How by Divine inspiration Shaykh Ahmad

How by Divine inspiration Shaykh Ahmad son of Khizrúya bought halwá (sweetmeat) for his creditors. حلوا خریدن شیخ احمد خضرویه قدس الله سره العزیز جهت غریمان به الهام حق

بود شیخی دایما او وامدار
از جوانمردی که بود آن نامدار
There was a Shaykh who was continually in debt because of the generosity which that illustrious one had (in his nature).
ده هزاران وام کردی از مهان
خرج کردی بر فقیران جهان‏
He used to make myriads of debts (by borrowing) from the great, and spend (all the money) upon the poor (dervishes) of the world.
هم به وام او خانقاهی ساخته
جان و مال و خانقه درباخته‏
He had also built a monastery (for Súfís) by (running into) debt; he had devoted life and wealth and monastery (to God).
وام او را حق ز هر جا می‏گزارد
کرد حق بهر خلیل از ریگ آرد
God was paying his debts from every quarter: God made flour out of sand for the Friend’s (Abraham’s) sake.
گفت پیغمبر که در بازارها
دو فرشته می‏کنند ایدر دعا
The prophet said that two angels are (always) praying here in the markets, (saying),
کای خدا تو منفقان را ده خلف
ای خدا تو ممسکان را ده تلف‏
“O God, do Thou give the prodigal a boon in return, and O God do Thou give the miserly a bane (in return).”
خاصه آن منفق که جان انفاق کرد
حلق خود قربانی خلاق کرد
Especially (does this apply to) the prodigal who has freely spent his soul (life) and made his throat a sacrifice to the Creator.
حلق پیش آورد اسماعیل‏وار
کارد بر حلقش نیارد کرد کار
He offers his throat, like Ismá‘íl (Ishmael): the knife cannot do anything to (hurt) his throat.
پس شهیدان زنده زین رویند و خوش
تو بدان قالب بمنگر گبروش‏
On this account, then, the martyrs are living and joyous: do not, infidel-like, look at the body (alone),
چون خلف دادستشان جان بقا
جان ایمن از غم و رنج و شقا
Since God hath given them in return the spirit of everlastingness—a spirit safe from grief and pain and misery.
شیخ وامی سالها این کار کرد
می‏ستد می‏داد همچون پای مرد
The debtor Shaykh acted in this fashion for years, taking and giving like a steward.
تخمها می‏کاشت تا روز اجل
تا بود روز اجل میر اجل‏
He was sowing seeds till the day of death, that on the day of death he might be a most glorious prince.
چون که عمر شیخ در آخر رسید
در وجود خود نشان مرگ دید
When the Shaykh’s life reached its end and he saw in his (bodily) existence the signs of death,
وامداران گرد او بنشسته جمع
شیخ بر خود خوش گدازان همچو شمع‏
The creditors were seated together around him, (while) the Shaykh was gently melting on himself, like a candle.
وامداران گشته نومید و ترش
درد دلها یار شد با درد شش‏
The creditors had become despairing and sour-faced: the pain in (their) hearts was accompanied by pain in (their) lungs.
شیخ گفت این بد گمانان را نگر
نیست حق را چار صد دینار زر
“Look at these evil-thinking men,” said the Shaykh. “Hath not God four hundred gold dinars?”
کودکی حلوا ز بیرون بانگ زد
لاف حلوا بر امید دانگ زد
A boy outside shouted “Halwá!” and bragged of (the excellence of) the halwá in hope of (getting) some dángs.
شیخ اشارت کرد خادم را به سر
که برو آن جمله حلوا را بخر
The Shaykh with (a nod of) his head directed the famulus to go and buy the whole of the halwá,
تا غریمان چون که آن حلوا خورند
یک زمانی تلخ در من ننگرند
(Saying to himself), “so that the creditors, when they eat the halwá, for a (short) while may not look bitterly on me.”
در زمان خادم برون آمد به در
تا خرد او جمله حلوا ز ان پسر
The famulus at once went out through the doorway to buy with gold the halwá entire.
گفت او را جمله‏ی حلوا به چند
گفت کودک نیم دیناری و اند
He said to the boy, “How much is the halwá in the lump?” The boy said, “Half a dinar and some small change.”
گفت نه از صوفیان افزون مجو
نیم دینارت دهم دیگر مگو
“Nay,” he replied; “don’t ask too much from Súfís: I will give you half a dinar. Say no more.”
