1 ONE night, I kept burning the olive-oil of reflection;
I lighted up the lamp of eloquence.
A foolish talker heard my speech,
Save to say—To thee be praise!—he saw no way.
From villainy of nature, he also folded within it (the
following),
—For, from pain of envy a cry involuntarily arises,—
Saying:—“His thought is sublime, and his judgment
lofty,
“In this matter of the habit of abstinence, and regula-
tions, and counsel:
5 “Not, in regard to lance and mace and heavy club;
“For, the conclusion of this matter is for others.”
Knows he not that to us there is no desire for battle;
Otherwise the power of speech is not scanty?
I am able to draw forth the sword of the tongue;
To draw forth his existence, in a moment.
Come; so that, in this matter, we may wage war;
(And) may make a stone-pillow for the enemy's head.
Happiness is in the gift of the Ruler (God);
It is not in the grasp and arm of the strong.
10 When the lofty sky gives not wealth,
It comes not, by manliness, into the snare.
Neither, through weakness, did distress come to the ant;
Nor, by grasp of strength, did lions eat.
Since one cannot draw forth the hand against the sky,
It is necessary to be content with its revolution.
If God has written for thee long life,
Neither the snake, nor the sword, nor the arrow may
injure thee.265
And, if, as to thy life, a portion remains not,
The electuary kills thee just as poison.
15 No; when Rustam experienced the end of his days,
Shughdad brought forth the dust (of destruction) from
his body.265a
In Sipahán, I had a certain friend,
Who was warlike and fearless and shrewd.
Continually, his hand and dagger coloured with blood;
The enemy's heart was, through him, like roast meat on
the fire.
I beheld not the day, on which, he bound not (to his waist)
the quiver;
And fire leaped not from his steel arrow.
Courageous; strong, with the gripe of an ox,—
Through fear of him, confusion fell upon lions.266
20 He used to cast his arrow, with such precision,
That he used to cast down an enemy with every arrow.266a
The thorn in the rose,—I saw not that it passed in such a
way,
As his arrow passed not into the shields.
He struck not the helmet of the one contest-seeking,
Whose helmet and head, he shattered not completely.
In battle (enraged) like a sparrow on the locust day,
In slaying,—whether a sparrow, or a man, to him what
difference?266b
If it were to him, to attack Firídún,
He would not have given him respite for sword-drawing.
25 Panthers, by the force of his gripe, beneath him;
His fingers plunged in the brain of the lion.
He used to seize the girdle of one strength-tried,
And if he had been a mountain, he would have plucked
him from his place.
When he used to strike his battle-axe on the one mail-
clad,
It used to pass through the man, and strike his saddle.
Neither as to manliness, nor as to magnanimity,—to him,
A second, no one saw a man in this world.
He used not to allow me to go a moment from his hand
(side);
For, he used to have an inclination for those of true dis-
position.
30 Suddenly, a journey snatched me from that soil;
For, in that abode, there was no food for me.
Fate transported me from Media to Syria;
In that pure dust, my abode was happy.267
In short, some time, I became resident;
In sorrow and in ease; in hope, and in fear.
Of Syria, my cup again became full;
The desire of my house drew me.
By chance it so fell,
That my path again fell by Media.267a
35 One night, my head became lowered in thought;
That skilled one (of Ispahán) passed to my heart.
The salt (of desire) made fresh my ancient wound;
For, I was one who had eaten salt from the man's hand.267b
For seeing him, I went towards Sipáhán;
In love of him, I became a seeker and inquirer.
I beheld the young man old from time's revolution;
His poplar arrow (of stature) a bow; his deep red colour
(complexion) yellow.267c
His head, from snow-hair, like a white mountain;
Water, from the snow of old age, running on his face.
40 Heaven obtained the hand of power over him;
It twisted the tip of his manly hand.
The world put pride out of his head;
The head of powerlessness on his knees.
I said to him:—“Oh chief, lion-seizing!
“What made thee withered like an old fox?”
He laughed, saying:—“From the day of battle with the
Tátárs,
“I put out of my head that battle-seeking.
“I beheld the ground, with spears, like a cane-brake,
“The (coloured) standards, fir-like, set in it.
45 “I raised the dust of battle, like smoke;
“When there is not the power,—of what use is ardour?
“I am that one who when I used to attack,
“Used to carry off, with a spear, a ring from the hand.
“But, when my star displayed not assistance;
“They gat themselves about me like a ring.
“I reckoned the way of flight gain;
“For (only) the fool makes a sharp tussle with Fate.268
“How may helmet and cuirass render me aid,
“When my bright star displayed not assistance?
50 “When victory's key is not in the hand,
“One cannot break victory's door, by the arm.
“A crowd, panther-overthrowing, and of elephant-strength,
“Man's head (the rider) and horse's hoof (the ridden)—
in iron.
“That very moment, when we saw the dust of the army,
“We put on the mail-garment, and the helmet head-
piece:
“Urged our Arab steeds, cloud-like;
“Showered down our gleaming arrows, rain-like.
“From ambush, the two armies dashed together;
“Thou wouldst have said:—On the earth, they dashed
the sky.269
55 “From the raining of arrows, hail-like,
“Death's storm arose on every side.
“For the chase of lions, conflict-making,
“The dragon-noose, mouth opened.
“With blue dust, the earth became the sky;
“The flash of sword and helmet in it star-like.
“When we overtook the enemy's horsemen,
“On foot, we wove shield within shield.269a
“With arrow and spear, we split the hair;
“When power was not,—we turned away.
60 “What force does the grasp of man's exertion bring,
“When the arm of God's grace assists not?
“The sword of those malice-bearing was not blunt;
“But there was malice, on the part of the angry star.
“A person of our army, forth from the conflict,
“Came not—save with a khaftán bedabbled with blood.
“Within the silken vest, went not the arrow of those
“Of whom, I said:—They may sew (pierce) the anvil
with an arrow.
“Like a hundred grains, clustered in an ear of corn,
“We fell,—each grain in a corner.
65 “With unmanliness, we became dispersed;
“Like the fish, which, cuirass-clad, falls to the fish-hook.270
“When Fortune, from towards us, was face on the turn;
“The shield before the arrow of destiny was—nothing.”
In Ardabíl, a certain one of iron grasp
Caused, continually, the double-headed arrow to pass
through a spade.270a
One felt-clad came before him in battle,
A young man, world-consuming, battle-making,
Contest-seeking, like Bahram-Gor,
On his shoulder, a noose of the raw hide of the wild ass.271
70 When he of Ardabíl saw the one felt-wearing,
He brought the string to the bow, and the string to the
ear.
He struck him with fifty poplar arrows;
But; not a single arrow passed beyond the felt.
The warrior came like the hero Dastán,
He brought him (of Ardabíl) within the curl (of his noose),
and took him away.
In the camp, at the tent-door, his hand,
He bound to his neck—like bloody thieves.
In the night, from anger and shame, he slept not;
In the morning, a slave-girl, from the tent said:—
75 “Since thou piercest iron with the arrow and dart,
“How didst thou fall a captive to one felt-wearing?”
I heard that he said, while he wept blood:—
“Knowst thou not that no one lives on the day of death?
“I am that one, who,—in the act of spear-piercing and
sword-striking,
“Teach Rustam the manner of battle.
“When the arm of my fortune was of strong state,
“The thickness of the spade appeared to me as felt.
“Now, that fortune is not in my grasp,
“The felt is not less than the spade, before my arrow.
80 “On the day of death, the spear rends the cuirass;
“It passes not beyond the shirt of one deathless.
“He, in whose rear is the sword of the wrath of death,
“Is naked,—if his cuirass be manifold.
“But, if Fortune be his friend; and, Time supporter—
“It is impossible to slay him naked—(even) with a large
knife.
“Neither did the sage, carry away (save) his life, by
effort;
“Nor, did the fool die, by improper eating.”
One night, a hero slept not on account of a side-pain;
There was a physician, in that quarter; he said:—
85 “Since, he eats the vine-leaf in this fashion,
“I have wonder if he will finish the night (alive).
“For, the blade of the Tátár arrow in the chest,
“Is better than wine-sweetmeats of improper food.
“If by a single morsel, griping occurs in the bowels,
“All the life of the ignorant one comes to naught.”
By chance, the physician died that night;
Forty years have passed since this time; but the hero is
alive.
As to a certain villager,—his ass fell (and died);
On a vine-tendril, he placed its head flag-fashion.272
90 An old man, world-experienced, passed by it;
To the vineyard-keeper, laughing, he thus spoke:—
“Oh soul of father! think not that this ass
“Repels the evil eye, from the sown field.
“For, from its own head and buttocks,—this ass, the re-
pelling (of blows)
“Effected not, so that, feeble and wounded, it died.”
What knows the physician of trouble-removing from a
person,
When helpless, he himself will die of trouble!
I have heard that, from an indigent person, a dínár
Fell; and that the wretched one sought for it much.
95 At length, he turned away the head of despair;
Another, without searching, found it.
For bad and good fortune, the pen,
The Fates urge;—we, yet, in the womb.
By strength of grasp, they enjoy not their daily food;
For those of strong grip are more straitened in circum-
stance.
An old man struck his son with a stick;
He said:—“Oh father! I am guiltless; strike not.
“For men's violence against thee, it is possible to weep;
“But, when thou displayst violence, to me what remedy is
there?”273
100 Oh lord of sense! cry to the Ruler (God),
Raise not a cry, on account of the Ruler.
One of lofty star,—his name Bakht-yár,—
Was of great power, and possessed of capital.
In that place, to him were both gold and property;
Others poor of reversed fortune.
His house was in the street of the beggars;
His gold was like wheat in the measure.
When the darvesh beholds the rich one in affluence,
His heart burns the more by the stain of indigence.274
105 A woman joined battle with her husband,
When, in the night-time, he went to her empty-handed,
Saying:—“There is no one, unfortunate, poor, like thee;
“Thou hast only this sting, like the red wasp.274a
“Learn manliness from the neighbours;
“For I am not, in short, a harlot picked up on the road.
“Persons have gold, and silver, and territory, and house-
hold goods,
“Why art thou not of good fortune, like them?”
The one of pure heart, wool-clad, raised
A shout from the heart, drum-like,
110 Saying:—“I possess not the hand of power, as to any-
thing;
“Writhe not in the grasp of the hand of Fate.
“In my hand they placed not power,
“That I might make myself fortunate.”
In the dust of Kísh, a certain poor man,—
How well he said to his ugly partner (wife);—275
“When the hand of Fate created thee ugly of face,
“Plaster not the rose-colour (rouge) on thy ugly face.”
Who acquires good fortune, by force?
Who makes the blind man's eye seeing, by antimony?
115 A good deed comes not from those of bad stock;
Needle-work is impossible to dogs.275a
All the philosophers of Greece and Rúm
Know not how to make honey from the thorny tree.
It happens not that, from a wild beast, a man becomes;
Education, (even) with exertion, is lost on it.
One can make clean the mirror from blight;
But, the mirror comes not from a stone.
The flower grows not from the willow-bough, by effort;
The Ethiopian becomes not white, by the hot bath.
120 When the poplar-arrow of destiny is not repelled,
For the slave,—there is no shield, save resignation.
A vulture to a kite thus spoke,
Saying:—“There is no one more far-seeing than myself.”275b
The kite replied:—“It is not proper to pass by this
matter;
“Come; so that thou mayst look at the quarters of the
desert.”276
I heard that, to the extent of one day's march,
The vulture viewed from height to depth.
Thus, he spoke:—“I saw, if belief be to thee,
“Where a grain of wheat is on the plain.”
125 From astonishment, patience remained not to the kite,
From sublimity, they turned to profundity.
When the vulture came close to the grain,
A long foot-tether became knotted on him.
From his devouring that grain, the vulture knew not
That adverse fortune would cast a snare about his neck.
Not every oyster is pregnant with the pearl;
Not every time does the expert archer hit the butt.
The kite said:—“From seeing this grain, what profit,
“When to thee, there was not the beholding of the
enemy's snare?”
130 I heard that, he, neck in the noose, said:—
“Caution, as to destiny, is unprofitable.”
When death brought forth the hand for his blood,
Fate bound his eyes, finely-discerning.
In that water (of eternity), whose shore is unknown,
The swimmer's pride is of no avail.
How well said the apprentice of the embroidery-weaver,
When he pourtrayed 'Anká, and elephant, and giraffe:—
“From my hand, there came not a form,
“The plan of which, the Teacher from above pourtrayed
not.”
135 If the form of thy state be bad, or good,
The hand of Fate is its painter.
There is a kind of concealed hypocrisy in this,
Namely—“Zaid injured me, or 'Umar wounded me.”277
If the Lord of Command gives thee the eye,
Thou seest not again the form of Zaid and 'Umar.
I think not—if a slave rests (from seeking food),
That God draws his pen on (stops) his daily food.
May the World-Creator give thee the means of opening
(the door)!
For, if He shuts, none can open.
140 A young camel, to its mother, said:—
“After travelling, at last, sleep awhile.”
She said:—“If the rein had been in my hand
“No one would have seen me a load-carrier in the camel-
string.”
There, where it wishes, Fate takes the vessel,
Although, the captain rends the garment on his body.
