پیشتر از واقعه آسان بود ** در دل مردم خیال نیک و بد
Before the battle, the fancy of good or evil is slight (makes no deep impression) in a man’s heart;
چون در آید اندرون کارزار ** آن زمان گردد بر آنکس کار زار
(But) when he enters into the fray, then to that person the matter becomes woeful.
چون نه شیری هین منه تو پای پیش ** کان اجل گرگست و جان تست میش
Since you are not a lion, beware, do not step forward, for that Doom is a wolf, and your soul is the sheep;
ور ز ابدالی و میشت شیر شد ** آمن آ که مرگ تو سرزیر شد
But if you are one of the Abdál (saints) and your sheep has become a lion, come on securely, for your death has been over-thrown.
کیست ابدال آنک او مبدل شود ** خمرش از تبدیل یزدان خل شود4000
Who is the Abdál? He that becomes transmuted, he whose wine is turned into vinegar by Divine transmutation.
لیک مستی شیرگیری وز گمان ** شیر پنداری تو خود را هین مران
But you are drunken, pot-valiant, and from (mere) opinion think yourself to be a lion: Beware, do not advance!
گفت حق ز اهل نفاق ناسدید ** باسهم ما بینهم باس شدید
God bath said of the unrighteous Hypocrites, “Their valour amongst themselves is a great valour.
در میان همدگر مردانه‌اند ** در غزا چون عورتان خانه‌اند
Amongst one another they are manly, (but) in a warlike expedition they are as the women of the house.”
گفت پیغامبر سپهدار غیوب ** لا شجاعة یا فتی قبل الحروب
The Prophet; the commander-in-chief of the things unseen, said, “There is no bravery, O youth, before the battles.”
وقت لاف غزو مستان کف کنند ** وقت جوش جنگ چون کف بی‌فنند4005
The drunken make a froth when there is talk of war, (but) when war is raging they are as unskilled (useless) as froth.
وقت ذکر غزو شمشیرش دراز ** وقت کر و فر تیغش چون پیاز
At the time when war is spoken Of, his (such a one’s) scimitar is long (drawn and extended); at the time of combat his sword is (sheathed) like an onion.
وقت اندیشه دل او زخم‌جو ** پس به یک سوزن تهی شد خیک او
At the time of premeditation his heart is eager for wounds; then (in action) his bag is emptied (of air) by a single needle.
من عجب دارم ز جویای صفا ** کو رمد در وقت صیقل از جفا
I marvel at the seeker of purity who at the time of polishing shrinks from being handled roughly.
عشق چون دعوی جفا دیدن گواه ** چون گواهت نیست شد دعوی تباه
Love is like the lawsuit; to suffer harsh treatment is (like) the evidence: when you have no evidence, the lawsuit is lost.
چون گواهت خواهد این قاضی مرنج ** بوسه ده بر مار تا یابی تو گنج4010
Do not be aggrieved when this Judge demands your evidence: kiss the snake in order that you may gain the treasure.
آن جفا با تو نباشد ای پسر ** بلک با وصف بدی اندر تو در
That harshness is not towards you, O son; nay, towards the evil qualities within you.
بر نمد چوبی که آن را مرد زد ** بر نمد آن را نزد بر گرد زد
The blows of the stick with which a man beats a rug he inflicts, not on the rug, but on the dust (in the rug).
گر بزد مر اسپ را آن کینه کش ** آن نزد بر اسپ زد بر سکسکش
If that vindictive fellow lashes the horse, he directs the blows, not at the horse, but at its stumbling,
تا ز سکسک وا رهد خوش‌پی شود ** شیره را زندان کنی تا می‌شود
In order that it may be delivered from (the vice of) stumbling and may move well: you imprison must (in the vat) in order that it may become wine.
گفت چندان آن یتیمک را زدی ** چون نترسیدی ز قهر ایزدی4015
He (some one) said, “Thou hast struck that little orphan so many blows: how wert not thou afraid of the Divine wrath?”
گفت او را کی زدم ای جان و دوست ** من بر آن دیوی زدم کو اندروست
He (the striker) said, “O (dear) soul and friend, when did I strike him? I struck at the devil that is in him,”
مادر ار گوید ترا مرگ تو باد ** مرگ آن خو خواهد و مرگ فساد
If your mother say to you, “Mayst thou die!” she wishes the death of that (evil) nature (of yours) and the death of iniquity.
آن گروهی کز ادب بگریختند ** آب مردی و آب مردان ریختند
The folk who fled from correction dishonoured’ their (own) manhood and (true) men.
عاذلانشان از وغا وا راندند ** تا چنین حیز و مخنث ماندند
The railers drove them back from the war, so that they remained so infamous and effeminate.
لاف و غره‌ی ژاژخا را کم شنو ** با چنینها در صف هیجا مرو4020
Do not thou hearken to the boasting and roaring of the driveller: do not go into the battle-line with such fellows.
