یک حکایت بشنو ای گوهر شناس ** تا بدانی تو عیان را از قیاس
O connoisseur of pearls, listen to a story, that you may distinguish actual seeing from (mere) inference.
هلال پنداشتن آن شخص خیال را در عهد عمر
How in the time of ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, a certain person imagined that what he saw was the new moon.
ماه روزه گشت در عهد عمر ** بر سر کوهی دویدند آن نفر
The Fasting-month (Ramadán) came round in ‘Umar's time. Some people ran to the top of a hill,
تا هلال روزه را گیرند فال ** آن یکی گفت ای عمر اینک هلال
In order to take (the appearance of) the new moon as a good omen, and one of them said, “Look, O ‘Umar, here is the new moon!”
چون عمر بر آسمان مه را ندید ** گفت کاین مه از خیال تو دمید
As ‘Umar did not see the moon in the sky, he said, “This moon has risen from thy phantasy.
ور نه من بیناترم افلاک را ** چون نمیبینم هلال پاک را115
Otherwise, (since) I am a better seer of the heavens (than thou), how is it that I do not see the pure crescent?
گفت تر کن دست و بر ابرو بمال ** آن گهان تو بر نگر سوی هلال
Wet thy hand,” said he, “and rub it on thine eyebrow, and then look up towards the new moon.”
چون که او تر کرد ابرو مه ندید ** گفت ای شه نیست مه شد ناپدید
When he wetted his eyebrow, he did not see the moon. “O King,” he said, “there is no moon; it has disappeared.”
گفت آری موی ابرو شد کمان ** سوی تو افکند تیری از گمان
“Yes,” said ‘Umar, “the hair of thine eyebrow had become (curved) like a bow and shot at thee an arrow of opinion.”
چون یکی مو کج شد او را راه زد ** تا به دعوی لاف دید ماه زد
When one hair became crooked, it waylaid him (hindered him from seeing truly), so that, making a false claim, he boasted to have seen the moon.
موی کج چون پردهی گردون بود ** چون همه اجزات کج شد چون بود120
Inasmuch as a crooked hair veils the sky, how will it be when all your members are crooked?
راست کن اجزات را از راستان ** سر مکش ای راست رو ز آن آستان
Straighten your members by (the help of) the straight (the righteous). O you who (would) go straight, turn not your head aside from that threshold (where the righteous dwell).
هم ترازو را ترازو راست کرد ** هم ترازو را ترازو کاست کرد
Balance makes balance correct; balance also makes balance defective.
هر که با ناراستان هم سنگ شد ** در کمی افتاد و عقلش دنگ شد
Whoever weighs the same (adopts the same standard) as the unrighteous falls into deficiency, and his understanding becomes dazed.
رو أشداء علی الکفار باش ** خاک بر دل داری اغیار پاش
Go, be hard on the infidels, sprinkle dust on (renounce) fondness for the strangers.
بر سر اغیار چون شمشیر باش ** هین مکن روباه بازی شیر باش125
Be as a sword upon the heads of the strangers: come, do not play foxy tricks, be a lion,
تا ز غیرت از تو یاران نگسلند ** ز آنکه آن خاران عدوی این گلند
In order that the friends (of God), moved by (righteous) jealousy, may not break with you, because those thorns (the wicked) are the enemies of this rose (the friend of God).
آتش اندر زن به گرگان چون سپند ** ز آن که آن گرگان عدوی یوسفند
Set fire to the wolves as (to) rue-seed, because those wolves are the enemies of Joseph.
جان بابا گویدت ابلیس هین ** تا به دم بفریبدت دیو لعین
Iblís calls you “father's soul” (darling son)—beware (of him)! The accursed Devil (does that) in order that he may beguile you with (vain) words.
این چنین تلبیس با بابات کرد ** آدمی را این سیه رخ مات کرد
He practised the like imposture on your father: this black-faced one checkmated an Adam.
بر سر شطرنج چست است این غراب ** تو مبین بازی به چشم نیم خواب130
This crow is busy on the chessboard; look not you upon his game with an eye that is half-asleep,
ز آن که فرزین بندها داند بسی ** که بگیرد در گلویت چون خسی
Because he knows many formidable moves which will stick in your throat like a straw.