Oh Sa'dí! place not thy eye (of expectation) on anyone's
power;
For Omnipotence only is the Giver.
If thou worshipst God, of (people's) doors, sufficient for
thee;
But if He drives thee away, no one desires thee.278
145 If God makes thee a crown-possessor,—raise thy head;
But, if not, scratch the head of despair.
Worship, with sincerity of intention, is good;
Otherwise, what comes from the husk, without kernel?
What,—the idolater's cord on thy waist? what, the re-
ligious garment?
If thou putst them on for the opinion of the people.
I said to thee:—Display not thy own manliness;
When thou displayst manliness, be not an hermaphrodite.278a
It is proper to display (religious qualities) to the extent of
thy capacity;
Shame overpowered not him, who had not displayed.
150 For, when they draw the borrowed garment from off thy
head,
The old robe will remain on thy body.
If thou art small, fasten not on wooden feet,
That thou mayst, in children's eyes, appear tall.
And, if copper be silver-plated,
One can expend it on the ignorant.
Oh my life! place not the gold-water on the valueless coin;
For the wise banker takes it as nothing.
They take the things gold washed to the fire;
Then, it appears which are copper, and which gold.
155 Knowst thou not what the old man of the mountain said,
To the man, who, for reputation, slept not at night?
“Oh soul of father! go; strive for sincerity;
“For, from the people, thou canst not establish any
(proof).”279
Those persons, who have approved of thy acts,
Have yet only seen thy outward form.
What price, does the Khurdís slave fetch,
Who has leprous limbs beneath the over-coat?
It is impossible to enter Paradise, with imposture,
For, the shroud goes back (on the Judgment Day) from
thy ugly face.
160 I have heard that a certain one of immature age kept a
fast,
With a hundred difficulties, he accomplished one day up to
the mid-day meal.279a
The tutor took him not that day to school;
Devotion, on the part of a little boy, appeared to him
great.
The father kissed his eyes; and, the mother his head;
They scattered almonds and gold on his head.
When a half of the day passed over him,
From his stomach's fire, the burning (of hunger) fell upon
him.
To his heart, he said:—“If I eat a few morsels,
“How may my father and mother know of the secret
(deed)?”
165 When the boy's face was towards his father and family,
He secretly ate; but openly carried on the fast.
Who knows, whether thou art in the bonds of God;
If thou standst unwashed, in prayer?280
Then, this old man is more ignorant than that child,
Who, for the sake of men, is in devotion.
The key of hell's door is that prayer,
Which thou, in men's eyes, makest long.280a
If, except to God, thy way goes,—
They spread thy prayer-carpet in hell.280b
170 One of black deeds fell from a ladder;
I heard that, even in a breath, he gave his soul (to God).
For some days, the son took to weeping;
Took, again, to sitting with his companions:
Beheld, in a dream, his father; and inquired after his
state,
Saying:—“How escapedst thou from the assembling, and
reviving, and questioning?”
He said:—“Oh son! desire not news concerning me;
“From the ladder, I fell into hell.”
One of good walk of life, outwardly unceremonious,
(Is) better than one of good fame, inwardly evil.
175 In my opinion, the night-going highway-man
Is better than the adulterer of chaste skirt.
One trouble-enduring at the people's door,—
What reward will God give him on the Resurrection Day?
Oh son! expect not reward from 'Umar,
When thou art, at work, in the house of Zaid.
I say not:—he can reach his Friend (God),
In this path; save that one, whose face is turned towards
Him.
Go the right way, that thou mayst reach the stage,
(Oh hypocrite!) thou art not on the path; for this reason,
thou art lagging.281
180 Like the ox, whose eyes the oil-presser binds up,
Though running till the night,—at night, even there where
it is.281a
The person, who turns away his face from the altar,
The people of eloquence give evidence as to his infidelity.
Thou also art, in prayer, back to the Kibla,
If thy face of supplication be not towards God.
That tree, whose root is firm,
Cherish—that one day it may give thee the fruit of fruit.
If the root of sincerity be not in thy soil,
No one is disappointed like thee, at this door (of God).
185 Whosoever casts seed on the rock-surface,
At the time of in-come, not a grain comes to his grasp.
Put not honour upon the reputation of (acquired by)
hypocrisy;
For, this (hypocrisy) has mire beneath the (lustrous) water.
When thou art, in secret, bad and dust-like,
What profit,—the water of hypocrisy on the surface of the
work?282
On the surface of hypocrisy, it is easy to stitch the reli-
gious garment,
If thou canst sell it to God.
How may men know who is in the religious habit?
The writer knows what is in the register (of deeds).
190 What weight may the leathern bag, full of wind, show in
the place
Where there is the scale of justice, and the book of equity?282a
The hypocrite, who showed so much austerity,
They see there is nothing in his leathern bag.
They make the outside of the coat cleaner than the lining;
For, this is behind a veil, and that before the sight.
The great possessed indifference as to men's eyes,
For that reason, they possessed a painted silk lining.282b
If thou wishst renown spread abroad in the country,
Place the cloak outside; say:—Fill the interior with cotton.282c
195 Báyizíd uttered not, in sport, this speech:—
“I am safer from the disbeliever, than from the disciple.”283
Those, who are sultáns and monarchs,
Are altogether beggars at this Court (of God).
The man of truth fixes not his desire (of help) upon the
beggar;
It is improper to take the hand of the fallen.283a
This indeed is best,—if thou be pregnant with a jewel,
That thou shouldst take thy head within thyself,—oyster-
like.
When the face of thy adoring is towards God,
If Jibrá,il see thee not,—it is proper.
200 Oh son! Sa'dí's counsel is enough for thee,
If thou hearst it, like a father's counsel.
If, to-day, thou hearst not my word,
God forbid! that, to-morrow, thou shouldst be abashed.
Than this (Sa'dí) is a better adviser necessary to thee?
I know not what may chance to thee, after me.283b
1 HE knew not God and worshipped not,
Who displayed not contentment with his fortune and daily
food.
Contentment makes a man rich;
—Inform the greedy one, world-travelling.—
Oh one without permanence! bring tranquillity to thy
hand.
For, vegetation grows not on the rolling stone.
If thou art a man of judgment and sense, cherish not thy
body;
For, when thou cherishst it,—thou slayst it.
5 Wise men are skill-cherishers;
But body-cherishers are feeble in skill.
Eating and sleeping is the way of beasts alone;
To be in this way is the habit of the unwise.
That one attended to a manly life,
Who silenced first the dog of lust.
Happy that fortunate one, who, in a corner,
Gathers to his hand road-provisions of the knowledge of
God.
Those, to whom God's mystery became revealed,
Preferred not the false to it.
10 But, when he knows not darkness from light,
Whether the sight of a demon, or the cheek of a húrí—to
him what difference?285
Thou didst cast thyself into a well, on that account,
That thou didst not recognise the well from the road.
How may the young hawk fly to the zenith of the sky,
When, in its long feathers, the stone of desire is bound?
If from lust's claw, thy skirt free,
Thou shouldst make, thou wouldst go to the lotus-tree
(in Paradise).
By eating less food than one's custom,
One can make the body of angelic temperament.
15 How may the brutal lion reach the angel state?
It cannot fly from earth to sky.
Practise first the human temperament;
Think after that of the angelic temperament.
Thou art on the flanks of a refractory colt;
Take care that it twist not its head from thy order.
For, if it should tear the halter from thy hand,—
It would slay thy body, and spill thy blood.
If thou art a man, eat food within limit;
Such a fully belly!—art thou a man, or a jar?
20 Within the body, is a place for food, and reflection on God,
and breath;
Thou thinkst it is for bread only.
In the wallet of lust, where is remembrance of God con-
tained?
With difficulty, he breathes,—leg extended.
The body-cherishers have no knowledge,
That—the full stomach is void of wisdom.
The two eyes and stomach became not filled with any-
thing;
These bowels, coil on coil, are best empty.
Like hell which they fill with fuel,
Again, there is a shout, saying:—“Is there any more?”286
25 Thy 'Ísa (the soul) continually dies of weakness;
Thou art in that desire, that thou mayst cherish thy ass
(the body).
Oh one of little worth! buy not the world, in exchange
for religion;
Purchase not thou the ass with the gospel of 'Ísa.
Perhaps, thou seest not that as to rapacious and non-
rapacious animals,
Only the greed of eating casts into the snare.
The panther, which stretches its neck (in pride) among
the beasts.
Falls, mouse-like, into the snare, through the greed of
eating.
Mouse-like, whose bread and cheese thou eatst,
Into his snare, thou fallst and sufferst his arrow.
30 * * * * * *287
If food be delicious, or if it be simple,
When delay occurs to thy hand, thou eatst pleasantly.
35 The sage places his head on the pillow at that time when,
Sleep takes him, with violence, into its net.
So long as thou obtainst not the power of speech,—speak
not;
When thou seest not the plain (of power), beware of the
ball (of speech).
Speak not; and, so long as thou canst, plant not thy foot
Outside of limit, or inside of limit.
Go; acquire a pure heart;
The belly will not become full, save with the dust of the
grave.
A Hájí gave me an ivory comb,
Saying:—“May the mercy of God be on the good quali-
ties of pilgrims!”
40 I heard that once upon a time he had called me a dog,
For his heart was, in some way, dejected about me.
I threw away the comb, saying:—“This bone,
“Is unnecessary for me; another time, call me not a dog.
“Think not, if I swallow my own vinegar,
“That I will endure the violence of the lord of sweet-
meats.”
Oh soul! be content with a little
That thou mayst consider the sultán and darvesh as one.
Why goest thou before the king, with entreaty?
When thou placest avarice aside, thou art a king.
45 And, if thou art a self-worshipper, make the belly a
drum;
Make the door of this and that (man)—a Kibla.
And, if every moment, thy lust says:—give,
It causes thee to wander, village to village, in beggary.
Oh man of sense; contentment exalts the head;
The head full of avarice comes not forth from the shoulder.288
A certain one, possessed of avarice, before King Khwárazm,
—I heard—went early in the morning.
When he saw Khwárazm, he became doubled and straight;
He rubbed his face, moreover, on the earth; and arose.
50 His son said:—“Oh little father, name-seeking!
“I ask of thee a difficulty; explain it.
“Didst thou not say, that the dust of Hijáz was thy
Kibla?
“Why didst thou, to-day, pray in this direction (towards
the king)?”
Display not devotion to the lust of the lust-worshipper;
Since, it has, every hour, another Kibla.
Avarice spilled the reputation of honour;
It poured out a skirt (full) of pearls for two barley-grains.
When thou wishst to become satiated with the rivulet-
water,
Why spillst thou face-water (honour) for the sake of ice?
55 Perhaps, thou art a patient one as to happiness;
But if not, thou art, of necessity, (begging) at doors.289
Sir! go; make short the hand of avarice;
What need to thee of the long sleeve (of beggary)?
Of him, who folded up the casket of avarice,
It is unnecessary to write—“Slave or servant to any one.”
Expectation will drive thee from every assembly,
Drive it from thyself, so that no one may drive thee.
To one of the holy men, a fever came,
A person said:—“Ask for sugar from such a one.”
60 He said:—“Oh son! the bitterness of my dying
“Is better than my bearing the oppression of one of
bitter face.”
The wise man ate not sugar from the hand of that one,
Who, through arrogance, made his face vinegar (bitter)
towards him.
Go not, in pursuit of whatever thy heart desires
For the strengthening of the body diminishes the soul's
light.
Imperious lust makes a man contemptible;
If thou art wise, hold it not dear.
If thou enjoyst whatever may be thy wish,
Thou wilt endure much disappointment from the revolu-
tion of time.
65 To heat constantly the oven of the belly
May, in the day of want, be a misfortune.
In straitened circumstances, thy face causes not its com-
plexion to be shed
If, in the time of plenteousness, thou makst the belly
tight.
The man, full-devourer, endures the belly-load;
And, if he obtain not food, he endures the grief-load.
Thou mayst often see the belly-slave greatly ashamed,
In my opinion, the belly straitened is better than the heart
(straitened).290
Alas! thou art one man-born, full of dignity,
Who is like the beasts—“Nay; they are lost!”290a
70 Show not pity to the ox of great weight;
For, it is a great sleeper, and great devourer.
If fatness, ox-like, be necessary to thee,
Submit thy body, ass-like, to the tyranny of persons.
Knowst thou what wonderful thing I brought from Basra?
—A tale, which is sweeter than the green date.290b
We—a few individuals in the religious garb of the true
(Súfís)—
Passed by the side of a date-garden.
One amongst us was a stomach-barn (a glutton);
He was, through this narrow-eyedness, a belly-enjoyer.
75 The wretched one bound his loins, and ascended the (date)
tree;
And, thence fell heavily headlong.
The Ra,is of the village came, saying:—“Who slew this
man?”
I said:—“Express not against us a harsh word.
“The belly drew his skirt down from the branch.”
—The one of narrow heart is of capacious bowels.—291
Not every time, can one eat the date and carry it away;
The stomach-barn (the glutton) suffered a bad end, and
died.291a
The belly is the hand-fetter, and foot-chain;
A belly-slave rarely worships God.
80 The locust is assuredly altogether belly;
The ant of small belly drags the locust by the foot.291b
A certain one had sugar-cane, on a small plate,—
A wanderer, left and right, for a purchaser.
