How the Súfís sold the traveller’s beast (to pay) for the (expenses of the) mystic dance. فروختن صوفیان بهیمهی مسافر را جهت سماع
صوفیی در خانقاه از ره رسید
مرکب خود برد و در آخر کشید
A Súfí, after journeying, arrived at a monastery (for Súfís); he took his mount and led it to the stable.
آب کش داد و علف از دست خویش
نه چنان صوفی که ما گفتیم پیش
With his own hand he gave it a little water and some fodder: (he was) not such a Súfí as the one we told of before.
احتیاطش کرد از سهو و خباط
چون قضا آید چه سود است احتیاط
He took precaution for it against neglect and craziness, (but) when the (Divine) destiny comes to pass, of what avail is precaution?
صوفیان در جوع بودند و فقیر
کاد فقر أن یعی کفرا یبیر
The Súfís were destitute and poor: poverty almost comprises an infidelity that brings (the soul) to perdition.
ای توانگر که تو سیری هین مخند
بر کجی آن فقیر دردمند
O thou rich man who art full fed, beware of laughing at the unrighteousness of the suffering poor.
از سر تقصیر آن صوفی رمه
خر فروشی در گرفتند آن همه
On account of their destitution that Súfí flock, all of them, adopted (the expedient of) selling the ass,
کز ضرورت هست مرداری مباح
بس فسادی کز ضرورت شد صلاح
Saying, “(In case) of necessity a carcase is lawful (food); (there is) many a vicious act that necessity made a virtuous one.”
هم در آن دم آن خرک بفروختند
لوت آوردند و شمع افروختند
They instantly sold the little ass; they fetched dainty viands and lit candles.
ولوله افتاد اندر خانقه
کامشبان لوت و سماع است و شره
Jubilation arose in the monastery: (they cried), “To-night there are dainties and music and dancing and voracity.
چند از این صبر و از این سه روزه چند
چند از این زنبیل و این دریوزه چند
How much (more) of this (carrying the) wallet and this beggary? How much (more) of this patience and of this three-day fasting?
ما هم از خلقیم و جان داریم ما
دولت امشب میهمان داریم ما
We also are of (God’s) creatures, we have soul. Good luck (is ours) to-night: we have the guest (to entertain).”
تخم باطل را از آن میکاشتند
کان که آن جان نیست جان پنداشتند
Thereby they were sowing the seed of falsehood, for they deemed soul that which is not soul.
و آن مسافر نیز از راه دراز
خسته بود و دید آن اقبال و ناز
And the traveller, too, was tired by the long journey and (gladly) saw that favour and fondness (with which they regarded him).
صوفیانش یک به یک بنواختند
نرد خدمتهای خوش میباختند
The Súfís, one by one, caressed him: they were playing the game of (bestowing) pleasant attentions (on him).
گفت چون میدید میلانشان به وی
گر طرب امشب نخواهم کرد کی
When he saw their affection towards him, he said, “If I don’t make merry to-night, when (shall I do so)?”
لوت خوردند و سماع آغاز کرد
خانقه تا سقف شد پر دود و گرد
They ate the viands and began the samá‘ (musical dance); the monastery was filled with smoke and dust up to the roof—
دود مطبخ گرد آن پا کوفتن
ز اشتیاق و وجد جان آشوفتن
The smoke of the kitchen, the dust of (raised by) beating the feet (dancing), the tumult (caused) by longing and ecstasy of spirit.
گاه دست افشان قدم میکوفتند
گه به سجده صفه را میروفتند
Now, waving their hands, they would beat (the ground with) their feet; now, in (religious) prostration, they would sweep the dais (with their foreheads).
دیر یابد صوفی آز از روزگار
ز آن سبب صوفی بود بسیار خوار
(Only) after long (waiting) does the Súfí gain his desire (the satisfaction of his appetite) from Fortune: for that reason the Súfí is a great eater;
جز مگر آن صوفیی کز نور حق
سیر خورد او فارغ است از ننگ دق
Except, to be sure, the Súfí who has eaten his fill of the Light of God: he is free from the shame of beggary;
از هزاران اندکی زین صوفیند
باقیان در دولت او میزیند
(But) of these Súfís there are (only) a few among thousands; the rest are living in (under the protection of) his (the perfect Súfí’s spiritual) empire.
چون سماع آمد از اول تا کران
مطرب آغازید یک ضرب گران
When the samá‘ had come (run its course) from beginning to end, the minstrel struck up a heavy (deep-sounding) strain.
خر برفت و خر برفت آغاز کرد
زین حراره جمله را انباز کرد
He commenced (to sing), “The ass is gone, and the ass is gone”; he made the whole (company) join in this ditty.
