بخش 54 - حکایت آن شخص کی در عهد داود شب و روز دعا می‌کرد کی مرا روزی حلال ده بی رنج

In the time of the prophet David a certain man, beside every sage and before every simpleton,

Used always to utter this prayer: “O God, bestow on me riches without trouble!

Since Thou hast created me a lazybones, a receiver of blows, a slow mover, a sluggard,

One cannot place on sore-backed luckless asses the load carried by horses and mules.

Inasmuch as Thou, O perfect One, hast created me lazy, do Thou accordingly give me the daily bread by the way of laziness.

I am lazy and sleeping in the shade in (the world of) existence: I sleep in the shade of this Bounty and Munificence.

Surely for them that are lazy and sleeping in the shade Thou hast prescribed a livelihood in another fashion.

Every one that has a foot (power to move) seeks a livelihood: do Thou show some pity towards every one that has no foot.

Send the daily bread to that sorrowful one: waft the rain-clouds towards every land.

Since the land has no foot, Thy munificence drives the clouds doubly towards it.

Since the babe has no foot (means of seeking nutriment), its mother comes and pours the ration (of milk) upon it.

I crave a daily portion (that is bestowed) suddenly without fatigue (on my part), for I have naught of endeavour except the seeking.”

Thus was he praying for a long time, (all) day until night and all night until morning.

The people were laughing at his words, at the folly of his hope, and at his contention,

Saying, “Marvellous! What is he saying—this idiot? Or has some one given him beng (that is the cause) of senselessness?

The way of (getting) daily bread is work and trouble and fatigue; He (God) hath given every one a handicraft and (the capacity for) seeking (a livelihood):

‘Seek ye your daily portions in the means thereof: enter your dwellings by their doors.’

At present the King and ruler and messenger of God is the prophet David, one endowed with many accomplishments.

Notwithstanding such glory and pride as is in him, forasmuch as the favours of the Friend have chosen him out—

His miracles are countless and innumerable, the waves of his bounty are tide upon tide:

When has any one, even from Adam till now, had a (melodious) voice like an organ,

Which at every preaching causes (people) to die? His beautiful voice made two hundred human beings non-existent.

At that time the lion and the deer unite (in turning) towards his exhortation, the one oblivious of the other;

The mountains and the birds are accompanying his breath (voice), both are his confidants in the hour of his calling (únto God);

These and a hundred times as many miracles are (vouchsafed) to him; the light of his countenance is (both) transcendent and immanent—

Notwithstanding all (this) majesty, God must have made his livelihood to be bound up with seeking and endeavour.

Without weaving coats of mail and (without) some trouble (on his part), his livelihood is not coming (to him), notwithstanding all his victoriousness.

(Yet) a God-forsaken abandoned one like this, a low scoundrel and outcast from Heaven,

A backslider of this sort, desires, without trading, at once to fill his skirt (pocket) with gain!

Such a crazy fellow has come forward, saying, ‘I will climb up to the sky without a ladder.’”

This one would say to him derisively, “Go and receive (it), for your daily portion has arrived and the messenger has come with the good news”;

And that one would laugh, (saying), “Give us too (a share) of what you get as a gift, O headman of the village.”

(But) he was not diminishing his prayers and wheedling entreaties because of this abuse and ridicule from the people,

So that he became well-known and celebrated in the town as one who seeks (to obtain) cheese from an empty wallet.

That beggar became a proverb for foolishness, (but) he would not desist from this petitioning.