In a corner of the village, to a pious man, he spoke,
Saying:—“Take; and pay, when thou hast the means.”
That wise man of adorned disposition uttered
An answer, that should be written on the eye.
“Perhaps, to thee, patience (as to payment) may not be
(exercised) towards me;
“But, to me, (patience) is, as to the sugar-cane.”
85 Sugar, in its reed, has no sweetness,
When, behind it, is the bitter demand (for its price).
To one of the men of illumined mind,
The Amír of Khután gave a piece of silk cloth.292
He expanded, through gladness, like the laughing rose-
leaf;
Kissed his hands; clothed himself; and said:—
“How good is the garment of honour of the King of
Khután!
“But, my own religious garment is more beautiful than it.”
If thou art noble, sleep on the earth; for, it is enough:
Perform no one's ground-kiss (in obeisance) for a costly
carpet.
90 A certain one had no bread-food, save an onion;
He had no resources and means, like others.292a
One said to him:—“Oh one of foolish time!
“Go; bring something cooked from the tray of plunder
(the king's table).
“Oh sir! ask, and have fear of none;
“For the one ashamed is cut as to his victuals.”
He bound about him his over-coat, and quickly folded his
hand (sleeve);
They rent his coat, and broke his hand.
I have heard that he said, while he wept blood:—
“What is the remedy for the deed done by one's self!
95 “The captive of avarice is one calamity-seeking,
“After this—I and my house; bread and onion (are
enough).”293
The barley-loaf, which I eat by the power of my arm,
Is better than flour (twice sifted) on the tray of people of
liberality.
Last night, how heart-straitened slept that worthless one,
Who kept the ear (of expectation) upon the Kibla of
others!
In an old woman's house, there was a certain cat,
Which was of reversed fortune, and of bad state.
It went running to the amír's guest-house,
The slaves of the sultán struck it with arrows.
100 It ran, blood dropping from its bones (wounds),
While from fear of life it ran, it kept saying:—
“If I escape from the hand of this arrow-caster,
“I and the mouse, and the old woman's desolate abode
(are enough).”
Oh my soul! honey is not worth the sting's wound;
Contentment with one's own syrup of dates is best.
The Lord God is not satisfied with that slave,
Who is not content with his Lord's portion.
A certain child had cut its teeth,
The father was head-lowered in reflection,
105 Saying:—“Whence may I bring bread food for him?
“It is not manliness to abandon him.”
When helpless, he uttered this speech to his partner (his
wife),
Behold how like a man she spoke to him!
“Suffer not fear of Iblís, until he surrenders life (to God).
“That same Person, who gives teeth, gives bread.”294
The Lord of Days (God) is, in short, able
To cause daily food to arrive; vex not thyself so much.
He is the Pourtrayer of the boy within the womb;
He is also the Writer (Computer) of its age, and daily
food.294a
110 That lord, who bought a slave,
Maintains him. How much more God, who created the
slave!
To thee, there is not that reliance on the Omnipotent,—
As to the slave, on his lord.
I heard that, in ancient times,
A stone used, in the hands of the pious, to become silver.294b
Thou thinkst not this speech is unreasonable?—
When thou becomest content, silver and stone are alike to
thee.
When the child has a heart free from avarice,
In its mind, whether a handful of gold, or dust, what
difference?
115 Give news to the darvesh, sultán-worshipping,
Saying:—“The sultán is more wretched than the darvesh.”
A diram of silver makes the beggar satiated;
Firídún, with the kingdom of Persia,—half satiated.
The guardianship of the country and of the empire is a
calamity;
The beggar is king, but his name is beggar.
The beggar, on whose heart is no desire,
Is better than a king, who is unhappy (through dis-
content).
The villager and his partner (wife) sleep pleasantly,
With a pleasure, with which the sultán, in the palace,
sleeps not.
120 If he be king; or, if garment-stitcher,—
When they sleep, the night of both becomes day.295
And, if the torrent of death comes and takes both,
Whether the sultán on the throne; or the wanderer in the
desert—what difference?
When thou seest the rich man, head intoxicated with pride,
Oh one of straitened hand! go; give thanks to God.
Praise be to God! thou hast not those resources,
That, by thy power, any one's injury may arise.
I have heard that a pious one, a good man,
Made a house conformable to his stature.
125 One said:—“I know thy means (are such),
“That thou mayst construct a better house than this.”
He replied:—“Enough.
“Why should I desire to raise a house above my head?
“This indeed is enough, for the sake of leaving, (after
death).”
Oh slave! make not a house in the path of the torrent (of
this world);
Because, for none did this edifice become complete.
Through knowledge of God, and wisdom, and judgment,—
it is not
That one of a káraván constructs a house on the road (of
this world).
As to a certain one, empire-ruling, possessed of pomp,—
His sun (life) desired to descend to the mountain (in
death).
130 He left his territory to the shaikh of that place;
For he had, in his house, no successor.
When the recluse heard the drum of empire,
He experienced not again pleasure in the corner of retire-
ment;
He began to lead his army, left and right;
Began to strengthen the heart of those hearty:
Became so strong of arm, and sharp of grip,
That he sought contest with those battle-seeking.
He killed a number of a scattered tribe;
The rest assembled together, confederates and allies.
135 They drew him within a fence so tightly,
That he became distressed with the arrow and stone-
raining.
He sent a person to a good man,
Saying:—“I am much distressed; come to my call for
help.
“Assist by blessing; for, the sword and arrow
“Are not a help in every battle.”
When the 'ábid heard, he laughed and said:—
“Why ate he not half a loaf, and slept?”
Kárún, wealth-worshipping, knew not,
That the treasure of safety was in retirement.
140 The perfection (of existence) is the breath (spirit) of a
gentle man,
If he have not gold,—what loss or fear?
Think not,—if a mean one becomes rich,
That his base disposition becomes changed.
But if the one liberality practising gets not bread,
His nature may still be rich (generous).
Generosity is the soil; capital, the sown-field;
Give,—that the root may not be destitute of a branch.
That God, who makes man from dust,—
I have wonder if He makes lost humanity,297
145 Seek not greatness, by gathering wealth;
For, stagnant water makes an unpleasant smell.
Strive for liberality; for, the running water,
Aid from heaven reaches with the flood.
If a mean one fall from rank and fortune (or, be dis-
missed),
He rarely again becomes erect (reinstated).
But, if thou art a precious jewel, have no care;
For, time causes thee not to be destroyed.
A clod—although it be fallen on the road,—
Thou seest not that any one looks at it.
150 But, if a fragment of gold from the teeth (blade) of the
scissors,
Falls,—they will search again (and again) for it, with a
candle.
They extract glass-ware from stone;
Where remains the mirror, beneath the blight?298
Skill, and religion, and excellence, and perfection,—are
necessary;
For rank and wealth sometimes come; sometimes depart.
From men of sweet discourse, I have heard,
That, there was within the city (of Shíráz) a certain ancient
old man;298a
Much experienced as to kings, and the period of command;
A lifetime brought to an end from the era of 'Umar.
155 The ancient tree had fresh fruit (a son),
Who kept, by his goodness (of beauty), the city full of
noise.
Wonder,—as to the (apple-like) chin of that one, heart-
fascinating;
For, there was never an apple on the cypress (of stature).299
On account of his sauciness and lacerating of men,
The old man found pleasure in shaving his head.
With an old razor, the age of small hope (the old man)
Made his (the son's) head white, like the hand of Moses.299a
That one of iron heart (the old man), from the impetuosity
which he had,
Opened (his own) tongue, as to the defect of the one of
Parí-cheek.
160 As to the razor, which made diminution of his beauty,
Men placed, at once, its head in its belly.299b
The head of the one of beautiful countenance, from shame,
harp-like,
Lowered; and, his hair fallen, in front, (on the ground).
As to a certain one,—in whom the heart had gone,—
He was infatuated like his (the boy's) eyes, heart-binding.
A person said:—“Thou didst experience violence and
pain;
“Wander not again in regard to a vain fancy.
“Turn away, moth-like, from love for the boy;
“For the scissors have extinguished the candle of his
beauty.”
165 A cry arose from that true lover:—
“The covenant of those of wet skirt (sin-stained) is
sluggish.300
“A son of pleasant temperament and handsome face—is
necessary;
“To his father, say:—In ignorance, cast away his hair.
“My soul has mingled with his love;
“My heart is not attached to his hair.”
When thou hast a handsome countenance, suffer not grief;
For, if the hair falls, it will again grow.
The vine gives not always a green cluster;
It sometimes sheds its leaves; sometimes gives fruit.
170 Sun-like, the great fall under a veil (of eclipse);
Spark-like, the envious fall into the water.
The sun comes forth from beneath the cloud,
Gradually; but, the spark perishes in the water.
Oh approved friend! fear not the darkness,
In which it is possible there is the water of life.300a
Did not the world find rest, after motion?
Did not Sa'dí travel, until he found his desire?
Consume not thy heart, from failure of desire;
Oh brother! the night is pregnant with the day.
1 THE language (of this chapter) is on integrity, and delibe-
ration, and disposition;
Not on the steed, and the battle-field, and the ball-game.301
Thou art fellow-lodger with the enemy,—lust;
Why art thou a stranger in the art of conflict?301a
Those turning back the rein of lust, from forbidden things,
Surpassed Rustam and Sám in manliness.
Chastise thyself, with a stick, boy-like;
Beat not men's brains with the heavy mace.
5 No one has concern for an enemy like thee,
Who prevailst not against thy own body.
Thy body is a city full of good and bad;
Thou art sultán; and wisdom (is) the prime-minister.
Know for sure, that the mean, neck-exalting,
In this city are—pride, and passion, and avarice.
Resignation and the fear of God are the free of good report;
Lust and concupiscence are highway-men and cut-purses.
When the sultán displays favour to the bad,
How may ease remain for the wise?
10 Lust, and avarice, and pride, and envy
Are like blood in thy veins; and, like the soul in thy body.
If these enemies should obtain nurture,
They would turn aside their heads from thy order and
judgment.
On the part of lust and concupiscence, opposition remains
not,
When they experience the grasp of sharp wisdom.
The Ra,is, who punished not the enemy,
Ruled not also,—by reason of the enemy's power.
What need to say much in this chapter,
When a word is enough, if a person acts upon it?
15 If thou bringst thy feet, mountain-like, (firmly) beneath
thy skirt,
Thy head will pass beyond the sky in grandeur.
Oh man, much-knowing! draw within the tongue;
For, at the Resurrection, there is no register, as to the
tongueless.302
Those scattering the jewel of secrets, oyster-like,
Opened not their mouths, save for pearls (of lustrous
words).
The one great in speech (loquacious) is stuffed as to his
ears (deaf);
He takes not advice, save in silence.
When thou wishst to speak incessantly,
Thou findst not pleasure from the speech of any.
20 It is improper to utter unprepared speech;
It is unfit, to cut (to stop a person's speech) not cast out
(delivered).
Those reflecting on falsehood and truth,
Are better than triflers, ready of answer.303
In man's soul, speech is perfection;
Make not thyself of less account, by speech.
Thou seest not the little talker ashamed;
A grain of musk is better than a heap of clay.
Exercise caution as to the fool having the speech of ten
men;
Utter, like a wise man, one prepared speech.303a
25 Thou didst cast a hundred arrows, and each of the hun-
dred is a miss;
If thou art wise, cast one straight.
Why does a man utter in secret that thing,
When, if it becomes known, his face becomes yellow?
Detract not, in front of a wall,
Behind which, it often happens some one has his ear.
The interior of thy heart is the rampart of a secret,
Take care that it may not see the city-door open.
The wise man has sewn up his mouth, for that reason,
That he sees the candle is consumed by its tongue (wick).
30 Takash uttered a secret to his slaves,
Saying:—“It is improper to unfold this secret to any
one.”
In one year, it came from the heart to his lip;
In one day, it became published in the world.
He ordered the merciless executioner,
Saying:—“Take off the heads of these, with the sword.”
One, from amongst the slaves, while he asked for pro-
tection, said:—
“Slay not the slaves; for, this crime arose from thee.
“At first, when it was a mere fountain, thou didst not
bind it;
“When it became a torrent, of what use is binding?”
35 Reveal thou not the heart's secret to any one,
Who will, indeed, utter it to every one.
Entrust the jewel to the treasury-guards;
But, keep guard over the secret thyself.
So long as thou utterst not speech, to thee, there is power
over it;
When it becomes uttered, it obtains mastery over thee.
Thou knowst that when the demon has departed from
bonds,
He returns not again at the—Lá haul—of any one.305
Speech is a confined demon in the heart's well;
Let it not go to the height of palate and tongue.
40 One can give way to the ugly demon;
But, one cannot seize him again by fraud.
A child may take off the tether from (the steed) Rakhsh;
It comes not within the noose, with a hundred Rustams.305a
Utter not that which, if it falls on an assembly (becomes
revealed),
A person, on its account, falls into calamity.
How well said the woman to the ignorant villager,—
“Utter speech, with wisdom; or, express not a breath.”
Utter not what thou hast not the power to hear;
For, having sown barley, thou wilt not reap wheat.
45 How well, (the Indian sage) Barhaman expressed this
proverb:—
“Every one's dignity is of himself.”
