I am no thief and criminal: I am a stranger in Cairo, I belong to Baghdád.”
من نه مرد دزدی و بیدادیم ** من غریب مصرم و بغدادیم
Explaining the Tradition (of the Prophet), “Falsehood causes suspicion, while veracity inspires confidence.”
بیان این خبر کی الکذب ریبة والصدق طمانینة
He related the story of his dream and the treasure of gold, and from (under the influence of) his veracity the man's heart expanded (like a flower).
قصهی آن خواب و گنج زر بگفت ** پس ز صدق او دل آن کس شکفت
From his (the treasure-seeker's) oaths (protestations) he scented the truth: in him (both) the combustion and the rue-seed were evident.4275
بوی صدقش آمد از سوگند او ** سوز او پیدا شد و اسپند او
The heart is comforted by true words, just as a thirsty man is comforted by water—
دل بیارامد به گفتار صواب ** آنچنان که تشنه آرامد به آب
Except the heart of one who is veiled (deprived of discernment) and suffers from a (spiritual) malady, (so that) he cannot distinguish between a prophet and a dolt;
جز دل محجوب کو را علتیست ** از نبیش تا غبی تمییز نیست
Or else, (if) the message that is (brought) from the place (of truth) were to descend upon the moon, it (the moon) would be split asunder.
ورنه آن پیغام کز موضع بود ** بر زند بر مه شکافیده شود
The moon would be split, but not the heart of him who is veiled; for he is rejected (by God), he is not beloved.
مه شکافد وان دل محجوب نی ** زانک مردودست او محبوب نی
The night-patrol's eye became (like) a fountain with wetting tears, not from the dry words, nay, but from the fragrance (of truth) in the heart.4280
چشمه شد چشم عسس ز اشک مبل ** نی ز گفت خشک بل از بوی دل
One word comes to the lips from Hell, one word (comes) into the region of the lips from the Spiritual City.
یک سخن از دوزخ آید سوی لب ** یک سخن از شهر جان در کوی لب
There is the spirit-increasing sea and the distressful sea: these lips are where the two seas meet (but do not mingle).
بحر جانافزا و بحر پر حرج ** در میان هر دو بحر این لب مرج
(’Tis) like a great mart (situated) between towns: thither come goods from all directions:
چون یپنلو در میان شهرها ** از نواحی آید آنجا بهرها
Damaged, spurious, and swindling commodities (and also) lucrative commodities highly esteemed, like pearls.
کالهی معیوب قلب کیسهبر ** کالهی پر سود مستشرف چو در
The shrewdest traders in this mart (carefully) inspect the genuine and spurious wares.4285
زین یپنلو هر که بازرگانترست ** بر سره و بر قلبها دیدهورست
To him (such an one) the mart is a place of gain, while to others in their blindness it is a place of loss.
شد یپنلو مر ورا دار الرباح ** وآن گر را از عمی دار الجناح
Every particle of the world, one by one, is a fetter for the fool and a means of deliverance for the wise.
هر یکی ز اجزای عالم یک به یک ** بر غبی بندست و بر استاد فک
It is (sweet as) candy for one and (bitter) as poison for another: it is (beautiful as) mercy for one and (terrible) as wrath for another.
بر یکی قندست و بر دیگر چو زهر ** بر یکی لطفست و بر دیگر چو قهر
Every inanimate thing tells a tale to the Prophet: the Ka‘ba testifies to the pilgrim and is eloquent (on his behalf).
هر جمادی با نبی افسانهگو ** کعبه با حاجی گواه و نطقخو
The mosque, too, bears witness to him who performs the ritual prayer, saying, “He came a long way to (visit) me.”4290
بر مصلی مسجد آمد هم گواه ** کو همیآمد به من از دور راه
The fire is (like) flowers and sweet basils and roses to (one like) Khalíl (Abraham); to those like Nimrod, on the contrary, it is death and anguish.
با خلیل آتش گل و ریحان و ورد ** باز بر نمرودیان مرگست و درد
We have said this many a time, O Hasan: I will never be weary of setting it forth.
بارها گفتیم این را ای حسن ** مینگردم از بیانش سیر من
Many a time have you eaten bread to prevent (yourself from) getting thin: ’tis the same bread: why are not you surfeited?
بارها خوردی تو نان دفع ذبول ** این همان نانست چون نبوی ملول
(Because), in normal health, a new hunger comes to you, by which indigestion and satiety are consumed.
در تو جوعی میرسد تو ز اعتلال ** که همیسوزد ازو تخمه و ملال
When one actually feels the pangs of hunger, a (sense of) refreshment is associated with every part (of the body).4295
هرکه را درد مجاعت نقد شد ** نو شدن با جزو جزوش عقد شد
The pleasure (of eating) is (derived) from hunger, not from new dessert (viands): hunger makes barley-bread more delicious than sugar.
لذت از جوعست نه از نقل نو ** با مجاعت از شکر به نان جو
That weariness, then, is caused by lack of hunger (ardour) and complete (spiritual) indigestion, not by repetition of the discourse.
