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.
زشتها را نغز گرداند به فن ** نغزها را زشت گرداند به ظن
It makes ugly things beautiful by means of sleight; it makes beautiful things ugly by means of (false) opinion.
کار سحر اینست کو دم می‌زند ** هر نفس قلب حقایق می‌کند
The work of magic is this, that it breathes (incantations) and at every breath (moment) transforms realities.
آدمی را خر نماید ساعتی ** آدمی سازد خری را وآیتی
At one time it shows a man in the guise of an ass, (at another time) it makes an ass (look like) a man and a notable.
این چنین ساحر درون تست و سر ** ان فی الوسواس سحرا مستتر
Such a magician is within you and latent: truly, there is a concealed magic in temptation (exerted by the fleshly soul);
اندر آن عالم که هست این سحرها ** ساحران هستند جادویی‌گشا4075
(But) in the world in which are these magic arts, there are magicians who defeat sorcery.
اندر آن صحرا که رست این زهر تر ** نیز روییدست تریاق ای پسر
In the plain where this fresh (virulent) poison grew, there has also grown the antidote, O son.
گویدت تریاق از من جو سپر ** که ز زهرم من به تو نزدیکتر
The antidote says to you, “Seek from me a shield, for I am nearer than the poison to thee.
گفت او سحرست و ویرانی تو ** گفت من سحرست و دفع سحر او
Her (the fleshly soul's) words are magic and thy ruin; my words are (lawful) magic and the counter-charm to her magic.”
مکرر کردن عاذلان پند را بر آن مهمان آن مسجد مهمان کش
How the fault-finders repeated their advice to the guest of the guest-killing mosque.
گفت پیغامبر که ان فی البیان ** سحرا و حق گفت آن خوش پهلوان
The Prophet said, “Verily, there is a magic in eloquence”; and that goodly hero spake the truth.
هین مکن جلدی برو ای بوالکرم ** مسجد و ما را مکن زین متهم4080
“Hey, do not commit a foolhardy act, (but) depart, O generous man, and do not make the mosque and us suspected on this account;
که بگوید دشمنی از دشمنی ** آتشی در ما زند فردا دنی
For an enemy will speak form enmity, and to-morrow the villain will rouse a fire (of suspicion) against us,
که بتاسانید او را ظالمی ** بر بهانه‌ی مسجد او بد سالمی
Saying, ‘Some wicked man strangled him, (knowing that) on the pretext of the mosque he was safe (from suspicion),
تا بهانه‌ی قتل بر مسجد نهد ** چونک بدنامست مسجد او جهد
So that he might impute the murder to the mosque and, since the mosque has a bad name, might escape.’
تهمتی بر ما منه ای سخت‌جان ** که نه‌ایم آمن ز مکر دشمنان
Do not lay any suspicion upon us, O man of valiant spirit, for we are not secure from the craft of (our) enemies.
هین برو جلدی مکن سودا مپز ** که نتان پیمود کیوان را بگز4085
Come now, depart! Do not be foolhardy, do not cherish vain desire, for it is impossible to measure (the planet) Saturn by the ell.
چون تو بسیاران بلافیده ز بخت ** ریش خود بر کنده یک یک لخت لخت
Many like thee have prated of (their) luck, (and in the end) they have torn out their beards, one by one, piecemeal.
هین برو کوتاه کن این قیل و قال ** خویش و ما را در میفکن در وبال
Hey, begone ! Cut short this palaver ! Do not cast thyself and us into woe!"
جواب گفتن مهمان ایشان را و مثل آوردن بدفع کردن حارس کشت به بانگ دف از کشت شتری را کی کوس محمودی بر پشت او زدندی
How the guest answered them and adduced the parable of the guardian of the cornfield who, by making a noise with the tomtom, sought to drive away from the cornfield a camel on whose back they were beating the big kettle-drum of (Sultan) Mahmúd.
گفت ای یاران از آن دیوان نیم ** که ز لا حولی ضعیف آید پیم
He said, “O friends, I am not one of the devils, that (the strength of) my sinews should fail at a single lá hawl.
کودکی کو حارس کشتی بدی ** طبلکی در دفع مرغان می‌زدی
A boy, who was the guardian of a cornfield, used to beat a tomtom in order to keep off the birds,
تا رمیدی مرغ زان طبلک ز کشت ** کشت از مرغان بد بی خوف گشت4090
So that the birds, at (the sound of) the tomtom, were scared away from the field, and the field became safe from evil birds.
چونک سلطان شاه محمود کریم ** برگذر زد آن طرف خیمه‌ی عظیم
When the Sultan, the noble King Mahmúd, pitched a great tent in that neighbourhood as he passed on the way
با سپاهی همچو استاره‌ی اثیر ** انبه و پیروز و صفدر ملک‌گیر
With an army like the stars of heaven (in number), numerous and victorious, one that pierces the ranks (of the enemy) and takes possession of empire—
اشتری بد کو بدی حمال کوس ** بختیی بد پیش‌رو همچون خروس
There was a camel that carried the kettle-drum: ’twas a Bactrian (camel), going in front (of the army) like a cock:
بانگ کوس و طبل بر وی روز و شب ** می‌زدی اندر رجوع و در طلب
Day and night he (the driver) used loudly to beat the big kettle-drum and the (ordinary) drum on its back in returning (from an expedition) and in setting out.
اندر آن مزرع در آمد آن شتر ** کودک آن طبلک بزد در حفظ بر4095
That camel entered the cornfield, and the boy beat his tom--tom to protect the corn.
عاقلی گفتش مزن طبلک که او ** پخته‌ی طبلست با آنشست خو
An intelligent man said to him, ‘Don't beat the tomtom, for he (the camel) is well-seasoned by the drum; he is accustomed to it.
پیش او چه بود تبوراک تو طفل ** که کشد او طبل سلطان بیست کفل
What is thy little tomtom, child, to him, since he carries the Sultan's drum twenty times the size?’
عاشقم من کشته‌ی قربان لا ** جان من نوبتگه طبل بلا
I am a lover, one who has been sacrificed to Naught: my soul is the band-stand for the drum of tribulation.
خود تبوراکست این تهدیدها ** پیش آنچ دیده است این دیدها
Verily, these threats (of yours) are (as) a little tomtom beside that which these eyes (of mine) have seen.
ای حریفان من از آنها نیستم ** کز خیالاتی درین ره بیستم4100
O comrades, I am not one of those (without experience), that because of idle fancies I should halt on the Way.
من چو اسماعیلیانم بی‌حذر ** بل چو اسمعیل آزادم ز سر
I am unafraid (of death), like the Ismá‘ílís; nay, like Ismá‘íl (Ishmael) I am free from (care for my) head.
فارغم از طمطراق و از ریا ** قل تعالوا گفت جانم را بیا
I am done with pomp and ostentation. ‘Say, come ye’: He (the Beloved) said to my soul, ‘Come.’”
گفت پیغامبر که جاد فی السلف ** بالعطیه من تیقن بالخلف
The Prophet has said that one who feels sure of the recompense will give generously beforehand.
هر که بیند مر عطا را صد عوض ** زود دربازد عطا را زین غرض
Whoever sees a hundred compensations for the gift will at once give away the gift with this object (in view).
جمله در بازار از آن گشتند بند ** تا چو سود افتاد مال خود دهند4105
All have become tied (to their business) in the bazaar (this world), to the end that when (the chance of) gain occurs they may give their money.