It is unnecessary that thou shouldst play much,
In order that thou mayst shatter thy own value.
A certain one was of good disposition, but ragged garment
clad,
Who was silent for some time, in Egypt.
The wise men, from near and far,
Around him, moth-like, light-seeking.
One night, within his own heart, he reflected,
Saying:—“A man is hidden under his own tongue.306
50 “Even so, if I lower my head to myself;
“How many men know whether I am wise?”306a
He spoke; and enemy and friend knew
That he was indeed, in Egypt, more ignorant than himself.
Those who used to be in his presence became dispersed;
and his work ruined;
He made a journey; and, on the arch of a masjid, wrote:—
“If I had, in a mirror, beheld myself,
“I would not, in foolishness, have rent the curtain.
“So ugly,—I lifted the screen from it;
“For, I thought myself of good visage.”
55 For the one little speaking, there is great fame;
When thou spakest, and splendour remained not to thee,—
fly.
Oh lord of sense! for thee, silence
Is dignity; and, for the worthless one, a curtain.
If thou art a sage, take not away fear of thyself (as to
uttering speech);
And, if thou art a fool, rend not thy own screen.
Display not quickly the idea of thy own mind;
For, whenever thou wishst, thou canst reveal it.
But, when a man's secret is discovered,
One cannot, by endeavour, make it again secret.
60 How well the pen concealed the sultán's secret,
At the head of which, so long as the knife was not, it
spoke not.
The wild beasts are silent,—mankind speakers;
The foolish speaker is worse than the wild beast.
It is proper to utter speech with sense, like a man;
Or, otherwise, to be silent like a wild-beast.
By articulation and sense, one man-born is known;
Be not loquacious and foolish, parrot-like.
A certain foolish one spoke at the time of quarrelling;
With the hand, they rent his collar.
65 He suffered blows on the back of his head; and sate naked
and weeping;
One, world-experienced, said to him:—“Oh self-wor-
shipper!
“If thou hadst, rose-bud-like, been mouth-closed,
“Thou wouldst not have seen thy shirt rent, rose-like.”
The confounded one utters speech full of folly;
Like a brainless (hollow) drum, much-boasting.
Seest thou not, that the tongue is only a fire?
One can extinguish it, in a moment, with water.
If a man be possessed of skill,
Skill itself will speak, not the possessor of skill.
70 If thou hast pure musk, speak not;
For, if it be (existent),—it becomes known by its smell.
To say, with an oath,—“the gold is of the West,”
What need? the touch-stone, indeed, will say what it is.
A thousand calumniators will speak, for this reason,
Saying:—“Sa'dí is neither skilful nor sociable.”
It is allowable if they rend my fur-coat (slander me);
For, I have not the power (of endurance) that they should
take my brain (by much talking).
The son of King 'Azúd was very ill;
Patience was far from his father's nature.
75 A certain pious one spoke to 'Azúd, by way of advice,
Saying:—“Let go the wild fowls from confinement.”
He broke the cages of the birds, morning-singing;
—Who remains in confinement, when the prison is
broken?
The king kept on the arch of the garden-house,
One famous nightingale, a sweet singer.
The son, in the early morn, hastened towards the garden;
He found only that bird, on the arch of the hall.
He laughed, saying:—“Oh nightingale of pleasant voice!
“Thou art left in a cage, on account of thy sweet speech.”
80 No one has business with thee, speechless;
But, when thou spakest, bring its proof.
Like Sa'dí, who, for some time, closed his tongue;
(And) escaped from the calumny of calumniators.308
That one takes ease of heart into his bosom,
Who, from people's society, takes the edge (of the road).
Oh wise man! make not evident the people's defect;
Be occupied with thy own defect, not with that of the
people.309
When they speak falsely, apply not the ear (listen not);
When thou seest one uncovered, cover thy eyes.
85 I have heard that, at a banquet of intoxicated slaves,
A disciple broke the minstrel's tambourine and harp.
They drew him, at once, by the hair, harp-like,
The slaves struck him on the face, drum-like.
At night, from pain of stick and slap, he slept not;
The next day, an old man said to him, by way of admoni-
tion:—
“Thou wishst not to be face-wounded drum-like;
“Oh brother! cast down thy head, in front, harp-like.”
Two persons beheld dust, and tumult, and conflict;
Shoes scattered; stones flying.
90 This one saw the commotion; he turned away from its
direction;
The other went into the midst, and broke his head.
No one is happier than one lord of himself;
For, he has no concern with the good and bad.
They placed thy eye and ear in the head;
The mouth, the place of speech; and, the heart the place
of sense.
Perhaps, thou mayst again know descent from ascent;
Thou mayst not say:—“This is short, that long.”310
Thus spoke an old man of approved sense,
—The words of old men are pleasing to the ear.—310a
95 Saying:—In India, I went down to a corner;
What saw I? A black man, long, like the longest winter-
night.
In his embrace, a girl, moon-like,
His teeth lowered to her lips.
In his embrace, so tightly gathered,
That thou wouldst say:—the night covers the day.
The well known command of God seized my skirt;
Presumption became a fire and seized me.310b
From before and behind, I sought for a stick or stone,
Saying:—“Oh one fearing not God! nameless and shame-
less.”
100 With reproach, and abuse, and outcry, and force,
I separated the white (girl) from the black (man) as the
dawn.
From above the garden, that horrible cloud departed;
From beneath the crow, that egg appeared.
From the reciting of—Lá haul—that demon-form leaped
forth;
The hand of the one of Parí-form clung to me.
Saying:—“Oh thou of the prayer-carpet of hypocrisy,
blue-clad;
“Of black deeds, world-purchaser, religion-seller!
“A long time, my heart had gone from the hand
“To this person; and, my soul was desirous of him.
105 “Now became cooked my raw morsel,
“Which hot thou didst put out of my mouth.”
She brought an accusation of tyranny, and uttered com-
plaint,
Saying:—“Compassion fell down, and mercy remained
not.
“None of the young men remained a helper,
“Who might take justice from me, from this old man,
“To whom shame of his old age comes not,
“To fix his hand in the veil of a woman, unlawful to him.”
My skirt in her grasp, she kept complaining;
From shame, my head remained in the collar.
110 Like garlic, I immediately went out of my garment;
For, I feared the rebuke of young and old.
Naked, I went running from before the woman;
For, my garment in her hand was better than myself.
After a time, she passed by me,
Saying:—“Knowst thou me?” I replied:—“Beware!
“On account of thy hand, I have repented,
“Saying,—I wander not again about a matter of inter-
ference.”
Such a matter comes not before that one,
Who wisely sits behind his own work.
115 Through this disgrace, I took up this counsel,
I regarded, in future, the thing seen, un-seen.
If thou hast sense and wisdom, draw within the tongue;
Like Sa'dí, utter speech; if not, be silent.
A certain one sate before Dá'ud of the tribe of Tai,
Saying:—“I saw a certain Súfí fallen drunk.312
“His turban and shirt, vomit-stained;
“A crowd of dogs, a ring around him.”
When the one of happy disposition heard this tale,
He gathered together his eyebrows at the speaker.
120 For a time, he was amazed, and said:—“Oh companion!
“A kind friend is of use to-day.
“Go; bring him from that shameful place;
“For it is forbidden in the law; and, a disgrace as to the
religious garb.
“Bring him on thy back, like men, for the intoxicated one
“Has not the rein of safety in his hand.”
Through this speech, the hearer became straitened in
heart;
He descended into thought, like an ass in the mire.
Neither the boldness, that he might refuse the order;
Nor the power, that he might bring the drunken one on
his shoulder.
125 He contorted himself, for a while; but, saw no remedy;
He saw no way of drawing his head out of the order.
He bound his loins, and without choice, on his back,
Brought him; and, a city about him, in ferment.
One reviled him, saying:—“Behold the darvesh (Súfí)!
“Oh wonderful devotees of pure religion!
“See thou these Súfís, who have drunk wine;
“(Who) have pawned the patched garment for aromatic
wine.”
Pointing with the hand to this one and the other,
Saying:—“This one is altogether drunk; and, that one,
half drunk.”
130 The sword of the enemy's violence on the neck
Is better than the disgrace of a city, and the clamour of
the people.313
He suffered calamity; and, with trouble, passed one day;
He carried him, without desire, to a place that he had.
During the night, from shame and thought, he slept not;
The next day Tai laughed, and said:—
“Spill not a brother's reputation in the street,
“That adverse fortune may not spill thy reputation, in a
city.”
In respect to the man, good or bad,—ill
Utter not. Oh young man endowed with understanding!
135 For, thou makest the bad man thy enemy;
And, if he be a good man, thou doest ill.
Whosoever says to thee, a certain one is bad;
Know this much, that he is censuring himself.314
For, the proof of (the bad) act of a person is necessary;
And, his (the calumniator's) bad act appears clear.
In ill-speaking, when thou expressest breath,
If thou speakst the truth even, thou art bad.
A person made long his tongue, in slander;
A sagacious one, head-exalting spoke to him,
140 Saying:—“Render not bad the memory of persons, before
me;
“Make me not evilly suspicious, as to thyself.
“I admit—there may be diminution of his dignity;
“There will be no increase to thy rank.”
A person said—I thought it was a jest—
“Thieving is more upright than slandering.”
I said to him:—“Oh friend of distracted sense!
“That tale came strangely to my ear.
“What goodness, seest thou in dishonesty,
“That thou preferst it to slander?”
145 He replied,—“Yes; thieves display ardour;
“By the manly arm, they fill the belly.
“From slander, what does that simpleton desire,
“Who blackened his record-book (with God) and enjoyed
not anything?”
In the Nizámiya, I had a pension;
Night and day, there was instruction and repetition.315
I said to my teacher:—“Oh one full of wisdom!
“A certain friend bears me envy.
“When I give the gift of signification, as to the traditions,
“His polluted heart becomes disturbed.”
150 When the leader of morals heard this speech,
He was greatly enraged, and said:—“How wonderful!
“Thy friend's enviousness is disagreeable to thee;
“Who informed thee that detraction is good?
“If he, through baseness, took hell's path,
“Thou, by this other path, reachst it.”
A certain one said:—“Hujjáj is a blood-devourer,
“His heart is like a piece of black stone.315a
“He fears neither the sigh, nor the complaint of the
people;
“Oh God! Take from him the justice due to the people.”
155 One, world-experienced, an old man of ancient birth,
Gave to a young man, a piece of counsel, worthy of an old
man,
Saying:—“The justice, of (due to) his wretched oppressed
ones,
“They will demand (on the Judgment Day); and, from
the others (his slanderers) revenge.
“Restrain thy hand (of criticism) from his and his time;
“For, time itself makes him powerless.
“Neither does injustice on his part appear to me happy;
“Nor, slander even, on thy part, appear to me pleasant.”
Sin carries to hell the ill-fated one,
Who made full his measure; and black (with entries) his
record-book.
160 The other person, by slander, runs behind him,
Lest that he should go alone to hell.
I have heard that one of the pious
Laughed, jestingly, at a boy.
The other devotees, sitting in retirement,
Fell, in slander, on his fur-garment.316
At length, this story remained not concealed;
They unfolded it to that one of clear sight. He said:—
“Rend not the curtain over the friend of perturbed state;
“Neither is pleasantry unlawful; nor, slander lawful.”316a
165 In my childhood, the desire of fast-keeping arose;
I used not to know, which was left, and which right.
A certain 'ábid of the pious of the street
Used constantly to teach me the washing of hand and foot,
Saying:—“First, according to tradition, say:—In the
name of God!
“Secondly, summon resolution; thirdly, wash the palms
of the hands.317
“Wash, after that, the mouth and nose three times,
“Scratch the nostrils, with the little finger.
“Rub the front teeth, with the fore-finger;
“For, after the declining (of the sun the tooth-brush) is
forbidden during a fast.317a
170 “And throw, after that, three handfuls of water on the
face;
“From the growing-place of the hair, down to the chin.
“Wash again the hands up to the elbow;
“Utter whatever thou knowst of praise and recitation of
the names of God.
“Again, stroking of the head; after that, washing of the
feet;
“This is indeed (ablution); and its conclusion,—‘in the
name of God.’
“As to this custom (of ablution), no one knows better
than I,
“Seest thou not that the old man of the village has become
doting?”
The ancient village-holder heard this speech;
He was confounded, and said:—“Oh execrable filthy one!
175 “Saidst thou not that, the tooth-brush during a fast is a
crime?
“To eat the dead sons of Ádam is lawful.
“Say—first, the mouth from things unfit to be uttered,
“Wash—to that one who has washed as to things fit to be
eaten.”
The person, whose name is mentioned in public,
Recite his name and praises, in the sweetest way.
When always thou sayst that men are asses
Entertain not the idea, that they, like men, will mention
thy name.
Speak of my mode of life, within the street, even as
Thou canst speak of it to my face.
180 And, if thou hast shame of the one present
Oh sightless one! is not the Secret-Knower (God)
present?
Shame comes not to thee of thyself
That thou hast freedom as to Him, and shame as to me?
Those path-recognising of firm foot
Sate, some time, together in privacy.
One from amongst them began to slander,
He opened the door of remembrance of a helpless one.
A person said to him:—“Oh friend of perturbed com-
plexion!
