زانک استعداد تبدیل و نبرد ** بودش از پستی و آن را فوت کرد
(The bestial man is the lowest of the low) because he possessed the capacity for transforming himself and striving (to escape) from lowness, but (afterwards) lost it.
باز حیوان را چو استعداد نیست ** عذر او اندر بهیمی روشنیست
Again, since the animal does not possess (that) capacity, its excusability (for remaining) in the bestial state is a thing (most) evident.
زو چو استعداد شد کان رهبرست ** هر غذایی کو خورد مغز خرست
When the capacity, which is the guide (to salvation), is gone from him, every nutriment that he eats is the brain of an ass.
گر بلادر خورد او افیون شود ** سکته و بی‌عقلیش افزون شود1530
If he eats anacardium, it becomes (acts upon him as) opium: his apoplexy and dementia are increased.
ماند یک قسم دگر اندر جهاد ** نیم حیوان نیم حی با رشاد
There remains another sort (of men: they are engaged) in warfare: (they are) half animal, half (spiritually) alive and endowed with good guidance.
روز و شب در جنگ و اندر کش‌مکش ** کرده چالیش آخرش با اولش
Day and night in strife and mutual struggle, his (such a one's) last (state) battles with his first.
چالیش عقل با نفس هم چون تنازع مجنون با ناقه میل مجنون سوی حره میل ناقه واپس سوی کره چنانک گفت مجنون هوا ناقتی خلفی و قدامی الهوی و انی و ایاها لمختلفان
The battle of the reason against the flesh is like the contention of Majnún with his she camel: Majnún's inclination is towards the noble woman (Laylá), while the she camel's inclination is (to go) back towards her foal, as Majnún said (in verse): "My she-camel's love is behind me, while my love is in front of me; and verily I and she are discordant."
هم‌چو مجنون‌اند و چون ناقه‌ش یقین ** می‌کشد آن پیش و این واپس به کین
Assuredly they (the reason and the flesh) are like Majnún and his she-camel: that one is pulling forward and this one backward in (mutual) enmity.
میل مجنون پیش آن لیلی روان ** میل ناقه پس پی کره دوان
Majnún's desire is speeding to the presence of that (beloved) Laylá; the she camel's desire is running back after her foal.
یک دم ار مجنون ز خود غافل بدی ** ناقه گردیدی و واپس آمدی1535
If Majnún forgot himself for one moment, the she-camel would turn and go back.
عشق و سودا چونک پر بودش بدن ** می‌نبودش چاره از بی‌خود شدن
Since his body was full of love and passion, he had no resource but to become beside himself.
آنک او باشد مراقب عقل بود ** عقل را سودای لیلی در ربود
That which is regardful was (ever) reason: passion for Laylá carried (his) reason away.
لیک ناقه بس مراقب بود و چست ** چون بدیدی او مهار خویش سست
But the she-camel was very regardful and alert: whenever she saw her toggle slack
فهم کردی زو که غافل گشت و دنگ ** رو سپس کردی به کره بی‌درنگ
She would at once perceive that he had become heedless and dazed, and would turn her face back to the foal without delay.
چون به خود باز آمدی دیدی ز جا ** کو سپس رفتست بس فرسنگها1540
When he came to himself again, he would see on the spot that she had gone back many leagues.
در سه روزه ره بدین احوالها ** ماند مجنون در تردد سالها
In these conditions Majnún remained going to and fro for years on a three days' journey.
گفت ای ناقه چو هر دو عاشقیم ** ما دو ضد پس همره نالایقیم
He said, “O camel, since we both are lovers, therefore we two contraries are unsuitable fellow-travellers.
نیستت بر وفق من مهر و مهار ** کرد باید از تو صحبت اختیار
Thy affection and toggle (propensity) are not in accord with me: it behoves (me) to choose parting from thy companionship.”
این دو همره یکدگر را راه‌زن ** گمره آن جان کو فرو ناید ز تن
These two fellow-travellers (the reason and the flesh) are brigands waylaying each other: lost is the spirit that does not dismount from the body.
جان ز هجر عرش اندر فاقه‌ای ** تن ز عشق خاربن چون ناقه‌ای1545
The spirit, because of separation from the highest Heaven, is in a (great) want; the body, on account of passion for the thorn-shrub (of sensual pleasure), is like a she-camel.
جان گشاید سوی بالا بالها ** در زده تن در زمین چنگالها
The spirit unfolds its wings (to fly) upwards; the body has stuck its claws in the earth.
تا تو با من باشی ای مرده‌ی وطن ** پس ز لیلی دور ماند جان من
“So long as thou art with me, O thou who art mortally enamoured of thy home, then my spirit will remain far from Laylá.
روزگارم رفت زین گون حالها ** هم‌چو تیه و قوم موسی سالها
From experiences of this kind my life-time, for many years, has gone (to waste), like (that of) the people of Moses in the desert.
خطوتینی بود این ره تا وصال ** مانده‌ام در ره ز شستت شصت سال
This journey to union was (only) a matter of two steps: because of thy noose I have remained sixty years on the way.
