mukarrar kardan murīdāñ ki ḳhalvat rā ba-shikan
How the disciples repeated their request that he should interrupt his seclusion.
jumla guftand ai hakīm-e-raḳhna jū
iiñ fareb-o-īñ jafā bā-mā ma-go
They all said: O sage who seekest a crevice (means of evasion),
say not to us this (word of) guile and harshness.
chaar pā rā qadr tāqat baar neh
bar za'īfāñ qadr-e-quvvat kaar neh
Lay on the beast a burden in proportion to its endurance,
lay on the weak a task in proportion to their strength.
dāna-e-har-murġh andāza vest
silsila-e-har-murġh anjīre kest
The bait for every bird is according to its (the bird's) measure (capacity):
how should a fig be the food (lure) for every bird?
tifl rā gar naañ dehī bar jā-e-shīr
tifl-e-miskīñ rā az aañ naañ murda giir
If you give a babe bread instead of milk, take it
(for granted) that the poor babe will die of the bread;
chūñki dandānihā bar aarad baa'd az aañ
ham ba-ḳhud tālib shavad aañ tifl-e-nāñ
(Yet) afterwards, when it grows teeth, that
babe will of its own accord its heart will crave bread.
murġh par nā-rusta chuñ parrāñ shavad
luqma-e-har-gurba-e-darrāñ shavad
When an unfledged bird begins to fly,
it becomes a mouthful for any rapacious cat;
chuuñ bar aarad par ba-parrad uu ba-ḳhud
be-takalluf be-safīr-e-nek-o-bad
(But) when it grows wings, it will fly of itself without trouble
and without whistling (prompting), good or bad.
dev rā nutq-e-tū ḳhāmush mī kunad
gosh mā rā guft-e-tū hush mī kunad
Thy speech makes the Devil silent,
thy words make our ears (full of) intelligence.
gosh mā hosh ast chuuñ goyā tuī
ḳhushk mā bahrast chuuñ dariyā tuī
Our ears are (full of) intelligence when thou art speaking;
our dry land is a river when thou art the ocean.
bā-tu mā rā ḳhaak behtar az falak
ai samak az tū munavvar tā samak
With thee, earth is better to us than heaven,
O thou by whom (the world from) Arcturus to the Fish is illumined!
be-tu mā rā bar falak tārīkiyast
bā-tu ai maah iiñ falak tārīkiyast
Without thee, darkness is over heaven for us, (but) compared with thee,
O Moon, who is this heaven at all?
sūrat-e-rif'at buvad aflāk rā
mā'nī-e-rif'at ravān-e-pāk rā
The heavens have the form of sublimity,
(but) the essence of sublimity belongs to the pure spirit.
sūrat-e-rif'at barā-e-jism-hāst
jism-hā dar pesh-e-mā'nī ism-hāst
The form of sublimity is for bodies;
beside the essence (reality) bodies are (mere) names.
mukarrar kardan muridan ki KHalwat ra ba-shikan
How the disciples repeated their request that he should interrupt his seclusion.
jumla guftand ai hakim-e-raKHna ju
in fareb-o-in jafa ba-ma ma-go
They all said: O sage who seekest a crevice (means of evasion),
say not to us this (word of) guile and harshness.
chaar pa ra qadr taqat bar neh
bar za'ifan qadr-e-quwwat kar neh
Lay on the beast a burden in proportion to its endurance,
lay on the weak a task in proportion to their strength.
dana-e-har-murgh andaza west
silsila-e-har-murgh anjire kest
The bait for every bird is according to its (the bird's) measure (capacity):
how should a fig be the food (lure) for every bird?
tifl ra gar nan dehi bar ja-e-shir
tifl-e-miskin ra az aan nan murda gir
If you give a babe bread instead of milk, take it
(for granted) that the poor babe will die of the bread;
chunki dandaniha bar aarad ba'd az aan
hum ba-KHud talib shawad aan tifl-e-nan
(Yet) afterwards, when it grows teeth, that
babe will of its own accord its heart will crave bread.
murgh par na-rusta chun parran shawad
luqma-e-har-gurba-e-darran shawad
When an unfledged bird begins to fly,
it becomes a mouthful for any rapacious cat;
chun bar aarad par ba-parrad u ba-KHud
be-takalluf be-safir-e-nek-o-bad
(But) when it grows wings, it will fly of itself without trouble
and without whistling (prompting), good or bad.
dew ra nutq-e-tu KHamush mi kunad
gosh ma ra guft-e-tu hush mi kunad
Thy speech makes the Devil silent,
thy words make our ears (full of) intelligence.
gosh ma hosh ast chun goya tui
KHushk ma bahrast chun dariya tui
Our ears are (full of) intelligence when thou art speaking;
our dry land is a river when thou art the ocean.
ba-tu ma ra KHak behtar az falak
ai samak az tu munawwar ta samak
With thee, earth is better to us than heaven,
O thou by whom (the world from) Arcturus to the Fish is illumined!
be-tu ma ra bar falak tarikiyast
ba-tu ai mah in falak tarikiyast
Without thee, darkness is over heaven for us, (but) compared with thee,
O Moon, who is this heaven at all?
surat-e-rif'at buwad aflak ra
ma'ni-e-rif'at rawan-e-pak ra
The heavens have the form of sublimity,
(but) the essence of sublimity belongs to the pure spirit.
surat-e-rif'at bara-e-jism-hast
jism-ha dar pesh-e-ma'ni ism-hast
The form of sublimity is for bodies;
beside the essence (reality) bodies are (mere) names.
Additional information available
Click on the INTERESTING button to view additional information associated with this sher.
rare Unpublished content
This ghazal contains ashaar not published in the public domain. These are marked by a red line on the left.
