Thou bestowest Thy bounty (even) on strangers: every ardent wisher gains his desire from Thee.”
تو عطا بیگانگان را می‌دهی ** از تو دارد آرزو هر مشتهی
God saith, “’Tis not that he is despicable (in My sight); (nay), the very deferment of the bounty is (for the sake of) helping him.
حق بفرماید که نه از خواری اوست ** عین تاخیر عطا یاری اوست
Need caused him to turn towards Me from his (former state of) forgetfulness: it dragged him by the hair into My presence.
حاجت آوردش ز غفلت سوی من ** آن کشیدش مو کشان در کوی من
If I satisfy his need, he will go back and (again) become absorbed in that idle play.
گر بر آرم حاجتش او وا رود ** هم در آن بازیچه مستغرق شود
Although he is (now) crying with (all) his soul, ‘O Thou whose protection is invoked,’ let him (continue to) moan with broken heart and wounded breast!4225
گرچه می‌نالد به جان یا مستجار ** دل شکسته سینه‌خسته گو بزار
It pleases Me (to hear) his (piteous) voice and his cries of ‘O Lord’ and his secret (prayer),
خوش همی‌آید مرا آواز او ** وآن خدایا گفتن و آن راز او
And how in supplication and pleading (with Me) he would fain beguile Me with every sort (of persuasion).”
وانک اندر لابه و در ماجرا ** می‌فریباند بهر نوعی مرا
Parrots and nightingales are put into cages because they give pleasure by their sweet song;
طوطیان و بلبلان را از پسند ** از خوش آوازی قفس در می‌کنند
(But) how should crows and owls be caged? This has never been recorded in story.
زاغ را و چغد را اندر قفس ** کی کنند این خود نیامد در قصص
When two persons, one of them a decrepit old man and the other a fair-chinned (youth), come to (a baker who is) an admirer of handsome boys,4230
پیش شاهد باز چون آید دو تن ** آن یکی کمپیر و دیگر خوش‌ذقن
And both ask for bread, he will at once fetch the unleavened bread and bid the old man take it;
هر دو نان خواهند او زوتر فطیر ** آرد و کمپیر را گوید که گیر
But how should he (immediately) give bread to the other, by whose figure and cheeks (countenance) he is pleased? Nay, he will delay him
وآن دگر را که خوشستش قد و خد ** کی دهد نان بل به تاخیر افکند
And say to him, “Sit down a (little) while, ’twill do (thee) no harm; for the new bread is baking in the house”;
گویدش بنشین زمانی بی‌گزند ** که به خانه نان تازه می‌پزند
And when, after the work (of baking is finished), the hot bread is brought to him (the youth), he (the baker) will say to him, “Sit down, for halwá (sweetmeat) is coming.”
چون رسد آن نان گرمش بعد کد ** گویدش بنشین که حلوا می‌رسد
In this same fashion he is always detaining him and seeking covertly to make him his prey,4235
هم برین فن داردارش می‌کند ** وز ره پنهان شکارش می‌کند
Saying, “I have some (important) business to do with thee: wait a moment, O beauty of the world!”
که مرا کاریست با تو یک زمان ** منتظر می‌باش ای خوب جهان
Know for sure that this is the reason why the true believers suffer disappointment (whether) in (seeking) good or (in avoiding) evil.
بی‌مرادی مومنان از نیک و بد ** تو یقین می‌دان که بهر این بود
Returning to the Story of the person who was given a clue to the treasure (buried) at Cairo, and setting forth his supplication to God on account of his poverty.
رجوع کردن به قصه‌ی آن شخص کی به او گنج نشان دادند به مصر و بیان تضرع او از درویشی به حضرت حق
When the man who received the inheritance had squandered it and become a pauper, he began to cry “O Lord!” and weep and lament.
مرد میراثی چو خورد و شد فقیر ** آمد اندر یا رب و گریه و نفیر
Verily, who shall knock at this Door, from which mercy is showered, without gaining in response a hundred springs (seasons of spiritual refreshment)?
خود کی کوبد این در رحمت‌نثار ** که نیابد در اجابت صد بهار
He dreamed that he heard a Voice from heaven saying, “Thy fortune will be found in Cairo;4240
خواب دید او هاتفی گفت او شنید ** که غنای تو به مصر آید پدید
Go to Cairo: there thy affair will be set right. He (God) hath accepted thy humble petition: He is the (only) Object of hope.
رو به مصر آنجا شود کار تو راست ** کرد کدیت را قبول او مرتجاست
In such-and-such a spot is a great treasure: thou must go to Cairo in quest of it.
در فلان موضع یکی گنجی است زفت ** در پی آن بایدت تا مصر رفت
Hark, O wretched man, go without any delay from Baghdád to Cairo and the home of sugar-candy.”
بی‌درنگی هین ز بغداد ای نژند ** رو به سوی مصر و منبت‌گاه قند
When he departed from Baghdád (and came) to Cairo, at the sight of Cairo his courage was restored,
چون ز بغداد آمد او تا سوی مصر ** گرم شد پشتش چو دید او روی مصر
(For he was) in hope of (the fulfilment of) the promise given by the heavenly Voice that he would find in Cairo the treasure to remove his trouble—4245
بر امید وعده‌ی هاتف که گنج ** یابد اندر مصر بهر دفع رنج
“In such and such a quarter and such and such a spot there is a buried treasure exceedingly rare and very choice.”
در فلان کوی و فلان موضع دفین ** هست گنجی سخت نادر بس گزین
But of money for expenses, great or small, he had nothing left; and he was about to go and beg from the common folk,
لیک نفقه‌ش بیش و کم چیزی نماند ** خواست دقی بر عوام‌الناس راند
But (feelings of) shame and honour held him back, (so that) he began to plant himself firmly on fortitude.
