English    Türkçe    فارسی   

2
303-327

  • آلت زرگر به دست کفشگر ** همچو دانه‏ی کشت کرده ریگ در
  • The goldsmith's tool in the hand of a shoemaker is like a seed sown in sand;

  • و آلت اسکاف پیش برزگر ** پیش سگ کاه استخوان در پیش خر
  • And the cobbler's tool (put) before the husbandman is (as) straw before a dog (or) bones before an ass.

  • بود انا الحق در لب منصور نور ** بود انا الله در لب فرعون زور 305
  • “I am God” on the lips of Mansúr was the light (of truth); “I am Allah” on the lips of Pharaoh was a lie.

  • شد عصا اندر کف موسی گوا ** شد عصا اندر کف ساحر هبا
  • In the hand of Moses the rod became a witness (to the truth); in the hand of the magician the rod became (worthless as) motes in the air.

  • زین سبب عیسی بدان همراه خود ** در نیاموزید آن اسم صمد
  • On this account Jesus did not teach his fellow-traveller that Name of the Lord,

  • کاو نداند نقص بر آلت نهد ** سنگ بر گل زن تو آتش کی جهد
  • For he would not know (its proper use) and would attribute imperfection to the tool (which he misused). Strike stone on clay, and how should fire leap forth?

  • دست و آلت همچو سنگ و آهن است ** جفت باید جفت شرط زادن است‏
  • Hand and tool are as stone and iron; there must be a pair: (the existence of) a pair is the condition (necessary) for bringing to birth.

  • آن که بی‏جفت است و بی‏آلت یکی است ** در عدد شک است و آن یک بی‏شکی است‏ 310
  • The One is He who hath no consort and no tool; in number there is doubt, and that One is beyond doubt.

  • آن که دو گفت و سه گفت و بیش ازین ** متفق باشند در واحد یقین‏
  • Those who say “two” or “three” or more than these (numbers) are certainly agreed in (affirming the existence of) One.

  • احولی چون دفع شد یکسان شوند ** دو سه گویان هم یکی گویان شوند
  • When squinting has been put aside (so that they see correctly), they become alike: the assertors of two or three become assertors of Unity.

  • گر یکی گویی تو در میدان او ** گرد بر می‏گرد از چوگان او
  • If you are a ball in His polo-field, keep spinning round from (the blows of) His polo-stick.

  • گوی آن گه راست و بی‏نقصان شود ** که ز زخم دست شه رقصان شود
  • The ball becomes right and flawless (only) at the time when it is made to dance by the stroke of the King's hand.

  • گوش دار ای احول اینها را به هوش ** داروی دیده بکش از راه گوش‏ 315
  • Give ear heedfully to these (sayings), O squinting one: apply the eye-salve by way of the ear.

  • پس کلام پاک در دلهای کور ** می‏نپاید می‏رود تا اصل نور
  • Holy words, then, do not abide in blind hearts, (but) go to the Light whence they came,

  • و آن فسون دیو در دلهای کژ ** می‏رود چون کفش کژ در پای کژ
  • While the (guileful) spell of the Devil goes into crooked (perverse) hearts as a crooked shoe on to a crooked foot.

  • گر چه حکمت را به تکرار آوری ** چون تو نااهلی شود از تو بری‏
  • Though you may learn Wisdom by rote, it becomes quit of you when you are unworthy (to receive it);

  • ور چه بنویسی نشانش می‏کنی ** ور چه می‏لافی بیانش می‏کنی‏
  • And though you write it and note it (down), and though you brag (about it) and expound it,

  • او ز تو رو در کشد ای پر ستیز ** بندها را بگسلد وز تو گریز 320
  • It withdraws its face from you, O disputatious one: it snaps its bonds and (takes) flight from you.

  • ور نخوانی و ببیند سوز تو ** علم باشد مرغ دست‏آموز تو
  • (But) if you read not and it sees your ardour (of love), Knowledge will be a bird docile (and obedient) to your hand.

  • او نپاید پیش هر نااوستا ** همچو طاوسی به خانه‏ی روستا
  • It does not abide with every unskilled tiro: (it is) like a peacock (which does not stay) in the house of a peasant.

  • یافتن پادشاه باز را به خانه‏ی کمپیر زن
  • How the King found his falcon in the house of a decrepit old woman.

  • دین نه آن باز است کاو از شه گریخت ** سوی آن کمپیر کاو می‏آرد بیخت‏
  • Religion is not (like) the falcon that fled from the King to the old crone who was sifting flour

  • تا که تتماجی پزد اولاد را ** دید آن باز خوش خوش زاد را
  • That she might cook tutmáj for her children. (When) she saw the beautiful well-born falcon,

  • پایکش بست و پرش کوتاه کرد ** ناخنش ببرید و قوتش کاه کرد 325
  • She tied its little foot and clipped its wings; she cut its talons and fed it with straw.

  • گفت نااهلان نکردندت به ساز ** پر فزود از حد و ناخن شد دراز
  • “Unworthy folk,” said she, “have not kept thee in (good) trim: thy wings are overgrown and thy talons have become long.

  • دست هر نااهل بیمارت کند ** سوی مادر آ که تیمارت کند
  • Every unworthy one's hand makes thee ill: come to thy mother that she may take care of thee.”