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1
1046-1070

  • از صفا گر دم زنی با آینه ** تیره گردد زود با ما آینه‌‌
  • If from guilelessness you breathe words to a mirror, the mirror at once becomes dim to us.

  • در بیان این سه کم جنبان لبت ** از ذهاب و از ذهب وز مذهبت‌‌
  • Do not move your lip in explanation of these three things, (namely) concerning your departure and your gold and your religion;

  • کین سه را خصم است بسیار و عدو ** در کمینت ایستد چون داند او
  • For to these three there is many an adversary and foe standing in wait for you when he knows (about any of them).

  • ور بگویی با یکی دو الوداع ** کل سر جاوز الاثنین شاع‌‌
  • And if you tell (only) one or two (a few people), farewell (to your secret): every secret that goes beyond the twain (who share it) is published abroad.

  • گر دو سه پرنده را بندی به هم ** بر زمین مانند محبوس از الم‌‌ 1050
  • If you tie two or three birds together, they will remain on the ground, imprisoned by grief;

  • مشورت دارند سرپوشیده خوب ** در کنایت با غلط افکن مشوب‌‌
  • (But in truth) they hold a consultation well-disguised and mingled, in its (apparent) significance, with that which casts error (into the mind of any one who observes them).

  • مشورت کردی پیمبر بسته سر ** گفته ایشانش جواب و بی‌‌خبر
  • (Similarly) the Prophet used to take counsel, (speaking) cryptically, and they (his companions) would answer him and (would be) without knowledge (of his real meaning).

  • در مثالی بسته گفتی رای را ** تا نداند خصم از سر پای را
  • He would speak his opinion in a covert parable, in order that the adversary might not know foot from head.

  • او جواب خویش بگرفتی از او ** وز سؤالش می‌‌نبردی غیر بو
  • He (the Prophet) would receive his answer from him (the adversary), while the other would not catch the smell (drift) of his question.

  • قصه‌‌ی مکر خرگوش‌‌
  • The story of the hare's stratagem.

  • ساعتی تاخیر کرد اندر شدن ** بعد از آن شد پیش شیر پنجه زن‌‌ 1055
  • He delayed awhile in going, then he went before the lion who rends (his prey) with claws.

  • ز آن سبب کاندر شدن او ماند دیر ** خاک را می‌‌کند و می‌‌غرید شیر
  • Because he tarried late in going, the lion was tearing up the earth and roaring.

  • گفت من گفتم که عهد آن خسان ** خام باشد خام و سست و نارسان‌‌
  • “I said,” cried the lion, “that the promise of those vile ones would be vain—vain and frail and unfulfilled.

  • دمدمه‌‌ی ایشان مرا از خر فگند ** چند بفریبد مرا این دهر چند
  • Their palaver has duped me: how long will this Time deceive me, how long?”

  • سخت درماند امیر سست ریش ** چون نه پس بیند نه پیش از احمقیش‌‌
  • The prince that hath no strength in his beard is left sorely in the lurch when by reason of his folly he looks neither backwards nor forwards.

  • راه هموار است و زیرش دامها ** قحط معنی در میان نامها 1060
  • The road is smooth, and under it are pitfalls: amidst the names there is a dearth of meaning.

  • لفظها و نامها چون دامهاست ** لفظ شیرین ریگ آب عمر ماست‌‌
  • Words and names are like pitfalls: the sweet (flattering) word is the sand for (the sand that sucks up) the water of our life.

  • آن یکی ریگی که جوشد آب ازو ** سخت کمیاب است رو آن را بجو
  • The one sand whence water gushes is seldom to be found: go, seek it.

  • منبع حکمت شود حکمت طلب ** فارغ آید او ز تحصیل و سبب‌‌
  • He that searches after wisdom becomes a fountain of wisdom; he becomes independent of acquisition and (ways and) means.

  • لوح حافظ لوح محفوظی شود ** عقل او از روح محظوظی شود
  • The guarding tablet becomes a Guarded Tablet; his understanding becomes enriched by the Spirit.

  • چون معلم بود عقلش ز ابتدا ** بعد از این شد عقل شاگردی و را 1065
  • When his understanding has been his teacher at the beginning, after this the understanding becomes his pupil.

  • عقل چون جبریل گوید احمدا ** گر یکی گامی نهم سوزد مرا
  • The understanding says, like Gabriel, “O Ahmad (Mohammed), if I take one (more) step, it will burn me;

  • تو مرا بگذار زین پس پیش ران ** حد من این بود ای سلطان جان‌‌
  • Do thou leave me, henceforth advance (alone): this is my limit, O sultan of the soul!”

  • هر که ماند از کاهلی بی‌‌شکر و صبر ** او همین داند که گیرد پای جبر
  • Whoever, through heedlessness, remains without thanksgiving and patience (selfcontrol), knows (no resource) but this, that he should follow in the heels of necessity (jabr).

  • هر که جبر آورد خود رنجور کرد ** تا همان رنجوری‌‌اش در گور کرد
  • Any one who pleads necessity (as an excuse) feigns himself to be ill, with the result that the (feigned) illness brings him to the grave.

  • گفت پیغمبر که رنجوری به لاغ ** رنج آرد تا بمیرد چون چراغ‌‌ 1070
  • The Prophet said, “Illness (assumed) in jest brings (real) disease, so that he (the jester) dies like a lamp.”