-
طاس را کژ کرد سوی آبخواه ** که بخور تو هم شد آن خون سیاه
- (Then) he tilted the cup towards him who craved the water, saying, “Drink thou too!” That (water) became black blood.
-
باز ازین سو کرد کژ خون آب شد ** قبطی اندر خشم و اندر تاب شد
- Again he tilted it on this side (towards himself): the blood became water (once more). The Egyptian was enraged and incensed.
-
ساعتی بنشست تا خشمش برفت ** بعد از آن گفتش کای صمصام زفت
- He sat down awhile till his anger departed; after that, he said to him, “O mighty sword (of the Faith),
-
ای برادر این گره را چاره چیست ** گفت این را او خورد کو متقیست 3445
- O brother, what is the expedient for (loosing) this knot?” He (the Israelite) said, “(Only) he that is God-fearing drinks this (water).”
-
متقی آنست کو بیزار شد ** از ره فرعون و موسیوار شد
- The God-fearing man is he that has become quit of (has renounced) the way of Pharaoh and has become like unto Moses.
-
قوم موسی شو بخور این آب را ** صلح کن با مه ببین مهتاب را
- Become (as) the people of Moses and drink this water; make peace with the Moon and behold the moonbeams.
-
صدهزاران ظلمتست از خشم تو ** بر عبادالله اندر چشم تو
- There are a hundred thousand darknesses in thine eye (which arise) from thy wrath against the servants of God.
-
خشم بنشان چشم بگشا شاد شو ** عبرت از یاران بگیر استاد شو
- Extinguish wrath, open the (spiritual) eye, rejoice, take a lesson from (true) friends, become a teacher (of the Truth).
-
کی طفیل من شوی در اغتراف ** چون ترا کفریست همچون کوه قاف 3450
- How wilt thou become my parasite (follower) in scooping up (the water) when thou hast an unbelief (as great) as Mount Qáf?
-
کوه در سوراخ سوزن کی رود ** جز مگر که آن رشتهی یکتا شود
- How should a mountain go into the cavity (eye) of a needle, unless indeed it become a single thread?
-
کوه را که کن به استغفار و خوش ** جام مغفوران بگیر و خوش بکش
- By asking forgiveness (of God) make the mountain (like) a straw, and (then) take joyously the cup of the forgiven and drain (it) joyously!
-
تو بدین تزویر چون نوشی از آن ** چون حرامش کرد حق بر کافران
- Inasmuch as God hath made it unlawful to the unbelievers, how wilt thou drink of it (whilst thou art endued) with this imposture?
-
خالق تزویر تزویر ترا ** کی خرد ای مفتری مفترا
- How should the Creator of imposture buy (accept) thy imposture, O fabricator of fiction?
-
آل موسی شو که حیلت سود نیست ** حیلهات باد تهی پیمودنیست 3455
- Become (like) the kinsfolk of Moses, for deceit is useless: thy deceit is (like) measuring the empty wind.
-
زهره دارد آب کز امر صمد ** گردد او با کافران آبی کند
- Will the water dare to turn aside from the command of the Lord and bestow refreshment on the unbelievers?
-
یا تو پنداری که تو نان میخوری ** زهر مار و کاهش جان میخوری
- Or dost thou suppose that thou art eating bread? Thou art eating snake-venom and (that which causes) wasting away of the spirit.
-
نان کجا اصلاح آن جانی کند ** کو دل از فرمان جانان بر کند
- How should bread restore to health the spirit that averts its heart from the command of the Beloved Spirit?
-
یا تو پنداری که حرف مثنوی ** چون بخوانی رایگانش بشنوی
- Or dost thou suppose that when thou readest the words of the Mathnawí thou hearest them gratis (without giving aught in return)?
-
یا کلام حکمت و سر نهان ** اندر آید زغبه در گوش و دهان 3460
- Or that the discourse of wisdom and the hidden mystery comes easily into thy ear and mouth?
-
اندر آید لیک چون افسانهها ** پوست بنماید نه مغز دانهها
- It comes in, but, like fables, it shows (only) the husk, not the kernel of the berries,
-
در سر و رو در کشیده چادری ** رو نهان کرده ز چشمت دلبری
- (As) a sweetheart who has drawn a veil over her head and face and has hidden her face from thine eye.
-
شاهنامه یا کلیله پیش تو ** همچنان باشد که قرآن از عتو
- By reason of contumacy the Sháhnáma or Kalíla seems to thee just like the Qur’án.
-
فرق آنگه باشد از حق و مجاز ** که کند کحل عنایت چشم باز
- The difference between truth and falsehood is (visible) at the moment when the collyrium of (Divine) favour opens the eye;
-
ورنه پشک و مشک پیش اخشمی ** هر دو یکسانست چون نبود شمی 3465
- Otherwise, dung and musk are both the same to one whose nose is obstructed (by disease), since (in him) there is no sense of smell.
-
خویشتن مشغول کردن از ملال ** باشدش قصد از کلام ذوالجلال
- His aim is to divert himself from ennui (by reading such books), and neglect the Word of the Almighty,