گرگ بیچاره اگر چه گرسنه است ** متهم باشد که او در طنطنه است
The helpless wolf, though he is hungry, is suspected of being in luxury.
از ضعیفی چون نتاند راه رفت ** خلق گوید تخمه است از لوت زفت
When, because of feebleness, he cannot go his way, people say it is indigestion (arising) from gross (rich and heavy) food.”
باز الحاح کردن معاویه ابلیس را
How Mu‘áwiya once more pressed Iblís hard.
گفت غیر راستی نرهاندت ** داد سوی راستی میخواندت2730
He said, “Nothing but the truth will save you: justice is calling you to (speak) the truth.
راست گو تا وارهی از چنگ من ** مکر ننشاند غبار جنگ من
Tell the truth, so that you may be delivered from my hand: cunning will not lay the dust of my war (will not induce me to leave you in peace).”
گفت چون دانی دروغ و راست را ** ای خیالاندیش پر اندیشهها
He (Iblís) said, “How do you know (the difference between) falsehood and truth, O thinker of vain fancies, (you that are) filled with (idle) thoughts (about me)?”
گفت پیغمبر نشانی داده است ** قلب و نیکو را محک بنهاده است
He answered, “The Prophet has given an indication: he has laid down the touchstone (criterion) for (distinguishing) the base coin and the good.
گفته است الکذب ریب فی القلوب ** گفت الصدق طمانین طروب
He has said, ‘Falsehood is (the cause of) disquiet in (men's) hearts’; he has said, ‘Truth is (the cause of) a joyous tranquillity.’
دل نیارامد ز گفتار دروغ ** آب و روغن هیچ نفروزد فروغ2735
The (troubled) heart is not comforted by lying words: water and oil kindle no light.
در حدیث راست آرام دل است ** راستیها دانهی دام دل است
(Only) in truthful speech is there comfort for the heart: truths are the bait that entraps the heart.
دل مگر رنجور باشد بد دهان ** که نداند چاشنی این و آن
Sick, surely, and ill-savoured is the heart that knows not (cannot distinguish) the taste of this and that.
چون شود از رنج و علت دل سلیم ** طعم کذب و راست را باشد علیم
When the heart becomes whole (is healed) of pain and disease, it will recognize the flavour of falsehood and truth.
حرص آدم چون سوی گندم فزود ** از دل آدم سلیمی را ربود
When Adam's greed for the wheat waxed great, it robbed Adam's heart of health.
پس دروغ و عشوهات را گوش کرد ** غره گشت و زهر قاتل نوش کرد2740
Then he gave ear to your lies and enticements: he was befooled and drank the killing poison.
کژدم از گندم ندانست آن نفس ** میپرد تمییز از مست هوس
At that moment he knew not scorpion (kazhdum) from wheat (gandum): discernment flies from one that is drunken with vain desire.
خلق مست آرزویند و هوا ** ز آن پذیرایند دستان ترا
The people are drunken with cupidity and desire: hence they are accepting your cheatery.
هر که خود را از هوا خود باز کرد ** چشم خود را آشنای راز کرد
Whoever has rid his nature of vain desire has (thereby) made his (spiritual) eye familiar with the secret.
شکایت قاضی از آفت قضا و جواب گفتن نایب او را
How a cadi complained of the calamity of (holding) the office of cadi, and how his deputy answered him.
They installed a cadi, (and meanwhile) he wept. The deputy said, ‘O cadi, what are you weeping for?
این نه وقت گریه و فریاد تست ** وقت شادی و مبارک باد تست2745
This is not the time for you to weep and lament: it is the time for you to rejoice and receive felicitations.’
گفت اه چون حکم راند بیدلی ** در میان آن دو عالم جاهلی
‘Ah,’ said he, ‘how shall a man without insight pronounce judgement—an ignorant man (decide) between two who know?
آن دو خصم از واقعهی خود واقفند ** قاضی مسکین چه داند ز آن دو بند
Those two adversaries are acquainted with their own case: what should the poor cadi know of those two tangles?
جاهل است و غافل است از حالشان ** چون رود در خونشان و مالشان
He is ignorant and unaware of their (real) state: how should he proceed (to give judgment) concerning their lives and property?’
گفت خصمان عالمند و علتی ** جاهلی تو لیک شمع ملتی
He (the deputy) said, ‘The litigants know (the truth of their case) and (nevertheless) are unsound (prejudiced); you are ignorant (of the facts), but you are the luminary of the whole body (of Moslems),
ز انکه تو علت نداری در میان ** آن فراغت هست نور دیدهگان2750
Because you have no prejudice to interfere (with your discernment), and that freedom (from prejudice) is light to the eyes;
و آن دو عالم را غرضشان کور کرد ** علمشان را علت اندر گور کرد
While those two who know are blinded by their self-interest: prejudice has put their knowledge into the grave.
جهل را بیعلتی عالم کند ** علم را علت کژ و ظالم کند
Unprejudicedness makes ignorance wise; prejudice makes knowledge perverse and iniquitous.
