چون ندارد جان تو قندیلها ** بهر بینش کرده‌ای تاویلها
Since thy soul hath not the lamps (the lights necessary) for seeing, thou hast made interpretations,
که غرض تسبیح ظاهر کی بود ** دعوی دیدن خیال غی بود
Saying, “How should visible glorification (of God) be the meaning intended? The claim to see (that glorification) is an erroneous fancy.
بلک مر بیننده را دیدار آن ** وقت عبرت می‌کند تسبیح‌خوان1025
Nay, the sight of that (inanimate object) causes him that sees it to glorify God at the time when he regards its significance.
پس چو از تسبیح یادت می‌دهد ** آن دلالت همچو گفتن می‌بود
Therefore, inasmuch as it reminds you of glorification, that indication (which it gives to you) is even as (equivalent to its) uttering (the words of glorification).”
این بود تاویل اهل اعتزال ** و آن آنکس کو ندارد نور حال
This is the interpretation of the Mu‘tazilites and of those who do not possess the light of immediate (mystical) intuition.
چون ز حس بیرون نیامد آدمی ** باشد از تصویر غیبی اعجمی
When a man has not escaped from sense-perception, he will be a stranger to the ideas of the unseen world.
این سخن پایان ندارد مارگیر ** می‌کشید آن مار را با صد زحیر
This discourse hath no end. The snake-catcher, with a hundred pains, was bringing the snake along,
تا به بغداد آمد آن هنگامه‌جو ** تا نهد هنگامه‌ای بر چارسو1030
Till (at last) the would-be showman arrived at Baghdád, that he might set up a public show at the cross-roads.
بر لب شط مرد هنگامه نهاد ** غلغله در شهر بغداد اوفتاد
The man set up a show on the bank of the Tigris, and a hubbub arose in the city of Baghdád—
مارگیری اژدها آورده است ** بوالعجب نادر شکاری کرده است
“A snake-catcher has brought a dragon: he has captured a marvellous rare beast.”
جمع آمد صد هزاران خام‌ریش ** صید او گشته چو او از ابلهیش
Myriads of simpletons assembled, who had become a prey to him as he (to it) in his folly.
منتظر ایشان و هم او منتظر ** تا که جمع آیند خلق منتشر
They were waiting (to see the dragon), and he too was waiting for the scattered people to assemble.
مردم هنگامه افزون‌تر شود ** کدیه و توزیع نیکوتر رود1035
The greater the crowd, the better goes the begging and contributing (of money).
جمع آمد صد هزاران ژاژخا ** حلقه کرده پشت پا بر پشت پا
Myriads of idle babblers assembled, forming a ring, sole against sole.
مرد را از زن خبر نه ز ازدحام ** رفته درهم چون قیامت خاص و عام
Man took no heed of woman: on account of the throng they were mingled together like nobles and common folk at the Resurrection.
چون همی حراقه جنبانید او ** می‌کشیدند اهل هنگامه گلو
When he (the snake-catcher) began to move the cloth (which covered the dragon), the people in the crowd strained their throats (necks),
و اژدها کز زمهریر افسرده بود ** زیر صد گونه پلاس و پرده بود
And (saw that) the dragon, which had been frozen by intense cold, was underneath a hundred kinds of coarse woollen cloths and coverlets.
بسته بودش با رسنهای غلیظ ** احتیاطی کرده بودش آن حفیظ1040
He had bound it with thick ropes: that careful keeper had taken great precaution for it.
در درنگ انتظار و اتفاق ** تافت بر آن مار خورشید عراق
During the delay (interval) of expectation and coming together, the sun of ‘Iráq shone upon the snake.
آفتاب گرم‌سیرش گرم کرد ** رفت از اعضای او اخلاط سرد
The sun of the hot country warmed it; the cold humours went out of its limbs.
مرده بود و زنده گشت او از شگفت ** اژدها بر خویش جنبیدن گرفت
It had been dead, and it revived: from astonishment (at feeling the sun's heat) the dragon began to uncoil itself.
خلق را از جنبش آن مرده مار ** گشتشان آن یک تحیر صد هزار
By the stirring of that dead serpent the people's amazement was multiplied a hundred thousand fold.
با تحیر نعره‌ها انگیختند ** جملگان از جنبشش بگریختند1045
With amazement they started shrieking and fled en masse from its motion.
می‌سکست او بند و زان بانگ بلند ** هر طرف می‌رفت چاقاچاق بند
It set about bursting the bonds, and at that loud outcry (of the people) the bonds on every side went crack, crack.
بندها بسکست و بیرون شد ز زیر ** اژدهایی زشت غران همچو شیر
It burst the bonds and glided out from beneath—a hideous dragon roaring like a lion.
