گر ضریری لمترست و تیز خشم ** گوشت پارهش دان چو او را نیست چشم 485
If a blind man is big and choleric, deem him (only) a piece of flesh, since he has no eye (eye-sight).
گر سخن گوید ز مو باریکتر ** آن سرش را ز آن سخن نبود خبر
Though he (the blind imitator) speak words finer than a hair, his heart has no knowledge of these words.
مستیی دارد ز گفت خود و لیک ** از بر وی تا به می راهی است نیک
He has a certain intoxication from his own words, but there is a good way (distance) between him and the Wine.
همچو جوی است او نه او آبی خورد ** آب از او بر آب خواران بگذرد
He is like a river-bed: it does not drink any water; the water passes through it to the water-drinkers.
آب در جو ز آن نمیگیرد قرار ** ز آن که آن جو نیست تشنه و آب خوار
The water does not settle in the river-bed because the river-bed is not thirsty and water-drinking.
همچو نایی نالهی زاری کند ** لیک بیگار خریداری کند 490
Like a reed-flute, he makes a piteous lament, but he (only) seeks a purchaser (admirer).
نوحهگر باشد مقلد در حدیث ** جز طمع نبود مراد آن خبیث
The imitator in his discourse is (like) a professional mourner: that wicked man has no motive except cupidity.
نوحهگر گوید حدیث سوزناک ** لیک کو سوز دل و دامان چاک
The professional mourner utters burning words (of grief), but where is the glow of heart (heartfelt sorrow) and the rent skirt?
از محقق تا مقلد فرقهاست ** کاین چو داود است و آن دیگر صداست
Between the true knower and the blind imitator there are (great) differences, for the former is like David, while the other is (but) an echo.
منبع گفتار این سوزی بود ** و آن مقلد کهنه آموزی بود
The source of the former’s words is a glow (of feeling), whereas the imitator is one who learns old things (by rote).
هین مشو غره بدان گفت حزین ** بار بر گاو است و بر گردون حنین 495
Beware! Be not duped by those sorrowful words” the ox bears the load, but it is the cart that moans (creaks).
هم مقلد نیست محروم از ثواب ** نوحهگر را مزد باشد در حساب
Even the imitator is not disappointed of the (Divine) recompense: the professional mourner gets his wages at the (time of) reckoning.
کافر و مومن خدا گویند لیک ** در میان هر دو فرقی هست نیک
(Both) infidel and true believer say “God,” but there is a good difference between the two.
آن گدا گوید خدا از بهر نان ** متقی گوید خدا از عین جان
The beggar says “God” for the sake of bread; the devout man says “God” from his soul.
گر بدانستی گدا از گفت خویش ** پیش چشم او نه کم ماندی نه پیش
If the beggar distinguished (God as He really is) from his own saying (the name of God), neither less nor more would remain before his eye.
سالها گوید خدا آن نان خواه ** همچو خر مصحف کشد از بهر کاه 500
For years that bread-seeker says “god”; like the ass, he carries the Qur’án for the sake of (being fed with) straw.
گر بدل در تافتی گفت لبش ** ذره ذره گشته بودی قالبش
Had the word on his lips shone forth in his heart, his body would have been shivered to atoms.
نام دیوی ره برد در ساحری ** تو به نام حق پشیزی میبری
In sorcery the name of a demon finds the way (to success); you are earning a petty coin by means of the Name of God.
خاریدن روستایی در تاریکی شیر را به گمان آن که گاو اوست
How a peasant stroked a lion in the dark, because he thought it was his ox.
روستایی گاو در آخر ببست ** شیر گاوش خورد و بر جایش نشست
A peasant tied an ox in the stable: a lion ate his ox and sat in its place.
روستایی شد در آخر سوی گاو ** گاو را میجست شب آن کنج کاو
The peasant went into the stable to (see) the ox: the man, groping into corners, was seeking the ox at night.
دست میمالید بر اعضای شیر ** پشت و پهلو گاه بالا گاه زیر 505
He was rubbing his hand on the limbs of the lion, back and side, now above, now below.
گفت شیر ار روشنی افزون شدی ** زهرهاش بدریدی و دل خون شدی
The lion said, “If the light were to become greater, his gall-bladder would burst and his heart would turn to blood.
این چنین گستاخ ز آن میخاردم ** کاو درین شب گاو میپنداردم
He is stroking me like this so boldly because in this (dark) night he thinks I am the ox.”
حق همیگوید که ای مغرور کور ** نه ز نامم پاره پاره گشت طور
God is saying, “O blind dupe, did not Túr (Sinai) fall in pieces at My Name?
که لو انزلنا کتابا للجبل ** لانصدع ثم انقطع ثم ارتحل
For if We had sent down (revealed) a Book to the mountain, it would have been riven asunder, then cut to pieces, and then it would have departed (disappeared).