کز فضولی من چرا پرسیدمش ** او ز غم پر بود شورانیدمش
Saying, “Why did I impertinently ask him (that question)? He was full of grief: I made him distraught.”
می‌چکید از چشم تر بر خاک آب ** اندر آن هر قطره مدرج صد جواب
From his (the peacock's) moist eyes the water (of tears) was trickling to the earth: in every drop were contained a hundred answers.
گریه‌ی با صدق بر جانها زند ** تا که چرخ و عرش را گریان کند
Sincere weeping touches the souls (of all), so that it makes (even) the sky and heaven to weep.
عقل و دلها بی‌گمان عرشی‌اند ** در حجاب از نور عرشی می‌زیند
Without any doubt, intellects and hearts (spirits) are celestial, (though) they live debarred from the celestial light.
در بیان آنک عقل و روح در آب و گل محبوس‌اند هم‌چون هاروت و ماروت در چاه بابل
Explaining that the intellect and spirit are imprisoned in clay, like Hárút and Márút in the pit of Babylon.
هم‌چو هاروت و چو ماروت آن دو پاک ** بسته‌اند اینجا به چاه سهمناک 620
Like Hárút and Márút, those two pure ones (the intellect and spirit) have been confined here (in this world) in a horrible pit.
عالم سفلی و شهوانی درند ** اندرین چه گشته‌اند از جرم‌بند
They are in the low and sensual world: they have been confined in this pit on account of sin.
سحر و ضد سحر را بی‌اختیار ** زین دو آموزند نیکان و شرار
The good and the evil (alike) learn magic and the opposite of magic from these twain involuntarily;
لیک اول پند بدهندش که هین ** سحر را از ما میاموز و مچین
But first they admonish him, saying, “Beware, do not learn and pick up magic from us:
ما بیاموزیم این سحر ای فلان ** از برای ابتلا و امتحان
We teach this magic, O such and such, for the purpose of trial and probation;
که امتحان را شرط باشد اختیار ** اختیاری نبودت بی‌اقتدار 625
(But thou art free to choose), for probation necessarily involves free-will, and thou canst not have any (effective) free-will without the power (of action).”
میلها هم‌چون سگان خفته‌اند ** اندریشان خیر و شر بنهفته‌اند
Desires are like sleeping dogs: good and evil are hidden in them.
چونک قدرت نیست خفتند این رده ** هم‌چو هیزم‌پاره‌ها و تن‌زده
When there is no power (of action), this troop (of desires) are asleep and silent like faggots (smouldering in the fire),
تا که مرداری در آید در میان ** نفخ صور حرص کوبد بر سگان
Until (when) a carcase comes into view, the blast of the trumpet of greed strikes on (suddenly rouses) the dogs.
چون در آن کوچه خری مردار شد ** صد سگ خفته بدان بیدار شد
When the carcase of a donkey appears in the parish, a hundred sleeping dogs are awakened by it.
حرصهای رفته اندر کتم غیب ** تاختن آورد سر بر زد ز جیب 630
The greedy desires that had gone into the concealment of the Unseen rush out and display themselves.
موبه موی هر سگی دندان شده ** وز برای حیله دم جنبان شده
Every hair on every dog becomes (like) a tooth, though they wag their tails (fawningly) for the sake of gaining their object.
نیم زیرش حیله بالا آن غضب ** چون ضعیف آتش که یابد او حطب
His (the dog's) under-half is cunning, (while) the upper (half) is anger, like a poor fire that gets faggots (fuel);
شعله شعله می‌رسد از لامکان ** می‌رود دود لهب تا آسمان
Flame on flame reaches (it) from (the realm of) non-spatiality: the smoke of its blaze goes up to the sky.
صد چنین سگ اندرین تن خفته‌اند ** چون شکاری نیستشان بنهفته‌اند
In this body (of ours) a hundred such dogs are sleeping: when they have no prey (in sight), they are hidden.
یا چو بازانند و دیده دوخته ** در حجاب از عشق صیدی سوخته 635
Or they resemble falcons with eyes sealed (covered); (yet) in the veil (hood) consumed with passion for a prey,
تا کله بردارد و بیند شکار ** آنگهان سازد طواف کوهسار
Till he (the Falconer) lifts the hood and it (the falcon) sees the prey: then it circles the mountains (in pursuit).
شهوت رنجور ساکن می‌بود ** خاطر او سوی صحت می‌رود
The appetite of the sick man is quiescent: his thoughts are going (are turned) towards health.
چون ببیند نان و سیب و خربزه ** در مصاف آید مزه و خوف بزه
When he sees bread and apples and water-melons, his relish and his fear of injury (to himself) come into conflict.
گر بود صبار دیدن سود اوست ** آن تهیج طبع سستش را نکوست
If he be very self-restrained, the sight (of the food) is a benefit to him: that stimulation (of appetite) is good for his enfeebled constitution;
ور نباشد صبر پس نادیده به ** تیر دور اولی ز مرد بی‌زره 640
But if he have not self-restraint, then it were better he had not seen (the food): ’tis better the arrow should be far from the man who is without a coat of mail.