در هزیمت بس خلایق کشته شد ** از فتاده و کشتگان صد پشته شد
Many people were killed in the rout: a hundred heaps were made of the fallen slain.
مارگیر از ترس بر جا خشک گشت ** که چه آوردم من از کهسار و دشت
The snake-catcher became paralysed with fear on the spot, crying, “What have I brought from the mountains and the desert?”
گرگ را بیدار کرد آن کور میش ** رفت نادان سوی عزرائیل خویش1050
The blind sheep awakened the wolf: unwittingly it went towards its ‘Azrá’íl (Angel of death).
اژدها یک لقمه کرد آن گیج را ** سهل باشد خون‌خوری حجاج را
The dragon made one mouthful of that dolt: blood-drinking (bloodshed) is easy for Hajjáj.
خویش را بر استنی پیچید و بست ** استخوان خورده را در هم شکست
It wound and fastened itself on a pillar and crunched the bones of the devoured man.
نفست اژدرهاست او کی مرده است ** از غم و بی آلتی افسرده است
The dragon is thy sensual soul: how is it dead? It is (only) frozen by grief and lack of means.
گر بیابد آلت فرعون او ** که بامر او همی‌رفت آب جو
If it obtain the means of Pharaoh, by whose command the water of the river (Nile) would flow,
آنگه او بنیاد فرعونی کند ** راه صد موسی و صد هارون زند1055
Then it will begin to act like Pharaoh and will waylay a hundred (such as) Moses and Aaron.
کرمکست آن اژدها از دست فقر ** پشه‌ای گردد ز جاه و مال صقر
That dragon, under stress of poverty, is a little worm, (but) a gnat is made a falcon by power and riches.
اژدها را دار در برف فراق ** هین مکش او را به خورشید عراق
Keep the dragon in the snow of separation (from its desires); beware, do not carry it into the sun of ‘Iráq.
تا فسرده می‌بود آن اژدهات ** لقمه‌ی اویی چو او یابد نجات
So long as that dragon of thine remains frozen, (well and good); thou art a mouthful for it, when it gains release.
مات کن او را و آمن شو ز مات ** رحم کم کن نیست او ز اهل صلات
Mortify it and become safe from (spiritual) death; have no mercy: it is not one of them that deserve favours;
کان تف خورشید شهوت بر زند ** آن خفاش مردریگت پر زند1060
For (when) the heat of the sun of lust strikes upon it, that vile bat of thine flaps its wings.
می‌کشانش در جهاد و در قتال ** مردوار الله یجزیک الوصال
Lead it manfully to the (spiritual) warfare and battle: God will reward thee with access (to Him).
چونک آن مرد اژدها را آورید ** در هوای گرم خوش شد آن مرید
When that man brought the dragon into the hot air, the insolent brute became well (again),
لاجرم آن فتنه‌ها کرد ای عزیز ** بیست همچندان که ما گفتیم نیز
Inevitably it wrought those mischiefs, my dear friend, (and others) too, twenty times as many as we have told.
تو طمع داری که او را بی جفا ** بسته داری در وقار و در وفا
Dost thou hope, without using violence, to keep it bound in quiet and faithfulness?
هر خسی را این تمنی کی رسد ** موسیی باید که اژدرها کشد1065
How should this wish be fulfilled for any worthless one? It needs a Moses to kill the dragon.
صدهزاران خلق ز اژدرهای او ** در هزیمت کشته شد از رای او
By his dragon hundreds of thousands of people were killed in the rout, as he had designed.
تهدید کردن فرعون موسی را علیه السلام
How Pharaoh threatened Moses, on whom be peace.
گفت فرعونش چرا تو ای کلیم ** خلق را کشتی و افکندی تو بیم
Pharaoh said to him, “Why didst thou, O Kalím, kill the people and cause fear to fall (on them)?
در هزیمت از تو افتادند خلق ** در هزیمت کشته شد مردم ز زلق
The people were put to flight and rout by thee; in the rout the folk were killed through slipping (and being crushed to death).
لاجرم مردم ترا دشمن گرفت ** کین تو در سینه مرد و زن گرفت
Necessarily, the folk have come to regard thee as their enemy; (both) men and women have conceived hatred of thee in their breasts.
خلق را می‌خواندی بر عکس شد ** از خلافت مردمان را نیست بد1070
Thou wert calling the people to (follow) thee, (but) it has turned out contrariwise: the folk cannot but resist thee.
من هم از شرت اگر پس می‌خزم ** در مکافات تو دیگی می‌پزم
I too, though I am creeping (shrinking) back from thy malice, am concocting a plan to requite thee.
دل ازین بر کن که بفریبی مرا ** یا بجز فی پس‌روی گردد ترا
Put away from thine heart the thought that thou wilt deceive me or that thou wilt get any follower but thy shadow.