ور بدانستند لحن همدگر ** فهم آن چون کرد بینطقی بشر
And (even) if they knew each other's accents, how should man understand it (their talk), (since it was) without any articulation?
در میان شیر و گاو آن دمنه چون ** شد رسول و خواند بر هر دو فسون
How did Dimna become a messenger between the lion and the ox, and cajole them both with his palaver?
چون وزیر شیر شد گاو نبیل ** چون ز عکس ماه ترسان گشت پیل3620
How did the noble ox become the vizier of the lion? How was the elephant terrified by the reflection of the moon?
این کلیله و دمنه جمله افتری است ** ور نه کی با زاغ لکلک را مری است
This Kalíla and Dimna is entirely fiction, or else how has the stork a quarrel with the crow?”
ای برادر قصه چون پیمانهای است ** معنی اندر وی مثال دانهای است
O brother, the story is like a measure: the real meaning in it resembles grain (in the measure).
دانهی معنی بگیرد مرد عقل ** ننگرد پیمانه را گر گشت نقل
The man of intelligence will take the grain of meaning: he will not pay any regard to the measure, (even) if it is removed (altogether).
ماجرای بلبل و گل گوش دار ** گر چه گفتی نیست آن جا آشکار
Listen to what passes between the rose and the nightingale, though in that case there is no overt speech.
سخن گفتن به زبان حال و فهم کردن آن
On mute eloquence and the understanding of it.
ماجرای شمع با پروانه نیز ** بشنو و معنی گزین کن ای عزیز3625
Listen to what passes between the moth and the candle, and pick out the meaning from the tale.
گر چه گفتی نیست سر گفت هست ** هین ببالا پر مپر چون جغد پست
Albeit there is no speech, there is the inmost soul of speech. Come, fly aloft, do not fly low, like the owl.
گفت در شطرنج کاین خانهی رخ است ** گفت خانه از کجاش آمد بدست
He (the player) at chess said, “This is the house of the rook.” “By what way,” said he (the literalist), “did the house come into its hands?
خانه را بخرید یا میراث یافت ** فرخ آن کس کاو سوی معنی شتافت
Did it buy the house, or inherit it?”—Happy is he that sped towards the (real) meaning!
گفت نحوی زید عمرا قد ضرب ** گفت چونش کرد بیجرمی ادب
A grammarian said, “Zayd has struck ‘Amr.” Said (the fool), “How did he chastise him without any offence (on his part)?
عمرو را جرمش چه بد کان زید خام ** بیگنه او را بزد همچون غلام3630
What was ‘Amr's offence, that that rude Zayd struck him, innocent (though he was), as (if he were) a slave?”
گفت این پیمانهی معنی بود ** گندمی بستان که پیمانه است رد
He (the grammarian) replied, “This (form of words) is (only) the measure (container) of the meaning signified: take some wheat, for the measure is (to be) rejected.
زید و عمرو از بهر اعراب است و ساز ** گر دروغ است آن تو با اعراب ساز
Zayd and ‘Amr are for the purpose of (showing) the declension and (grammatical) construction: if that (statement that Zayd struck ‘Amr) is untrue, make up with the declension.”
گفت نه من آن ندانم عمرو را ** زید چون زد بیگناه و بیخطا
“Nay,” said he, “I don't know about that. How did Zayd strike ‘Amr without (his committing any) crime or fault?”
گفت از ناچار و لاغی بر گشود ** عمرو یک واو فزون دزدیده بود
He (the grammarian) in desperation started a joke and said, “‘Amr had stolen a superfluous wáw.
زید واقف گشت دزدش را بزد ** چون که از حد برد او را حد سزد3635
Zayd became aware, and struck the stealer of it: since he (‘Amr) carried it beyond bounds (transgressed the law), the punishment serves him right.”
پذیرا آمدن سخن باطل در دل باطلان
How worthless sayings find acceptance in the minds of worthless folk.
گفت اینک راست پذرفتم به جان ** کج نماید راست در پیش کجان
He (the fool) said, “Here you are, this is the truth! I accept (it) with (all) my soul.” Wrong seems right to the wrong-minded.
گر بگویی احولی را مه یکی است ** گویدت این دوست و در وحدت شکی است
If you say to a squinting man, “The moon is one,” he will say to you, “These are two (moons); and there is a (great) doubt as to (the moon's) being one”;
ور بر او خندد کسی گوید دو است ** راست دارد این سزای بد خو است
And if somebody laughs at him and says, “There are two,” he deems it the truth. This (mockery) is what the ill-natured (ignorant and contumacious) fellow deserves.
بر دروغان جمع میآید دروغ ** الخبیثات الخبیثین زد فروغ
Lies muster round (those who are living) lies: (the text) the wicked men for the wicked women has thrown light (upon this point).
دل فراخان را بود دست فراخ ** چشم کوران را عثار سنگلاخ3640
They whose hearts are (opened) wide (to receive spiritual truths) have wide (far-reaching) hands; they whose (spiritual) eyes are blind have to stumble on stony ground.
جستن آن درخت که هر که میوهی آن درخت خورد نمیرد
On seeking the tree whereof none that eats the fruit shall die.
گفت دانایی برای داستان ** که درختی هست در هندوستان
A learned man (once) said, for the sake of (telling) a story, “In India there is a certain tree:
هر کسی کز میوهی او خورد و برد ** نه شود او پیر نه هرگز بمرد
Whoso takes and eats of its fruit, he grows not old nor ever dies.”
پادشاهی این شنید از صادقی ** بر درخت و میوهاش شد عاشقی
A king heard this (tale) from a veracious person: he became a lover of the tree and its fruit.
قاصدی دانا ز دیوان ادب ** سوی هندستان روان کرد از طلب
From the Divan of culture he sent an intelligent envoy to India in search (of it).
سالها میگشت آن قاصد از او ** گرد هندستان برای جستجو3645
For (many) years his envoy wandered about India in quest (of the tree).
شهر شهر از بهر این مطلوب گشت ** نه جزیره ماند و نه کوه و نه دشت
He roamed from town to town for this object: neither island nor mountain nor plain was left (unvisited).
هر که را پرسید کردش ریشخند ** کاین که جوید جز مگر مجنون بند
Every one whom he asked made a mock of him, saying, “Who would search after this, unless perhaps a madman in confinement?”
بس کسان صفعش زدند اندر مزاح ** بس کسان گفتند ای صاحب فلاح
Many slapped him jocosely; many said, “O fortunate man,
جستجوی چون تو زیرک سینه صاف ** کی تهی باشد کجا باشد گزاف
How should the enquiry of a clever and clear-minded person like you be devoid (of result)? How should it be vain?”