آن مسلمان ترک ابله کرد و تفت ** زیر لب لاحولگویان باز رفت
That Moslem left the foolish man and quickly, saying Lá hawl under his lip (breath), went back (to his abode).
گفت چون از جد و پندم وز جدال ** در دل او بیش میزاید خیال2065
He said, “Inasmuch as from my earnestness and admonition and from (my) disputing (with him), (the only result is that) vain fancies are being born in his mind more (and more),
پس ره پند و نصیحت بسته شد ** امر أعرض عنهم پیوسته شد
Therefore the road of admonition and counsel has become barred: the command, ‘Turn aside from them,’ has arrived.”
چون دوایت میفزاید درد پس ** قصه با طالب بگو بر خوان عبس
When your remedy increases the disease, then (leave him who will not be cured, and) tell your story to one that seeks (to hear the Truth). Read (the chapter of the Qur’án, which begins with the word) ‘Abasa (he frowned):
چون که اعمی طالب حق آمده ست ** بهر فقر او را نشاید سینه خست
“As the blind man has come seeking the Truth, ‘tis not meet to wound his breast (by turning aside from him) on account of his poverty.
تو حریصی بر رشاد مهتران ** تا بیاموزند عام از سروران
Thou (Mohammed) art eager for the great ones to take the right way, in order that the common folk may learn from the rulers.
احمدا دیدی که قومی از ملوک ** مستمع گشتند گشتی خوش که بوک2070
O Ahmad (Mohammed), thou hast seen that a company of princes have become ready to listen (to thee), and thou art pleased (with the hope) that, maybe,
این رئیسان یار دین گردند خوش ** بر عرب اینها سرند و بر حبش
These chieftains will become good friends of the Religion (Islam), (for) they are lords over the Arabs and the Abyssinians,
بگذرد این صیت از بصره و تبوک ** ز انکه الناس علی دین الملوک
(And that) the fame of this will pass beyond Basra and Tabúk, since ‘people follow the religion of their kings.’
زین سبب تو از ضریر مهتدی ** رو بگردانیدی و تنگ آمدی
For this cause thou hast averted thy face from the blind man that was led into the right way, and hast become vexed,
که در این فرصت کم افتد این مناخ ** تو ز یارانی و وقت تو فراخ
Saying (to him), ‘This gathering (of strangers) seldom falls out so opportunely, (whereas) you are one of my friends, and your time is ample.
مزدحم میگردیم در وقت تنگ ** این نصیحت میکنم نه از خشم و جنگ2075
You are urgent with me at an inconvenient time. I give you this admonition, (but) not in anger and strife.’
احمدا نزد خدا این یک ضریر ** بهتر از صد قیصر است و صد وزیر
O Ahmad, in the sight of God this one blind man is better than a hundred emperors and a hundred viziers.
یاد الناس معادن هین بیار ** معدنی باشد فزون از صد هزار
Take heed., remember (the adage), ‘Men are mines’: one mine may be more than a hundred thousand.
معدن لعل و عقیق مکتنس ** بهتر است از صد هزاران کان مس
The mine of lurking ruby and cornelian is better than myriads of mines of copper.
احمدا اینجا ندارد مال سود ** سینه باید پر ز عشق و درد و دود
O Ahmad, here riches have no use; a breast is wanted, full of love and pain and sighs.
اعمی روشن دل آمد در مبند ** پند او را ده که حق اوست پند2080
The blind man of enlightened heart is come: do not shut the door; give him counsel, for counsel is his right.
گر دو سه ابله ترا منکر شدند ** تلخ کی گردی چو هستی کان قند
If two or three fools have disbelieved in thee, how shouldst thou be soured when thou art a mine of candy?
گر دو سه ابله ترا تهمت نهند ** حق برای تو گواهی میدهد
If two or three fools impute falsehood to thee, God is giving testimony on thy behalf.”
گفت از اقرار عالم فارغم ** آن که حق باشد گواه او را چه غم
He (Mohammed) said, “I am unconcerned with the acknowledgment of the world: what care (for the world) hath he whose witness is God?
گر خفاشی را ز خورشیدی خوری است ** آن دلیل آمد که آن خورشید نیست
If a bat receives anything agreeable (to it) from a sun, ‘tis a proof that that (sun) is not the (real) sun.
نفرت خفاشکان باشد دلیل ** که منم خورشید تابان جلیل2085
The disgust of the wretched bats is a proof that I am the shining glorious sun.
گر گلابی را جعل راغب شود ** آن دلیل ناگلابی میکند
If the beetle feels a desire for some (particular) rose-water, that constitutes a proof of its not being rose-water.
گر شود قلبی خریدار محک ** در محکیاش در آید نقص و شک
If any false coin is eager for the touchstone, uncertainty and doubt enter into (the fact of) its being a touchstone.