“Hast thou ever made war against the infidels in Europe?”
185 The slanderer said:—“From behind my four walls,
“I have not, during my whole life, placed my foot in front
(of them).”
The darvesh of pure breath thus spoke:—
“I have not beheld a person, to such a degree greatly dis-
traught,
“That the infidel sits secure from contest with him;
“(But) a Muslim escapes not from the violence of his
tongue.”
How well a distraught one of Margház uttered
A saying, from the subtlety of which thou mayst bite the
lip with the teeth:—
“If I defame the name of men,
“I only utter the slander of my mother.
190 “For the wise educated ones know,
“That that devotion is indeed best which the mother
takes.”319
Oh one of good name! a friend, who is absent,—
As to him, two things are unlawful.
One is that they should wrongfully enjoy his property;
The second that they should defame him.
Whosoever defames men,
Expect not thou thy own thanks from him.
For, he utters that very thing in thy absence,
Which he utters before thee, behind men.
195 In my opinion, that person is world-wise,
Who is engaged about himself, and careless of the world.
As to three persons, I have heard that slander is lawful;
When thou exceedst this, the fourth is a sin.
First, the king, reproach-approving,—
From whom, thou mayst observe injury as to the people's
heart,—
It is lawful to carry information regarding him;
Perhaps, the people may be cautious of him.
Secondly,—draw not the screen on the shameless one;
For, he himself rends the screen of his own body.
200 Oh brother! guard not, from the (shallow) pool, him,
Who falls, up to the neck, in a well.
Thirdly—the one of crooked balance, of dishonest disposi-
tion,
Utter whatsoever thou knowst of his bad deeds.320
I have heard that a thief entered from the desert,
He passed by the gate of Sístán.320a
The green-grocer robbed him of half a dáng,
The thief of black deeds raised a cry:—
“Oh God! burn not Thou in the fire the night-traveller
(robber);
“For, an inhabitant of Sístán road travels (robs) by day.”
205 A certain one said to a Súfí, possessed of purity;—
“Knowst thou not what a certain person said behind thy
back?”
He replied:—“Oh brother! be silent; go to sleep:
“What the enemy said,—best unknown.”
Those persons, who bear the enemy's message,
Are, assuredly, more an enemy than the enemy.
Bears the enemy's word to a friend, no one,
Save that one, who is, in enmity, the enemy's friend.
The enemy is unable to express violence to me,
To such a degree that my body should tremble at hearing
(his words).
210 Thou art the greater enemy, who bringst to the mouth
(openly),
What the enemy said, in secret.
The word-plucker makes fresh the ancient feud;
He brings the good, meek, man to anger.
So long as thou canst, fly from that fellow-sitter,
Who said to the dormant trouble—“Arise!”
(To be) a man of black condition (in distress),—in it, foot-
bound,
Is better than to carry strife from place to place.
Contest, between two persons, is like fire;
The unfortunate tale-bearer is the fire-wood cutter.
215 Fírídún had an approved vazír,
Who possessed an illumined heart, and far-seeing eye.
First, he used to preserve resignation to God;
Next, he used to keep observance of the king's command.
The mean functionary places trouble upon the people,
Saying:—“It is the administration of the country and the
augmentation of the treasury.”
If thou keepst not God's side,
God causes injury to reach thee from the king.
A certain one went, in the morning, to the king,
Saying:—“May ease and desire every day be thine!
220 “Consider it not design; accept counsel from me;
“This vazír is, in secret, thy enemy.
“Of the high and low of the army—none have remained,
“Who have not loans of silver and gold from him.
“On the condition that,—when the king, neck-exalting,
“Dies,—they give back that gold and silver.
“That self-worshipper wishes not thee, alive;
“Lest that he should not regain his money.”
Often, towards the vazír, the asylum of the kingdom,
The king, with the eye of punishment, used to glance,
225 Saying:—“In the semblance of friends, before me,
“Why art thou, in heart, my enemy?”
The vazír kissed the ground before his throne and said:
“Since thou askst, it is now improper to conceal.
“Oh renowned king! I this wish,
“That the world, like me, may be thy well-wisher.
“When thy death is the stated period for (the return of)
my silver,
“They will, from fear of me, wish thee greater perma-
nency.
“Desirest thou not that men, with sincerity and supplica-
tion,
“Should wish thy head green, and thy life long.
230 “Men reckon prayer—a gain;
“For, it is the cuirass against the arrow of calamity.”
The monarch approved of what he said:
The rose of his face, from freshness, expanded.
Of the rank and station, which the prime-minister
possessed,
He increased its dignity, and exalted its rank.
Than a calumniator, I have seen no one more afflicted;
Of more reversed fortune, and overturned state.
Through the ignorance and obscurity of judgment, which
is his,
He casts altercation between two friends.
235 Another time, this and that (the two friends) make glad
their hearts;
He, between them, unfortunate and ashamed,
To kindle a fire between two persons;
To consume oneself in the midst—is not wisdom.
Like Sa'dí, that one tasted the delight of retirement,
Who, from both worlds, withdrew his tongue.
Whatever thou knowst of profitable speech—utter;
Though it be acceptable to no one.
For, to-morrow (the Judgment Day), he penitent may raise
a cry,
Saying:—“Alas! why did I not listen to the truth?”
240 A good, order-bearing, chaste wife
Makes a poor man, a king.
Go; strike five times (in joy) at thy door,
That a concordant mistress is in thy bosom.
If, all day, thou endurest grief,—have no care,
When, at night, the dear companion is in thy embrace.
Whose house is prosperous, and bed-fellow, a companion—
God's glance is, in mercy, towards him.
When the wife of beautiful face is chaste,
The husband, by beholding her, is in Paradise.
245 That person took up, from the world, his heart's desire,
Whose mistress was concordant with him.
If she be chaste, and pleasant of speech,
Look not at her beauty, or deformity.
From the one of Parí-face, of bad disposition,—takes
away (the ball of empire),
The woman of demon-face of pleasant disposition.
From her husband's hand, she takes vinegar, like sugar;
Face vinegar plastered, she eats not sweetmeats.
250 The woman, well-wishing is the heart's-ease;
But, from the bad woman,—oh God! protect me.
As a parrot, for whom a crow was companion,
Considers freedom from the cage,—gain,—
Place thy head in wandering, in the world;
Place, otherwise, thy heart on helplessness.
To go bare-foot,—better than the tight shoe;
The toil of travel,—better than contention in the house.
A captive in the kází's dungeon,—better
Than, in the house, to see contraction on the eyebrow (of
the wife).
255 Travel is a festival to that house-master,
In whose house is a wife of bad disposition.
Shut the door of joyfulness on that house,
From which, the wife's clamour issues loudly.
When the wife takes the path to the bázár, strike;
Otherwise, sit, in the house, wife-like.
If the wife has no ear for her husband,
Clothe the man in her black garment.
The wife, who is ignorant and dishonourable,
Thou didst ask for a calamity on thy head,—not a woman.
260 When, in the barley-measure, she breaks faith,
Wash thy hand of the wheat-store.325
God has desired good to that slave,
For whom, the heart and hand of the wife are true.
When the wife laughs in the stranger's face,
To the husband, say:—“Boast not further of manliness.”
May the woman's eyes be blind, as to strangers!
When she goes out of the house, may it be to her grave!
When the wanton wife places her hand in the fried meat,
Say:—“Go; put thy hand in a man's face.”
265 When thou seest that the woman's foot is not in one place.
Silence is not the part of wisdom and judgment.
Fly from her hand, into the crocodile's mouth;
For dying is better than life, in distress.
Cause her face to be covered from the strange man;
And, if she hear not,—then whether wife, or husband,—
what difference?
The beautiful wife of pleasant disposition is fortune and
companion;
Release (divorce) the wife, ugly, discordant.
How well came this single speech from those two persons,
Who were bewildered by a woman's hand.
270 This one said:—“Let there not be a bad wife for any
one!”
The other said:—“Let there not be a woman, in the world
itself!”
Oh friend! every fresh spring, take a new wife;
For, last year's almanac is of no use.326
Whomsoever, thou seest captive to a woman;
Do not—oh Sa'dí! reproach him not.
Thou also mayst suffer violence, and endure her burden,—
If, one night, thou drawst her into thy embrace.
A young man, from want of concordance with his wife,
Bewailed to an old man, and said:—
275 “A heavy load, from the hand of this bold enemy,
“I endure, even as the nether mill-stone.”
He said to him:—“Oh sir! place thy heart on distress;
“No one, by patience exercising, becomes ashamed.327
“Oh one house-burning! at night, thou art the upper
mill-stone;
“In the day, why art thou the nether stone?”327a
When thou mayst have experienced pleasure from a rose-
bush,
If thou endurest the burden of its thorn, it is proper.
The tree, whose fruit thou constantly enjoyst,
At that time,—when thou sufferst its thorn,—be patient.
280 When a boy has passed ten years of age,
Say:—“Sit apart from those not unlawful (to him in
marriage).”
It is not right to kindle a fire on cotton;
For, while thou winkst the eye, the house is burned.
When thou wishst that thy name may remain in place
(of honour),
Teach the son wisdom, and judgment.
When his skill and judgment are insufficient,
Thou wilt die; and, none of thy family will remain.
He endures severity for much time,
The son,—whom the father tenderly cherishes.
285 Keep him wise and abstinent;
If thou lovest him, keep him not by endearing expressions.
Rebuke and instruct him, in childhood;
Exercise promise and fear, as to his good and bad deeds.
For the young student,—commendation, and praise, and
reward
(Are) better than the master's reprimand, and threatening.
Teach the one matured, hand-toil;
Even if, Kárún-like, thou hast command as to wealth.
How knowst thou—the revolution of time
May cause him to wander, in exile, in the country?
290 Rely not on that resource which is;
For, it may be, that wealth may not remain in thy hand.
When, for him—there are the resources of trade,
How may he bear the hand of beggary before any one?
The purse of silver and gold reaches its limit;
The purse of the trader becomes not empty.
Knowst thou not how Sa'dí obtained his object?
He neither traversed the desert, nor ploughed the sea.
In childhood, he suffered slaps from the great;
In matureness, God gave him purity.
295 Whosoever places his neck (in submission) to order,
Not much time passes, but he gives orders.
Every child, who the violence of the teacher,
Experiences not,—will suffer the violence of time.
Keep the son good and cause ease to reach him,
That his eyes (of expectation) may not remain on the
hands of others.
Whosoever endured not grief for his son,
Another suffered grief and abused him.
Preserve him from the bad teacher;
For, the unfortunate and road-lost one makes him, like
himself.
300 Desire not one of more black deeds than that herma-
phrodite,
Whose face becomes black (with sin) before the sprouting
of the beard.
From that one, void of honour, it is proper to fly;
For, his unmanliness spilled the water (of honour) of men.
The boy who sate among Kalandars,
To his father, say:—“Wash thy hands of his welfare.”329
Suffer not regret as to his destruction and ruin,
For, the degenerate son, dead before his father, (is) best.
One night, in my street, there was a convivial meeting;—
Men of every class, in that assembly.
305 When the musician's voice entered from the street,
The há,e hú,e of lovers went to the firmament.
One of fairy face was my beloved;
I said to him:—“Oh my beautiful toy!
“Why comest thou not, with thy companions, to the
assembly,
“That thou mayst illumine our assembly, candle-like?”
I heard that he went, and by himself,
Kept saying to me:—“Oh my lover!
“When thou hast not a beard, like men;
“It is not manliness to sit before men.”
310 The beardless boy, house-mining, ruins thee;
Go; make the house prosperous with a pleasant woman.330
It is improper to play at love, with a rose,
Which has, every morning, a fresh nightingale.
Since, in every assembly, he made himself a candle,
Wander not again, about him, moth-like.
A woman, good, and of pleasant disposition and adorned,—
How does she resemble the ignorant youth?330a
Blow a breath of fidelity upon her, rose-bud-like,
Who follows thee, with laughing, rose-like.
315 Not like a beloved boy, impudent,
Whom one cannot break with a stone.331
Consider him (the boy) not charming, like the húrí of
Paradise,
For whom, the face of another is ugly, demon-like.
If thou dost kiss his feet, he has no thanks (to give);
And, if thou art the dust (in humility), he has no fear.
Make void thy head of brain, and hand of money,
When thou givest thy heart to the son of man.
Exercise not the evil glance, towards the son of man;
Lest evil should arise to thy own son.
320 Once upon a time, it reached my ear in this city (of
Shíráz),
That a certain merchant purchased a slave.
The one of fairy-face, whatever fell to his hand,
Broke, in malice, the head and brain of the foolish mer-
chant.331a
He summoned God and His Prophet to himself, as witness,
Saying:—“I will not again wander about folly.”
325 In this week, journeying chanced to him,
Heart-wounded, and head-bound, and face-torn.
When he went one or two miles out of Kazrún
A dangerous, stony place appeared before him.332
He inquired, saying:—“What is the name of this
castle?”
Saying:—“Whosoever lives sees many wonderful things.”332a
An intimate companion of the káraván thus spoke to
him:—
“Thou knowst not, perhaps, the place called—tang-i-
turkán?”332b
The merchant grieved when he heard the name—tang-i-
turkán;
Thou wouldst have said, that he had beheld the sight of
an enemy.
