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کور مرغانیم و بس ناساختیم ** کان سلیمان را دمی نشناختیم
- Blind birds are we and very inept, in that we have not once recognised that Solomon.
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همچو جغدان دشمن بازان شدیم ** لاجرم واماندهی ویران شدیم
- Like the owls, we have become hostile to the falcons: consequently we are left behind (to dwell) in the place of ruin.
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میکنیم از غایت جهل و عما ** قصد آزار عزیزان خدا
- Because of (our) extreme ignorance and blindness we are seeking to hurt those honoured of God.
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جمع مرغان کز سلیمان روشنند ** پر و بال بیگنه کی بر کنند
- How should the flock of birds which are enlightened by Solomon tear out the wings and plumes of the innocent?
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بلکه سوی عاجزان چینه کشند ** بیخلاف و کینه آن مرغان خوشند 3750
- Nay, they would bring grain to the helpless ones: gentle are those birds and without pugnacity or hatred.
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هدهد ایشان پی تقدیس را ** میگشاید راه صد بلقیس را
- Their hoopoe, for the sake of glorifying (Solomon), unfolds the way (towards Him) to a hundred like Bilqís.
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زاغ ایشان گر به صورت زاغ بود ** باز همت آمد و ما زاغ بود
- Their crow, (even) if it was a crow in outward aspect, was (really) a falcon in aspiration and (one whose gaze) turned not aside.
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لکلک ایشان که لک لک میزند ** آتش توحید در شک میزند
- Their stork, which cries lak lak, casts upon doubt (and disbelief) the fire of the profession of Unity;
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و آن کبوترشان ز بازان نشکهد ** باز سر پیش کبوترشان نهد
- And their dove is not scared by hawks: the hawk lays his head (in homage) before their dove.
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بلبل ایشان که حالت آرد او ** در درون خویش گلشن دارد او 3755
- Their nightingale, which throws thee into ecstasy, hath the rose-garden in its heart.
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طوطی ایشان ز قند آزاد بود ** کز درون قند ابد رویش نمود
- Their parrot was (always) independent of sugar, for the sugar of everlastingness showed its face (was revealed) to it from within.
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پای طاوسان ایشان در نظر ** بهتر از طاوس پران دگر
- The feet of their peacocks are fairer to see than (all) others in peacock's plumage.
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منطق الطیران خاقانی صداست ** منطق الطیر سلیمانی کجاست
- The speeches of princely birds are (meaningless as) an echo: where is the speech of the birds of Solomon?
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تو چه دانی بانگ مرغان را همی ** چون ندیدهستی سلیمان را دمی
- How wilt thou know the cries of the birds, when thou hast never seen Solomon for a single moment?
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پر آن مرغی که بانگش مطرب است ** از برون مشرق است و مغرب است 3760
- The wings of that bird whose note thrills (them that can hear it) are beyond East and West.
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هر یک آهنگش ز کرسی تاثری است ** وز ثری تا عرش در کر و فری است
- Its every course is from the Footstool of God to the earth, and from the earth to the Throne of God it moves in glory and majesty.
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مرغ کاو بیاین سلیمان میرود ** عاشق ظلمت چو خفاشی بود
- The bird that goes without this Solomon is in love with darkness, like a bat.
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با سلیمان خو کن ای خفاش رد ** تا که در ظلمت نمانی تا ابد
- Make thyself familiar with Solomon, O reprobate bat, in order that thou mayst not remain in darkness for ever.
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یک گزی ره که بدان سو میروی ** همچو گز قطب مساحت میشوی
- When thou goest one ell's length in that direction, like the ell thou wilt become the standard of measurement;
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و انکه لنگ و لوک آن سو میجهی ** از همه لنگی و لوکی میرهی 3765
- And (even by) thy hopping lamely and limply in that direction, thou wilt be freed from all lameness and limpness.
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قصهی بط بچگان که مرغ خانگی پروردشان
- The story of the ducklings which were fostered by a domestic fowl.
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تخم بطی گر چه مرغ خانهات ** کرد زیر پر چو دایه تربیت
- Thou art the offspring of a duck, though a domestic fowl has fostered thee as a nurse beneath her wing.
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مادر تو بط آن دریا بدهست ** دایهات خاکی بد و خشکی پرست
- Thy mother was the duck of that Sea; thy nurse was of the earth and devoted to the dry land.
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میل دریا که دل تو اندر است ** آن طبیعت جانت را از مادر است
- The desire which is in thy heart for the Sea—thy soul hath that nature (instinct) from thy mother.
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میل خشکی مر ترا زین دایه است ** دایه را بگذار کاو بد رایه است
- The desire thou hast for the dry land is from this nurse. Leave the nurse, for she is an evil counsellor.
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دایه را بگذار در خشک و بران ** اندر آن در بحر معنی چون بطان 3770
- Leave the nurse on the dry land, and press on: come into the Sea of spiritual reality, like the ducks.