مر خبیثان را نسازد طیبات ** درخور و لایق نباشد ای ثقات
(But) sweet words will not do for the wicked: ’tis not fitting and suitable, O ye trusty ones!
چون زعطر وحی کژ گشتند و گم ** بد فغانشان که تطیرنا بکم
When from the perfume of the Revelation they (the wicked infidels) became crooked (disordered in mind) and lost (in error), their lament was, “We augur evil from you.
رنج و بیماریست ما را این مقال ** نیست نیکو وعظتان ما را به فال
This discourse (of yours) is illness and sickness to us: your exhortation is not of good omen to us.
گر بیاغازید نصحی آشکار ** ما کنیم آن دم شما را سنگسار285
If ye once begin to admonish (us) overtly, at that instant we will stone you.
ما بلغو و لهو فربه گشته‌ایم ** در نصیحت خویش را نسرشته‌ایم
We have waxed fat on frivolity and diversion: we have not steeped ourselves in admonition.
هست قوت ما دروغ و لاف و لاغ ** شورش معده‌ست ما را زین بلاغ
Our food is falsehood and idle boasts and jests: our stomachs are turned by your delivering this message.
رنج را صدتو و افزون می‌کنید ** عقل را دارو به افیون می‌کنید
Ye are making the illness hundredfold and more: ye are drugging the intelligence with opium.”
معالجه کردن برادر دباغ دباغ را به خفیه به بوی سرگین
How the tanner’s brother sought to cure him secretly with the smell of dung.
خلق را می‌راند از وی آن جوان ** تا علاجش را نبینند آن کسان
The youth kept driving the people away from him (the tanner), in order that those persons might not see his treatment (of the sick man).
سر به گوشش برد هم‌چون رازگو ** پس نهاد آن چیز بر بینی او290
He brought his head (close) to his ear, like one telling a secret; then he put the thing (which he had in his hand) to his (the tanner’s) nose;
کو به کف سرگین سگ ساییده بود ** داروی مغز پلید آن دیده بود
For he had rubbed the dog’s dung on his palm: he had deemed it (to be) the remedy for the polluted brain.
ساعتی شد مرد جنبیدن گرفت ** خلق گفتند این فسونی بد شگفت
A short while passed: the man began to move: the people said, “This was a wonderful charm;
کین بخواند افسون به گوش او دمید ** مرده بود افسون به فریادش رسید
For this (youth) recited charms and breathed (them) into his ear: he was dead: the charms came to succour him.”
جنبش اهل فساد آن سو بود ** که زنا و غمزه و ابرو بود
The movement of iniquitous folk is to the quarter in which there is fornication and ogling glances and eyebrows.
هر کرا مشک نصیحت سود نیست ** لا جرم با بوی بد خو کردنیست295
Any one to whom the musk, admonition, is of no use must necessarily make himself familiar with the bad smell.
مشرکان را زان نجس خواندست حق ** کاندرون پشک زادند از سبق
God has called the polytheists najas (uncleanness)’ for the reason that they were born in dung from of old.
کرم کو زادست در سرگین ابد ** می‌نگرداند به عنبر خوی خود
The worm that has been born in dung will nevermore change its evil nature by means of ambergris.
چون نزد بر وی نثار رش نور ** او همه جسمست بی‌دل چون قشور
Since the largesse of sprinkled light did not strike upon him (the wicked man), he is wholly body, without heart (spirit), like (empty) husks.
ور ز رش نور حق قسمیش داد ** هم‌چو رسم مصر سرگین مرغ‌زاد
And if God gave him a portion of the sprinkled light, the dung hatched a bird, as is the custom in Egypt— so
لیک نه مرغ خسیس خانگی ** بلک مرغ دانش و فرزانگی300
But not the cheap domestic fowl; nay, but the bird of know ledge and wisdom.
تو بدان مانی کز آن نوری تهی ** زآنک بینی بر پلیدی می‌نهی
“Thou resemblest that (wicked man) for thou art devoid of that light, inasmuch as thou art putting thy nose to filth.
از فراقت زرد شد رخسار و رو ** برگ زردی میوه‌ی ناپخته تو
Because of being parted (from me) thy cheeks and face have become yellow (pale): thou art (a tree with) yellow leaves and unripened fruit,
دیگ ز آتش شد سیاه و دودفام ** گوشت از سختی چنین ماندست خام
The pot was blackened by the fire and became like smoke in colour, (but) the meat, on account of (its) hardness, has remained so raw as this!
هشت سالت جوش دادم در فراق ** کم نشد یک ذره خامیت و نفاق
Eight years have I boiled, thee in separation (from me): thy rawness and hypocrisy have not become less by a single mote.
غوره‌ی تو سنگ بسته کز سقام ** غوره‌ها اکنون مویزند و تو خام305
Thy young grape is indurated; for through sickness the (other) young grapes are now raisins, while thou art (still) immature.”
عذر خواستن آن عاشق از گناه خویش به تلبیس و روی پوش و فهم کردن معشوق آن را نیز
How the lover begged to be excused for his sin, (but) with duplicity and dissimulation; and how the beloved perceived that also.
