یا از آن مرغان که گل‌چین می‌کنند ** بیضه‌ها زرین و سیمین می‌کنند
Or of the Birds which pick roses and lay eggs of silver and gold,
یا از آن بازان که کبکان پرورند ** هم نگون اشکم هم استان می‌پرند 2555
Or of the Falcons which foster the partridges and fly both with their bellies turned downward and also on their backs.
نردبانهاییست پنهان در جهان ** پایه پایه تا عنان آسمان
In the world there are invisible ladders, (leading) step by step up to the summit of heaven.
هر گره را نردبانی دیگرست ** هر روش را آسمانی دیگرست
There is a different ladder for every class, there is a different heaven for every (traveller's) way.
هر یکی از حال دیگر بی‌خبر ** ملک با پهنا و بی‌پایان و سر
Every one is ignorant of another's condition (in) the kingdom (which is) wide and without end or beginning.
این در آن حیران که او از چیست خوش ** وآن درین خیره که حیرت چیستش
This one is amazed at that one and asks wherefore he is happy, while that one is astounded at this one and asks why he is amazed.
صحن ارض الله واسع آمده ** هر درختی از زمینی سر زده 2560
The area of God's earth is spacious: every tree springs up from a certain soil.
بر درختان شکر گویان برگ و شاخ ** که زهی ملک و زهی عرصه‌ی فراخ
The leaves and boughs on the trees are giving thanks (to God), crying, “Oh, what a fine kingdom! Oh, what a broad expanse!”
بلبلان گرد شکوفه‌ی پر گره ** که از آنچ می‌خوری ما را بده
The nightingales are (flying) round the knobby blossom, saying, “Give us some of that which thou drinkest.”
این سخن پایان ندارد کن رجوع ** سوی آن روباه و شیر و سقم و جوع
This discourse hath no end: return to the fox and the lion and the (lion's) sickness and hunger.
بردن روبه خر را پیش شیر و جستن خر از شیر و عتاب کردن روباه با شیر کی هنوز خر دور بود تعجیل کردی و عذر گفتن شیر و لابه کردن روبه را شیر کی برو بار دگرش به فریب
How the fox brought the ass to the lion, and how the ass jumped away from the lion, and how the fox reproached the lion, saying, “The ass was still far off: you were too hasty”; and how the lion made excuses and entreated the fox to go and trick him a second time.
چونک بر کوهش بسوی مرج برد ** تا کند شیرش به حمله خرد و مرد
When he (the fox) brought him (the ass) up the hill towards the meadow, in order that the lion might pulverise him with a (sudden) charge,
دور بود از شیر و آن شیر از نبرد ** تا به نزدیک آمدن صبری نکرد 2565
He (the ass) was (still) far from the lion, but the lion would not wait for him to come near before attacking.
گنبدی کرد از بلندی شیر هول ** خود نبودش قوت و امکان حول
The terrible lion made a spring from an eminence, (though) indeed he had not the strength and power to move (effectively).
خر ز دورش دید و برگشت و گریز ** تا به زیر کوه تازان نعل ریز
The ass saw him from afar and turned and fled to the bottom of the hill, dropping his shoes as he ran.
گفت روبه شیر را ای شاه ما ** چون نکردی صبر در وقت وغا
“O king of us (all),” said the fox to the lion, “why didst not thou restrain thyself in the hour of battle,
تا به نزدیک تو آید آن غوی ** تا باندک حمله‌ای غالب شوی
In order that that misguided (creature) might come near thee and that thou might’st vanquish him with a small attack?
مکر شیطانست تعجیل و شتاب ** لطف رحمانست صبر و احتساب 2570
Precipitation and haste is the Devil's wile; patience and calculation is God's grace.
دور بود و حمله را دید و گریخت ** ضعف تو ظاهر شد و آب تو ریخت
He (the ass) was far off and saw the attack and fled: thy weakness is made manifest and thy prestige is destroyed.”
گفت من پنداشتم بر جاست زور ** تا بدین حد می‌ندانستم فتور
He (the lion) replied, “I thought my strength was restored: I did not know my feebleness was so great.
نیز جوع و حاجتم از حد گذشت ** صبر و عقلم از تجوع یاوه گشت
Moreover, my hunger and need had passed beyond bounds: through starvation my patience and understanding had been lost.
گر توانی بار دیگر از خرد ** باز آوردن مر او را مسترد
If by (using) your wits you can reclaim him and bring him back once more,
منت بسیار دارم از تو من ** جهد کن باشد بیاری‌اش به فن 2575
I shall be much obliged to you: try hard, maybe you will fetch him by cunning.”
گفت آری گر خدا یاری دهد ** بر دل او از عمی مهری نهد
“Yes,” said the fox, “if God should give (me) help and set a seal of blindness on his heart
پس فراموشش شود هولی که دید ** از خری او نباشد این بعید
(For) then he will forget the terror which he felt on seeing (thee): this will not be alien to his asininity.
لیک چون آرم من او را بر متاز ** تا ببادش ندهی از تعجیل باز
But when I bring him, do not thou rush (at him), lest thou lose him again by overhaste.”
گفت آری تجربه کردم که من ** سخت رنجورم مخلخل گشته تن
“Yes,” replied the lion; “I have found by experience that I am very ill and that my body has become shaky.