او طبق بنهاد اندر پیش شیخ
تو ببین اسرار سر اندیش شیخ‏
The boy put the tray before the Shaykh. Behold (now) the mysterious secret thoughts of the Shaykh!
کرد اشارت با غریمان کین نوال
نک تبرک خوش خورید این را حلال‏
He made a sign to the creditors (as though to say), “Look, this gift (of sweetmeat) is a present (to you): eat this gladly, it is lawful (food).”
چون طبق خالی شد آن کودک ستد
گفت دینارم بده ای با خرد
When the tray was emptied, the boy took it and said, “Give me the gold, O Sage.”
شیخ گفتا از کجا آرم درم
وام دارم می‏روم سوی عدم‏
The Shaykh said, “From where shall I get the money? I am in debt and going towards non-existence.”
کودک از غم زد طبق را بر زمین
ناله و گریه بر آورد و حنین‏
The boy in (his) grief dashed the tray upon the ground; he raised (his voice in) lamentation and weeping and moaning.
می‏گریست از غبن کودک های های
کای مرا بشکسته بودی هر دو پای‏
The boy was weeping with loud sobs because of the swindle, (and crying), “Would that both my legs had been broken (ere I came hither)!
کاشکی من گرد گلخن گشتمی
بر در این خانقه نگذشتمی‏
Would that I had loitered round the bath-stove and had not passed by the door of this monastery!
صوفیان طبل خوار لقمه جو
سگ دلان و همچو گربه روی شو
Lickspittle gluttonous Súfís, dogs at heart and washing their faces like cats!”
از غریو کودک آن جا خیر و شر
گرد آمد گشت بر کودک حشر
At the boy’s clamour all and sundry gathered there and crowded round the boy.
پیش شیخ آمد که ای شیخ درشت
تو یقین دان که مرا استاد کشت‏
He came to the Shaykh and said, “O cruel Shaykh, know for sure that my master will kill me (with blows).
گر روم من پیش او دست تهی
او مرا بکشد اجازت می‏دهی‏
If I go (back) to him empty-handed, he will kill me: wilt thou give (him) leave (to do that)?”
و آن غریمان هم به انکار و جحود
رو به شیخ آورده کاین باری چه بود
And those creditors too turned to the Shaykh with disbelief and denial, saying, “Pray, what was (the meaning of) this?
مال ما خوردی مظالم می‏بری
از چه بود این ظلم دیگر بر سری‏
Thou hast devoured our property and art carrying off thy iniquities (to the next world): for what reason was this other injustice (put) on the top (of all the rest)?”
تا نماز دیگر آن کودک گریست
شیخ دیده بست و در وی ننگریست‏
Till afternoon prayers the boy wept; the Shaykh closed his eyes and did not look at him.
شیخ فارغ از جفا و از خلاف
در کشیده روی چون مه در لحاف‏
The Shakyh, unconcerned with abuse and opposition, had withdrawn his moon-like face under the coverlet,
با ازل خوش با اجل خوش شاد کام
فارغ از تشنیع و گفت خاص و عام‏
Pleased with eternity, pleased with death, joyous, unconcerned with revilement and the talk of high or low.
آن که جان در روی او خندد چو قند
از ترش رویی خلقش چه گزند
He in whose face the Beloved smiles sweetly, what harm can befall him from the sour looks of (other) people?
آن که جان بوسه دهد بر چشم او
کی خورد غم از فلک وز خشم او
He on whose eye the Beloved bestows a kiss, how should he grieve at Heaven and its anger?
در شب مهتاب مه را بر سماک
از سگان و عوعو ایشان چه باک‏
On a moonlight night what cares the moon in (the mansion of) Simák for dogs and their barking?
سگ وظیفه‏ی خود به جا می‏آورد
مه وظیفه‏ی خود به رخ می‏گسترد
The dog is performing his task; the moon is smoothly fulfilling her task by means of her (bright) countenance.
کارک خود می‏گزارد هر کسی
آب نگذارد صفا بهر خسی‏
Every one is executing his little business: water does not lose purity because of a bit of weed (rubbish).
خس خسانه می‏رود بر روی آب
آب صافی می‏رود بی‏اضطراب‏
The weeds float weedily (contemptibly) on the surface of the water: the water flows on pure (and) undisturbed.
مصطفی مه می‏شکافد نیم شب
ژاژ می‏خاید ز کینه بو لهب‏
Mustafá (Mohammed) splits the moon at midnight; Abú Lahab from hatred talks drivel.
