بانگ هدهد گر بیاموزد فتی ** راز هدهد کو و پیغام سبا
If a man learn the cry of the hoopoe, (yet) where is the mystery of the hoopoe and the message from Sabá?
بانگ بر رسته ز بر بسته بدان ** تاج شاهان را ز تاج هدهدان
Know (distinguish) the natural cry from the artificial one, (know) the crown of kings from the crown (crest) of hoopoes.
حرف درویشان و نکته‌ی عارفان ** بسته‌اند این بی‌حیایان بر زبان
These shameless persons have attached to their tongues the speech of dervishes and the deep sayings of gnostics.
هر هلاک امت پیشین که بود ** زانک چندل را گمان بردند عود
Every destruction of an olden people that there was—(it was) because they deemed sandal-wood to be (common) wood.
بودشان تمییز کان مظهر کند ** لیک حرص و آز کور و کر کند1705
They had the discernment that should make that (difference) evident, but greed and cupidity make (men) blind and deaf.
کوری کوران ز رحمت دور نیست ** کوری حرص است که آن معذور نیست
The blindness of the (physically) blind is not far from (the Divine) mercy; ’tis the blindness of greed that is inexcusable.
چارمیخ شه ز رحمت دور نی ** چار میخ حاسدی مغفور نی
Crucifixion (tribulation) inflicted by the King (God) is not far from mercy; the crucifixion (torment) of envy is not forgiven (by God).
ماهیا آخر نگر بنگر بشست ** بدگلویی چشم آخربینت بست
O fish, regard the end; do not regard the hook: evil appetite has bandaged (blindfolded) thine eye that sees the end.
با دو دیده اول و آخر ببین ** هین مباش اعور چو ابلیس لعین
See the beginning and the end with both eyes: beware, do not be one-eyed like the accursed Iblís.
اعور آن باشد که حالی دید و بس ** چون بهایم بی‌خبر از بازپس1710
The one-eyed man is he who saw only the present—ignorant, like the beasts, of (what comes) after.
چون دو چشم گاو در جرم تلف ** هم‌چو یک چشمست کش نبود شرف
Since the two eyes of an ox are (rated) as one eye (of a man) in (the case of) damages for (their) destruction—for it (the ox) hath no excellence—
نصف قیمت ارزد آن دو چشم او ** که دو چشمش راست مسند چشم تو
Its two eyes are worth (only) a half of its value, inasmuch as thine eye is the support for its two eyes.
ور کنی یک چشم آدم‌زاده‌ای ** نصف قیمت لایقست از جاده‌ای
But if thou destroy one eye of a son of Adam, by a statute (of the Law) thou must pay half of his value,
زانک چشم آدمی تنها به خود ** بی دو چشم یار کاری می‌کند
Because the human eye works alone by itself without (assistance from) the two eyes of a friend.
چشم خر چون اولش بی آخرست ** گر دو چشمش هست حکمش اعورست1715
Since (the power of) the donkey's eye (to see) the beginning is not accompanied by (power to see) the end, it (the donkey) is in the same case as the one-eyed man, (even) if it has two eyes.
این سخن پایان ندارد وان خفیف ** می‌نویسد رقعه در طمع رغیف
This topic hath no limit—and that light-minded (foolish) one is writing a letter in hope of loaves.
بقیه‌ی نوشتن آن غلام رقعه به طلب اجری
The rest of the story of the slave’s writing a petition for his allowance.
رفت پیش از نامه پیش مطبخی ** کای بخیل از مطبخ شاه سخی
Before (writing) the letter he went to the kitchen-stewerd and said, “O niggard of the kitchen of the generous king,
دور ازو وز همت او کین قدر ** از جری‌ام آیدش اندر نظر
‘Tis far from him and from his magnanimity that this (small) amount (matter) of my allowance should come into his consideration.”
گفت بهر مصلحت فرموده است ** نه برای بخل و نه تنگی دست
He (the steward) said, “He has ordered (so) for a good object, not on account of stinginess or close-fistedness.”
گفت دهلیزیست والله این سخن ** پیش شه خاکست هم زر کهن1720
“By God,” he replied, “this is a canard: even old gold is as dust in the king’s eyes.”
مطبخی ده گونه حجت بر فراشت ** او همه رد کرد از حرصی که داشت
The steward raised up manifold arguments: he rejected them all because of the greed which he had (in him).
چون جری کم آمدش در وقت چاشت ** زد بسی تشنیع او سودی نداشت
When, at the time of the forenoon meal, his (usual) allowance was reduced, he uttered much revilement, (but) it was of no avail.
گفت قاصد می‌کنید اینها شما ** گفت نه که بنده فرمانیم ما
He said, “Ye are doing these things on purpose.” “Nay,” said the other, “we obey the (royal) command.
این مگیر از فرع این از اصل گیر ** بر کمان کم زن که از بازوست تیر
Do not regard this (as proceeding) from the branch (sub ordinate): regard it (as proceeding) from the root (principal); do not strike at the bow, for the arrow is (really) from the arm.
ما رمیت اذ رمیت ابتلاست ** بر نبی کم نه گنه کان از خداست1725
(The words) thou didst not throw when thou threwest are a trial (of men’s understandings): do not lay the fault on the Prophet, for that (throwing) is (an act which proceeded) from God.