راه نزدیک و بماندم سخت دیر ** سیر گشتم زین سواری سیرسیر1550
The way is near (not far), but I have tarried very late: I have become sick of this riding, sick, sick.”
سرنگون خود را از اشتر در فکند ** گفت سوزیدم ز غم تا چندچند
He (Majnún) threw himself headlong from the camel. He said, “I am consumed with grief: how long, how long?”
تنگ شد بر وی بیابان فراخ ** خویشتن افکند اندر سنگلاخ
The wide desert became (too) narrow for him: he flung himself on the stony place.
آنچنان افکند خود را سخت زیر ** که مخلخل گشت جسم آن دلیر
He flung himself down so violently that the body of that courageous man was cracked.
چون چنان افکند خود را سوی پست ** از قضا آن لحظه پایش هم شکست
When he flung himself to the ground thus, at that moment also by (Divine) destiny his leg broke.
پای را بر بست و گفتا گو شوم ** در خم چوگانش غلطان می‌روم1555
He tied up his leg and said, “I will become a ball, I will go rolling along in the curve of His bat.”
زین کند نفرین حکیم خوش‌دهن ** بر سواری کو فرو ناید ز تن
For this cause the sweet-mouthed Sage utters a curse on the rider who does not dismount from the body.
عشق مولی کی کم از لیلی بود ** گوی گشتن بهر او اولی بود
How should love for the Lord be inferior to love for Laylá? To become a ball for His sake is more worthy.
گوی شو می‌گرد بر پهلوی صدق ** غلط غلطان در خم چوگان عشق
Become a ball, turn on the side which is sincerity, (and go) rolling, rolling in the curve of the bat of Love,
کین سفر زین پس بود جذب خدا ** وان سفر بر ناقه باشد سیر ما
For henceforth this journey is (accomplished by means of) the pull of God, while that (former) journey on the she-camel is our progression (made by our own efforts).
این چنین سیریست مستثنی ز جنس ** کان فزود از اجتهاد جن و انس1560
Such is the extraordinary mode of progression which transcends the utmost exertion of the Jinn and mankind.
این چنین جذبیست نی هر جذب عام ** که نهادش فضل احمد والسلام
Such is the pull—not every common pull—to which Ahmad (Mohammed) awarded the pre-eminence. And (now) farewell!
نوشتن آن غلام قصه‌ی شکایت نقصان اجری سوی پادشاه
How the slave wrote to the King a statement complaining of the reduction of his allowance
قصه کوته کن برای آن غلام ** که سوی شه بر نوشتست او پیام
Cut short the discourse (on these topics) for the sake of (re turning to the story of) the slave who has written a message to the King
قصه پر جنگ و پر هستی و کین ** می‌فرستد پیش شاه نازنین
He is sending to the gracious King a statement filled with wrangling and self-conceit and hatred.
کالبد نامه‌ست اندر وی نگر ** هست لایق شاه را آنگه ببر
The body is (like) a letter: look into it (and see) whether it is worthy of the King; then take it (to Him).
گوشه‌ای رو نامه را بگشا بخوان ** بین که حرفش هست در خورد شهان1565
Go into a corner, open the letter, read (it), see whether its‘ words are suitable to kings.
گر نباشد درخور آن را پاره کن ** نامه‌ی دیگر نویس و چاره کن
If it be not suitable, tear it in pieces and write another letter and remedy (the fault).
لیک فتح نامه‌ی تن زپ مدان ** ورنه هر کس سر دل دیدی عیان
But do not think it is easy to open the letter which is the body; otherwise every one would plainly see the secret of the heart.
نامه بگشادن چه دشوارست و صعب ** کار مردانست نه طفلان کعب
How hard and difficult is it to open the letter! ‘Tis a task for men, not for children playing at knuckle
جمله بر فهرست قانع گشته‌ایم ** زانک در حرص و هوا آغشته‌ایم
We have all become satisfied with (reading) the table of contents, because we are steeped in cupidity and vain desire.
باشد آن فهرست دامی عامه را ** تا چنان دانند متن نامه را1570
The table of contents is a snare for the vulgar, that they may think the text of the scroll is like that (table).
باز کن سرنامه را گردن متاب ** زین سخن والله اعلم بالصواب
Open the title-page, do not turn your neck aside from these words—and God best knoweth the right course.
هست آن عنوان چو اقرار زبان ** متن نامه‌ی سینه را کن امتحان
That title is like a declaration made by the tongue: examine the text of the scroll, namely, the bosom (your inward self),
که موافق هست با اقرار تو ** تا منافق‌وار نبود کار تو
(And see) whether it is in agreement with your declaration, in order that your actions may not be hypocritical.
چون جوالی بس گرانی می‌بری ** زان نباید کم که در وی بنگری
When you are carrying a very heavy sack, you must not fail to look into it,
که چه داری در جوال از تلخ و خوش ** گر همی ارزد کشیدن را بکش1575
(To see) what of sour and sweet you have in the sack. If it is worth bringing along, bring it;
ورنه خالی کن جوالت را ز سنگ ** باز خر خود را ازین بیگار و ننگ
Otherwise, empty your sack of the stones (in it), and redeem yourself from this fruitless toil and disgrace.