خود نمی‌یابم یکی گوشی که من ** نکته‌ای گویم از آن چشم حسن
Verily, I do not find a single ear to which I should tell a mystery concerning that beauteous eye.
می‌چکید آن آب محمود جلیل ** می‌ربودی قطره‌اش را جبرئیل2645
(If) the lauded and august water were to trickle (from that eye), Gabriel would (eagerly) carry off its drops,
تا بمالد در پر و منقال خویش ** گر دهد دستوریش آن خوب کیش
That he might rub them on his wings and beak, if that person of goodly practice give him permission.
باز گوید خشم کمپیر ار فروخت ** فر و نور و علم و صبرم را نسوخت
The falcon says, “If the anger of the old crone has blazed forth, (yet) it has not consumed my glory and splendour and self-denial and knowledge.
باز جانم باز صد صورت تند ** زخم بر ناقه نه بر صالح زند
The falcon, (which is) my spirit, will still weave a hundred forms: the blow falls on the she-camel, not on Sálih.
صالح از یک‌دم که آرد با شکوه ** صد چنان ناقه بزاید متن کوه
At a single awful breath that Sálih heaves, the back (womb) of the mountain will bring to birth a hundred such she-camels.”
دل همی گوید خموش و هوش دار ** ورنه درانید غیرت پود و تار2650
(My) heart is saying, “Be silent and observe discretion; otherwise, the (Divine) jealousy will end the warp and woof (of thy existence).”
غیرتش را هست صد حلم نهان ** ورنه سوزیدی به یک دم صد جهان
His jealousy hath a hundred hidden clemencies; else in one moment it would consume a hundred worlds.
نخوت شاهی گرفتش جای پند ** تا دل خود را ز بند پند کند
Kingly pride seized the place of (left no room for) admonition in him (Pharaoh), so that he wrenched his heart away from the bonds of admonition,
که کنم بار رای هامان مشورت ** کوست پشت ملک و قطب مقدرت
Saying, “I will take counsel with Hámán, for he is the support of the kingdom and the pivot of power.”
مصطفی را رای‌زن صدیق رب ** رای‌زن بوجهل را شد بولهب
The Lord's veracious witness was the counsellor of Mustafá (Mohammed); Bú Lahab became the counsellor of Bú Jahl.
عرق جنسیت چنانش جذب کرد ** کان نصیحتها به پیشش گشت سرد2655
The homogeneity rooted in his nature drew him (towards Hámán) so (strongly) that those admonishments (of Ásiya) became irksome to him.
جنس سوی جنس صد پره پرد ** بر خیالش بندها را بر درد
Congener flies to congener with a hundred wings and rives (all) bounds asunder in the fancy (desire) for him (who is congenial).
قصه‌ی آن زن کی طفل او بر سر ناودان غیژید و خطر افتادن بود و از علی کرم‌الله وجهه چاره جست
Story of the woman whose child crawled to the top of the water-spout and was in danger of falling; (whereupon) she besought help of ‘Alí Murtadá, may God ennoble his person.
یک زنی آمد به پیش مرتضی ** گفت شد بر ناودان طفلی مرا
A woman came to Murtadá (‘Alí) and said, “A child belonging to me has gone up on to the water-spout.
گرش می‌خوانم نمی‌آید به دست ** ور هلم ترسم که افتد او به پست
If I call it, it will not come to my hands; and if I leave it, I am afraid it will fall to the ground.
نیست عاقل تا که دریابد چون ما ** گر بگویم کز خطر سوی من آ
It is not intelligent, that it should apprehend, like us, if I say, ‘Come to me (and escape) from the danger.’
هم اشارت را نمی‌داند به دست ** ور بداند نشنود این هم به دست2660
Moreover, it does not understand signs made by the hand; or if it should understand, it will not hearken: this too is bad (useless).
بس نمودم شیر و پستان را بدو ** او همی گرداند از من چشم و رو
Many times have I shown to it the milk and the teat, (but) it always turns its eyes and face away from me.
از برای حق شمایید ای مهان ** دستگیر این جهان و آن جهان
For God's sake—(since) ye, O noble ones, are those who give succour in this world and that (other) world—
زود درمان کن که می‌لرزد دلم ** که بدرد از میوه‌ی دل بسکلم
Quickly apply the remedy, for my heart is trembling lest I be torn painfully from the fruit of my heart.”
گفت طفلی را بر آور هم به بام ** تا ببیند جنس خود را آن غلام
He (‘Alí) said, “Take another child up to the roof, in order that the boy may see his congener,
سوی جنس آید سبک زان ناودان ** جنس بر جنس است عاشق جاودان2665
And come nimbly from the water-spout to his congener: congener is ever in love with congener.”
زن چنان کرد و چو دید آن طفل او ** جنس خود خوش خوش بدو ورد آورد
The woman did so, and when her child saw its congener, it turned its face towards it with delight
سوی بام آمد ز متن ناودان ** جاذب هر جنس را هم جنس دان
And came from the ridge of the water-spout to the roof: know that a congener attracts every congener.
