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
Paedicator quidam noctu in frequentia hominum adrepsit: lateres amovit vir libidinosus. [A pederast crept through a crowd (of sleepers) at night; the lustful man moved the bricks.]
لوطیی دب برد شب در انبهی ** خشتها را نقل کرد آن مشتهی
Cum manum ei injiceret exsiluit puer: “eho,” inquit, “tu quis homo es, O canis cultor?” [When his hand touched him, he jumped up from his place: “hey,” he asked, “who are you, O worshipper of dogs?”]
دست چون بر وی زد او از جا بجست ** گفت هی تو کیستی ای سگپرست
Respondit: “Cur hos triginta lateres congessisti?” “Tu,” inquit, “cur triginta lateris sustulisti? [He replied, “Why did you heap up these thirty bricks?” “Why,” he asked, “did you take off the thirty bricks?]3850
گفت این سی خشت چون انباشتی ** گفت تو سی خشت چون بر داشتی
I am a sick boy and because of my weakness I took precautions and made here a place to lie down.”
کودک بیمارم و از ضعف خود ** کردم اینجا احتیاط و مرتقد
He replied, “If you are ill with a fever, why didn't you go to the hospital
گفت اگر داری ز رنجوری تفی ** چون نرفتی جانب دار الشفا
Or to the house of a kindly physician, in order that he might relieve you of your malady?”
یا به خانهی یک طبیبی مشفقی ** که گشادی از سقامت مغلقی
“Why,” said he, “where can I go? for wherever I go, persecuted (as I am),
گفت آخر من کجا دانم شدن ** که بهرجا میروم من ممتحن
Some foul ungodly miscreant like you springs up before me like a wild beast.3855
چون تو زندیقی پلیدی ملحدی ** می بر آرد سر به پیشم چون ددی
The dervish-convent, which is the best place—not (even) there do I find safety for one moment.
خانقاهی که بود بهتر مکان ** من ندیدم یک دمی در وی امان
A handful of (greedy) pottage-eaters direct their looks at me: oculi semine impleti dum pressant manibus testiculos; [A handful of (greedy) pottage-eaters direct their looks at me: (their) eyes full of sperm (while their) hands (are) squeezing their testicles;]
رو به من آرند مشتی حمزهخوار ** چشمها پر نطفه کف خایهفشار
And even he that has regard for decorum steals covert glances et penem fricat. [And even he that has regard for decorum steals covert glances (while) rubbing (his) penis.]
وانک ناموسیست خود از زیر زیر ** غمزه دزدد میدهد مالش به کیر
Since the convent is (like) this, what must the public market be like? A herd of asses and boorish devils!
خانقه چون این بود بازار عام ** چون بود خر گله و دیوان خام
What has an ass to do with decorum and piety? How should an ass know (anything about) reverence and fear and hope?3860
خر کجا ناموس و تقوی از کجا ** خر چه داند خشیت و خوف و رجا
(Real) intelligence consists in being safe (from temptation) and in the desire to act justly towards (every) woman and towards (every) man; but where is (such) intelligence (to be found)?
عقل باشد آمنی و عدلجو ** بر زن و بر مرد اما عقل کو
And if I run away and go to the women, I should fall into tribulation like Joseph.
ور گریزم من روم سوی زنان ** همچو یوسف افتم اندر افتتان
Joseph suffered imprisonment and torment at the hands of a woman: I should be divided amongst fifty gibbets.
یوسف از زن یافت زندان و فشار ** من شوم توزیع بر پنجاه دار
Those women in their foolishness would attach themselves to me, and (then) their nearest and dearest (relatives by blood or marriage) would seek my life.
آن زنان از جاهلی بر من تنند ** اولیاشان قصد جان من کنند
I have no means of escape either from men or women: what can I do, since I belong neither to these nor to those?”3865
نه ز مردان چاره دارم نه از زنان ** چون کنم که نی ازینم نه از آن
After (making) that (complaint) the boy looked at the youth and said, “He is quit of trouble by reason of the two (or three) hairs (on his chin).
بعد از آن کودک به کوسه بنگریست ** گفت او با آن دو مو از غم بریست
He is independent of the bricks and of quarrelling over the bricks and of a wicked young ruffian like you who would sell (prostitute) his own mother.
فارغست از خشت و از پیکار خشت ** وز چو تو مادرفروش کنک زشت
Three or four hairs on the chin as a notice are better than triginta lateres circa culum.” [Three or four hairs on the chin as a notice are better than thirty bricks around the buttocks.”]