پس ز بیجوعیست وز تخمهی تمام ** آن ملالت نه ز تکرار کلام
How is it that you are not weary of your shop and of haggling and disputing in order to cheat people?
چون ز دکان و مکاس و قیل و قال ** در فریب مردمت ناید ملال
How is it that you have not been surfeited by speaking ill of men in their absence and backbiting them for sixty years?
چون ز غیبت و اکل لحم مردمان ** شصت سالت سیریی نامد از آن
Time after time, without wearying, you have gaily spoken false words of flattery in pursuit of a vile woman; [Time after time, without wearying, you have gaily spoken false words of flattery in pursuit of a ruptured (deflowered) vulva;]4300
عشوهها در صید شلهی کفته تو ** بی ملولی بارها خوش گفته تو
And the last time you utter them with fire and energy, a hundred times more ardently than the first time.
بار آخر گوییش سوزان و چست ** گرمتر صد بار از بار نخست
Passion makes the old medicine new; passion lops every bough of weariness.
درد داروی کهن را نو کند ** درد هر شاخ ملولی خو کند
Passion is the elixir that makes (things) new: how (can there be) weariness where passion has arisen?
کیمیای نو کننده دردهاست ** کو ملولی آن طرف که درد خاست
Oh, do not sigh heavily from weariness: seek passion, seek passion, passion, passion!
هین مزن تو از ملولی آه سرد ** درد جو و درد جو و درد درد
Vain remedies (only) beguile (true) passion: they are (like) brigands and those who extort money in the form of tolls.4305
خادع دردند درمانهای ژاژ ** رهزنند و زرستانان رسم باژ
A briny water is no remedy for thirst: (even) if it seem cold and delicious at the moment of drinking,
آب شوری نیست در مان عطش ** وقت خوردن گر نماید سرد و خوش
Yet it beguiles (you) and prevents (you) from seeking the sweet water by which a hundred plants are made to grow.
لیک خادع گشته و مانع شد ز جست ** ز آب شیرینی کزو صد سبزه رست
Likewise every piece of spurious gold prevents (you) from recognising the good (genuine) gold wherever it is (to be found).
همچنین هر زر قلبی مانعست ** از شناس زر خوش هرجا که هست
It (the spurious gold) cuts off your feet and (clips) your wings by imposture, saying, “I am what you seek: take me, O seeker.”
پا و پرت را به تزویری برید ** که مراد تو منم گیر ای مرید
It says, “I will remove thy passion,” (but) in truth it is (worthless as) dregs: it is (really) checkmate (defeat) though it is victory in appearance.4310
گفت دردت چینم او خود درد بود ** مات بود ار چه به ظاهر برد بود
Go, always be fleeing from the false remedy, in order that thy passion may be successful and rich in perfume.
رو ز درمان دروغین میگریز ** تا شود دردت مصیب و مشکبیز
He (the night-patrol) said, “You are not a thief and you are not a reprobate: you are a good man, but you are foolish and silly.
گفت نه دزدی تو و نه فاسقی ** مرد نیکی لیک گول و احمقی
You make such a long journey, (relying) on a phantasy and (mere) dream: your intelligence has not the least spark of brightness.
بر خیال و خواب چندین ره کنی ** نیست عقلت را تسوی روشنی
I have dreamed many times, continuously, that there is a concealed treasure at Baghdád,
بارها من خواب دیدم مستمر ** که به بغدادست گنجی مستتر
Buried in such-and-such a quarter and such-and-such a street” —the name, in fact, was that of the street where this sorrowful man lived.4315
در فلان سوی و فلان کویی دفین ** بود آن خود نام کوی این حزین
“It is in so-and-so's house: go and seek it!”—the enemy (the night-patrol) named the house and mentioned his (the treasure-seeker's) name.
هست در خانهی فلانی رو بجو ** نام خانه و نام او گفت آن عدو
“I myself have often dreamed that there is a treasure in the dwelling-place at Baghdád.
دیدهام خود بارها این خواب من ** که به بغدادست گنجی در وطن
I never left my home on account of this phantasy, (but) you in consequence of a single dream come (hither) without thinking of the fatigue.
هیچ من از جا نرفتم زین خیال ** تو به یک خوابی بیایی بیملال
The dreams of a fool are suitable to his intelligence: like it, they are worthless and good-for-nothing.
خواب احمق لایق عقل ویست ** همچو او بیقیمتست و لاشیست
Know that a woman's dreams are inferior to those of a man because of her deficiency of intelligence and weakness of soul.4320
خواب زن کمتر ز خواب مرد دان ** از پی نقصان عقل و ضعف جان
The dreams of one deficient in intelligence and foolish are of little value: what, then, must be the dreams produced by (entire) lack of intelligence? (Mere) wind!”
خواب ناقصعقل و گول آید کساد ** پس ز بیعقلی چه باشد خواب باد
He (the treasure-seeker) said to himself, “The treasure is in my house: then why am I poverty-stricken and lamenting there?
گفت با خود گنج در خانهی منست ** پس مرا آنجا چه فقر و شیونست