And another would say, “Bolt (the door) at night, (and when) a heedless person comes, do not admit him.”3930
وان یکی گفتی که شب قفلی نهید ** غافلی کاید شما کم ره دهید
How the guest came into the mosque.
مهمان آمدن در آن مسجد
(So it continued) till a guest arrived at nightfall who had heard that marvellous rumour.
تا یکی مهمان در آمد وقت شب ** کو شنیده بود آن صیت عجب
He was testing (it) in order to put (it) to the proof, for he was very valiant and surfeited with life.
از برای آزمون میآزمود ** زانک بس مردانه و جان سیر بود
He said (to himself), “I take little account of a (sheep's) head and belly: suppose that one grain is gone from the spirit's treasure, (what does it matter?)
گفت کم گیرم سر و اشکمبهای ** رفته گیر از گنج جان یک حبهای
Let the bodily form go: who am I (in reality)? Is not the (bodily) figure of small account when I am enduring for ever?
صورت تن گو برو من کیستم ** نقش کم ناید چو من باقیستم
Since by the grace of God the (Divine) spirit was breathed into me, I am the breath of God (which is) kept apart from the windpipe of the body,3935
چون نفخت بودم از لطف خدا ** نفخ حق باشم ز نای تن جدا
To the end that the sound of His breathing should not fall in this direction, and that that (spiritual) pearl should escape from the narrow (bodily) shell.
تا نیفتد بانگ نفخش این طرف ** تا رهد آن گوهر از تنگین صدف
Since God said, ‘Desire death, O ye that are sincere,’ I am sincere: I will lavish my soul upon this (I will sacrifice my life for this object).”
چون تمنوا موت گفت ای صادقین ** صادقم جان را برافشانم برین
How the people of the mosque blamed the lover-guest for (his intention of) sleeping the night there and threatened him.
ملامت کردن اهل مسجد مهمان عاشق را از شب خفتن در آنجا و تهدید کردن مرورا
The people said to him, “Beware! Do not sleep here, lest the Taker of the soul pound thee like the dregs of sesame-grain,
قوم گفتندش که هین اینجا مخسپ ** تا نکوبد جانستانت همچو کسپ
For thou art a stranger and ignorant of the fact that any one who sleeps in this place perishes.
که غریبی و نمیدانی ز حال ** کاندرین جا هر که خفت آمد زوال
This is not an (accidental) occurrence: we and all those possessed of intelligence have ofttimes witnessed this.3940
اتفاقی نیست این ما بارها ** دیدهایم و جمله اصحاب نهی
To whomsoever that mosque gave lodging for a single night, poisonous death came to him at midnight.
هر که آن مسجد شبی مسکن شدش ** نیمشب مرگ هلاهل آمدش
We have seen this not (only) once but a hundred times: we have not heard it at second-hand from any one.
از یکی ما تابه صد این دیدهایم ** نه به تقلید از کسی بشنیدهایم
The Prophet said, ‘The (Mohammedan) religion is (consists in) sincerity (nasíhat)’: that nasíhat etymologically is the opposite of ghulúl (unfaithfulness).
گفت الدین نصیحه آن رسول ** آن نصیحت در لغت ضد غلول
This nasíhat is ‘to be true in friendship’: in an act of ghulúl you are treacherous and currish.
این نصیحت راستی در دوستی ** در غلولی خاین و سگپوستی
We are showing this sincerity towards thee, without treachery, from (motives of) love: do not turn away from reason and justice!”3945
بی خیانت این نصیحت از وداد ** مینماییمت مگرد از عقل و داد
The lover's reply to those who chid him.
جواب گفتن عاشق عاذلان را
He said, “O sincere advisers, I have become unrepentantly weary of the world of life.
گفت او ای ناصحان من بی ندم ** از جهان زندگی سیر آمدم
I am an idle vagabond, seeking blows and desiring blows: do not seek rectitude from the vagabond on the road.
منبلیام زخم جو و زخمخواه ** عافیت کم جوی از منبل براه
(I am) not the vagabond who in sooth is a seeker of provender: I am the reckless vagabond (who is) the seeker of death.
منبلی نی کو بود خود برگجو ** منبلیام لاابالی مرگجو
(I am) not the vagabond who gets small money into his palm, (but) the nimble vagabond who would cross this bridge (to the world hereafter)—
منبلی نی کو به کف پول آورد ** منبلی چستی کزین پل بگذرد
Not the one who cleaves to every shop; nay, but (the one who) springs away from (phenomenal) existence and strikes upon a mine (of reality).3950
آن نه کو بر هر دکانی بر زند ** بل جهد از کون و کانی بر زند
Death and migration from this (earthly) abode has become as sweet to me as leaving the cage and flying (is sweet) to the (captive) bird—
مرگ شیرین گشت و نقلم زین سرا ** چون قفص هشتن پریدن مرغ را
The cage that is in the very midst of the garden, (so that) the bird beholds the rose-beds and the trees,
آن قفص که هست عین باغ در ** مرغ میبیند گلستان و شجر
(While) outside, round the cage, a multitude of birds is sweetly chanting tales of liberty:
جوق مرغان از برون گرد قفص ** خوش همیخوانند ز آزادی قصص
At (the sight of) that verdant place neither (desire for) food remains to the bird in the cage, nor patience and rest,
مرغ را اندر قفص زان سبزهزار ** نه خورش ماندست و نه صبر و قرار