زین حراره پای کوبان تا سحر
کفزنان خر رفت و خر رفت ای پسر
(They continued) beating their feet (dancing) to this ditty till dawn, clapping their hands (and singing), “The ass is gone, the ass is gone, O son!”
از ره تقلید آن صوفی همین
خر برفت آغاز کرد اندر حنین
By way of imitation that Súfí began (to sing) in (tones of) impassioned feeling this same (phrase), “The ass is gone.”
چون گذشت آن نوش و جوش و آن سماع
روز گشت و جمله گفتند الوداع
When the pleasure and excitement and music and dancing were over, day dawned and they all said, “Farewell!”
خانقه خالی شد و صوفی بماند
گرد از رخت آن مسافر میفشاند
The monastery was deserted, and the Súfí remained (alone): that traveller set about shaking the dust from his baggage.
رخت از حجره برون آورد او
تا به خر بر بندد آن همراه جو
He brought out the baggage from his cell, in order that he might tie it on the ass, (for he was) desirous of (finding) people to travel with.
تا رسد در همرهان او میشتافت
رفت در آخر خر خود را نیافت
He was hurrying that he might overtake his fellow-travellers; he went into the stable but did not find the ass.
گفت آن خادم به آبش برده است
ز انکه خر دوش آب کمتر خورده است
He said, “The servant has taken it (the ass) to water, because it drank little water last night.”
خادم آمد گفت صوفی خر کجاست
گفت خادم ریش بین جنگی بخاست
The servant came, and the Súfí said to him, “Where is the ass?” “Look at your beard,” replied the servant, and a quarrel arose.
گفت من خر را به تو بسپردهام
من ترا بر خر موکل کردهام
He (the Súfí) said, “I have entrusted the ass to you, I have put you in charge of the ass.
از تو خواهم آن چه من دادم به تو
باز ده آن چه فرستادم به تو
Discuss (the matter) with propriety, don’t argue: deliver back to me what I delivered to you.
بحث با توجیه کن حجت میار
آن چه بسپردم ترا واپس سپار
I demand from you what I gave to you: return that which I sent to you.
گفت پیغمبر که دستت هر چه برد
بایدش در عاقبت واپس سپرد
The Prophet said that whatever your hand has taken must in the end be restored (to its owner).
ور نهای از سرکشی راضی بدین
نک من و تو خانهی قاضی دین
And if you, from insolence, are not content with this, look here, let us (go) to the house of the Cadi of (our) religion.”
گفت من مغلوب بودم صوفیان
حمله آوردند و بودم بیم جان
The servant said, “I was overpowered: the Súfís rushed (on me), and I was in fear for my life.
تو جگر بندی میان گربگان
اندر اندازی و جویی ز آن نشان
Do you throw a liver with the parts next it amongst cats, and (then) seek the trace of it?
در میان صد گرسنه گردهای
پیش صد سگ گربهی پژمردهای
One cake of bread amongst a hundred hungry people, one wasted (starved) cat before a hundred dogs?”
گفت گیرم کز تو ظلما بستدند
قاصد خون من مسکین شدند
“I suppose,” said the Súfí, “that they took it (the ass) from you by violence, (and thereby) aimed at the life of wretched me;
تو نیایی و نگویی مر مرا
که خرت را میبرند ای بینوا
(And seeing this) you would not come and say to me, ‘They are taking away your ass, O poor man!’
تا خر از هر که بود من واخرم
ور نه توزیعی کنند ایشان زرم
So that I might buy back the ass from (the purchaser) whoever he is, or else they might divide my money (amongst themselves and return the ass to me).
صد تدارک بود چون حاضر بدند
این زمان هر یک به اقلیمی شدند
There were a hundred ways of mending (the injury) when they (the Súfís) were present, (but) now each one is gone to a (different) clime.
من که را گیرم که را قاضی برم
این قضا خود از تو آمد بر سرم
Whom should I seize? Whom should I take to the Cadi? ’Tis from you in sooth that this judgement has come upon me.
چون نیایی و نگویی ای غریب
پیش آمد این چنین ظلمی مهیب
How wouldn’t you come and say (to me), ‘O stranger, such a terrible outrage has occurred’?”
گفت و الله آمدم من بارها
تا ترا واقف کنم زین کارها
“By God,” said he, “I came several times to inform you of these doings,
تو همیگفتی که خر رفت ای پسر
از همه گویندگان با ذوقتر
(But) you were always saying, ‘The ass is gone, O son,’ with more gusto than all (the others) who said it.
باز میگشتم که او خود واقف است
زین قضا راضی است مردی عارف است
(So) I was (always) going back, (thinking), ‘He himself is aware; he is satisfied with this (Divine) judgement: he is a man that knows (God)’.”