لیک شرم و همتش دامن گرفت ** خویش را در صبر افشردن گرفت
(Meanwhile), however, his soul fluttered (in distress) on account of hunger: he saw no means of escape from foraging and begging.
باز نفسش از مجاعت بر طپید ** ز انتجاع و خواستن چاره ندید
“At nightfall,” he said (to himself), “I will slip out very quietly, in order that I may beg in the dark without feeling ashamed.4250
گفت شب بیرون روم من نرم نرم ** تا ز ظلمت نایدم در کدیه شرم
At night I will chant (litanies) and bawl like a night-mendicant, that half a dáng may come to me from the roofs.”
هم‌چو شبکوکی کنم شب ذکر و بانگ ** تا رسد از بامهاام نیم دانگ
Thus meditating, he went out into the street, and with these thoughts (in his head) he wandered to and fro.
اندرین اندیشه بیرون شد بکوی ** واندرین فکرت همی شد سو به سوی
At one moment shame and dignity prevented him (from begging), at another moment hunger said to him, “Beg!”
یک زمان مانع همی‌شد شرم و جاه ** یک زمانی جوع می‌گفتش بخواه
Till a third part of the night was gone, (he kept putting) one foot forward and one foot backward (hesitating and asking himself), “Shall I beg or shall I lie down to sleep with my lips dry?”
پای پیش و پای پس تا ثلث شب ** که بخواهم یا بخسپم خشک‌لب
How that person arrived at Cairo and at night came out into the street to play the mendicant and beg, and how he was arrested by the night-patrol and after having been soundly beaten succeeded through him in gaining his object. “And it may be that ye loathe a thing though it is better for you”; and as God most High hath (also) said, “God will surely vouchsafe after hardship ease”; and as God most High hath said, “Lo, with hardship goeth ease”; and as he (the Prophet), on whom be peace, hath said, “O year of drought, become severe, and then thou wilt pass away.” And the whole of the Qur’án and all the Revealed Books confirm this.
رسیدن آن شخص به مصر و شب بیرون آمدن به کوی از بهر شبکوکی و گدایی و گرفتن عسس او را و مراد اوحاصل شدن از عسس بعد از خوردن زخم بسیار و عسی ان تکرهوا شیا و هو خیر لکم و قوله تعالی سیجعل الله بعد عسر یسرا و قوله علیه‌السلام اشتدی ازمة تنفرجی و جمیع القرآن و الکتب المنزلة فی تقریر هذا
Suddenly the night-patrol seized him and, unable to restrain his anger, beat him with fist and cudgel.4255
ناگهانی خود عسس او را گرفت ** مشت و چوبش زد ز صفرا تا شکفت
As it happened, the people (of the city) had suffered losses in those dark nights from (the depredations of) night-thieves.
اتفاقا اندر آن شب‌های تار ** دیده بد مردم ز شب‌دزدان ضرار
They were nights of alarm and disaster, and the police were searching for the thieves with all their might,
بود شب‌های مخوف و منتحس ** پس به جد می‌جست دزدان را عسس
(So much so) that the Khalífa said, “Cut off the hand of any one who roams about by night, even if he is a kinsman of mine.”
تا خلیفه گفت که ببرید دست ** هر که شب گردد وگر خویش منست
The king had terrified the police with threats, saying, “Why are you (so) merciful to the thieves?
بر عسس کرده ملک تهدید و بیم ** که چرا باشید بر دزدان رحیم
For what reason do you believe their blarney or why do you accept gold (bribes) from them?”4260
عشوه‌شان را از چه رو باور کنید ** یا چرا زیشان قبول زر کنید
To show mercy to thieves and any sinister-handed (noxious) person is to inflict blows and have no mercy on the weak.
رحم بر دزدان و هر منحوس‌دست ** بر ضعیفان ضربت و بی‌رحمیست
Beware, from sympathy with a particular (offender) do not let him go unpunished: do not consider his sufferings, consider the sufferings of the public.
هین ز رنج خاص مسکل ز انتقام ** رنج او کم بین ببین تو رنج عام
Amputate the snake-bitten finger to prevent (worse) mischief: keep in view the infection and (consequent) destruction of the (whole) body.
اصبع ملدوغ بر در دفع شر ** در تعدی و هلاک تن نگر
In those days, as it happened, the thieves, both expert and unskilled, had become numerous.
اتفاقا اندر آن ایام دزد ** گشته بود انبوه پخته و خام دزد
He (the night-patrol) saw him (in the street) at such a time and gave him a sound drubbing and blows without number.4265
در چنین وقتش بدید و سخت زد ** چوب‌ها و زخمهای بی‌عدد
Shrieks and cries for mercy arose from the poor wretch: “Don't strike! let me tell the truth about it all!”
نعره و فریاد زان درویش خاست ** که مزن تا من بگویم حال راست
He replied, “Look now, I will give you time: speak, that I may learn how you came out into the streets by night.
گفت اینک دادمت مهلت بگو ** تا به شب چون آمدی بیرون به کو
You do not belong to this place, you are a stranger and unknown (to me): tell me truly what you are plotting (here).
تو نه‌ای زینجا غریب و منکری ** راستی گو تا بچه مکر اندری
The government officials have attacked the police, asking why there is now such a great number of thieves (in the city).
اهل دیوان بر عسس طعنه زدند ** که چرا دزدان کنون انبه شدند
It is owing to you and the likes of you that they are so numerous: first disclose (the names of) your wicked associates;4270
انبهی از تست و از امثال تست ** وا نما یاران زشتت را نخست