دزد شب خواهد نه روز این را بدان ** شب نیام روزم که تابم در جهان
The thief wants night, not day––mark this! I am not night, I am day, for I shine throughout the world.
فارقم فاروقم و غلبیروار ** تا که کاه از من نمییابد گذار
I am discerning, I am exceedingly discriminating and sieve-like, so that the chaff finds no passage through me.
آرد را پیدا کنم من از سبوس ** تا نمایم کاین نقوش است آن نفوس2090
I make the flour distinct from the bran, in order to show that this is the (external) forms, and that the (inward) souls (essences).
من چو میزان خدایم در جهان ** وانمایم هر سبک را از گران
I am as the scales of God in the world: I reveal (the difference of) every light thing from the heavy.
گاو را داند خدا گوسالهای ** خر خریداری و در خور کالهای
A calf deems the cow God; the ass (deems God) one who is fond (of it) and that which accords with its desires.
من نه گاوم تا که گوسالهم خرد ** من نه خارم کاشتری از من چرد
I am not a cow, that the calf should be fond of me; I am not thistles, that a camel should browse on me.
او گمان دارد که با من جور کرد ** بلکه از آیینهی من روفت گرد
He (the unbeliever) supposes that he has done me an injury; nay, he has wiped away the dust from my mirror.”
تملق کردن دیوانه جالینوس را و ترسیدن جالینوس
How the madman sought to ingratiate himself with Jálínús (Galen), and how Jálínús was afraid.
گفت جالینوس با اصحاب خود ** مر مرا تا آن فلان دارو دهد2095
Jálínús said to his companions, “Let (one of you) give me such-and-such a medicine.”
پس بدو گفت آن یکی ای ذو فنون ** این دوا خواهند از بهر جنون
Then said that person to him, “O master of (many) sciences, this medicine is sought (as a cure) for madness.
دور از عقل تو این دیگر مگو ** گفت در من کرد یک دیوانه رو
Far be this from thy intellect! Say no more (about it).” He replied, “A madman turned his face to me,
ساعتی در روی من خوش بنگرید ** چشمکم زد آستین من درید
Looked pleasantly on my face for a while, made little eyes at me, and plucked my sleeve.
گر نه جنسیت بدی در من از او ** کی رخ آوردی به من آن زشت رو
Had there not been in me congeniality with him, how would that ill-favoured man have turned his face towards me?
گر ندیدی جنس خود کی آمدی ** کی به غیر جنس خود را بر زدی2100
Had he not seen (in me) one of his own kind, how should he have approached? How should he have thrown himself upon (attached himself to) one of another kind?”
چون دو کس بر هم زند بیهیچ شک ** در میانشان هست قدر مشترک
When two persons come into touch with each other, without any doubt there is something in common between them.
کی پرد مرغی مگر با جنس خود ** صحبت ناجنس گور است و لحد
How should a bird fly except with its own kind? The society of the uncongenial is the grave and the tomb.
سبب پریدن و چریدن مرغی با مرغی که جنس او نبود
The cause of a bird's flying and feeding with a bird that is not of its own kind.
آن حکیمی گفت دیدم هم تکی ** در بیابان زاغ را با لکلکی
Said a certain sage, “I saw a crow running about in the desert with a stork.
در عجب ماندم بجستم حالشان ** تا چه قدر مشترک یابم نشان
I marvelled long, and I investigated their case, in order that I might find the clue (as to) what it was that they had in common.
چون شدم نزدیک، من حیران و دنگ ** خود بدیدم هر دوان بودند لنگ2105
When, amazed and bewildered, I approached them, (then) indeed I saw that both of them were lame.”
خاصه شهبازی که او عرشی بود ** با یکی جغدی که او فرشی بود
In particular, (how should) a royal falcon, which is of the highest heaven, (consort) with an owl, which is of the low earth?
آن یکی خورشید علیین بود ** وین دگر خفاش کز سجین بود
That one is the sun of ‘Illiyyún, while the other is a bat which belongs to Sijjín.
آن یکی نوری ز هر عیبی بری ** وین یکی کوری گدای هر دری
That one is a luminary, free from every defect, while this (other) one is a blind man begging at every door.
آن یکی ماهی که بر پروین زند ** وین یکی کرمی که در سرگین زید
That one is a moon that strikes (its beams) upon the Pleiades, while this (other) one is a worm that lives in dung.
آن یکی یوسف رخی عیسی نفس ** وین یکی گرگی و یا خر با جرس2110
That one has the face of a Joseph, the breath of a Jesus, while this (other) one is a wolf or an ass with a bell.
آن یکی پران شده در لا مکان ** وین یکی در کاهدان همچون سگان
That one has flown to Spacelessness, while this (other) one is in the straw-barn, like the dogs.
با زبان معنوی گل با جعل ** این همیگوید که ای گنده بغل
With the tongue of (unspoken) meaning the rose is saying to the beetle this—“O stinking (creature),