گفت آن را جمله میگفتند خوش
مر مرا هم ذوق آمد گفتنش
The Súfí said, “They all were saying (it) merrily, (so) I also took delight in saying it.
مر مرا تقلیدشان بر باد داد
که دو صد لعنت بر آن تقلید باد
Blind imitation of them has brought me to ruin: two hundred curses be on that imitation!
خاصه تقلید چنین بیحاصلان
خشم ابراهیم با بر آفلان
Especially (on) imitation of such good-for-nothing rascals the wrath of Abraham be on them that sink!
عکس ذوق آن جماعت میزدی
وین دلم ز آن عکس ذوقی میشدی
The delight of that company (of Súfís) was casting a reflexion, and this heart of mine was becoming delighted by that reflexion.”
عکس چندان باید از یاران خوش
که شوی از بحر بیعکس آب کش
The reflexion (cast) from goodly friends is necessary until you become, without (the aid of any) reflexion, a drawer of water from the Sea.
عکس کاول زد تو آن تقلید دان
چون پیاپی شد شود تحقیق آن
Know that the reflexion first cast is (only) imitation, (but) when it has become successive (continually recurrent) it turns into (direct) realisation (of the truth).
تا نشد تحقیق از یاران مبر
از صدف مگسل نگشت آن قطره در
Until it has become realisation, do not part from the friends (by whom you are guided); do not break away from the shell: the rain-drop has not (yet) become a pearl.
صاف خواهی چشم و عقل و سمع را
بر دران تو پردههای طمع را
If you wish eye and understanding and hearing to be pure, tear in pieces the curtains of selfish desire,
ز انکه آن تقلید صوفی از طمع
عقل او بر بست از نور و لمع
Because the Súfí’s imitation, (which arose) from desire, debarred his understanding from the light and radiance.
طمع لوت و طمع آن ذوق و سماع
مانع آمد عقل او را ز اطلاع
Desire for the viands and desire for that delight (shown by the Súfís) and for the samá‘ hindered his understanding from (gaining) knowledge (of what had happened).
گر طمع در آینه برخاستی
در نفاق آن آینه چون ماستی
If desire were to arise in the mirror, that mirror would be like us in (respect of) hypocrisy.
گر ترازو را طمع بودی به مال
راست کی گفتی ترازو وصف حال
If the balance had desire for riches, how would the balance give a true description of the case?
هر نبیی گفت با قوم از صفا
من نخواهم مزد پیغام از شما
Every prophet has said in sincerity to his people, “I ask not from you the wages for my message.
من دلیلم حق شما را مشتری
داد حق دلالیم هر دو سری
I am (only) a guide; God is your purchaser: God has appointed me to act as broker on both sides.
چیست مزد کار من دیدار یار
گر چه خود بو بکر بخشد چل هزار
What are the wages for my work? The sight of the Friend (God), even though Abú Bakr give me forty thousand (dirhems).
چل هزار او نباشد مزد من
کی بود شبه شبه در عدن
My wages are not his forty thousand (dirhems): how should glass beads be like the pearls of Aden?”
یک حکایت گویمت بشنو به هوش
تا بدانی که طمع شد بند گوش
I will tell you a story: listen to it attentively, that you may know that selfish desire is a plug in the ear.
هر که را باشد طمع الکن شود
با طمع کی چشم و دل روشن شود
Whosoever hath (such) desire becomes a stammerer (morally confused); with desire (present), how should the (spiritual) eye and the heart become bright?
پیش چشم او خیال جاه و زر
همچنان باشد که موی اندر بصر
The fancy of power and wealth before his eye is just as a hair in the eye,
جز مگر مستی که از حق پر بود
گر چه بدهی گنجها او حر بود
Except, to be sure, (in the case of) the intoxicated (saint) who is filled with God: though you give (him) treasures (vast riches), he is free;
هر که از دیدار برخوردار شد
این جهان در چشم او مردار شد
(For) when any one enjoys vision (of God), this world becomes carrion in his eyes.
لیک آن صوفی ز مستی دور بود
لاجرم در حرص او شب کور بود
But that Súfí was far removed from (spiritual) intoxication; consequently he was night-blind (purblind) in (his) greed.
صد حکایت بشنود مدهوش حرص
در نیاید نکتهای در گوش حرص
The man dazed by greed may hear a hundred stories, (but) not a single point comes into the ear of greed.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi)
Reza is an experienced Persian instructor who has been tutoring students since 2008. He is the founder of Learn Persian Online, a tutoring company that has helped many students learn Persian, this beautiful language. He works with students individually and in group settings, he tutors both live and online Persian courses. Reza provides an individualized custom learning plan and the personalized attention that makes a difference in how people view Persian learning process.
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