تا به نزدیکم نیاید خر تمام ** من نجنبم خفته باشم در قوام 2580
Until the ass comes quite near to me, I will not move, I will (apparently) be sound asleep.”
رفت روبه گفت ای شه همتی ** تا بپوشد عقل او را غفلتی
(Thereupon) the fox departed, saying, “O king, (offer) a prayer that a (great) heedlessness may muffle his reason.
توبه‌ها کردست خر با کردگار ** که نگردد غره‌ی هر نابکار
The ass has made vows of repentance to the Creator (and resolved) that he will not be duped by any ne’er-do-well.
توبه‌هااش را به فن بر هم زنیم ** ما عدوی عقل و عهد روشنیم
We by cunning will cause his vows to collapse, (for) we are the enemy of reason and of the splendid covenant (with God).
The ass's head is a ball for our children: his thought is a plaything for our guile.”
عقل که آن باشد ز دوران زحل ** پیش عقل کل ندارد آن محل 2585
The reason that belongs to (is affected by) the revolution of Saturn hath no position (of honour) in the sight of Universal Reason.
از عطارد وز زحل دانا شد او ** ما ز داد کردگار لطف‌خو
It is made knowing by Mercury and Saturn; we (organs of Universal Reason) by the bounty of the gracious Creator.
علم الانسان خم طغرای ماست ** علم عند الله مقصدهای ماست
The twisted script of our sign-manual is He taught Man: our aims are (expressed in the words) the knowledge is with God.
تربیه‌ی آن آفتاب روشنیم ** ربی الاعلی از آن رو می‌زنیم
We are (the object of) the nurture of that resplendent Sun: on that account we are crying, “(Glory to) my Lord the Supreme!”
تجربه گر دارد او با این همه ** بشکند صد تجربه زین دمدمه
(The fox said), “If he (the ass) possesses experience, nevertheless a hundred experiences will be shattered by this deceitful palaver (of mine).
بوک توبه بشکند آن سست‌خو ** در رسد شومی اشکستن درو 2590
Maybe that weak-natured one will break his (vow of) repentance, and the bad luck of his breaking it will overtake him.”
در بیان آنک نقض عهد و توبه موجب بلا بود بلک موجب مسخ است چنانک در حق اصحاب سبت و در حق اصحاب مایده‌ی عیسی و جعل منهم القردة و الخنازیر و اندرین امت مسخ دل باشد و به قیامت تن را صورت دل دهند نعوذ بالله
Explaining that the violation of a covenant and (vow of) repentance is the cause of affliction; nay, it is the cause of metamorphosis, as in the case of the “Fellows of the Sabbath” and in the case of the “Fellows (who disbelieved in the miracle) of the Table of Jesus,” for (God hath said), “And He turned them into apes and swine.” And in this community there is (only) metamorphosis of the spirit, but at the Resurrection the form of the spirit will be given to the body.
نقض میثاق و شکست توبه‌ها ** موجب لعنت شود در انتها
To violate a pact and break vows of repentance becomes the cause of accursedness in the end.
نقض توبه و عهد آن اصحاب سبت ** موجب مسخ آمد و اهلاک و مقت
The violation of vows of repentance by the “Fellows of the Sabbath” became the cause of their metamorphosis and destruction and abomination.
پس خدا آن قوم را بوزینه کرد ** چونک عهد حق شکستند از نبرد
Therefore God turned those people into apes, since they rebelliously broke their covenant with God.
اندرین امت نبد مسخ بدن ** لیک مسخ دل بود ای بوالفطن
In this community there has never been metamorphosis of the body, but there is metamorphosis of the spirit, O man endowed with perception.
چون دل بوزینه گردد آن دلش ** از دل بوزینه شد خوار آن گلش 2595
When his spirit becomes the ape-spirit, his clay (body) is debased by the ape-spirit.
گر هنر بودی دلش را ز اختبار ** خوار کی بودی ز صورت آن حمار
How should the ass be debased by his (bodily) form, if his spirit had possessed the virtue (that is derived) from (rational) experience?
آن سگ اصحاب خوش بد سیرتش ** هیچ بودش منقصت زان صورتش
The dog of the Companions (of the Cave) had a goodly character: was he any the worse on account of his (bodily) form?
مسخ ظاهر بود اهل سبت را ** تا ببیند خلق ظاهر کبت را
The “Fellows of the Sabbath” suffered outward metamorphosis, in order that the people might behold outwardly their ignominious fall.
از ره سر صد هزاران دگر ** گشته از توبه شکستن خوک و خر
Through breaking (vows of) repentance a hundred thousand others have become hogs and asses inwardly.
دوم بار آمدن روبه بر این خر گریخته تا باز بفریبدش
How the fox approached the runaway ass a second time in order to beguile him once more.
پس بیامد زود روبه سوی خر ** گفت خر از چون تو یاری الحذر 2600
Then the fox came quickly towards the ass: the ass said, “One must beware of a friend like you.
ناجوامردا چه کردم من ترا ** که به پیش اژدها بردی مرا
Ignoble creature, what did I do to you that you brought me into the presence of a dragon?
موجب کین تو با جانم چه بود ** غیر خبث جوهر تو ای عنود
What but the malignity of your nature was the cause of your enmity to my life, O perverse one?”—
هم‌چو کزدم کو گزد پای فتی ** نارسیده از وی او را زحمتی
Like the scorpion, which bites a man's foot though no inconvenience has come to it from him,