گفت عاشق امتحان کردم مگیر ** تا ببینم تو حریفی یا ستیر
The lover said, “I made the trial—do not take offence—that I might see whether thou art a hetaera or a modest woman. [The lover said, “I made the trial—do not take offence—that I might see whether thou art a courtesan or a modest woman.]
من همی دانستمت بی‌امتحان ** لیک کی باشد خبر هم‌چون عیان
I was knowing (it) without the trial, but how should hearing be the same as seeing?
آفتابی نام تو مشهور و فاش ** چه زیانست ار بکردم ابتلاش
Thou art (like) the sun: thy name is renowned and known to all: what harm is there if I have tested it?
تو منی من خویشتن را امتحان ** می‌کنم هر روز در سود و زیان
Thou art I: every day I am making trial of myself in profit and loss (good and evil).
انبیا را امتحان کرده عدات ** تا شده ظاهر ازیشان معجزات310
The prophets were put to the trial by their enemies, with the result that miracles were displayed by them.
امتحان چشم خود کردم به نور ** ای که چشم بد ز چشمان تو دور
I made trial of my own eye with light, O thou from whose eyes may the evil eye be far!
این جهان هم‌چون خرابست و تو گنج ** گر تفحص کردم از گنجت مرنج
This world is as the ruin, and thou the treasure (buried there): if I have made investigation concerning thy treasure, be not aggrieved.
زان چنین بی‌خردگی کردم گزاف ** تا زنم با دشمنان هر بار لاف
I recklessly committed such an indiscretion, that I may always boast (of thy virtue) to (thy) enemies;
تا زبانم چون ترا نامی نهد ** چشم ازین دیده گواهیها دهد
So that, when my tongue bestows a name on thee, my eye may give testimonies of this which I have seen.
گر شدم در راه حرمت راه‌زن ** آمدم ای مه به شمشیر و کفن315
If I have sought to rob thee of thy honour I come, O Moon (of beauty), with sword and winding-sheet.
جز به دست خود مبرم پا و سر ** که ازین دستم نه از دست دگر
Do not cut off my feet and head save with thine own hand, for I belong to this hand, not to another hand.
از جدایی باز می‌رانی سخن ** هر چه خواهی کن ولیکن این مکن
Thou art talking again of separation: do whatsoever thou wilt, but do not this!”
در سخن آباد این دم راه شد ** گفت امکان نیست چون بیگاه شد
The way is now made (open for entering) into the realm of Discourse (Exposition); (but) ‘tis impossible to speak (on the subject), since there is no time (to do so at present).
پوستها گفتیم و مغز آمد دفین ** گر بمانیم این نماند همچنین
We have told the husks (externals), but the kernel (the inner meaning) is buried; if we remain (alive), this will not remain (concealed) as it is now.
رد کردن معشوقه عذر عاشق را و تلبیس او را در روی او مالیدن
How the beloved rejected the excuses of the lover and rubbed his duplicity into him.
در جوابش بر گشاد آن یار لب ** کز سوی ما روز سوی تست شب320
The loved one opened her lips to answer him, saying, “On my side it is day, and on thy side it is night.
حیله‌های تیره اندر داوری ** پیش بینایان چرا می‌آوری
Why in contention dost thou bring forward dark evasions be fore those who see (the truth plainly)?
هر چه در دل داری از مکر و رموز ** پیش ما رسواست و پیدا هم‌چو روز
To us, all the deceit and dissimulations that thou hast in thy heart are manifest and clear as day.
گر بپوشیمش ز بنده‌پروری ** تو چرا بی‌رویی از حد می‌بری
If we, in kindness to our servant, cover it up, why dost thou carry shamelessness beyond the limit?
از پدر آموز که آدم در گناه ** خوش فرود آمد به سوی پایگاه
Learn from thy Father; for in (the hour of) sin Adam came down willingly to the vestibule
چون بدید آن عالم الاسرار را ** بر دو پا استاد استغفار را325
When he beheld that Knower of secrets, he stood up on his feet to ask forgiveness.
بر سر خاکستر انده نشست ** از بهانه شاخ تا شاخی نجست
He seated himself on the ashes of contrition: he did not jump from one branch of idle pleading to another
ربنا انا ظلمنا گفت و بس ** چونک جانداران بدید از پیش و پس
He said only, ‘O Lord, verily we have done wrong,’ when he saw the (angelic) life-guards in front and behind.
دید جانداران پنهان هم‌چو جان ** دورباش هر یکی تا آسمان
He saw the life-guards who are invisible, as the spirit is—each one’s mace (reaching) to the sky—-
که هلا پیش سلیمان مور باش ** تا بنشکافد ترا این دورباش
Saying, ‘Hola! be (as) the ant before Solomon, lest this mace cleave thee asunder.
جز مقام راستی یک دم مه‌ایست ** هیچ لالا مرد را چون چشم نیست330
Do not for one moment stand (anywhere) but in the place of truth: a man hath no guardian like the (seeing) eye.
کور اگر از پند پالوده شود ** هر دمی او باز آلوده شود
(Even) if the blind man be purified by admonition, he continually becomes polluted again.