تا تو رشوت نستدی بینندهای ** چون طمع کردی ضریر و بندهای
So long as you accept no bribe, you are seeing; when you act covetously, you are blind and enslaved.’
از هوا من خوی را واکردهام ** لقمههای شهوتی کم خوردهام
I have turned my nature away from vain desire: I have not eaten delicious morsels.
چاشنی گیر دلم شد با فروغ ** راست را داند حقیقت از دروغ2755
My heart, which tastes (and distinguishes), has become bright (like a clear mirror): it really knows truth from falsehood.
به اقرار آوردن معاویه ابلیس را
How Mu‘áwiya—may God be well-pleased with him!— induced Iblís to confess.
تو چرا بیدار کردی مر مرا ** دشمن بیداریی تو ای دغا
Why did you awaken me? You are the enemy of wakefulness, O trickster.
همچو خشخاشی همه خواب آوری ** همچو خمری عقل و دانش را بری
You are like poppy-seeds: you put every one to sleep. You are like wine: you take away understanding and knowledge.
چار میخت کردهام هین راست گو ** راست را دانم تو حیلتها مجو
I have impaled you. Come, tell the truth, I know what is true: do not seek evasions.
من ز هر کس آن طمع دارم که او ** صاحب آن باشد اندر طبع و خو
I expect from every person (only) that of which by nature and disposition he is the owner.
من ز سرکه مینجویم شکری ** مر مخنث را نگیرم لشکری2760
I do not look for any sugar from vinegar; I do not take the catamite for a soldier.
همچو گبران من نجویم از بتی ** کاو بود حق یا خود از حق آیتی
I do not, like (idolatrous) infidels, seek (expect) from an idol that it should be God or even a sign from God.
من ز سرگین مینجویم بوی مشک ** من در آب جو نجویم خشت خشک
I do not seek the smell of musk from dung; I do not seek dry bricks in river water.
من ز شیطان این نجویم کاوست غیر ** که مرا بیدار گرداند به خیر
From Satan, who is other (than good), I do not look for this— that he should awaken me with good (intent).”
راست گفتن ابلیس ضمیر خود را به معاویه
How Iblís told truly his hidden thought to Mu‘áwiya—may God be well-pleased with him!
گفت بسیار آن بلیس از مکر و غدر ** میر از او نشنید کرد استیز و صبر
Iblís spoke many words of deceit and treachery, (but) the Amír hearkened not to him and strove (against him) and showed fortitude.
از بن دندان بگفتش بهر آن ** کردمت بیدار میدان ای فلان2765
(At length), with the bitterest pangs he (Iblís) said: “O such-and-such, know that I awakened you for the purpose
تا رسی اندر جماعت در نماز ** از پی پیغمبر دولت فراز
That you might join the congregation (of Moslems) in praying after the Prophet of high estate.
گر نماز از وقت رفتی مر ترا ** این جهان تاریک گشتی بیضیا
If the time of prayers had passed, this world would have become dark to you and without a gleam of light;
از غبین و درد رفتی اشکها ** از دو چشم تو مثال مشکها
(And then) from disappointment and grief tears would have flowed from your two eyes in the fashion of (water from) water-skins,
ذوق دارد هر کسی در طاعتی ** لاجرم نشکیبد از وی ساعتی
(Because) every one has delight in some act of devotion and consequently cannot bear to miss it (even) for a short while.
آن غبین و درد بودی صد نماز ** کو نماز و کو فروغ آن نیاز2770
That disappointment and grief would have been (as) a hundred prayers: what is (ritual) prayer in comparison with the (spiritual) glow of humble supplication?”
فضیلت حسرت خوردن آن مخلص بر فوت نماز جماعت
The excellence of the remorse felt by one who was sincere (in his devotion) for having missed the congregational prayers.
آن یکی میرفت در مسجد درون ** مردم از مسجد همیآمد برون
A certain man was going into the mosque (when) the people were coming out of the mosque.
گفت پرسان که جماعت را چه بود ** که ز مسجد میبرون آیند زود
He began to ask (one of them), saying, “What ails the congregation that they are coming out of the mosque (so) soon?”
آن یکی گفتش که پیغمبر نماز ** با جماعت کرد و فارغ شد ز راز
That person said to him, “The Prophet has prayed with the congregation and finished (his) communion.
تو کجا در میروی ای مرد خام ** چون که پیغمبر بداده ست السلام
How art thou going in, O foolish man, when the Prophet has given the blessing?”
گفت آه و دود از آن اه شد برون ** آه او میداد از دل بوی خون2775
He cried, “Ah!” and smoke issued from that (burning) sigh: his sigh was giving forth the smell of blood from his heart.
آن یکی از جمع گفت این آه را ** تو به من ده و آن نماز من ترا
A certain man said, “Give (me) that sigh and may this (ritual) prayer of mine be (bestowed) on thee as a gift!”
گفت دادم آه و پذرفتم نماز ** او ستد آن آه را با صد نیاز
He answered, “I give the sigh and accept the prayers.” He (the other) took that sigh with a hundred yearnings (towards God).