بر زنخ سه چار مو بهر نمون ** بهتر از سی خشت گرداگرد کون
One atom of the shade (protection) of (Divine) favour is better than a thousand endeavours of the devout pietist,
ذرهای سایهی عنایت بهترست ** از هزاران کوشش طاعتپرست
Because the Devil will remove the bricks of piety: (even) if there are two hundred bricks he will make a way for himself.3870
زانک شیطان خشت طاعت بر کند ** گر دو صد خشتست خود را ره کند
If the bricks are numerous, (yet) they are laid by you, (while) those two or three hairs are a gift from Yonder.
خشت اگر پرست بنهادهی توست ** آن دو سه مو از عطای آن سوست
In reality each one of those (hairs) is (firm) as a mountain, for it is a safe conduct bestowed by an Emperor.
در حقیقت هر یکی مو زان کهیست ** کان اماننامهی صلهی شاهنشهیست
If you put a hundred locks on a door, some reckless fellow may remove them all;
تو اگر صد قفل بنهی بر دری ** بر کند آن جمله را خیرهسری
(But) if a police magistrate put a wax seal (on it), at (the sight of) that (even) the hearts of doughty champions will quail.
شحنهای از موم اگر مهری نهد ** پهلوانان را از آن دل بشکهد
Those two or three hair-threads of (Divine) favour form a barrier (strong) as a mountain (against evil), like majesty of aspect in the faces (of potentates).3875
آن دو سه تار عنایت همچو کوه ** سد شد چون فر سیما در وجوه
Do not neglect (to lay) the bricks, O man of goodly nature; but at the same time do not sleep (as though you were) safe from the wicked Devil.
خشت را مگذار ای نیکوسرشت ** لیک هم آمن مخسپ از دیو زشت
Go and get two hairs of that (Divine) grace, and then sleep safe (sound) and have no anxiety.
رو دو تا مو زان کرم با دست آر ** وانگهان آمن بخسپ و غم مدار
The sleep of the wise (‘álim) is better than worship (performed by the ignorant), (if it be) such a wisdom (‘ilm) as brings (spiritual) awakening.
نوم عالم از عبادت به بود ** آنچنان علمی که مستنبه بود
The quiet of the (expert) swimmer in swimming is better than the exertion (violent movements) with hands and feet of one who is unable (to swim).
آن سکون سابح اندر آشنا ** به ز جهد اعجمی با دست و پا
He that cannot swim throws out his hands and feet (desperately) and drowns, (while) the (practised) swimmer moves quietly (with a steadiness) like (that of) pillars.3880
اعجمی زد دست و پا و غرق شد ** میرود سباح ساکن چون عمد
Knowledge (‘ilm) is an ocean without bound or shore: the seeker of knowledge is (like) the diver in (those) seas.
علم دریاییست بیحد و کنار ** طالب علمست غواص بحار
Though his life be a thousand years, never will he become weary of seeking,
گر هزاران سال باشد عمر او ** او نگردد سیر خود از جست و جو
For the Messenger of God said in explanation (thereof) this (saying)—“There are two greedy ones who are never satisfied.”
کان رسول حق بگفت اندر بیان ** اینک منهومان هما لا یشبعان
Commentary on the Tradition that Mustafá (Mohammed)—the blessings of God be upon him!—said, “There are two greedy ones who will never be satisfied: the seeker of the present world and the seeker of knowledge.” This “knowledge” must be different from “knowledge of the present world,” in order that there may be the two (separate) classes (mentioned in the Tradition); but “knowledge of the present world” is just the same (in effect) as “the present world,” etc.; and if it (the double phrase used above) be equivalent to “the seeker of the present world and the seeker of the present world,” that would be repetition, not division (into two categories). With the exposition thereof.
در تفسیر این خبر کی مصطفی صلواتالله علیه فرمود منهومان لا یشبعان طالب الدنیا و طالب العلم کی این علم غیر علم دنیا باید تا دو قسم باشد اما علم دنیا هم دنیا باشد الی آخره و اگر همچنین شود کی طالب الدنیا و طالب الدنیا تکرار بود نه تقسیم مع تقریره
(The two classes mentioned are) the seeker of the present world and its abundant opportunities for acquisition, and the seeker of knowledge and the considerations proper to it.
طالب الدنیا و توفیراتها ** طالب العلم و تدبیراتها
Now, when you fix your attention on this division, (you will see that) this knowledge must be other than the present world, O father.3885
پس درین قسمت چو بگماری نظر ** غیر دنیا باشد این علم ای پدر
What, then, is other than the present world? The next world, (the knowledge of) which will take you away from here and be your guide (to God).
غیر دنیا پس چه باشد آخرت ** کت کند زینجا و باشد رهبرت
How the three princes discussed the (best) plan to adopt in view of what had occurred.