در گلو ماند خس او سالها ** چیست آن خس مهر جاه و مالها
His straw will stay in your throat for years. What is that straw? Love of rank and wealth.
مال خس باشد چو هست ای بیثبات ** در گلویت مانع آب حیات
Wealth is the straw, since in your throat, O infirm one, it is an obstacle (barrier) to the Water of Life.
گر برد مالت عدوی پر فنی ** ره زنی را برده باشد ره زنی
If an artful enemy carry off your wealth, a robber will have carried off a robber.
دزدیدن مارگیر ماری را از مارگیری دیگر
How a snake-catcher stole a snake from another snake-catcher.
دزدکی از مارگیری مار برد ** ز ابلهی آن را غنیمت میشمرد135
A petty thief carried off a snake from a snake-catcher and in his folly was accounting it a prize.
وارهید آن مارگیر از زخم مار ** مار کشت آن دزد او را زار زار
The snake-catcher escaped from the snake's bite; the man who had robbed him was miserably killed by the snake.
مارگیرش دید پس بشناختش ** گفت از جان مار من پرداختش
The snake-catcher saw him (dead); then he recognised him and said, “My snake has emptied him of life.
در دعا میخواستی جانم از او ** کش بیابم مار بستانم از او
My soul was desiring of Him (God) in prayer that I might find him and take the snake from him.
شکر حق را کان دعا مردود شد ** من زیان پنداشتم آن سود شد
Thanks to God that that prayer was rejected: I thought ’twas loss, but it has turned out to be gain.”
بس دعاها کان زیان است و هلاک ** وز کرم مینشنود یزدان پاک140
Many are the prayers which are loss and destruction, and from kindness the Holy God is not hearing them.
التماس کردن همراه عیسی علیه السلام زنده کردن استخوانها را از او
How the companion of Jesus, on whom be peace, entreated Jesus, on whom be peace, to give life to the bones.
گشت با عیسی یکی ابله رفیق ** استخوانها دید در حفرهی عمیق
A certain foolish person accompanied Jesus (on his way). He espied some bones in a deep-dug hole.
گفت ای همراه آن نام سنی ** که بدان تو مرده را زنده کنی
He said, “O companion, (teach me) that exalted Name by which thou makest the dead to live;
مر مرا آموز تا احسان کنم ** استخوانها را بدان با جان کنم
Teach (it) me, that I may do good and by means of it endow the bones with life.”
گفت خامش کن که آن کار تو نیست ** لایق انفاس و گفتار تو نیست
Jesus said, “Be silent, for that is not thy work: ’tis not meet for thy breath and speech,
کان نفس خواهد ز باران پاکتر ** وز فرشته در روش دراکتر145
For it wants breath purer than rain and more piercing in action than the angels.
عمرها بایست تا دم پاک شد ** تا امین مخزن افلاک شد
(Many) lifetimes were needed that the breath might be purified, so that he (its owner) was entrusted with the treasury of the Heavens.
خود گرفتی این عصا در دست راست ** دست را دستان موسی از کجاست
(Suppose that) thou hast grasped this rod firmly in thy hand: whence will accrue to thy hand the cunning of Moses?”
گفت اگر من نیستم اسرار خوان ** هم تو بر خوان نام را بر استخوان
He said, “If I am not one to pronounce (such sacred) mysteries, do thou pronounce the Name over the bones.”
گفت عیسی یا رب این اسرار چیست ** میل این ابله در این بیگار چیست
Jesus cried, “O Lord, what are these hidden purposes (of Thine)? What is (the meaning of) this fool's inclination (to engage) in this fruitless work?
چون غم خود نیست این بیمار را ** چون غم جان نیست این مردار را150
How has this sick man no care for himself? How has this corpse no care for (spiritual) life?
مردهی خود را رها کرده ست او ** مردهی بیگانه را جوید رفو
He has left (uncared for) his own dead (soul) and seeks to mend (revive) the dead (bones) of a stranger.”