330 He raised a great shout at the black,
Saying:—“Why urgest thou farther? Throw away the
goods.
“To me, there is not a barley-grain of wisdom, nor know-
ledge,
“If I again go to the—tang-i-turkán.”
Shut the door of lust of the ungrateful soul;
Or, if thou art a lover,—suffer the kick, and bind the
head.
When thou cherishst a slave,
Bring him up in awe, so that thou mayst enjoy advantage
from him.
And, if the lord bite with the teeth (kisses) his slave's lip,
He (the slave) matures the fancy of lordship.
335 The slave should be water-drawer, and brick-maker;
The cherished slave is a fist-striker.333
A crowd sate with a pleasant youth,
Saying:—“We are honourable lovers, and possessed of
discernment.”
Ask (their state) of me, time-wearied;
For the fast-keeper suffers regret at the table-cloth.333a
The sheep eats the date-seed, for that reason,
That there is a lock and fastening on the dates.
The head of the oil-presser's ox is towards the grass, for
that reason,
That, its tether is short of the rape-seed.
340 A certain (chaste) one saw a form possessed of beauty;
Through phrensy of love and ecstacy for her, he changed.
Helpless, he cast forth perspiration, to the same degree,
As the dew on the leaf of the April-tree.
The sage Bukrát, riding, passed by him;
He inquired, saying:—“What matter befell this one?”333b
A person said to him:—“This is a chaste 'ábid,
“From whose hand sin never sprang.
“Day and night, he goes into the plain and mountain;
“From society, fleeing; and, with men, disgusted.
345 “One, heart-ravishing, has snatched his heart;
“The foot of his vision has descended into the clay (of
love).
“When the reproach of the people comes to his ear,
“He says:—Of so much reproach, be silent.
“Say not, if I complain, that he is not excusable;
“For, my complaint is not far from cause.
“This picture snatches not the heart from my hand;
“He (God) takes the heart, who pourtrayed this picture.”
The man, work-tried, heard this speech;
Old in years, one cherished, of ripe judgment.
350 He said:—“Although, the soul of goodness goes forth (in
these words),
“With whatever thou mayst utter, every one goes not.
“Of the Painter (God) indeed is this picture;
“Which snatched, in rapine, the heart of the distraught.
“Why does not the child of one day (in age) ravish his sense,
“For, in beholding the creating of God, whether of ripe
age, or tender,—what difference?”334
The asserter of God's truth looks at the camel, in the
same way,
As, at the beauties of Chín and Chigál.334a
Every line of mine of this book (the Bustán) is a woman's
veil
Lowered on the cheek of the one, heart-alluring.335
355 There are meanings (clear) beneath the black letters,
Like the beloved one behind the curtain; or the moon
behind the cloud.
In the times of Sa'dí sorrow is not comprehended;
For, there is so much beauty of thought behind the screen
(of black letters).
For me,—there are words, assembly adorning,
In them, fire-like, illumination (for the seeker) and burning
(for the envious).335a
I grieve not of enemies, if (through envy) they tremble;
For, through this Persian fire, they are in burning.
If he has escaped in the world, from the (people of the)
world,
It is he, who has closed the door on himself, against the
people.
360 No one escaped from the violence of tongues,
Whether he be self-displaying, or truth-worshipping.
If, angel-like, thou dost fly from the sky,
Ill-thought will cling to thy skirt.
One can, with effort, bind the Tigris;
One cannot bind the enemy's tongue.
Those wet of skirt (sin-stained) sit together,
Saying:—“This is dry devotion; and that a trap for
gaining bread.”
Turn not thy face from worshipping God,
Abandon;—so that people may reckon thee as nothing.
365 When the pure God becomes satisfied with the slave,
If these (people) be not contented,—what matter?
The enemy of the people is not acquainted with God;
Through the tumult of the people, there is no way for him
to God.
They have not found the path to the place (of their desire)
for that reason,
That, they have missed their foot, at the first step.
Two persons apply their ears (listen) to a tradition:
From this one, to that—as far as from Ahrimán (Satan) to
Surosh (Gabriel).
One accepts advice; the other, odious,
Through word-seizing (slandering), is not occupied with
the advice.
370 Dejected, in the dark corner of a place,
What may he find from the cup, world-displaying?
If thou art a lion, or a fox, think not
That thou mayst escape from these (slanderers) by man-
liness, or stratagem.
If a person chooses the corner of retirement;
Because he has not much solicitude for society,—
They make him contemptible, saying:—“(This one's work)
is fraud and deceit;
“He flies from man, as from the demon.”
If he be of laughing face and sociable,
They consider him not chaste and abstinent.
375 With slander, they rend the rich man's skin,
Saying:—“If, in the world, there be a Far'ún, it is he.”
If one, foodless, weeps, with heart-burning,
They call him:—“Unfortunate and unhappy.”
If a poor man be in distress,
They will say it is—from calamity and misfortune.337
And, if a prosperous one comes down from his footing,
They regard it (his fall) as gain, and God's grace.
Saying:—“How long this dignity and arrogance?
“In the rear of happiness, is unhappiness.”
380 If as to a straitened one of narrow means,—
Fortune makes his rank high,
In malice towards him, they gnash their teeth with poison,
Saying:—“This base time is the cherisher of the mean.”
When they behold a work perfect in thy hand,
They reckon thee covetous, and world-worshipping.
And if thou holdst the hand of resolution from the work
(of the world),
They consider thee of the beggar-trade, and cooked food-
devourer.337a
And, if thou art an orator,—thou art a drum full of
nonsense;
If thou art silent,—thou art a picture (lifeless) of the
bath-room.
385 They call not those, patience-exercising, men,
Saying:—“The helpless one, through fear, raised not his
head.”
And, if in his head (nature) there be awe and manliness,
They fly from him, saying:—“What madness is this?”
If he be a little eater, they slander him,
Saying:—“His property is perhaps the fortune of another.”
And, if his food be excellent and pure,
They call him:—“Belly-slave, and body-cherisher.”
And, if the wealth-possessor lives without pomp,
Saying:—“Decoration is a reproach to people of discern-
ment.”
390 They apply the tongue (of reproach) to his torture, sword-
like,
Saying:—“The unfortunate one withholds gold from his
own body!”
If he constructs a palace and painted hall;
Makes a splendid dress for his own body.
He is ready to die, from the power of cavillers,
Saying:—“He adorned himself woman-like.”
If a devotee travelled not,
Those, who have made journies call him not a man,
Saying:—“For him, not advanced beyond his wife's
embrace,
“What is his skill, or judgment, or knowledge?”
395 They even rend the skin of one, world-experienced,
Saying:—“He is one, head-revolving, of overturned
fortune.
“If of fortune, there were for him, a portion and share,
“Time would not drive him from city to city.”
The one viewing critically contemns the bachelor,
Saying:—“The earth is vexed with his sleeping and
rising.”
And, if he marries, he says:—“From the power of the
heart,
“He has fallen headlong, in the mire, ass-like.”
The one of ugly face escapes not from man's oppression;
Nor the lovely one, from the unmanly one of ugly speech.
400 If, one day, anger plucks (a man) from his place,
They call him:—“Insane, and of obscure judgment.”339
And, if he exercises patience with any,
They will say:—“He has not sufficient spirit.”
They say, by way of counsel, to the generous one,—
“Enough!
“For, to-morrow, both thy hands may be (in beggary)
before a person.”
And if he becomes contented and self-possessing,
He becomes captive to the reproaching of a crowd,
Saying:—“This mean man wishes to die like his father.
“Who gave up wealth, and took away regret.”
405 Who is able to sit in the corner of safety,
When the Prophet escaped not from the villainy of the
enemy?339a
Of God,—who resemblance, and partner and co-equal,
Has not,—heardst thou what the Christian said!
No one escapes from a person's hand,
The remedy for the captive is patience only.
There was a young man, skilful and learned,
Who was, as regards admonishing, vigilant and manly.
Of good repute, and pious, and God-worshipping,
The beard of his face more beautiful than his hand-
writing.
410 Strong in eloquence, and clever in grammar;
But, he used not to utter truly the letters of the Abjad.
Perhaps, he had stammering in the tongue,
For, he used not to explain the truth of the Mu'jam.
I spoke to one of the pious,
Saying:—“A certain one has no front teeth.”
At my folly, he became red of face,
Saying:—“Speak not again, in this foolish way.
“Thou didst see in him that very defect, which is existent;
“From how much skill, thy wisdom's eye was shut!
415 “Listen truly to me; for, in the day of certainty (Re-
surrection),
“The man, good-seeing, will not experience evil.340
“One, who has grace, and science, and judgment,
“—If the foot of his integrity slips from its place.—
“Approve not violence against him, for one small matter.
“What have the sages said:—Take what is clean.”
Oh wise man! the thorn and the rose are together:
Why art thou in the fetter of the thorn? fasten thou the
rose-bouquet.
He—in whose nature, is the ugly disposition,
Sees not the peacock,—only his ugly foot.
420 Oh one of malevolent face! acquire purity (of heart);
For, the dark mirror displays not the face.
Seek a path by which, thou mayst escape from punishment
(of hell);
Not a word (of man), on which thou mayst lay the finger
(of criticism).
Oh wise one! place not in front (expose not) the people's
defects;
For it sews up thy eyes from thy own defects.
Why do I inflict punishment on the one of stained skirt,
When I know, within myself, that I am of wet (stained)
skirt?
It is improper that thou shouldst exercise violence against
a person,
When thou dost aid thyself by artifice of speech.
425 When evil is unpleasant to thee, do not do it thyself;
Say, after that, to thy neighbour:—“Do not evil.”
If I am God-worshipping; or if self-displaying;
I preserve my exterior for thee, my interior for God.
When I adorned my exterior with chastity,
Interfere not with my crookedness, or uprightness.
If my way of life be good; or if bad,
God is more acquainted than thou, with my secret.
Punish for bad conduct that person,
Who hopes from thee the reward of goodness.
430 If I am good or bad, be thou silent;
For, I am myself the porter of profit and loss.
For a good deed by a man of good judgment,—
For one, God writes ten.342
Oh son! of whomsoever, thou also a single talent
Mayst observe,—pass by his ten defects.
Count not upon the finger one defect of his;
Bring forth a world of excellence for nothing.
Like the enemy, who, on the poetry of Sa'dí,
Glances with scorn, heart ruined.
435 He has no ear for the hundred beautiful subtleties;
When he beholds a defect, he raises a shout.
That one, bad-approving,—to whom, there is only this
reason,—
Envy plucked out his eyes, good-discerning.
Did not God's creating create the people?
Black, and white, and beautiful, and ugly—came.
Not every eye nor eyebrow, that thou seest, is good;
Eat the kernel of the pistachio nut; cast away its husk.
1 I CANNOT express a breath for thanks to my Friend (God);
For, I know not a word of praise that is worthy of Him.
Every hair on my body is a gift from Him;
How may I perform thanks for every hair?
Praise to the Lord-Giver,
Who, from nonentity, made the slave existing.
To whom, is there the power of description of His benefi-
cence?
For, His praises are immersed in His dignity.343
5 That inventor, who creates a person from clay,
Gives soul, and wisdom, and sense, and heart.
From the father's back-bone to the limit of old age,
Behold to what extent, He, from the unseen, gave thee
honour!
When God created thee pure, be sensible and pure;
For, it is a shame to go unclean to the dust (of the grave).
Shake off continually the dust (of mean qualities) from the
mirror (of the heart);
For, it takes not polish, when the blight eats it.
In the beginning, wast thou not water of man's seed?
If thou art a man, put presumption out of thy head.
10 When, thou bringst, with effort, victuals to thyself,
Rely not on the strength of thy own arm.
Oh self-worshipper! why dost thou not see God
Who brings into revolution the arm of the hand?
When by thy striving, a thing happens,
Know by God's grace (it is); not, by thy own effort.
By violence no one has carried off the ball;
Utter praise to the Lord of Grace.
Of thyself, thou art not erect one step;
From the hidden, aid arrives momently.
15 Wast thou not a child, tongue-bound as to boast (of
speech)?
Food, from the navel, kept coming within thee.
When they severed the umbilical cord, thy daily food was
broken off;
Thy hand clung to thy mother's breast.
A traveller, before whom adverse time brings sickness,
They give to him water from his own city, as medicine.344
Then he obtained nourishment in the belly;
He obtained food from the store of the bowels.
The two breasts,—that, to-day, are heart-pleasing to him,—
Are also two fountains of his nurturing-place.
20 The bosom and breast of the mother, heart-pleasing,
Are paradise; and, the breast is for him, a stream of milk.
Her stature, life-nourishing, is a tree;
The offspring, on her bosom,—a delicate fruit.
Are not the veins of the breast, within the heart?
Then, if thou wilt consider, milk is the heart's blood.
Teeth, sting-like, plunged in her blood;
Love for her own blood-devourer created within her.
When God made the arm strong; and, the teeth, dense—
The nurse anoints her breast with aloes.
25 The aloe makes it (the offspring) silent (forgetful) of milk, so
That it forgets the breast and its milk.
Oh sir! thou also art, as to repentance, a child of the path
of God;
By bitterness, sin becomes forgotten by thee.
A young man turned his head from his mother's judgment,
Her sorrowful heart burned like fire.
