کس نداند از خرد او را شناخت ** چون که او مر خویش را دیوانه ساخت2350
No one can recognise him by means of wisdom when he has feigned to be mad.
چون بدزدد دزد بینایی ز کور ** هیچ یابد دزد را او در عبور
When a seeing thief steals from a blind man, can he at all detect (the identity of) the thief (who is) in the act of passing?
کور نشناسد که دزد او که بود ** گر چه خود بر وی زند دزد عنود
The blind man does not know who it was that robbed him, even though the wicked thief may knock against him.
چون گزد سگ کور صاحب ژنده را ** کی شناسد آن سگ درنده را
When a dog bites a blind ragged mendicant, how should he recognise that ferocious dog?
حمله بردن سگ بر کور گدا
How the dog attacked the mendicant who was blind.
یک سگی در کوی بر کور گدا ** حمله میآورد چون شیر وغا
A dog was attacking, as (though it were) a warlike lion, a blind mendicant in a certain street.
سگ کند آهنگ درویشان به خشم ** در کشد مه خاک درویشان به چشم2355
The dog rushes angrily at dervishes; the moon smears her eyes with dust of (the feet of) dervishes.
کور عاجز شد ز بانگ و بیم سگ ** اندر آمد کور در تعظیم سگ
The blind man was made helpless by the dog's barking and by (his) fear of the dog; the blind man began to pay honour to the dog.
کای امیر صید و ای شیر شکار ** دست دست تست دست از من بدار
Saying, “O prince of the chase, and O lion of the hunt, thine is the (upper) hand: refrain thy hand from me!”—
کز ضرورت دم خر را آن حکیم ** کرد تعظیم و لقب دادش کریم
For, (moved) by necessity, that (renowned) philosopher paid honour to (one vile as) the tail of an ass, and gave him the title of “noble.”
گفت او هم از ضرورت کای اسد ** از چو من لاغر شکارت چه رسد
He (the blind man) too, of necessity, said, “O lion, what (good) will come to thee from such a meagre prey as I am?
گور میگیرند یارانت به دشت ** کور میگیری تو در کوچه به گشت2360
Thy friends are catching onagers in the desert; thou art catching a blind man in the street; this is bad.
گور میجویند یارانت به صید ** کور میجویی تو در کوچه به کید
Thy friends seek on agers by hunting (them); thou in (mere) malice seekest a blind man in the street.”
آن سگ عالم شکار گور کرد ** وین سگ بیمایه قصد کور کرد
The knowing dog has made the onager his prey, while this worthless dog has attacked a blind man.
علم چون آموخت سگ رست از ضلال ** میکند در بیشهها صید حلال
When the dog has learned the knowledge (imparted to him), he has escaped from error: he hunts lawful prey in the jungles.
سگ چو عالم گشت شد چالاک زحف ** سگ چو عارف گشت شد ز اصحاب کهف
When the dog has become knowing (‘álim), he marches briskly; when the dog has become a knower of God (‘árif), he becomes (as) the Men of the Cave.
سگ شناسا شد که میر صید کیست ** ای خدا آن نور اشناسنده چیست2365
The dog has come to know who is the Master of the hunt. O God, what is that knowing light?
کور نشناسد نه از بیچشمی است ** بلکه این ز آن است کز جهل است مست
(If) the blind man knows it not, ’tis not from (his) having no eye (to see); nay, ’tis because he is drunken with ignorance.
نیست خود بیچشم تر کور از زمین ** این زمین از فضل حق شد خصم بین
Truly, the blind man is not more eyeless than the earth; and this earth, by the grace of God, has become a seer of (God's) enemies.
نور موسی دید و موسی را نواخت ** خسف قارون کرد و قارون را شناخت
It saw the Light of Moses and showed kindness to Moses; (but) Qárún it engulfed, (for) it knew Qárún.
رجف کرد اندر هلاک هر دعی ** فهم کرد از حق که یا أرض ابلعی
It quaked for the destruction of every false pretender: it understood (the words that came) from God, “O earth, swallow (thy water)!”
خاک و آب و باد و نار با شرر ** بیخبر با ما و با حق با خبر2370
Earth and water and air and sparking fire are unacquainted with us, but acquainted with God.
ما بعکس آن ز غیر حق خبیر ** بیخبر از حق و از چندین نذیر
Contrariwise, we are aware of (things) other than God, (but) unaware (heedless) of God and of so many warners (prophets).
لاجرم أشفقن منها جملهشان ** کند شد ز آمیز حیوان حملهشان
As a necessary consequence, they (the elements) all shrank from (accepting) it (the trust offered to them): (the edge of) their impulse to partake of life was blunted.
گفته بیزاریم جمله زین حیات ** کاو بود با خلق حی با حق موات
They said, “We all are averse to this life, (namely), that one should be living in relation to created beings and dead in relation to God.”
چون بماند از خلق گردد او یتیم ** انس حق را قلب میباید سلیم
When he (any one) remains away from created beings, he is orphaned (single): for intimacy with God, the heart must be free (from relations with aught besides).