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که بیا مهمان ما ای روشنی ** خانه آن تست و تو آن منی
- Saying, “Come in as my guest, O light (of my eyes): the house is yours, and you are mine.”
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حزم آن باشد که گویی تخمهام ** یا سقیمم خستهی این دخمهام
- Prudence is this, that you say (to her), “I have indigestion” or “I am ill, I am a sick man in this charnel-house”;
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یا سرم دردست درد سر ببر ** یا مرا خواندست آن خالو پسر
- Or “My head aches: take away my headache,” or “the son of my maternal uncle has invited me”—
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زانک یک نوشت دهد با نیشها ** که بکارد در تو نوشش ریشها
- For she will give you one (draught of) honey (mixed) with (venomous) stings, so that her honey will plant in you (many) sores.
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زر اگر پنجاه اگر شصتت دهد ** ماهیا او گوشت در شستت دهد 225
- Whether she give you fifty or sixty (pieces of) gold, she gives you, O fish, (nothing but) flesh on a hook.
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گر دهد خود کی دهد آن پر حیل ** جوز پوسیدست گفتار دغل
- If she give, when does that deceitful one really give (aught)? The words of the swindler are (like) rotten walnuts.
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ژغژغ آن عقل و مغزت را برد ** صد هزاران عقل را یک نشمرد
- Their rattling robs you of understanding and brain and does not reckon myriads of understandings (even) as one.
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یار تو خرجین تست و کیسهات ** گر تو رامینی مجو جز ویسهات
- (In travelling) your bag and your purse are your friend, (do not care for anything else): if you are Rámín, seek none but your Wísa.
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ویسه و معشوق تو هم ذات تست ** وین برونیها همه آفات تست
- ’Tis your essential self that is your Wísa and beloved, and all these external things are banes to you.
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حزم آن باشد که چون دعوت کنند ** تو نگویی مست و خواهان منند 230
- Prudence is this, that when they (worldlings) invite you, you should not say, “They are enamoured and fond of me.”
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دعوت ایشان صفیر مرغ دان ** که کند صیاد در مکمن نهان
- Know that their invitation is (like) the bird's whistle which the fowler gives (while) concealed in (his) place of ambush:
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مرغ مرده پیش بنهاده که این ** میکند این بانگ و آواز و حنین
- He has put forward a dead bird, (pretending) that this (bird) is making this plaintive noise and cry.
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مرغ پندارد که جنس اوست او ** جمع آید بر دردشان پوست او
- The birds think he is one of their kind: they gather round, and he rends their skins—
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جز مگر مرغی که حزمش داد حق ** تا نگردد گیج آن دانه و ملق
- Except, no doubt, the bird on which God has bestowed prudence, so that it may not be fooled by that bait and enticement.
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هست بی حزمی پشیمانی یقین ** بشنو این افسانه را در شرح این 235
- Imprudence is assuredly (attended by) repentance. Hear the following story in explanation of this.
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فریفتن روستایی شهری را و بدعوت خواندن بلابه و الحاح بسیار
- How the countryman deceived the townsman and invited him with humble entreaties and great importunity.
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ای برادر بود اندر ما مضی ** شهریی با روستایی آشنا
- In the past, O brother, there was a townsman (who was) intimate with a countryman.
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روستایی چون سوی شهر آمدی ** خرگه اندر کوی آن شهری زدی
- Whenever the countryman came to town, he would pitch his tent in the street of the townsman.
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دو مه و سه ماه مهمانش بدی ** بر دکان او و بر خوانش بدی
- He would be his guest for two or three months, he would be in his shop and at his table,
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هر حوایج را که بودش آن زمان ** راست کردی مرد شهری رایگان
- And the townsman would provide, free of cost, everything that he wanted during that time.
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رو به شهری کرد و گفت ای خواجه تو ** هیچ مینایی سوی ده فرجهجو 240
- (Once) he turned to the townsman and said, “Sire, are you never coming to the country for a holiday?
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الله الله جمله فرزندان بیار ** کین زمان گلشنست و نوبهار
- Bring all your children, (I beg you) in God's name, for this is the time of the rose-garden and the springtide;
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یا بتابستان بیا وقت ثمر ** تا ببندم خدمتت را من کمر
- Or come in summer, in the fruit-season, that I may brace my belt to do you service.
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خیل و فرزندان و قومت را بیار ** در ده ما باش سه ماه و چهار
- Bring your retinue and your children and kinsfolk, and stay in our village three or four months,
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که بهاران خطهی ده خوش بود ** کشتزار و لالهی دلکش بود
- For in spring the countryside is pleasant; there are sown fields and lovely anemones.”
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وعده دادی شهری او را دفع حال ** تا بر آمد بعد وعده هشت سال 245
- The townsman was (always) putting him off with promises, until eight years had elapsed since the (first) promise (was given).
