کمترین خلعت که بدهد در ثواب ** بر فزاید بر طراز آفتاب1040
The meanest robe of honour that He bestows in recompense (for good works) excels the embroidered raiment of the sun.
بقیه‌ی قصه‌ی دعوت رحمت بلقیس را
The rest of the story of (the Divine) Mercy’s calling Bilqís.
خیز بلقیسا بیا و ملک بین ** بر لب دریای یزدان در بچین
“Arise, O Bilqís! Come and behold the Kingdom! Gather pearls on the shore of God’s Sea!
خواهرانت ساکن چرخ سنی ** تو بمرداری چه سلطانی کنی
Thy sisters are dwelling in the glorious Heaven: why dost thou behave like a sultan on account of (possessing) a carcase?
خواهرانت را ز بخششهای راد ** هیچ می‌دانی که آن سلطان چه داد
Dost thou know at all what noble gifts that Sultan (God) gave to thy sisters?
تو ز شادی چون گرفتی طبل‌زن ** که منم شاه و رئیس گولحن
How didst thou jubilantly take drummers (into thy service), proclaiming, ‘I am queen and mistress of the bath-stove’?”
مثل قانع شدن آدمی به دنیا و حرص او در طلب دنیا و غفلت او از دولت روحانیان کی ابنای جنس وی‌اند و نعره‌زنان کی یا لیت قومی یعلمون
Parable of Man's being contented with (the goods of) this world, and his greed in seeking (them) and his indifference to the high and blessed estate of the spiritual who are his congeners (and are) crying, "Oh, would that my people might know!"
آن سگی در کو گدای کور دید ** حمله می‌آورد و دلقش می‌درید1045
A dog saw a blind beggar in the street, and was rushing at him and tearing his cloak.
گفته‌ایم این را ولی باری دگر ** شد مکرر بهر تاکید خبر
We have (already) related this, but it is repeated (here) once again in order to strengthen (the effect of) the story.
کور گفتش آخر آن یاران تو ** بر کهند این دم شکاری صیدجو
The blind man said to it (the dog), “Why, at this moment your friends are hunting and seeking prey on the mountain.
قوم تو در کوه می‌گیرند گور ** در میان کوی می‌گیری تو کور
Your kinsfolk are catching onagers in the mountains: you are catching blind men in the streets.”
ترک این تزویر گو شیخ نفور ** آب شوری جمع کرده چند کور
O recalcitrant Shaykh, abandon this imposture: thou art (like) briny water, having gathered some blind men (around thee),
کین مریدان من و من آب شور ** می‌خورند از من همی گردند کور1050
(As though implicitly thou wert) saying, “These are my disciples, and I am (like) briny water: they drink of me and become blind.”
آب خود شیرین کن از بحر لدن ** آب بد را دام این کوران مکن
Sweeten thy water with the esoteric Sea: do not make the foul water a snare for these blind ones.
خیز شیران خدا بین گورگیر ** تو چو سگ چونی بزرقی کورگیر
Arise, behold the lions of God who catch the onager: how art thou, like a dog, catching the blind with a (display of) hypocrisy?
گور چه از صید غیر دوست دور ** جمله شیر و شیرگیر و مست نور
What onager (do they catch)? They are far from hunting aught but the Beloved. They all are lions and lion-catchers and intoxicated with the Light (of God).
در نظاره صید و صیادی شه ** کرده ترک صید و مرده در وله
In contemplation of the chase and hunting of the King, they have abandoned the chase and have become dead in bewilderment.
هم‌چو مرغ مرده‌شان بگرفته یار ** تا کند او جنس ایشان را شکار1055
The Friend has taken them, like a dead bird, that (by means of them) He may hunt down their congeners.
مرغ مرده مضطر اندر وصل و بین ** خوانده‌ای القلب بین اصبعین
The dead bird is compelled (deprived of volition) in respect of being united or separated: you have read (the Hadíth), “The heart is between two fingers (of the Merciful God).”
مرغ مرده‌ش را هر آنک شد شکار ** چون ببیند شد شکار شهریار
Every one that has fallen a prey to His dead bird (will perceive), when he sees (the truth), (that) he has fallen a prey to the King.
هر که او زین مرغ مرده سر بتافت ** دست آن صیاد را هرگز نیافت
Whoever turned his head away from this dead bird never gained the hand of that Hunter.
گوید او منگر به مرداری من ** عشق شه بین در نگهداری من
It (the dead bird) says, “Do not regard my being a carcase: see the King's love (shown) in preserving me.
من نه مردارم مرا شه کشته است ** صورت من شبه مرده گشته است1060
I am not a carcase: the King hath killed me: my appearance has become like (that of) the dead.
جنبشم زین پیش بود از بال و پر ** جنبشم اکنون ز دست دادگر
My former motion was by means of wing and pinion: now my motion proceeds from the hand of the (Divine) Judge.
جنبش فانیم بیرون شد ز پوست ** جنبشم باقیست اکنون چون ازوست
My perishable motion has gone forth from my skin: now my motion is everlasting, since it proceeds from Him.
هر که کژ جنبد به پیش جنبشم ** گرچه سیمرغست زارش می‌کشم
If any one move crookedly (misbehave) in the presence of my motion, I will kill him miserably, (even) though he is the Símurgh.
هین مرا مرده مبین گر زنده‌ای ** در کف شاهم نگر گر بنده‌ای
Beware! If thou art (spiritually) alive, do not deem me dead; if thou art a (devoted) slave (of God), regard me (as being) in the hand of the King.