr) said, “You are a very shameless old man, O father.” The old man replied, “Thou art more shameless than I,
گفت بس بی‌شرم پیری ای پدر ** پیر گفت از من توی بی‌شرم‌تر
For thou hast enjoyed this world, and in thy greed thou wouldst fain take the other world (to enjoy it) together with this world.”3815
کین جهان خوردی و خواهی تو ز طمع ** کان جهان با این جهان گیری به جمع
He (the Sadr) laughed and gave the old man some money: the old man alone obtained the bounty.
خنده‌اش آمد مال داد آن پیر را ** پیر تنها برد آن توفیر را
Except that old man none of those who begged (aloud) saw half a mite or a single farthing of his money.
غیر آن پیر ایچ خواهنده ازو ** نیم حبه زر ندید و نه تسو
On the day when it was the turn of the jurists (to receive alms), a certain jurist, (impelled) by cupidity, suddenly began to whine.
نوبت روز فقیهان ناگهان ** یک فقیه از حرص آمد در فغان
He made many piteous appeals, but there was no help (for him); he uttered every kind (of entreaty), but it availed him naught.
کرد زاری‌ها بسی چاره نبود ** گفت هر نوعی نبودش هیچ سود
Next day he wrapped his leg in rags (and stood) in the row of the sufferers (from illness), hanging his head.3820
روز دیگر با رگو پیچید پا ** ناکس اندر صف قوم مبتلا
He tied splints on his shank, left and right, in order that it might be supposed that his leg was broken.
تخته‌ها بر ساق بست از چپ و راست ** تا گمان آید که او اشکسته‌پاست
He (the Sadr) saw and recognised him and did not give him anything. Next day he covered his face with a rain-cloak,
دیدش و بشناختش چیزی نداد ** روز دیگر رو بپوشید از لباد
(But) the noble lord knew him still and gave him nothing because of the sin and crime (which he had committed) by speaking.
هم بدانستش ندادش آن عزیز ** از گناه و جرم گفتن هیچ چیز
When he had failed in a hundred sorts of trickery, he drew a chádar over his head, like women,
چونک عاجز شد ز صد گونه مکید ** چون زنان او چادری بر سر کشید
And went and sat down amongst the widows, and let his head droop and concealed his hands.3825
در میان بیوگان رفت و نشست ** سر فرو افکند و پنهان کرد دست
Still he (the Sadr) recognised him and did not give him any alms: on account of the disappointment a (feeling of) burning grief came into his heart.
هم شناسیدش ندادش صدقه‌ای ** در دلش آمد ز حرمان حرقه‌ای
He went early in the morning to a purveyor of grave-clothes, saying, “Wrap me in a felt (shroud) and lay me out on the road.
رفت او پیش کفن‌خواهی پگاه ** که بپیچم در نمد نه پیش راه
Do not open thy lips at all, (but) sit down and look on till the Sadr-i Jahán passes here.
هیچ مگشا لب نشین و می‌نگر ** تا کند صدر جهان اینجا گذر
Maybe he will see (me) and suppose that I am dead and drop some money to cover the cost of the shroud.
بوک بیند مرده پندار به ظن ** زر در اندازد پی وجه کفن
I will pay thee half of whatever he may give.” The poor man, desiring the (expected) present, did just as he was told.3830
هر چه بدهد نیم آن بدهم به تو ** هم‌چنان کرد آن فقیر صله‌جو
He wrapped him in the felt and laid him out on the road. The Sadr-i Jahán happened to pass that way
در نمد پیچید و بر راهش نهاد ** معبر صدر جهان آنجا فتاد
And dropped some gold on the felt (shroud). He (the jurist) put forth his hand in his haste (and fear)
زر در اندازید بر روی نمد ** دست بیرون کرد از تعجیل خود
Lest the purveyor of the grave-clothes should seize the gift of money and lest that perfidious rascal should hide it from him.
