گر هزاران طالب‌اند و یک ملول ** از رسالت باز می‌ماند رسول
If there are thousands of (eager) seekers (of knowledge) and a single weary (disgusted) one, the Messenger will refrain from delivering his message.
این رسولان ضمیر رازگو ** مستمع خواهند اسرافیل‌خو3605
These mystery-telling Messengers of the hidden Mind require a hearer who has the nature of Isráfíl.
نخوتی دارند و کبری چون شهان ** چاکری خواهند از اهل جهان
They have a haughtiness and pride like (that of) kings: they require service from the people of the world.
تا ادبهاشان بجاگه ناوری ** از رسالتشان چگونه بر خوری
Until you perform the observances due to them, how will you gain profit from their message?
کی رسانند آن امانت را بتو ** تا نباشی پیششان راکع دوتو
How will they deliver that deposit to you till you are bowed double before them?
هر ادبشان کی همی‌آید پسند ** کامدند ایشان ز ایوان بلند
How is every (kind of) observance acceptable to them?—for they have come from the Sublime Palace.
نه گدایانند کز هر خدمتی ** از تو دارند ای مزور منتی3610
They are not beggars, that they should be grateful to you, O impostor, for every service.
لیک با بی‌رغبتیها ای ضمیر ** صدقه‌ی سلطان بیفشان وا مگیر
But, O (thou who art the) inmost consciousness (of God), notwithstanding (their) lack of desire (to hear thy message), scatter the (Divine) Sultan's charity: do not withhold it!
اسپ خود را ای رسول آسمان ** در ملولان منگر و اندر جهان
O heavenly Messenger, do not regard the disgusted ones and let thy horse bound onward!
فرخ آن ترکی که استیزه نهد ** اسپش اندر خندق آتش جهد
Blest is the Turcoman who lays contention aside and whose horse gallops into the moat of fire—
گرم گرداند فرس را آنچنان ** که کند آهنگ اوج آسمان
(Who) makes his horse so hot (in the race) that it seeks to mount to the zenith of the sky;
چشم را از غیر و غیرت دوخته ** همچو آتش خشک و تر را سوخته3615
(Who) has shut his eyes to other (than God) and to jealousy; (who), like fire, has consumed (both) dry and wet.
گر پشیمانی برو عیبی کند ** آتش اول در پشیمانی زند
If repentance find fault with him, he first sets fire to repentance.
خود پشیمانی نروید از عدم ** چون ببیند گرمی صاحب‌قدم
Verily, repentance does not spring forth from non-existence (does not show itself at all), when it sees the ardour of him whose presence brings fortune.
شناختن هر حیوانی بوی عدو خود را و حذر کردن و بطالت و خسارت آنکس کی عدو کسی بود کی ازو حذر ممکن نیست و فرار ممکن نی و مقابله ممکن نی
How every animal knows the smell of its enemy and takes precaution. The folly and perdition of him that is the enemy of that One against whom precaution is impossible, and flight is impossible, and resistance is impossible.
اسپ داند بانگ و بوی شیر را ** گر چه حیوانست الا نادرا
The horse, though it is an animal, knows the roar and smell of the lion except in rare instances;
بل عدو خویش را هر جانور ** خود بداند از نشان و از اثر
Nay, every animal indeed knows its own enemy by sign and mark.
روز خفاشک نیارد بر پرید ** شب برون آمد چو دزدان و چرید3620
The little bat durst not fly in the daytime: it came out at night, like thieves, and pastured (got food for itself).
از همه محروم‌تر خفاش بود ** که عدو آفتاب فاش بود
The bat (bat-like man) was more damned than all (others), because he was the enemy of the manifest Sun.
نه تواند در مصافش زخم خورد ** نه بنفرین تاندش مهجور کرد
He cannot be wounded in battle with him (the Sun), nor can he drive him (the Sun) away by cursing.
آفتابی که بگرداند قفاش ** از برای غصه و قهر خفاش
The Sun who turns his back on account of the rage and violence of the bat—
غایت لطف و کمال او بود ** گرنه خفاشش کجا مانع شود
’Tis the extreme of kindness and perfection on his part; otherwise, how should the bat prevent him (from exacting vengeance)?
دشمنی گیری بحد خویش گیر ** تا بود ممکن که گردانی اسیر3625
(If) you take (any one as) an enemy, take within your limit (capacity), so that it may be possible for you to make (him your) prisoner.
قطره با قلزم چو استیزه کند ** ابلهست او ریش خود بر می‌کند
When (one like) a drop of water contends with the Ocean, he is a fool: he is tearing out his own beard.
حیلت او از سبالش نگذرد ** چنبره‌ی حجره‌ی قمر چون بر درد
His cunning does not pass beyond his moustache: how should it penetrate the vaulted chamber of the Moon?
با عدو آفتاب این بد عتاب ** ای عدو آفتاب آفتاب
This (preceding discourse) was a rebuke (addressed) to the enemy of the Sun, O enemy of the Sun of the Sun.