دشمنی عاقلان زینسان بود ** زهر ایشان ابتهاج جان بود1930
Of this fashion is the enmity of the wise: their poison is gladness to the soul.
دوستی ابله بود رنج و ضلال ** این حکایت بشنو از بهر مثال
The friendship of the fool is woe and perdition: hear this tale as a parable.
اعتماد کردن بر تملق و وفای خرس
On putting trust in the fawningness and good faith of the bear.
اژدهایی خرس را در میکشید ** شیر مردی رفت و فریادش رسید
A dragon was pulling a bear (into its jaws); a valiant man went and succoured it.
شیر مردانند در عالم مدد ** آن زمان کافغان مظلومان رسد
The valiant (holy) men are a help in the world when the wail of the oppressed reaches (them).
بانگ مظلومان ز هر جا بشنوند ** آن طرف چون رحمت حق میدوند
From every quarter they hear the cry of the oppressed and run in that direction, like the mercy of God.
آن ستونهای خللهای جهان ** آن طبیبان مرضهای نهان1935
Those buttresses for the breaches of the world, those physicians for hidden maladies,
محض مهر و داوری و رحمتند ** همچو حق بیعلت و بیرشوتند
Are pure love and justice and mercy; even as God, they are flawless (incorruptible) and unbribed.
این چه یاری میکنی یک بارگیش ** گوید از بهر غم و بیچارگیش
(If you ask one of them), “Why dost thou give him this aid all at once?” he says, “On account of his grief and helplessness.”
مهربانی شد شکار شیر مرد ** در جهان دارو نجوید غیر درد
Lovingkindness is fallen a prey to the valiant (holy) man, (for) medicine seeks naught in the world but the pain (which it should cure).
هر کجا دردی دوا آن جا رود ** هر کجا پستی است آب آن جا دود
Wherever a pain is, the remedy goes there: wherever a lowland is, the water runs there.
آب رحمت بایدت رو پست شو ** و آن گهان خور خمر رحمت مست شو1940
If thou want the water of mercy, go, become lowly, and then drink the wine of mercy and become drunken.
رحمت اندر رحمت آمد تا به سر ** بر یکی رحمت فرومای ای پسر
Mercy upon mercy comes (and rises like a flood) up to the head; do not thou come down to (and dwell upon) a single mercy, O son!
چرخ را در زیر پا آر ای شجاع ** بشنو از فوق فلک بانگ سماع
Bring the sky under thy feet, O brave one! Hear from above the firmament the noise of the (celestial) music!
پنبهی وسواس بیرون کن ز گوش ** تا به گوشت آید از گردون خروش
Put out of thine ear the cotton of evil suggestion, that the cries from heaven may come into thine ear.
پاک کن دو چشم را از موی عیب ** تا ببینی باغ و سروستان غیب
Purge thy two eyes from the hair of defect, that thou mayst behold the garden and cypress-plot of the world unseen.
دفع کن از مغز و از بینی زکام ** تا که ریح الله در آید در مشام1945
Eject the phlegm from thy brain and nose, that the wind of God may come into the centres of thy (spiritual) sense of smell.
هیچ مگذار از تب و صفرا اثر ** تا بیابی از جهان طعم شکر
Do not leave (in thyself) any trace of fever and bile, that thou mayst get from the world the taste of sugar.
داروی مردی کن و عنین مپوی ** تا برون آیند صد گون خوب روی
Remedium virilitatis adhibe neu virilitate carens cucurreris, that a hundred kinds of fair ones may come forth. [Cure (your) manhood and don’t run around impotently, that a hundred kinds of fair ones may come forth.]
کندهی تن را ز پای جان بکن ** تا کند جولان به گرد آن چمن
Tear the fetter, which is the body, from the foot of thy soul, so that it may race round the arena.
غل بخل از دست و گردن دور کن ** بخت نو دریاب در چرخ کهن
Take off the shackle of avarice from thy hands and neck: seize (and enjoy) a new fortune in the old heaven.
ور نمیتانی به کعبهی لطف پر ** عرضه کن بیچارگی بر چارهگر1950
And if thou art unable (to do that), fly to the Ka‘ba of (Divine) grace: lay thy helplessness before the Helper.
زاری و گریه قوی سرمایهای است ** رحمت کلی قویتر دایهای است
Lamentation and weeping are a mighty stock-in-trade (resource); the Universal Mercy is the mightiest nurse (to comfort and cherish).
دایه و مادر بهانه جو بود ** تا که کی آن طفل او گریان شود
The nurse and mother seeks a pretext (for giving relief): (she waits to see) when her child will begin to weep.
طفل حاجات شما را آفرید ** تا بنالید و شود شیرش پدید
He (God) created the child, (namely) your wants, in order that it might moan and that milk might (then) be produced for it.