غژغژان آمد به سوی طفل طفل ** وا رهید او از فتادن سوی سفل
The child came crawling along to the (other) child: it was saved from falling to (the ground) below.
زان بود جنس بشر پیغامبران ** تا بجنسیت رهند از ناودان
The prophets are of humankind for this reason, that they (humankind), through the homogeneity (of the prophets with them), may be saved from the water-spout.
پس بشر فرمود خود را مثلکم ** تا به جنس آیید و کم گردید گم2670
Therefore he (the Prophet) called himself a man like you, that ye might come to your congener and might not become lost;
زانک جنسیت عجایب جاذبیست ** جاذبش جنسست هر جا طالبیست
For homogeneity is a wondrous attractor: wheresoever there is a seeker, his congener is attracting him.
عیسی و ادریس بر گردون شدند ** با ملایک چونک هم‌جنس آمدند
Jesus and Idrís ascended to heaven, since they were homogeneous with the angels.
باز آن هاروت و ماروت از بلند ** جنس تن بودند زان زیر آمدند
Again, Hárút and Márút were homogeneous with the body: hence they descended from on high.
کافران هم جنس شیطان آمده ** جانشان شاگرد شیطانان شده
The infidels have become homogeneous with Satan: their spirits have become disciples of the devils.
صد هزاران خوی بد آموخته ** دیده‌های عقل و دل بر دوخته2675
They have learned a hundred thousand evil dispositions; they have sewn up the eyes of intellect and heart.
کمترین خوشان به زشتی آن حسد ** آن حسد که گردن ابلیس زد
Their least ugly disposition is envy—that envy which smote the neck of (destroyed) Iblís.
زان سگان آموخته حقد و حسد ** که نخواهد خلق را ملک ابد
From those curs they have learned hatred and envy, for he (Satan) does not wish the kingdom everlasting (to be granted) to (God's) creatures.
هر کرا دید او کمال از چپ و راست ** از حسد قولنجش آمد درد خاست
When he sees, on left or right, any one perfect, colic comes to him and pain arises (in him) from envy,
زآنک هر بدبخت خرمن‌سوخته ** می‌نخواهد شمع کس افروخته
Because every miserable wretch whose stack has been burnt is unwilling that any one's candle should be lighted.
هین کمالی دست آور تا تو هم ** از کمال دیگران نفتی به غم2680
Hark, bring to hand (acquire) some (degree of) perfection, in order that thou too mayst not be aggrieved by the perfection of others.
از خدا می‌خواه دفع این حسد ** تا خدایت وا رهاند از جسد
Beg of God the removal of this envy, that God may deliver thee from the body,
مر ترا مشغولیی بخشد درون ** که نپردازی از آن سوی برون
And bestow on thee an inward occupation, from which thou wilt not become disengaged (so as to turn thy attention) outwards.
جرعه‌ی می را خدا آن می‌دهد ** که بدو مست از دو عالم می‌دهد
God gives to a draught of wine such (potency) that one intoxicated with it escapes from the two worlds.
خاصیت بنهاده در کف حشیش ** کو زمانی می‌رهاند از خودیش
He hath endowed hashísh with the property that, for a time, it delivers him (who eats it) from self-consciousness.
خواب را یزدان بدان سان می‌کند ** کز دو عالم فکر را بر می‌کند2685
God makes sleep to be (constituted) in such a manner that it erases (all) thought of the two worlds.
کرد مجنون را ز عشق پوستی ** کو بنشناسد عدو از دوستی
He made Majnún, through love for a (dog's) skin, to be such that he would not know an enemy from a friend.
صد هزاران این چنین می‌دارد او ** که بر ادراکات تو بگمارد او
He hath a hundred thousand wines of this sort which He sets (in authority) over thy (intellectual) perceptions.
هست میهای شقاوت نفس را ** که ز ره بیرون برد آن نحس را
For the carnal soul there are the wines of damnation, which carry that ill-starred one out of the (right) way.
هست میهای سعادت عقل را ** که بیابد منزل بی‌نقل را
For the intellect there are the wines of felicity, so that it gains the abode whence is no departure.
خیمه‌ی گردون ز سرمستی خویش ** بر کند زان سو بگیرد راه پیش2690
Through its intoxication it uproots the tent of the sky and takes the way (leading) onward from that (earthly) direction.
هین بهر مستی دلا غره مشو ** هست عیسی مست حق خر مست جو
Hark, be not deceived, O heart, by every intoxication: Jesus is intoxicated with God, the ass is intoxicated with barley.
این چنین می را بجو زین خنبها ** مستی‌اش نبود ز کوته دنبها
Seek wine like this from these jars: the intoxication (produced) by it is not (to be obtained) from the bobtailed;
زانک هر معشوق چون خنبیست پر ** آن یکی درد و دگر صافی چو در
For every object of love is like a full jar, one (full of) dregs, and another pure as pearls.