عیب او مخفیست چون آلت بیافت ** مارش از سوراخ بر صحرا شتافت
His vice is hidden, (but) when he got the instrument (gained power), his snake, (coming out) from its hole, sped along the plain.
جمله صحرا مار و کزدم پر شود ** چونک جاهل شاه حکم مر شود
The entire plain is filled with snakes and scorpions when the ignorant man becomes king (master) of the bitter (harsh) decree.
مال و منصب ناکسی که آرد به دست ** طالب رسوایی خویش او شدست
The worthless person who acquires wealth and office has become the seeker of his own disgrace.
یا کند بخل و عطاها کم دهد ** یا سخا آرد بنا موضع نهد1445
Either he behaves stingily and gives few presents, or he shows generosity and bestows (them) in the wrong place (unsuitably).
شاه را در خانه‌ی بیذق نهد ** این چنین باشد عطا که احمق دهد
He puts the king in the house (square) of the pawn: the gifts which a fool makes are like this.
حکم چون در دست گمراهی فتاد ** جاه پندارید در چاهی فتاد
When authority falls into the hands of one who has lost the (right) way, he deems it to be a high position (jáh), (but in reality) he has fallen into a pit (cháh).
راه نمی‌داند قلاووزی کند ** جان زشت او جهان‌سوزی کند
He does not know the way, (yet) he acts as guide: his wicked spirit makes a world-conflagration.
طفل راه فقر چون پیری گرفت ** پی‌روان را غول ادباری گرفت
When (one who is as) a child in the Way of (spiritual) poverty assumes the part of an Elder (Director of souls), the ghoul of unblessedness seizes those who follow (him).
که بیا تا ماه بنمایم ترا ** ماه را هرگز ندید آن بی‌صفا1450
“Come,” says he, “for I will show thee the moon”; (yet) that impure one never saw the moon.
چون نمایی چون ندیدستی به عمر ** عکس مه در آب هم ای خام غمر
How wilt thou show (the moon) when during (all) thy life thou hast not seen even the reflexion of the moon in the water, O half-baked dunce?
احمقان سرور شدستند و ز بیم ** عاقلان سرها کشیده در گلیم
The foolish have become leaders, and from fear (of them) the wise have drawn their heads into the cloak.
تفسیر یا ایها المزمل
Commentary on "O thou that wrappest thyself."
خواند مزمل نبی را زین سبب ** که برون آ از گلیم ای بوالهرب
For this reason He (God) called the Prophet muzzammil (one who wraps himself), saying, “Come forth from the cloak, O thou who art fond of taking flight.
سر مکش اندر گلیم و رو مپوش ** که جهان جسمیست سرگردان تو هوش
Do not draw thy head into the cloak and do not cover thy face, for the world is a reeling body: thou art the intelligence (rational spirit).
هین مشو پنهان ز ننگ مدعی ** که تو داری شمع وحی شعشعی1455
Hark, do not hide on account of the opprobrium of the adversary, since thou hast the resplendent candle of the Revelation.
هین قم اللیل که شمعی ای همام ** شمع اندر شب بود اندر قیام
Hark, stand up (in prayer) during the night, for thou art a candle, O prince: at night a candle stands up (and burns).
بی‌فروغت روز روشن هم شبست ** بی‌پناهت شیر اسیر ارنبست
Without thy radiance, even the bright day is (dark as) night: without thy protection, the lion is captive to the hare.
باش کشتیبان درین بحر صفا ** که تو نوح ثانیی ای مصطفی
Be the captain (pilot) of the ship in this sea of (spiritual) purity, for thou art a second Noah, O Mustafá (elect one).
ره شناسی می‌بباید با لباب ** هر رهی را خاصه اندر راه آب
An expert guide, (endowed) with understanding, is needed for every road, especially in the road (journey) on the water.
خیز بنگر کاروان ره‌زده ** هر طرف غولیست کشتیبان شده1460
Arise! Look upon the waylaid caravan: everywhere a ghoul has become captain of the ship.
خضر وقتی غوث هر کشتی توی ** هم‌چو روح‌الله مکن تنها روی
Thou art the Khizr of the time and the Deliverer of every ship (in distress): do not, like (Jesus) the Spirit of God, practise solitude.
پیش این جمعی چو شمع آسمان ** انقطاع و خلوت آری را بمان
In the sight of this assembly (of people) thou art as the candle of heaven: leave off severing thyself (from them) and adopting seclusion.
وقت خلوت نیست اندر جمع آی ** ای هدی چون کوه قاف و تو همای
’Tis not the time for seclusion: come into the assembly, O thou who art (as) the humáy, while the guidance (of souls) is like Mount Qáf.
بدر بر صدر فلک شد شب روان ** سیر را نگذارد از بانگ سگان
The full-moon is moving by night on the upper part of the sky: it does not cease from its journey because of the outcry of the dogs.
طاعنان هم‌چون سگان بر بدر تو ** بانگ می‌دارند سوی صدر تو1465
The scoffers keep making an outcry, like dogs, at thy full-moon in the direction of thy high place.
این سگان کرند از امر انصتوا ** از سفه و عوع کنان بر بدر تو
These dogs are deaf to the (Divine) command, ‘Be ye silent’: from folly (they are) bow-wowing at thy full-moon.