When she became helpless, she brought a cradle before
him,
Saying:—“Oh one languid of love and forgetful of the
time (of infancy)!
“Wast thou not weeping, and tired and small,
“When nights, from thy power, sleep overpowered me
not?
30 “No; to thee, in the cradle there was not the strength of
thy (present) state;
“To thee, there was not the power to drive away a fly
from thyself.
“Thou art that one, who used to be vexed with a single
fly,
“Who, to day, art chief and powerful.”
Thou mayst again be in that state, at the bottom of the
grave,
When thou canst not repel an ant from thy body.
Again how may the eye light up its lamp,
When the worm of the grave devours the fat of the brain?
Like one clothed as to the eye (blind), seest thou not that
the road
He knows not, at the time of going, from the well?
35 Thou who art possessed of vision, if thou didst perform
thanks (knowst the path from the well);
If not, thou also art one clothed as to the eye (blind).
The instructor taught thee not understanding and judg-
ment;
God created these qualities in thy existence.
If He had refused thee a heart, truth-hearing,
Truth would have appeared to thy eye the essence of false-
hood.
Behold one finger, with how many joints,
God, by creating, cast together.
Then, it is madness and foolishness,
That thou shouldst place thy finger (of cavilling) on the
word of His creating.
40 Far the sake of man's motion, consider
Him, who fixed the sinews and placed the articulations of
so many bones.347
For, without the revolution of the ancle, and the knee, and
the foot,
It is impossible to raise the foot from its place.
Prostration (on the ground) is not difficult for a man, on
that account,
That, the joint in his back-bone is not of one piece.
God has arranged two hundred joints within one another,
Who has finished like thee (oh God!) a clay-joint?
Oh one of agreeable disposition! the veins in thy body
Are a land,—in it, are three hundred and sixty streams.
45 In the head,—vision, and thought, and judgment, and dis-
cretion;
The limb of the body for the dear heart; (and) the heart
for dear wisdom.
The wild beasts, with the countenance downcast, are con-
temptible;
Thou, Alif-like, art a rider on thy feet.347a
They, head-lowered, for the sake of eating;
Thou, with dignity, bringst thy food to the head.
It beseems thee not, with so much chieftainship,
That thou shouldst lower thy head, save in devotion (to
God).
By His own beauty, God gave thee knowledge; behold!
He made thee not, like the animals, head in the grass.
50 But, with this form, heart-enchanting,
Be not fascinated; take a good walk of life.
A straight path is necessary, not erect stature;
For, the infidel is also like us, in outward form.
He, who gave thee eye and mouth, and ear;
If thou art wise,—strive not in opposition to Him.
I grant, that thou mayst beat the enemy with a stone,
Wage not war, at least from ignorance, with the Friend
(God).
Those of wise disposition, obligation-recognising,
Sew up the favour (of God), with the nail of thanks.
55 One king-born fell from a black horse;
A joint in his neck became dislocated.
The neck, elephant-like, descended to his body;
His head used not to turn, so long as his body moved not.
The physicians were astonied at this;
But, a philosopher, from the Greek-land,
Twisted back his head, and the vein became right,
And, if he had not been present, he would have become
paralytic.
Again, he came near to the king;
That mean one looked not at him.
60 The sage's head became plunged in shame;
I heard that he went, and gently said:—
“If, yesterday, I had not twisted his neck,
“He would not, to-day, have turned his face from me.”
He sent a seed, by the hand of a slave,
Saying:—“It is proper that thou shouldst place it on the
censer, aloe-burning.”
To the one, king-born, through the smoke, sneezing came,
His head and neck became even as they were.
With apology, they hastened after the philosopher;
They sought much, but found little.
65 Turn not thy head from thanks to a benefactor,
Lest that thou shouldst, in after days, raise thy head for
nothing.
A certain one severely rubbed a boy's ears (chastised him),
Saying:—“Oh father of wonderful judgment, of overturned
fortune!
“I gave thee an axe, saying:—Split fire-wood;
“I said not:—Undermine the masjid-wall.”
The tongue came (from God) for thanks and praise;
The grateful one moves it not in slander.
The ear is the thoroughfare for the Kurán and counsel;
Strive not to listen to calumny and falsehood.
70 Two eyes, for the sake of (beholding) the creating of God,
are good;
Lower the eyes from the defect of brother and friend.
For the sake of thy ease, the night and day are;
The resplendent moon and the sun, world-illuminating.
For thy sake, the west wind, chamberlain-like,
Causes constantly to be spread the carpet of spring.
If wind, and snow, and rain, and hail are,
And if the Chaugán expresses thunder, and the sword
lightning,—
All are work-performers, and order-bearers (of God)
Who cherish thy seed in the dust.
75 And, if thou remainst thirsty, rage not through affliction;
For, the Water-carrier brings thee a cloud of water on His
back.
From the dust, He brings colour, and perfume, and food;
Amusement for the eye, and brain, and palate.
He gave thee honey from the bees; and manna, from the
sky;
He gave thee the green date, from the date-tree; and the
date-tree from the seed-stone.350
All the gardeners gnaw the hand
In astonishment, saying:—“No one planted such a date-
tree!”
The sun and moon and Pleiades all are for thee;
They are the candles of the roof of thy house.
80 He brings thee a rose from the thorn; musk, from the
(animal's) navel:
Gold, from the mine; and the green leaf, from the dry
wood.
He pourtrayed thy eye and eye-brow, with His own hand;
For, one cannot leave the intimate friend to strangers.351
The powerful One, who cherishes the delicate,
Cherishes thee, with various favours.
Breath by breath, with soul, it is proper to utter (praise);
For, thanks to Him is not a work of the tongue only.
Oh God! my heart became blood, and eye wounded,
When I see thy reward is greater than my speech (of
thanksgiving).
85 I speak not of the rapacious and non-rapacious beast, and
ant, and fish,
But, of the army of angels above heaven's summit.
Yet, they have uttered a little Thy praise;
They have uttered one out of so many thousands (which
they should have uttered).
Oh Sa'dí! go; wash thy hand, and the book;
Hasten not on the path, that has no end.
A person knows not the value of a day of pleasure,
Save on that day when he falls to hardship-enduring.
The winter-season of the darvesh, in the narrow year,—
How easy is it to the lord of wealth?
90 One healthy,—who, once complaining, slept not,—
Uttered not thanks to God for sound health.
When thou art a manly mover, and swift of foot,
Stand, with thanks (to God) by those slow of foot.
The young man bestows to the ancient old man,
The powerful one displays pity for the powerless.
What do the people of the Jíhún know of the value of
water?
Ask those wearied utterly in the sun.
To the Arab, who is sitting by the Tigris
What care is there as to the thirsty ones of the (desert of)
Zarúd?
95 That one recognised the value of healthiness,
Who, once, helpless sweltered in fever.
How may the dark night appear long to thee,
Who rollst, from side to side, in comfort?
Think of one falling and rising in fever;
For, the sick one knows the lengthiness of the night.
At the sound of the drum, the rich man becomes awake;
What knows he, how the watchman passed the night?
I have heard that Tughril, one night, in the autumn,
Passed a Hindú watchman,
100 From the pouring of snow, and rain, and torrent,
Fallen to trembling, like the star Canopus.
His heart, from pity for him, suffered agitation;
He said:—“Behold! put on my fur garment.
“Wait a moment, by the terrace-side;
“For, I will send it out by the hand of a slave.”
He was in this (speech); and, the morning-breeze blew.
The monarch entered the royal hall.
He had, in his retinue, a slave of Parí-form,
For whom, his disposition had a little inclination.
105 The sight of the beloved chanced so agreeably to him,
That the wretched Hindú passed from his memory.
The (word) fur-coat passed to his (the watchman's) ear,
It came not, through misfortune, to his shoulders.
Perhaps the torment of toil was not enough for him,
Since, the sky's revolution added to it expectation.
When the sultán slept in carelessness, behold,
What the watchman said to him, in the morning!
“Perhaps (the watchman) “Nek-Bakht” was forgotten
by thee,
“When thy hand went to the bosom of (the slave-girl)
“Aghosh.”
110 “For thee, the night passes in ease and joy;
“As to us, what knowst thou how the night passes?”
One of a káraván, head-lowered to the caldron,—
To him, what care of those sunk in sand?
Oh Lord of the Zaurak! keep on the water;
For the water has passed over the head of those helpless.
Oh vigorous young men! stay;
For, in the káraván, are sluggish old men.
Thou hast slept well in the haudaj of the káraván,—
The camel-rein, in the camel-driver's hand.
115 Whether plain or mountain; whether stone or sand,—to
thee what matter?
Ask the state (of the road) from those lagging behind.
The camel of burden, mountain-form, carries thee;
What knowst thou of the foot-man, who devours the blood
(of grief)?
Those sleeping, in comfort of heart, in the house,
What know they of the state of the hungry belly.
The night-guard had bound a certain one's hand;
He was, all night, afflicted, and heart-broken.
In the night of dark colour, there came to his ear,—
A person kept complaining of his straitened hand
(poverty).
120 The thief had, neck-fastened, heard this speech, and
said:—
“How long lamentst thou of helplessness? Sleep.
“Oh one of straitened hand (poor)! go; give thanks to
God,
That the night-guard bound not straitly thy hand.”
Make not much lamentation, as to foodlessness,
When thou seest one more foodless than thyself.
One of naked body made loan of one diram;
He made for his body a garment of raw hide.
He complained, saying:—“Oh perverse fortune!
“I am cooked with heat, within this raw hide.”
125 When the uncooked (foolish) one, with fierceness, began to
boil,—
One from the prison-pit said to him:—“Silence!
“Oh raw one! offer thanks to God,
“That thou art not like me—raw-hide (bound) on hand
and foot.”
A certain one passed by a holy man,
He came to his sight, in the form of a Jew.
He struck him a blow, on his neck;
The darvesh gave him his shirt.
He became ashamed saying:—“What passed from me was
a fault.
“Pardon me; what room (need) is there for giving (a
shirt)?”
130 He said:—On this (shirt-giving), I am firm, in thanks (to
God),
“That that one whom thou didst think me, I am not.”
One left behind on the road was weeping,
Saying:—“Than I in this desert, who is more wretched?”
An ass, load-carrier, said to him:—“Oh one without dis-
cretion!
“How long bewailst thou also of the tyranny of the
heavens?
“Go; thank God although thou art not on an ass,
“That thou art, in short, a son of Adam, not an ass.”
A lawyer passed by one fallen drunk;
He became proud of his own abstinence.
135 Through haughtiness, he looked not at him,
The young man raised his head, saying:—“Oh old man!
“Go; thank God, when thou art in prosperity,
“For disappointment comes from pride.
“Laugh not at one, whom thou seest in bonds;
“Lest that, suddenly, thou shouldst fall into confinement.
“In short, is it not, in the possibility of fate,
“That thou mayst be to-morrow fallen drunk like me?”
Heaven wrote for thee the inscription on the Masjid (of
Islám),
Express not reproach on others in the fire-temple.
140 Oh Musalmán! join the hands, in thanks,
That He bound not the idolater's cord about thy waist.
Whosoever is a seeker of Him, goes not by himself;
The favour of the friend (God) drawing takes him by force.
Behold, whence destiny travelled!
For it is blindness to place reliance on another (God).
God has created the power of convalescence in honey,
Not to such an extent that it exercises power over death.
Honey makes pleasant (benefits) the constitution of those
alive;
But, the pain of dying has no remedy.
145 For the one, in whom a spark of life remained,—when life
from his body
Issues, what use (is) honey in the mouth?
A certain one suffered (a blow of) a steel mace on his head
One said:—“Rub sandal wood on his wound.”
Fly, so long as thou canst, from danger;
But strive not sharply with destiny.
So long as the interior is capable of drinking and eating,
The body is fresh of face, and pure of form.
This house (of the body) becomes altogether bad, at that
time,
When the constitution and food agree not.
150 Thy temperament is moist and dry; and hot, and cold;
Man's constitution is compounded of these.
When one of these obtains the mastery over the others,
It breaks the balance of the equilibrium of thy temper-
ament.
If the wind of a cold sigh passes,
The stomach's heat brings the soul into agitation.
And if the caldron of the stomach agitates the food,
The work of the delicate body becomes immature.
The one possessed of knowledge binds not his heart to
these (four elements),
Which will not always agree with each other.
155 Consider not powerfulness of body, from food;
But, God's grace gives thee sustenance.
By God! if, on sword and knife,—the eye,
Thou placest, thou wilt not perform thanks to Him.
When thou placest thy face on the ground, in service,
Utter praise to God; and regard not thyself.
Praising God, and repeating the name of God, and having
the heart towards Him—are acts of beggary;
For the beggar, it is improper that he should be proud.
I admit, that thou thyself hast done a service to God;
Hast thou not constantly enjoyed His portion on feudal
tenure?
160 First, He placed in thy heart desire of worship,
Then His slave placed his head (in devotion) at His thres-
hold.
If the grace of a good act arrives not from God,
How may a good act arrive to a stranger from a slave?
Why observest thou the tongue which gave confession?
Behold Him, who gave speech to the tongue.
The door of the knowledge of God is man's eye,
Which He has opened on sky and earth.
