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.’
دی زعیم الجیش بودی ای لعین ** وین زمان نامرد و ناچیز و مهین
Yesterday thou wert the surety for the army, O accursed one, and now thou art cowardly, good-for-nothing, and vile,
تا بخوردیم آن دم تو و آمدیم ** تو بتون رفتی و ما هیزم شدیم
So that (after) we swallowed those (deceitful) words of thine and came (to battle), thou hast gone to the bath-stove and we have become the fuel.”
چونک حارث با سراقه گفت این ** از عتابش خشمگین شد آن لعین
When Hárith said this to Suráqa, that accursed one was enraged at his reproaches.
دست خود خشمین ز دست او کشید ** چون ز گفت اوش درد دل رسید
He angrily withdrew his hand from his (Hárith's) hand, since his heart was pained by his words.
سینه‌اش را کوفت شیطان و گریخت ** خون آن بیچارگان زین مکر ریخت4050
Satan smote his (Hárith's) breast and fled: by means of this plot he shed the blood of those wretched men.
چونک ویران کرد چندین عالم او ** پس بگفت این بری منکم
After he had ruined so great a multitude, he then said, “Lo, I am quit of you.”
کوفت اندر سینه‌اش انداختش ** پس گریزان شد چو هیبت تاختش
He smote him on the breast and overthrew him; then he turned to flee, since terror urged him on.
نفس و شیطان هر دو یک تن بوده‌اند ** در دو صورت خویش را بنموده‌اند
The fleshly soul and the Devil both have (ever) been one person (essentially); (but) they have manifested themselves in two forms,
چون فرشته و عقل کایشان یک بدند ** بهر حکمتهاش دو صورت شدند
Like the angel and the intellect, which were (really) one, (but) became two forms for the sake of His (God's) wise purposes.
دشمنی داری چنین در سر خویش ** مانع عقلست و خصم جان و کیش4055
You have such an enemy as this in your inward part: he is the preventer of the intellect, and the adversary of the spirit and of religion.
یکنفس حمله کند چون سوسمار ** پس بسوراخی گریزد در فرار
At one moment he dashes forward like the Libyan lizard; then (again) in flight he darts away into a hole.
در دل او سوراخها دارد کنون ** سر ز هر سوراخ می‌آرد برون
Just now he has (many) holes in the (human) heart, and from every hole he is putting out his head.
نام پنهان گشتن دیو از نفوس ** واندر آن سوراخ رفتن شد خنوس
The name that denotes the Devil's becoming hidden from (men's) souls and going into that hole is khunús (slinking back),
که خنوسش چون خنوس قنفذست ** چون سر قنفذ ورا آمد شذست
For his khunús is like the khunús of the hedgehog: like the head of the hedgehog, he pops in and out;
که خدا آن دیو را خناس خواند ** کو سر آن خارپشتک را بماند4060
For God hath called the Devil Khannás (the slinker), because he resembles the head of the little hedgehog.
می نهان گردد سر آن خارپشت ** دم‌بدم از بیم صیاد درشت
The head of the hedgehog is continually being hidden because of its fear of the cruel hunter,
تا چو فرصت یافت سر آرد برون ** زین چنین مکری شود مارش زبون
Until, when it has found an opportunity, it puts out its head: by such a stratagem the snake becomes its prey.
گرنه نفس از اندرون راهت زدی ** ره‌زنان را بر تو دستی کی بدی
If the fleshly soul had not waylaid you from within, how would the brigands have any power to lay a hand upon you?
زان عوان مقتضی که شهوتست ** دل اسیر حرص و آز و آفتست
On account of the exigent myrmidon, who is Lust, the heart is captive to greed and cupidity and bane.
زان عوان سر شدی دزد و تباه ** تا عوانان را به قهر تست راه4065
On account of that inward myrmidon you have become thievish and depraved, so that the way is (open) for the (external) myrmidons to coerce you.
در خبر بشنو تو این پند نکو ** بیم جنبیکم لکم اعدی عدو
Hearken to this good counsel in the Traditions (of the Prophet)—“Your worst enemy is between your two sides.”
طمطراق این عدو مشنو گریز ** کو چو ابلیسست در لج و ستیز
Do not listen to the pompous talk of this enemy, (but) flee, for she is like Iblís in obstinately wrangling and quarrelling.
بر تو او از بهر دنیا و نبرد ** آن عذاب سرمدی را سهل کرد
For the sake of this world and for contention's sake she has made the everlasting torment (seem) easy (of small account) to you.
چه عجب گر مرگ را آسان کند ** او ز سحر خویش صد چندان کند
What wonder, if she makes death (seem) easy? By her magic she does a hundred times as much (as this).
سحر کاهی را به صنعت که کند ** باز کوهی را چو کاهی می‌تند4070
Magic makes a straw a mountain by artifice; (or) again, it weaves a mountain like a straw.