عود سوزد کان عود از سوز دور ** باد کی حمله برد بر اصل نور
Aloes-wood burns, (but) the mine of aloes-wood is far from burning: how should the wind (of evil words) assail the source of (spiritual) light?
ای ز تو مر آسمانها را صفا ** ای جفای تو نکوتر از وفا1875
Oh, ’tis from thee the heavens have (their) purity; oh, thy unkindness is better than kindness,
ز انکه از عاقل جفایی گر رود ** از وفای جاهلان آن به بود
Because if an unkindness come from the wise it is better than the kindness of the ignorant.
گفت پیغمبر عداوت از خرد ** بهتر از مهری که از جاهل رسد
The Prophet said, “Enmity (proceeding) from wisdom is better than the love that comes from a fool.”
رنجانیدن امیری خفتهای را که مار در دهانش رفته بود
How an Amír harassed a sleeping man into whose mouth a snake had gone.
عاقلی بر اسب میآمد سوار ** در دهان خفتهای میرفت مار
A wise man was riding along (at the moment when) a snake was going into the mouth of a man asleep.
آن سوار آن را بدید و میشتافت ** تا رماند مار را فرصت نیافت
The rider saw that, and was hurrying to scare away the snake, (but) he got no chance (of doing so).
چون که از عقلش فراوان بد مدد ** چند دبوسی قوی بر خفته زد1880
Since he had an abundant supply of intelligence, he struck the sleeper several powerful blows with a mace.
برد او را زخم آن دبوس سخت ** زو گریزان تا به زیر یک درخت
The strokes of the hard mace drove him in flight from him (the rider) to beneath a tree.
سیب پوسیده بسی بد ریخته ** گفت از این خور ای به درد آویخته
There were many rotten apples which had dropped (from the tree): he said, “Eat of these, O you in the grip of pain!”
سیب چندان مر و را در خورد داد ** کز دهانش باز بیرون میفتاد
He gave him so many apples to eat that they were falling out of his mouth again.
بانگ میزد کای امیر آخر چرا ** قصد من کردی تو نادیده جفا
He was crying, “O Amír, pray, why have you set on me when you have not suffered injury?
گر ترا ز اصل است با جانم ستیز ** تیغ زن یک بارگی خونم بریز1885
If you have an inveterate and mortal feud with me, strike with your sword and shed my blood at once.
شوم ساعت که شدم بر تو پدید ** ای خنک آن را که روی تو ندید
Ill-omened (was) the hour I came into your sight: oh, happy he that never saw your face!
بیجنایت بیگنه بیبیش و کم ** ملحدان جایز ندارند این ستم
Without guilt, without sin, without (having done) anything great or small—(even) the heretics hold not such oppression allowable.
میجهد خون از دهانم با سخن ** ای خدا آخر مکافاتش تو کن
Blood gushes from my mouth together with (my) words. O God, I beseech Thee, give him the retribution (which he deserves)!”
هر زمان میگفت او نفرین نو ** اوش میزد کاندر این صحرا بدو
Every instant he was uttering a new curse, (while) he (the rider) kept beating him and saying, “Run in this plain.”
زخم دبوس و سوار همچو باد ** میدوید و باز در رو میفتاد1890
Blows of the mace, and the rider (swift) as the wind! He (therefore) went on running and (now and) again falling on his face.
ممتلی و خوابناک و سست بد ** پا و رویش صد هزاران زخم شد
He was full-fed and sleepy and fatigued: his feet and face became (covered with) a hundred thousand wounds.
تا شبانگه میکشید و میگشاد ** تا ز صفرا قی شدن بر وی فتاد
Till nightfall he (the rider) drove (him) to and fro, until vomiting caused by bile overtook him.
زو بر آمد خوردهها زشت و نکو ** مار با آن خورده بیرون جست از او
All the things he had eaten, bad or good, came up from him: the snake shot forth from him along with what he had eaten.
چون بدید از خود برون آن مار را ** سجده آورد آن نکو کردار را
When he saw the snake outside of him, he fell on his knees before that beneficent man.
سهم آن مار سیاه زشت زفت ** چون بدید آن دردها از وی برفت1895
As soon as he saw the horror of that black, ugly, big snake, those griefs departed from him.
گفت خود تو جبرییل رحمتی ** یا خدایی که ولی نعمتی
“Truly,” said he, “you are the Gabriel of (Divine) mercy, or you are God, for you are the lord of bounty.
ای مبارک ساعتی که دیدیام ** مرده بودم جان نو بخشیدیام
Oh, blest (is) the hour that you saw me: I was dead, you have given me new life.
تو مرا جویان مثال مادران ** من گریزان از تو مانند خران
You (were) seeking me like mothers (in search of their children); I (was) fleeing from you like asses.