To thee, how could there have been understanding of
ascent and descent,
If He had not opened this door (of the eye) on thy face?
165 He brought the head and hand from nonentity to existence,
He placed in this, liberality; in that, adoration.
And, if not, how would liberality have come from thy
hand?
It is impossible that adoration would have come from thy
head.
He gave thee a tongue endowed with wisdom; and, created
the ear,—
Which are the keys of the heart's chest.
If the tongue had not possessed (the power of) narration,
When would a person have possessed knowledge of the
heart's secret?
And, if there were not effort on the part of the news-
gatherer of the ear,
When would news have reached the sultán of sense (the
mind)?
170 He gave to me the sweet word of the narrator;
He gave to thee the ear and perception of the understander.
These two are perpetually, like chamberlains, at the door;
They carry news from sultán to sultán.
Why reflectst thou of thyself, saying:—“My action is
good!”
Glance at that door; because, it is His grace.
The gardener carries to the king's hall,
As first-fruit, even the rose from the king's garden.
I beheld an idol of ivory in the (idol-temple) Somnáth,
Gemmed like the (idol) Manát, in (the days of) ignorance.359
175 The painter had so pourtrayed its form,
That one more beautiful than it may not be imagined.
From all countries, káraváns going,
For the seeing of that soul-less form.
The chiefs of Chín and Chigal greedily desired
Fidelity, like Sa'dí, from that idol of stone-heart.
The eloquent ones, set out from every abode,
Supplication-making before that tongueless form.
I was exhausted as to the revealing of this matter,
Saying:—“Why does the living one worship a mineral?”
180 Of an idolater, who was partner with me,
One speaking well of me, and of the same cell, and friend,
I inquired, with gentleness,—“Oh Barhaman!
“I have wonder at the proceedings of this house.359a
“For, they are distracted about this powerless form;
“They are imprisoned in the pit of error.
“In it, neither power of hand, nor motion of foot;
“And, if thou cast it down, it rises not from its place.
“Seest thou not, that its eyes are of amber!
“To seek fidelity from stone-eyes (lovely ones) is a mis-
take.”
185 At this speech, that friend became angry;
He became, with anger, fire-like, and caught me.
He informed the idolaters and the old men of the temple;
I saw not, in that assembly, a face of goodness.
The idolaters, Zand-reading, fell
Dog-like upon me, for the sake of that bone (the idol).360
When that crooked way was, in their opinion, straight,
The straight road appeared, in their eyes, crooked.
For, although a man be wise and pious,
He is, in the opinion of the ignorant, foolish.
190 Like a drowning person, I was destitute of remedy;
Beyond courtesy, I saw no path (of escape).
When thou seest the ignorant ones bent on malice,
Safety is in surrender; and, in being gentle.
I loudly praised the chief of the Barhamans,
Saying:—“Oh explaining old man, and Zand-teacher!
“To me, also, the painting of this idol is agreeable;
“For, it is a beautiful form, and a heart-alluring shape.
“In my sight, its form appears rare;
“But, I have no information as to its meaning.
195 “Because, lately, I am the traveller of this place;
“The foreigner seldom recognises bad from good.
“Thou knowst; because thou art the learned man (queen)
of this chess-board;
“Thou art the adviser of the king of this abode.
“What is the meaning in the form of this idol;
“For, I am the first (chief) among its worshippers?
“Worship, in imitation, is seduction;
“He who is acquainted is pleasing to the wayfarer.”
The Barhaman's face kindled with joy;
He approved and said:—“Oh one of approved counte-
nance!
200 “Thy question is right, and thy deed excellent;
“Whoever desires proof arrives at the stage (of his
desire).
“Much, like thee, I wandered in travel;
“I beheld idols, void of knowledge of themselves.
“Except this idol, which, in the morning from this place
where it is,
“Raises its hand to God, the Ruler!
“And if thou wishst, stay even here to-night;
“So that, to-morrow, this idol's mystery may be revealed
to thee.”
By the old man's order, I remained there the night,
Like Bezhan, a captive, in the pit of calamity.361
205 That night, long like the Judgment Day;
The idolaters, unwashed, in prayer around me.
The priests, ever water untroubled,
Their arm-pits,—like a corpse in the sun.
Perhaps, I had committed a great sin;
For, I endured much torment, during that night.
All night afflicted in this bondage of grief;
One hand on my breast; the other, in prayer.
When, suddenly the drum-striker beat the drum;
The Barhaman, cock-like, suddenly called out.
210 Night,—preacher, black-clad—without opposition,
Drew forth the sword of day from the scabbard.
The fire of the morning fell upon tinder;
A world became, in a moment, illumined.362
Thou wouldst have said that, in the country of Zangbár,
A Tátár had suddenly issued from a corner.362a
The idolaters, of ruined judgment, of unwashed face,
Appeared from door, and plain and street.
Of man or woman, none remained in the city;
For a needle, there remained no room in that idol-temple.
215 I—through anguish, afflicted; and through sleep, intoxi-
cated;
When, suddenly, the image raised its hand!
A shout immediately issued from them;
Thou wouldst have said, that a sea had come into agita-
tion.
When the idol-temple became void of the assembly,
The Barhaman, laughing, glanced at me,
Saying:—“I know, a difficulty remains not to thee;
“Truth became evident; and falsehood remained not.”
When I saw that ignorance was strong within him;
(And that) an absurd fancy was concealed within him.
220 I again prepared not any speech of truth;
For, it is proper to conceal the truth from the false.
When thou seest the superior powerful of arm,
It is unmanliness to break one's fist.
In hypocrisy, I wept for a while,
Saying:—“I am become penitent, as to what I said.”
By weeping, the hearts of the infidels inclined towards
me;
By a torrent, if a stone rolls,—it is not wonderful.
Those service-performing ran towards me;
They seized, with respect, my arm.
225 Excuse-uttering, I went to the person of ivory (the idol),
On a chair of beaten gold, on a throne of ebony,
I gave a kiss on the hand of that worthless idol,
Saying:—“May a curse be on it; and, on the idol-wor-
shipper!”
Hypocritically, I became an infidel for a few days;
I became, in the sayings of Zand, a Barhaman.
When I saw that I was safe in the temple,
Through joy, I contained not myself in the earth.
One night, I firmly fastened the temple-door;
Ran, left and right, scorpion-like:
230 Looked beneath and above the throne;
Saw a screen, gold-bordered:
Behind the screen, an arch-priest, a fire-worshipper,
Sitting, the end of a cord in his hand.
Immediately, the state as to that (idol) became known to
me,
Like David, when the iron became (soft as) wax to him.364
That when he pulls the cord, of necessity,
The idol raises its hand, redress-seeking.
The Barhaman from before my face went ashamed;
For, the quilting, on the face of the work was a disgrace.364a
235 He ran, and I hastened after him;
I threw him headlong into a well.
For I knew if that Barhaman, alive,
Remained, he would strive for my blood:
Would desire, that he might bring forth my destruction,
Lest I should make display of his secret.
When thou obtainst information of the work of a perni-
cious one,
Bring him forth from his power, when thou findst him.
For, if thou leavest him alive, that unskilful one
Will not wish thee further life.
240 And if he places his head in service at thy door,
If he prevail, he will cut off thy head.
Plant not thy foot on the deceiver's foot;
When thou goest and seest him, give him not respite.
I slew him, that impure one, outright with a stone;
For, from a corpse, the tale issues not.
When I saw that I excited tumult,
I escaped from that land and fled.
When thou setst fire to the cane-brake,
If thou art wise, shun the tigers.
245 Slay not the young of the snake, man-biting;
If thou slayst, stand no longer in that dwelling.
When thou disturbst the house of the wasp,
Fly quickly, from that quarter,—lest thou fall.
Cast not thy arrow at one more expert than thyself;
When it falls, seize thy skirt with the teeth (and fly).
In the leaves of Sa'dí, there is only this advice:—
“When thou minest the foundation of a wall,—stand not
there.”
After that resurrection day, I came to Hind;
And, thence, by way of Yaman, to Hijáz.
250 From that amount of bitterness, which passed over me,
To-day only, my mouth became sweet.
In the fortune, and strengthening of Abú Bakr (son) of
Sa'd;
Like whom, neither before nor after, a mother produces.
I came, justice-seeking, from heaven's violence;
I came to this shelter of the shelter-spreader (Abú Bakr).
I am, slave-like, a prayer-utterer for this kingdom;
Oh God! keep perpetually, this shadow,
Which placed not on me a plaster, worthy of the wound;
But, worthy of his own favours and honours.
255 How may I perform thanks for this favour,
Though my head become foot in his service?
After those bonds (of trouble) I obtained joy;
Yet, of those counsels, at my ear, is
One that, at that time, when the hand of supplication,
I raise to the Court of the Knower of Secrets (God),
That Chinese puppet comes to my hand,
It puts dust in the eye of my self-conceit.
I know that the hand, I raised,
I exalted not through my own power.
260 The pious draw not up (of themselves) their hands;
For, they draw the end of the cord through the One unseen
(God).
The door of goodness and devotion is open; but,
Every one is not powerful as to good deeds.
This, indeed, is the hinderer that—into the Court,
Save by the King's order, it is improper to go.
The key of destiny is in no one's hand;
God is absolutely powerful, and that is enough.
Then, oh man running on the straight path!
Thanks are not for thee; they are for God.
265 When He, in the hidden, created thy disposition good,
Bad conduct issues not from thy disposition.
This sweetness from the bee, made appear,
That very Person, who created poison in the snake.
When He wishes to lay waste a country,
He first makes a people afflicted by thee.
And if His bounty be over thee,
He causes ease to reach the people from thee.
Display not pride on the path of truth;
For, they (angels) seized thy hand, and thou didst rise.
270 Speech is profitable, if thou wilt listen;
Thou mayst attain to the (stage of the) men of God, if
thou travel the path of religion,
If they guide thee, thou wilt obtain an abode,
Where, they place thy table-cloth (victual-spread), on the
tray of respect.
But, it is improper that thou shouldst eat alone;
Thou shouldst remember the distressed darvesh (Sa'dí).
Thou didst, perhaps, send mercy upon me;
For, I am not confiding to my own work.
Zarír is a yellow grass with which they dye garments.
↩Through the display of bravery and assault, they rendered all things topsy-turvy.
↩“Sipar dar sipar yáftem” signifies—darmíyán-i-má va eshán parda sákhtem.
In the second line, “báftem”—signifying “muttaṣil va paiwand kar-dem”—sometimes occurs.
When the enemy's horsemen approached and the work of arrow and musket was ended—of necessity, alighting from our horses, and placing the shield in front, we were opposed to the enemy, who did even so.
On both sides, the armies commingled to such a degree that shield to shield became conjoined.
↩“Shist” signifies—ḳulláb, a flsh-hook.
↩For driving away the evil eye, they used to suspend the head of an ox, or an ass.
↩“Kargis” signifies—nasr.
↩“Sábiḳ” signifies—sabaḳ dihanda; khalífa,e maktab.
↩The second line means:—
↩Cause thy exterior to be decked with hypocrisy.
For obvious reasons, couplets 30 to 33 are here omitted.
↩In the 'Iḳd-i-manẓúm, couplets 69 to 71 are omitted.
↩↩“Through fear of want, kill not thy children; we give thee and them daily food.”
A commentator says that the second line may be rendered:—
↩“Men placed, at once, the loss of the beauty of his head, in secret, within their own belly.”
“Zhazh-khá” is opposed to “shakr-khá”; it is synonymous with “behúda-go”; “sakht-go.”
↩↩“If thou knowst, say little;
Utter not one thing a hundred times; say a hundred things once.”
↩Like Sa'dí, who, while he was tongue-bound,
Was free from the calumny of calumniators.
At the beginning of ablution, to say—“Bimi-lláhu-r-raẖmanu-r-raẖím,”—was Muẖammad's command.
↩In the traditions, it is stated:—“If a person oppresses, the boldness of the oppressed goes to the oppressor; and the goodness of the oppressor to the oppressed.
↩↩Take a virgin woman.
The Malámatí is one who keeps secret the worship of God from others, who displays neither goodness nor beauty, and who conceals neither wickedness nor evil.
The Ṣáfí is one whose heart is not engaged with the people.
The Ṣáfí is higher than the other two, because they are obedient to saints and prophets.
They apply the word Ḳalandar to wicked men, on account of their outward similarity to Ḳalandars, and to wine-drinkers. Of these three sects, the Ḳalandar alone shaves his head.
↩Then, as the rose-bud, with the breath of the morning wind, laughs— do thou breathe the breath of fidelity, and see that, rose-like, with much laughter, she will fall in rear and display cordiality.
↩One míl = four thousand camel-paces = one-third of a farsang.
↩Then “khisht-zan,” in the first line means—brick-maker; in the second, brick-caster.
↩↩“From sky to earth, if thou lookst with wisdom,
There is not an atom in which there is not a strange mystery.”
How may he utter thanks for the grace of thanks to God?
↩In Persia, from a willow growing in moist ground.
In Arabia, from a tamarisk, in the district of Mount Sinai. This “manna” is called “ṭúfra.”
In India and Syria, from the camel-thorn. This “manna” is called “al ẖaj.”
“Manna” is of red colour, very sweet; it melts in water. In India, it is used as medicine.
↩