He replied, “You have said (your say): (now) hear the answer from your (humble) servant, that you may not remain in bewilderment and confusion.
گفت گفتی بشنو از چاکر جواب ** تا نمانی در تحیر و اضطراب
Although in your opinion this moment is midnight, in my view the dawn of delight is near at hand.
گرچه هست این دم بر تو نیم‌شب ** نزد من نزدیک شد صبح طرب
In my sight every defeat has been turned to victory, in my eyes all nights have been turned to day.
هر شکستی پیش من پیروز شد ** جمله شبها پیش چشمم روز شد
To you the water of the river Nile seems blood; to me it is not blood, ’tis water, O noble one.855
پیش تو خونست آب رود نیل ** نزد من خون نیست آبست ای نبیل
In regard to you, that (object) is iron or marble, (but) to the prophet David it is (soft as) wax and tractable.
در حق تو آهنست آن و رخام ** پیش داود نبی مومست و رام
To you the mountain is exceedingly heavy (solid) and inanimate, (but) to David it is a master-musician.
پیش تو که بس گرانست و جماد ** مطربست او پیش داود اوستاد
To you the gravel is silent; to Ahmad (Mohammed) it is eloquent and making supplication (to God).
پیش تو آن سنگ‌ریزه ساکتست ** پیش احمد او فصیح و قانتست
To you the pillar of the mosque is a dead thing; to Ahmad it is (like) a lover who has lost his heart.
پیش تو استون مسجد مرده‌ایست ** پیش احمد عاشقی دل برده‌ایست
To the vulgar all the particles of the world seem dead, but before God they are possessed of knowledge and submissive (to His commands).860
جمله اجزای جهان پیش عوام ** مرده و پیش خدا دانا و رام
As for your saying, ‘There is nobody in this house and palace: why art thou beating this drum?’—
آنچ گفتی کاندرین خانه و سرا ** نیست کس چون می‌زنی این طبل را
(I reply that) this (Moslem) people are giving (large) sums of gold for God's sake, founding hundreds of pious institutions and mosques,
بهر حق این خلق زرها می‌دهند ** صد اساس خیر و مسجد می‌نهند
And, like intoxicated lovers, gladly risking their property and lives on their way to (perform) the distant Pilgrimage:
مال و تن در راه حج دوردست ** خوش همی‌بازند چون عشاق مست
Do they ever say, ‘The House (Ka‘ba) is empty’? Nay, (they know that) the Lord of the House is the Spirit invisible.
هیچ می‌گویند کان خانه تهیست ** بلک صاحب‌خانه جان مختبیست
He that is illumined by the Light of God deems the House of the Beloved to be full (of Him).865
پر همی‌بیند سرای دوست را ** آنک از نور الهستش ضیا
In the eyes of those who see the end, many a palace filled with a crowd and throng (of people) is empty.
بس سرای پر ز جمع و انبهی ** پیش چشم عاقبت‌بینان تهی
Seek in the (spiritual) Ka‘ba whomsoever you please, that he may at once grow (rise into view) before your face.
هر که را خواهی تو در کعبه بجو ** تا بروید در زمان او پیش رو
How should the form (of the Perfect Man), which is splendid and sublime, (ever) be absent from the House of God?
صورتی کو فاخر و عالی بود ** او ز بیت الله کی خالی بود
He is (always) present (there), exempt from exclusion, (while) the rest of mankind (are there only) on account of (their occasional) need.
او بود حاضر منزه از رتاج ** باقی مردم برای احتیاج
Do they (the pilgrims) ever say, ‘We are crying Labbayka without (receiving) any response. Pray, why (is this)’?870
هیچ می‌گویند کین لبیکها ** بی‌ندایی می‌کنیم آخر چرا
Nay, the Divine blessing which causes (their cries of) Labbayka is (in truth) a response (coming) from the One (God) at every moment.
بلک توفیقی که لبیک آورد ** هست هر لحظه ندایی از احد
I know by intuition that this pavilion and palace is the banquet of the soul, and that its dust is an elixir.
من ببو دانم که این قصر و سرا ** بزم جان افتاد و خاکش کیمیا
I will strike my copper on its elixir unto everlasting in the mode of treble and bass,
مس خود را بر طریق زیر و بم ** تا ابد بر کیمیااش می‌زنم
That, from (my) playing the sahúr tune in this fashion, the seas (of Divine mercy) may surge (and be roused) to scatter (their) pearls and (lavish their) bounty.
تا بجوشد زین چنین ضرب سحور ** در درافشانی و بخشایش به حور
Men hazard their lives in the line of battle and in fighting for the Creator's sake.875
خلق در صف قتال و کارزار ** جان همی‌بازند بهر کردگار
One is like Job in tribulation; another like Jacob in patience.
آن یکی اندر بلا ایوب‌وار ** وان دگر در صابری یعقوب‌وار
Hundreds of thousands of people, thirsty and sorrowful, are doing some sore toil for God's sake in desire (of pleasing Him).
صد هزاران خلق تشنه و مستمند ** بهر حق از طمع جهدی می‌کنند
I too, for the merciful Lord's sake and in hope of Him, am drumming the sahúr-call at the gate.”
من هم از بهر خداوند غفور ** می‌زنم بر در به اومیدش سحور
(If) you want a customer from whom you will get gold, how should there be a better customer than God, O (my) heart?
مشتری خواهی که از وی زر بری ** به ز حق کی باشد ای دل مشتری
He buys a dirty bag from your (stock of) goods, and gives (you in return) an inner light that borrows (its splendour from Himself).880
می‌خرد از مالت انبانی نجس ** می‌دهد نور ضمیری مقتبس
He receives the (dissolving) ice of this mortal body, and gives a kingdom beyond our imagination.