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او بهر سالی همیگفتی که کی ** عزم خواهی کرد کامد ماه دی
- Every year he (the countryman) would say, “When will you set out on the journey?—for the month of December is (already) come,”
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او بهانه ساختی کامسالمان ** از فلان خطه بیامد میهمان
- And he (the townsman) would make an excuse, saying, “This year we have a guest who has come from such and such a district;
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سال دیگر گر توانم وا رهید ** از مهمات آن طرف خواهم دوید
- (But) next year I will run (down) to that part (of the country), if I can escape from the pressing affairs (which keep me at home).”
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گفت هستند آن عیالم منتظر ** بهر فرزندان تو ای اهل بر
- He (the countryman) said, “My family are (anxiously) expecting your children, O benefactor.”
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باز هر سالی چو لکلک آمدی ** تا مقیم قبهی شهری شدی 250
- Every year he was coming back, like the stork, to reside in the townsman's pavilion,
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خواجه هر سالی ز زر و مال خویش ** خرج او کردی گشادی بال خویش
- And every year the Khwája would expend his gold and wealth upon him and open his wings (wide).
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آخرین کرت سه ماه آن پهلوان ** خوان نهادش بامدادان و شبان
- On the last occasion, that paladin set dishes (of food) before him at morn and eve for three months.
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از خجالت باز گفت او خواجه را ** چند وعده چند بفریبی مرا
- From shame he again said to the Khwája, “How long (nothing but) promises? How long will you deceive me?”
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گفت خواجه جسم و جانم وصلجوست ** لیک هر تحویل اندر حکم هوست
- The Khwája said, “My body and soul are eager for the meeting, but every change depends on the decree of Him (God).
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آدمی چون کشتی است و بادبان ** تا کی آرد باد را آن بادران 255
- Man is like a ship or sail: (he must wait) to see when the Driver of the wind shall send the (favourable) breeze.”
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باز سوگندان بدادش کای کریم ** گیر فرزندان بیا بنگر نعیم
- Once more he (the countryman) adjured him, crying, “O generous man, take your children and come and behold the pleasures (of the country).”
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دست او بگرفت سه کرت بعهد ** کالله الله زو بیا بنمای جهد
- He took his hand three times in covenant, saying, “In God's name, come quickly, make the utmost effort!”
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بعد ده سال و بهر سالی چنین ** لابهها و وعدههای شکرین
- After ten years—and every year the same sugared entreaties and promises—
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کودکان خواجه گفتند ای پدر ** ماه و ابر و سایه هم دارد سفر
- The Khwája's children said, “O father, the moon and the clouds and the shadows too have their journeys.
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حقها بر وی تو ثابت کردهای ** رنجها در کار او بس بردهای 260
- You have laid obligations on him, you have taken great pains on his account,
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او همیخواهد که بعضی حق آن ** وا گزارد چون شوی تو میهمان
- And he wishes to repay some part of that obligation when you become his guest.
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بس وصیت کرد ما را او نهان ** که کشیدش سوی ده لابهکنان
- He gave us many injunctions in secret: ‘Bring him to the country,’ said he, ‘coaxing (him to come).’”
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گفت حقست این ولی ای سیبویه ** اتق من شر من احسنت الیه
- He (the townsman) said, “This is true, but, O Síbawayh, be on thy guard against the malice of him to whom thou hast shown kindness.
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دوستی تخم دم آخر بود ** ترسم از وحشت که آن فاسد شود
- Love is the seed (that bears fruit at the moment) of the last breath: I fear that it may be corrupted by estrangement.”
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صحبتی باشد چو شمشیر قطوع ** همچو دی در بوستان و در زروع 265
- There is a friendship like a cutting sword, (destructive) as December in the gardens and cornfields;
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صحبتی باشد چو فصل نوبهار ** زو عمارتها و دخل بیشمار
- There is a friendship like the season of spring, whence (come) restorations and produce incalculable.
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حزم آن باشد که ظن بد بری ** تا گریزی و شوی از بد بری
- Prudence is this, that you think evil, so that you may flee and become quit of evil.
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حزم س الظن گفتست آن رسول ** هر قدم را دام میدان ای فضول
- The Prophet has said, “Prudence is (consists in) thinking evil”: know that for every footstep there is a snare, O fool!
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روی صحرا هست هموار و فراخ ** هر قدم دامیست کم ران اوستاخ
- The surface of the plateau is level and broad, (but at) every step there is a snare: do not advance boldly.
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آن بز کوهی دود که دام کو ** چون بتازد دامش افتد در گلو 270
- The mountain-goat runs on, saying, “Where is the snare?” As it speeds onward, the snare lights on its throat.