این بداند کان که اهل خاطر است ** غایب آفاق او را حاضر است
Let him (the objector) know that to one who receives ideas (from God) all that is absent in the world is present.
پیش مریم حاضر آید در نظر ** مادر یحیی که دور است از بصر
To Mary, the mother of Yahyá would appear present, though she was far from her (bodily) sight.
دیدهها بسته ببیند دوست را ** چون مشبک کرده باشد پوست را
One may see a friend (even) with eyes shut, when one has made the skin (the bodily envelope) a lattice (to let in spiritual ideas).
ور ندیدش نه از برون نز اندرون ** از حکایت گیر معنی ای زبون3615
And if she saw her neither from without nor from within, take the (essential) meaning of the story, O imbecile!
نه چنان کافسانهها بشنیده بود ** همچو شین بر نقش آن چسبیده بود
Not like him who had heard (some) fables, and like sh stuck to the (literal) shape of them,
تا همیگفت آن کلیله بیزبان ** چون سخن نوشد ز دمنه بیبیان
So that he would say, “How should Kalíla, having no language, hear words from Dimna who had no power of expression?
ور بدانستند لحن همدگر ** فهم آن چون کرد بینطقی بشر
And (even) if they knew each other's accents, how should man understand it (their talk), (since it was) without any articulation?
در میان شیر و گاو آن دمنه چون ** شد رسول و خواند بر هر دو فسون
How did Dimna become a messenger between the lion and the ox, and cajole them both with his palaver?
چون وزیر شیر شد گاو نبیل ** چون ز عکس ماه ترسان گشت پیل3620
How did the noble ox become the vizier of the lion? How was the elephant terrified by the reflection of the moon?
این کلیله و دمنه جمله افتری است ** ور نه کی با زاغ لکلک را مری است
This Kalíla and Dimna is entirely fiction, or else how has the stork a quarrel with the crow?”
ای برادر قصه چون پیمانهای است ** معنی اندر وی مثال دانهای است
O brother, the story is like a measure: the real meaning in it resembles grain (in the measure).
دانهی معنی بگیرد مرد عقل ** ننگرد پیمانه را گر گشت نقل
The man of intelligence will take the grain of meaning: he will not pay any regard to the measure, (even) if it is removed (altogether).
ماجرای بلبل و گل گوش دار ** گر چه گفتی نیست آن جا آشکار
Listen to what passes between the rose and the nightingale, though in that case there is no overt speech.
سخن گفتن به زبان حال و فهم کردن آن
On mute eloquence and the understanding of it.
ماجرای شمع با پروانه نیز ** بشنو و معنی گزین کن ای عزیز3625
Listen to what passes between the moth and the candle, and pick out the meaning from the tale.
گر چه گفتی نیست سر گفت هست ** هین ببالا پر مپر چون جغد پست
Albeit there is no speech, there is the inmost soul of speech. Come, fly aloft, do not fly low, like the owl.
گفت در شطرنج کاین خانهی رخ است ** گفت خانه از کجاش آمد بدست
He (the player) at chess said, “This is the house of the rook.” “By what way,” said he (the literalist), “did the house come into its hands?
خانه را بخرید یا میراث یافت ** فرخ آن کس کاو سوی معنی شتافت
Did it buy the house, or inherit it?”—Happy is he that sped towards the (real) meaning!
گفت نحوی زید عمرا قد ضرب ** گفت چونش کرد بیجرمی ادب
A grammarian said, “Zayd has struck ‘Amr.” Said (the fool), “How did he chastise him without any offence (on his part)?
عمرو را جرمش چه بد کان زید خام ** بیگنه او را بزد همچون غلام3630
What was ‘Amr's offence, that that rude Zayd struck him, innocent (though he was), as (if he were) a slave?”
گفت این پیمانهی معنی بود ** گندمی بستان که پیمانه است رد
He (the grammarian) replied, “This (form of words) is (only) the measure (container) of the meaning signified: take some wheat, for the measure is (to be) rejected.
زید و عمرو از بهر اعراب است و ساز ** گر دروغ است آن تو با اعراب ساز
Zayd and ‘Amr are for the purpose of (showing) the declension and (grammatical) construction: if that (statement that Zayd struck ‘Amr) is untrue, make up with the declension.”
گفت نه من آن ندانم عمرو را ** زید چون زد بیگناه و بیخطا
“Nay,” said he, “I don't know about that. How did Zayd strike ‘Amr without (his committing any) crime or fault?”
گفت از ناچار و لاغی بر گشود ** عمرو یک واو فزون دزدیده بود
He (the grammarian) in desperation started a joke and said, “‘Amr had stolen a superfluous wáw.
زید واقف گشت دزدش را بزد ** چون که از حد برد او را حد سزد3635
Zayd became aware, and struck the stealer of it: since he (‘Amr) carried it beyond bounds (transgressed the law), the punishment serves him right.”
پذیرا آمدن سخن باطل در دل باطلان
How worthless sayings find acceptance in the minds of worthless folk.
گفت اینک راست پذرفتم به جان ** کج نماید راست در پیش کجان
He (the fool) said, “Here you are, this is the truth! I accept (it) with (all) my soul.” Wrong seems right to the wrong-minded.