می‌ستاند این یخ جسم فنا ** می‌دهد ملکی برون از وهم ما
He receives a few tear-drops, and gives a Kawthar (so delicious) that sugar shows jealousy (of its sweetness).
می‌ستاند قطره‌ی چندی ز اشک ** می‌دهد کوثر که آرد قند رشک
He receives sighs full of melancholy and vaporous gloom, and gives for every sigh a hundred gainful dignities.
می‌ستاند آه پر سودا و دود ** می‌دهد هر آه را صد جاه سود
Because of the wind of sighs that drove onward the tearful cloud, He hath called a Khalíl (Abraham) awwáh (sighful).
باد آهی که ابر اشک چشم راند ** مر خلیلی را بدان اواه خواند
Hark, sell your old rags in this brisk incomparable market, and receive the sterling (real and genuine) kingdom (in exchange).885
هین درین بازار گرم بی‌نظیر ** کهنه‌ها بفروش و ملک نقد گیر
And if any doubt and suspicion waylay (assail) you, rely upon the (spiritual) traders, (namely), the prophets.
ور ترا شکی و ریبی ره زند ** تاجران انبیا را کن سند
Inasmuch as the (Divine) Emperor increased their fortune exceedingly, no mountain can carry their merchandise.
بس که افزود آن شهنشه بختشان ** می‌نتاند که کشیدن رختشان
The Story of Bilál's crying “One! One!” in the heat of the Hijáz, from his love for Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, in the forenoons when his master, (impelled) by Jewish fanaticism, used to flog him with a thorny branch under the (blazing) sun of the Hijáz; and how at (each) blow the blood spurted from Bilál's body, and (the words) “One! One!” escaped (from his lips) involuntarily, just as sobs escape involuntarily from others stricken with grief, because he was (so) full of the passion of love (that) there was no room for any care about relieving the pain of the thorns to enter (his heart). (His case was) like (that of) Pharaoh's magicians and Jirjís and others (who are) innumerable and beyond computation.
قصه‌ی احد احد گفتن بلال در حر حجاز از محبت مصطفی علیه‌السلام در آن چاشتگاهها کی خواجه‌اش از تعصب جهودی به شاخ خارش می‌زد پیش آفتاب حجاز و از زخم خون از تن بلال برمی‌جوشید ازو احد احد می‌جست بی‌قصد او چنانک از دردمندان دیگر ناله جهد بی‌قصد زیرا از درد عشق ممتلی بود اهتمام دفع درد خار را مدخل نبود هم‌چون سحره‌ی فرعون و جرجیس و غیر هم لایعد و لا یحصی
That Bilál was devoting his body to the (scourge of) thorns: his master was flogging him by way of correction,
تن فدای خار می‌کرد آن بلال ** خواجه‌اش می‌زد برای گوشمال
Saying, “Why dost thou celebrate Ahmad (Mohammed)? Wicked slave, thou disbelievest in my religion!”
که چرا تو یاد احمد می‌کنی ** بنده‌ی بد منکر دین منی
He was beating him in the sun with thorns (while) he (Bilál) cried vauntingly “One!”890
می‌زد اندر آفتابش او به خار ** او احد می‌گفت بهر افتخار
Till (at last) those cries of “One!” reached the ears of the Siddíq (Abú Bakr), who was passing in that neighbourhood.
تا که صدیق آن طرف بر می‌گذشت ** آن احد گفتن به گوش او برفت
His eyes became filled with tears and his heart with trouble, (for) from that “One!” he caught the scent of a loving friend (of God).
چشم او پر آب شد دل پر عنا ** زان احد می‌یافت بوی آشنا
Afterwards he saw him (Bilál) in private and admonished him, saying, “Keep thy belief hidden from the Jews.
بعد از آن خلوت بدیدش پند داد ** کز جهودان خفیه می‌دار اعتقاد
He (God) knows (all) secrets: conceal thy desire.” He (Bilál) said, “I repent before thee, O prince.”
عالم السرست پنهان دار کام ** گفت کردم توبه پیشت ای همام
Early next day, (when) the Siddíq was going quickly in that district on account of some affair,895
روز دیگر از پگه صدیق تفت ** آن طرف از بهر کاری می‌برفت
He again heard (cries of) “One!” and (the sound of) blows inflicted by the (scourge of) thorns: flames and sparks of fire were kindled in his heart.
باز احد بشنید و ضرب زخم خار ** برفروزید از دلش سوز و شرار
He admonished him once more, and once more he (Bilál) repented; (but) Love came and consumed his repentance.
باز پندش داد باز او توبه کرد ** عشق آمد توبه‌ی او را بخورد
There was much repenting of this sort, (till) at last he became quit of repentance,
توبه کردن زین نمط بسیار شد ** عاقبت از توبه او بیزار شد
And proclaimed (his faith) and yielded up his body to tribulation, crying, “O Mohammed, O enemy of vows of repentance,
فاش کرد اسپرد تن را در بلا ** کای محمد ای عدو توبه‌ها
O thou with whom my body and (all) my veins are filled—how should there be room therein for repentance?—900
ای تن من وی رگ من پر ز تو ** توبه را گنجا کجا باشد درو
Henceforth I will banish repentance from this heart (of mine): how should I repent of the life everlasting?”
توبه را زین پس ز دل بیرون کنم ** از حیات خلد توبه چون کنم