گفت ادعوا الله بیزاری مباش ** تا بجوشد شیرهای مهرهاش
He said, “Call ye upon God!” Refrain not thou from lamentation, in order that the milk of His loving kindnesses may flow.
هوی هوی باد و شیر افشان ابر ** در غم مااند یک ساعت تو صبر1955
The howling of the wind and the pouring forth of (rain like) milk from the cloud are for care of us: (have) patience one moment!
فی السماء رزقکم بشنیدهای ** اندر این پستی چه بر چفسیدهای
Thou hast heard (the text) “in the sky is your daily bread”. Wherefore hast thou stuck to this low place?
ترس و نومیدیت دان آواز غول ** میکشد گوش تو تا قعر سفول
Deem thy fear and despair to be the voice of the ghoul drawing thine ear (down) to the abyss of degradation.
هر ندایی که ترا بالا کشید ** آن ندا میدان که از بالا رسید
Every call that draws thee upward—know that that call has come from on high.
هر ندایی که ترا حرص آورد ** بانگ گرگی دان که او مردم درد
Every call that excites cupidity in thee—know that it is the howl of the wolf which tears men (to pieces).
این بلندی نیست از روی مکان ** این بلندیهاست سوی عقل و جان1960
This (afore-mentioned) height is not (high) in respect of position; these “heights” are towards (refer to) mind and spirit.
هر سبب بالاتر آمد از اثر ** سنگ و آهن فایق آمد بر شرر
Every cause is higher than the effect: the stone and iron (from which fire is struck) are superior to the sparks.
آن فلانی فوق آن سرکش نشست ** گر چه در صورت به پهلویش نشست
Such and such a person is (really) seated above that one who lifts up his head so haughtily, though in appearance he is seated beside him.
فوقی آن جاست از روی شرف ** جای دور از صدر باشد مستخف
The superiority of that (person's) place is in respect of (his spiritual) nobility; the place (that is) far from the (spiritual) seat of honour is held in slight regard.
سنگ و آهن زین جهت که سابق است ** در عمل فوقی این دو لایق است
Forasmuch as the stone and iron are prior in action, the superiority of these twain is proper;
و آن شرر از روی مقصودی خویش ** ز آهن و سنگ است زین رو پیش و بیش1965
But those sparks, in respect of their being the final cause, are from this point of view far in front of (superior to) the iron and stone.
سنگ و آهن اول و پایان شرر ** لیک این هر دو تنند و جان شرر
The stone and iron are first, and the sparks last; but these twain are the body, and the sparks are the soul.
آن شرر گر در زمان واپستر است ** در صفت از سنگ و آهن برتر است
If those sparks are posterior in time, (yet) in quality they are higher than the stone and iron.
در زمان شاخ از ثمر سابقتر است ** در هنر از شاخ او فایقتر است
The bough is prior to the fruit in time, (but) it (the fruit) is superior to the bough in excellence.
چون که مقصود از شجر آمد ثمر ** پس ثمر اول بود و آخر شجر
Since the fruit is the final cause of the tree, it follows that the fruit is (really) first, the tree last.
خرس چون فریاد کرد از اژدها ** شیر مردی کرد از جنگش جدا1970
When the bear cried out for help against the dragon, a valiant man removed it from the (dragon's) claws.
حیلت و مردی بهم دادند پشت ** اژدها را او بدین قوت بکشت
Cunning and courage gave support to each other: by this strength he slew the dragon.
اژدها را هست قوت حیله نیست ** نیز فوق حیلهی تو حیلهای است
The dragon has strength, (but) it has not cunning; again, there is a cunning above your cunning.
حیلهی خود را چو دیدی باز رو ** کز کجا آمد سوی آغاز رو
When you have regarded your own cunning, go back (and see) whence it came: go to the origin.
هر چه در پستی است آمد از علا ** چشم را سوی بلندی نه هلا
Whatever is below has come from above: come on, turn your eye towards the height.
روشنی بخشد نظر اندر علی ** گر چه اول خیرگی آرد بلی1975
Looking aloft gives light, though at first it produces dazzlement; yes, it does.
چشم را در روشنایی خوی کن ** گر نه خفاشی نظر آن سوی کن
Accustom your eye to the light; if you are not a bat, look in that direction.
عاقبت بینی نشان نور تست ** شهوت حالی حقیقت گور تست
Vision of the end is the sign of your (having the) light; the lust of the moment is in truth your (dark) grave.
عاقبت بینی که صد بازی بدید ** مثل آن نبود که یک بازی شنید
The man with vision of the end, who has seen a hundred artifices, is not like him that has (only) heard of one artifice,
ز آن یکی بازی چنان مغرور شد ** کز تکبر ز اوستادان دور شد
(And who) has been so befooled by that one artifice that in his pride he has become alienated from the masters.