تا نگیرد آن کفن‌خواه آن صله ** تا نهان نکند ازو آن ده‌دله
The dead man raised his hand from beneath the felt (shroud), and, following his hand, his head (too) came forth from below.
مرده از زیر نمد بر کرد دست ** سر برون آمد پی دستش ز پست
He said to the Sadr-i Jahán, “(See) how I have received (it), O thou who didst shut the doors of generosity against me!”3835
گفت با صدر جهان چون بستدم ** ای ببسته بر من ابواب کرم
He (the Sadr) replied, “(Yes), but until you died, O obstinate man, you got no bounty from me.”
گفت لیکن تا نمردی ای عنود ** از جناب من نبردی هیچ جود
The mystery of “Die before death” is this, that the prizes come after dying (and not before).
سر موتوا قبل موت این بود ** کز پس مردن غنیمت‌ها رسد
Except dying, no other skill avails with God, O artful schemer.
غیر مردن هیچ فرهنگی دگر ** در نگیرد با خدای ای حیله‌گر
One (Divine) favour is better than a hundred kinds of (personal) effort: (such) exertion is in danger from a hundred kinds of mischief.
یک عنایت به ز صد گون اجتهاد ** جهد را خوفست از صد گون فساد
And the (Divine) favour depends on dying: the trustworthy (authorities) have put this way (doctrine) to the test.3840
وآن عنایت هست موقوف ممات ** تجربه کردند این ره را ثقات
Nay, not even his (the mystic's) death is (possible) without the (Divine) favour: hark, hark, do not tarry anywhere without the (Divine) favour!
بلک مرگش بی‌عنایت نیز نیست ** بی‌عنایت هان و هان جایی مه‌ایست
That (favour) is (like) an emerald, and this (carnal self) is (like) an old viper: without the emerald how should the viper be made blind?
آن زمرد باشد این افعی پیر ** بی زمرد کی شود افعی ضریر
Story of two brothers, one of whom had a few hairs on his chin while the other was a beardless boy. They went to sleep in a house for celibates. One night, as it happened, the boy lateribus congestis nates obtexit. Denique paedicator adrepsit, lateres ab ejus tergo callide et molliter summovit. [One night, as it happened, the boy piled bricks on his buttocks (as protection). At length, a crawler (sodomizer) crept (near) and craftily and softly took off the bricks from behind him.] The boy awoke and began to quarrel, saying, “Where are these bricks? Where have you taken them to? Why did you take them?” He replied, “Why did you put these bricks there?” etc.
حکایت آن دو برادر یکی کوسه و یکی امرد در عزب خانه‌ای خفتند شبی اتفاقا امرد خشت‌ها بر مقعد خود انبار کرد عاقبت دباب دب آورد و آن خشت‌ها را به حیله و نرمی از پس او برداشت کودک بیدار شد به جنگ کی این خشت‌ها کو کجا بردی و چرا بردی او گفت تو این خشت‌ها را چرا نهادی الی آخره
A beardless boy and a youth with a few hairs on his chin came to a festive gathering, for there was an assembly-place in the town.
امردی و کوسه‌ای در انجمن ** آمدند و مجمعی بد در وطن
The select party remained busy (enjoying themselves) till the day was gone and a third of the night had passed.
مشتغل ماندند قوم منتجب ** روز رفت و شد زمانه ثلث شب
The two (brothers) did not leave that house for celibates: they lay down to sleep there for fear of (meeting) the night-patrol.3845
زان عزب‌خانه نرفتند آن دو کس ** هم بخفتند آن سو از بیم عسس
The youth had four hairs on his chin, but his face was like the full-moon (in beauty).
کوسه را بد بر زنخدان چار مو ** لیک هم‌چون ماه بدرش بود رو
The beardless boy was ugly in appearance: post culum tamen viginti lateres posuit. [The beardless boy was ugly in appearance: yet he placed twenty bricks behind (his) buttocks.]
کودک امرد به صورت بود زشت ** هم نهاد اندر پس کون بیست خشت