خر گریزد از خداوند از خری ** صاحبش در پی ز نیکو گوهری
The ass flees from his master because of asininity; his owner (runs) after (him) because of good-nature.
نه از پی سود و زیان میجویدش ** لیک تا در گرگش ندرد یا ددش1900
He seeks him, not on account of profit or loss, but in order that a wolf or (other) wild beast may not tear him.
ای خنک آن را که بیند روی تو ** یا در افتد ناگهان در کوی تو
Oh, happy he that espies your face or suddenly lights upon your abode.
ای روان پاک بستوده ترا ** چند گفتم ژاژ و بیهوده ترا
O you whom the pure spirit hath praised, how many foolish and idle words have I spoken to you!
ای خداوند و شهنشاه و امیر ** من نگفتم جهل من گفت آن مگیر
O lord and emperor and amír, I spoke not, my folly spoke: do not punish that (offence).
شمهای زین حال اگر دانستمی ** گفتن بیهوده کی تانستمی
If I had known a tittle of this matter, how could I have spoken foolish words?
بس ثنایت گفتمی ای خوش خصال ** گر مرا یک رمز میگفتی ز حال1905
I should have spoken much praise of you, O man of good qualities, if you had given me a single hint as to the (actual) case;
لیک خامش کرده میآشوفتی ** خامشانه بر سرم میکوفتی
But you, keeping silence, showed perturbation and silently continued to beat me on the head.
شد سرم کالیوه عقل از سر بجست ** خاصه این سر را که مغزش کمتر است
My head became dizzy, the wits flew out of my head— especially as this head has (but) little brain.
عفو کن ای خوب روی خوب کار ** آن چه گفتم از جنون اندر گذار
Pardon, O man of goodly countenance and goodly behaviour: let pass that which I said in frenzy.”
گفت اگر من گفتمی رمزی از آن ** زهرهی تو آب گشتی آن زمان
He answered, “If I had uttered a hint of it, your gall would instantly have turned to water.
گر ترا من گفتمی اوصاف مار ** ترس از جانت بر آوردی دمار1910
Had I told you the qualities of the snake, terror would have made you give up the ghost.”
مصطفی فرمود اگر گویم به راست ** شرح آن دشمن که در جان شماست
Mustafá (Mohammed) said, ‘If I should tell aright the description of the enemy which is in your souls,
زهرههای پر دلان هم بر درد ** نه رود ره نه غم کاری خورد
The gall-bladders even of courageous men would burst: he (such a one) would neither go his way nor care for any work.
نه دلش را تاب ماند در نیاز ** نه تنش را قوت روزه و نماز
Neither would there remain to his heart endurance in supplication, nor to his body strength for fasting and (ritual) prayer.
همچو موشی پیش گربه لا شود ** همچو بره پیش گرگ از جا رود
He would become (good for) nothing as a mouse before a cat; he would be distraught as a lamb before a wolf.
اندر او نه حیله ماند نه روش ** پس کنم ناگفته تان من پرورش1915
No power to plan or move would remain in him: therefore I tend you without speaking.
همچو بو بکر ربابی تن زنم ** دست چون داود در آهن زنم
I am mute, like Bú Bakr-i Rabábí; I handle the iron, like David,
تا محال از دست من حالی شود ** مرغ پر برکنده را بالی شود
So that by my hand the (seemingly) impossible is brought to pass, and wings are restored to the bird whose plumes were torn away.
چون ید الله فوق أیدیهم بود ** دست ما را دست خود فرمود احد
Since there is (the text) the hand of God is above their hands, the One (God) has declared our hand to be His hand.
پس مرا دست دراز آمد یقین ** بر گذشته ز آسمان هفتمین
Therefore mine is surely a long hand that has passed beyond the Seventh Heaven.
دست من بنمود بر گردون هنر ** مقریا بر خوان که انشق القمر1920
My hand showed (its) cunning upon the sky: O teacher of the Qur’án, recite the moon hath been cleft asunder.’
این صفت هم بهر ضعف عقلهاست ** با ضعیفان شرح قدرت کی رواست
This characteristic, moreover, is on account of the weakness of (men's) understandings: how is it possible to explain the (Divine) omnipotence to the weak?
خود بدانی چون بر آری سر ز خواب ** ختم شد و الله أعلم بالصواب
You will surely know when you lift your head from (this sensuous) sleep. ’Tis the end (of my discourse), and God knows best what is right.
مر ترا نه قوت خوردن بدی ** نه ره و پروای قی کردن بدی
“(If I had told you about the snake), you would not have been able to eat, nor would you have been capable of vomiting or cared (to do so).