زانک زاد و کم خبالا گفت حق ** کز رفاق سست برگردان ورق
Since they would have added to you (naught but) corruption, God said, “Turn the leaf (avert yourself) from pusillanimous comrades,
که گر ایشان با شما همره شوند ** غازیان بی‌مغز همچون که شوند
For if they go along with you, the warriors will become pith- less, like straw.
خویشتن را با شما هم‌صف کنند ** پس گریزند و دل صف بشکنند
They put themselves in line with you (on the field of battle); then they flee and break the heart of the line.
پس سپاهی اندکی بی این نفر ** به که با اهل نفاق آید حشر
Therefore, better a little army without these persons than (that) it should be mustered (reinforced) with the Hypocrites.”
هست بادام کم خوش بیخته ** به ز بسیاری به تلخ آمیخته4025
A few well-sifted almonds are better than a great many (sweet ones) mixed with bitter..
تلخ و شیرین در ژغاژغ یک شی‌اند ** نقص از آن افتاد که همدل نیند
The bitter and the sweet are one thing (alike) in respect of rattling (against each other, when poured out); the defect arises from their not being the same at heart.
گبر ترسان دل بود کو از گمان ** می‌زید در شک ز حال آن جهان
The infidel is of timorous heart, for, (judging) from opinion, he lives in doubt as to the state of that (the other) world.
He is going along the road, (but) he does not know any stage: one blind in heart steps timidly.
چون نداند ره مسافر چون رود ** با ترددها و دل پرخون رود
When the traveller does not know the way, how does he go? He goes with (many) hesitations, while his heart is full of blood (anguish).
هرکه گویدهای این‌سو راه نیست ** او کند از بیم آنجا وقف و ایست4030
If anyone says (to him), “Hey! this is not the way he will o halt there and stand still in affright.
ور بداند ره دل با هوش او ** کی رود هر های و هو در گوش او
But if his (the traveller’s) wise heart knows the way, how should every hey and ho go into his ear?
پس مشو همراه این اشتردلان ** زانک وقت ضیق و بیمند آفلان
Therefore do not journey with these camel-hearted (craven) ones, for in the hour of distress and danger they are the ones who sink;
پس گریزند و ترا تنها هلند ** گرچه اندر لاف سحر بابلند
Then they flee and leave thee alone, though in boasting they are (powerful as) the magic of Babylon.
تو ز رعنایان مجو هین کارزار ** تو ز طاوسان مجو صید و شکار
Beware! Do not thou request sybarites to fight; do not request peacocks to engage in the hunt and the chase.
طبع طاوسست و وسواست کند ** دم زند تا از مقامت بر کند4035
The carnal nature is a peacock: it tempts thee and talks idly, that it may remove thee from thy (spiritual) post.
گفتن شیطان قریش را کی به جنگ احمد آیید کی من یاریها کنم وقبیله‌ی خود را بیاری خوانم و وقت ملاقات صفین گریختن
How Satan said to the Quraysh, “Go to war with Ahmad (Mohammed), for I will aid you and call my tribe to help”; and how, when the two battle-lines confronted each other, he fled.
همچو شیطان در سپه شد صد یکم ** خواند افسون که اننی جار لکم
As (for example) Satan became the hundred-and-first in the army (of the Quraysh) and spake beguiling words, saying, “Verily, I am a protector for you.”
چون قریش از گفت او حاضر شدند ** هر دو لشکر در ملاقان آمدند
When the Quraysh had assembled at his bidding, and the two armies confronted each other,
دید شیطان از ملایک اسپهی ** سوی صف مومنان اندر رهی
Satan espied a host of angels on a road beside the ranks of the Faithful.
آن جنودا لم تروها صف زده ** گشت جان او ز بیم آتشکده
(He espied) those troops that ye saw not, drawn up in ranks; and from terror his soul became (like) a fire-temple.
پای خود وا پس کشیده می‌گرفت ** که همی‌بینم سپاهی من شگفت4040
Turning on his heel, he began to retreat, saying, “I behold a marvellous host”—
ای اخاف الله ما لی منه عون ** اذهبوا انی اری ما لاترون
That is, “I fear God: I have no help from Him. Get ye gone! Verily, I see what ye see not.”
گفت حارث ای سراقه شکل هین ** دی چرا تو می‌نگفتی اینچنین
Hárith said, “Hey, O thou that hast the form of Suráqa, why wert not thou saying such-like words yesterday?”
گفت این دم من همی‌بینم حرب ** گفت می‌بینی جعاشیش عرب
He replied, “At this moment I see destruction (before me).” He (Hárith) said, “Thou seest the most puny of the Arabs.
می‌نبینی غیر این لیک ای تو ننگ ** آن زمان لاف بود این وقت جنگ
Thou art seeing naught but this; but, O thou disgrace, that was the time of talk, and this is the time of battle.
دی همی‌گفتی که پایندان شدم ** که بودتان فتح و نصرت دم‌بدم4045
Yesterday thou wert saying, ‘I pledge myself that victory and Divine aid will always be yours.’