آن مسیحا مرده زنده می‏کند
و آن جهود از خشم سبلت می‏کند
The Messiah (Jesus) brings the dead to life, and the Jew tears his moustache in wrath.
بانگ سگ هرگز رسد در گوش ماه
خاصه ماهی کاو بود خاص اله‏
Does the dog’s bark ever reach the moon’s ear, especially that Moon who is the chosen of God?
می‏خورد شه بر لب جو تا سحر
در سماع از بانگ چغزان بی‏خبر
The king drinks wine on the bank of the stream till dawn, and in listening to the music is unaware of the croaking of the frogs.
هم شدی توزیع کودک دانگ چند
همت شیخ آن سخا را کرد بند
The division of (the money due to) the boy (amongst the creditors) would have been (only a few dángs (for each to pay); (but) the Shaykh’s (spiritual) influence stopped that generosity,
تا کسی ندهد به کودک هیچ چیز
قوت پیران از این بیش است نیز
So that no one should give the boy anything: the power of the Pírs is even greater than this.
شد نماز دیگر آمد خادمی
یک طبق بر کف ز پیش حاتمی‏
(When) it was (time for) afternoon prayers, a servant came with a tray in his hand from one like Hátim,
صاحب مالی و حالی پیش پیر
هدیه بفرستاد کز وی بد خبیر
A man of property and condition: he sent it as a present to the Pír (Shaykh), for he knew about him.
چار صد دینار بر گوشه‏ی طبق
نیم دینار دگر اندر ورق‏
(There were) four hundred dinars, and in a corner of the tray another half-dinar in a piece of paper.
خادم آمد شیخ را اکرام کرد
و آن طبق بنهاد پیش شیخ فرد
The servant advanced and did honour to the Shaykh, and laid the tray before the peerless Shaykh.
چون طبق را از غطا واکرد رو
خلق دیدند آن کرامت را از او
When he (the Shaykh) uncovered the face of the tray, the people beheld the miracle (manifested) from him.
آه و افغان از همه برخاست زود
کای سر شیخان و شاهان این چه بود
Immediately cries of sorrow and lamentation arose from all —“O head of the Shaykhs and (spiritual) kings, what was (the meaning of) this?
این چه سر است این چه سلطانی است باز
ای خداوند خداوندان راز
What secret is this? Once more, what sovereignty is this, O lord of the lords of mystery?
ما ندانستیم ما را عفو کن
بس پراکنده که رفت از ما سخن‏
We knew not. Pardon us. Very deranged were the words that went out from us.
ما که کورانه عصاها می‏زنیم
لاجرم قندیلها را بشکنیم‏
We who blindly brandish staffs cannot help breaking lamps.
ما چو کران ناشنیده یک خطاب
هرزه گویان از قیاس خود جواب‏
We, like deaf men, without having heard a single thing spoken (to us), are answering idly from our own surmise.
ما ز موسی پند نگرفتیم کاو
گشت از انکار خضری زرد رو
We have not taken warning from Moses, who was made shamefaced by disbelief in a Khizr,
با چنان چشمی که بالا می‏شتافت
نور چشمش آسمان را می‏شکافت‏
Notwithstanding (that he had) an eye that sped aloft, and the light of his eye was piercing heaven.
کرده با چشمت تعصب موسیا
از حماقت چشم موش آسیا
O Moses (of this age), through foolishness the eye of a mill-mouse has fanatically set itself against thine eye.”
شیخ فرمود آن همه گفتار و قال
من بحل کردم شما را آن حلال‏
The Shaykh said, “I forgive all that talk and palaver: it is lawful to you.
سر این آن بود کز حق خواستم
لاجرم بنمود راه راستم‏
The secret of this (matter) was that I besought God: consequently He showed me the right way,
گفت آن دینار اگر چه اندک است
لیک موقوف غریو کودک است‏
And said, ‘Though that dinar is little, yet (the payment of) it is dependent on the boy’s outcry.
تا نگرید کودک حلوا فروش
بحر رحمت در نمی‏آید به جوش‏
Until the halwá-selling boy weeps, the sea of (My) mercy is not aroused’.” 
ای برادر طفل طفل چشم تست
کام خود موقوف زاری دان درست‏
O brother, the child (boy) is the child (pupil) of your eye: know surely that (the gaining of) your desire is dependent on (tears of) distress.
گر همی‏خواهی که آن خلعت رسد
پس بگریان طفل دیده بر جسد
If you wish that that robe of honour (which you desire) should come (to you), then make the child (pupil) of your eye weep over your body.

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