هین بمگذار ای شفا رنجور را ** تو ز خشم کر عصای کور را
Hark, O (thou who art) the cure for the sick, do not, on account of anger against the deaf, let go the staff of the blind.
نه تو گفتی قاید اعمی به راه ** صد ثواب و اجر یابد از اله
Didst not thou say?—‘He that leads a blind man on the (right) way gains a hundred recompenses and rewards from God.
هر که او چل گام کوری را کشد ** گشت آمرزیده و یابد رشد
Whoever leads a blind man forty steps is pardoned and will find salvation.’
پس بکش تو زین جهان بی‌قرار ** جوق کوران را قطار اندر قطار1470
Do thou, therefore, lead away from this impermanent world the multitude of the blind, file on file.
کار هادی این بود تو هادیی ** ماتم آخر زمان را شادیی
This is the business of a guide: thou art the Guide, thou art the joy for (dispelling) the sorrow of the last (period of) time.
هین روان کن ای امام المتقین ** این خیال‌اندیشگان را تا یقین
Hark, O Imám of the God-fearing, cause these thinkers of vain fancies to go (onward) till (they attain unto) certainty.
هر که در مکر تو دارد دل گرو ** گردنش را من زنم تو شاد رو
Whoever hath his heart in pawn (devoted) to plotting against thee, I will smite his neck: do thou advance joyously.
بر سر کوریش کوریها نهم ** او شکر پندارد و زهرش دهم
I will lay (more) blindnesses on the top of his blindness: he will deem it sugar, and I will (really) give him poison.
عقلها از نور من افروختند ** مکرها از مکر من آموختند1475
(All) intellects have been kindled by My light; (all) plots have been learned from My plotting.
چیست خود آلاجق آن ترکمان ** پیش پای نره پیلان جهان
What indeed is the Turcoman's tent of black felt before the feet of the male (fierce) elephants of this world?
آن چراغ او به پیش صرصرم ** خود چه باشد ای مهین پیغامبرم
Before My sarsar wind what in sooth is that lamp of his (contrivance), O My greatest prophet?
خیز در دم تو بصور سهمناک ** تا هزاران مرده بر روید ز خاک
Do thou arise and blow on the terrible trumpet, that thousands of the dead may spring up from the earth.
چون تو اسرافیل وقتی راست‌خیز ** رستخیزی ساز پیش از رستخیز
Since thou art the upright-rising Isráfíl (Seraphiel) of the time, make a resurrection ere the Resurrection.
هر که گوید کو قیامت ای صنم ** خویش بنما که قیامت نک منم1480
O beloved, if any one say, ‘Where is the Resurrection?’ show thyself, saying, ‘Behold, I am the Resurrection.
در نگر ای سایل محنت‌زده ** زین قیامت صد جهان افزون شده
Look, O questioner who art stricken with tribulation, (and see) that from this resurrection a hundred worlds have grown!’
ور نباشد اهل این ذکر و قنوت ** پس جواب الاحمق ای سلطان سکوت
And if he (the scoffer) be not fit for this praise (of Me) and humble supplication, then, O (spiritual) Sultan, the (proper) reply to a fool is silence.
ز آسمان حق سکوت آید جواب ** چون بود جانا دعا نامستجاب
From God's Heaven silence comes in reply when, O (dear) soul, the prayer is unanswered.”
ای دریغا وقت خرمنگاه شد ** لیک روز از بخت ما بیگاه شد
Oh, alas, ’tis harvest-time, but by our (ill) fortune the day has become late.
وقت تنگست و فراخی این کلام ** تنگ می‌آید برو عمر دوام1485
Time is pressing, and the amplitude of this (subject of) discussion (is such that) a perpetual life will be (too) restricted for it.
نیزه‌بازی اندرین کوه‌های تنگ ** نیزه‌بازان را همی آرد به تنگ
To dart the lance in these narrow lanes brings to disgrace those who dart the lance.
وقت تنگ و خاطر و فهم عوام ** تنگ‌تر صد ره ز وقت است ای غلام
The time is narrow (limited), and the mind and understanding of the vulgar is narrower a hundredfold than the time, O youth.
چون جواب احمق آمد خامشی ** این درازی در سخن چون می‌کشی
Inasmuch as silence is the (proper) reply to the fool, how art thou thus prolonging the discourse?
از کمال رحمت و موج کرم ** می‌دهد هر شوره را باران و نم
(Because) He (God), from the perfection of His mercy and the waves of His bounty, bestows rain and moisture on every barren soil.
در بیان آنک ترک الجواب جواب مقرر این سخن کی جواب الاحمق سکوت شرح این هر دو درین قصه است کی گفته می‌آید
Showing that (the proverb), "Omission to reply is a reply," confirms the saying that silence is the (proper) reply to the fool. The explanation of both these (sayings) is (contained) in the story which will now be related.
بود شاهی بود او را بنده‌ای ** مرده عقلی بود و شهوت‌زنده‌ای1490
There was a king: he had a slave; he (the slave) was one whose reason was dead and whose lust was alive.
خرده‌های خدمتش بگذاشتی ** بد سگالیدی نکو پنداشتی
He would neglect the niceties of service to him (the king): he was thinking evil and deeming (it) good.