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,
یا چو دیوی کو عدوی جان ماست ** نارسیده زحمتش از ما و کاست
Or like the Devil who is the enemy of our souls, though no inconvenience or injury has befallen him from us;
بلک طبعا خصم جان آدمیست ** از هلاک آدمی در خرمیست 2605
Nay, but he is naturally the adversary of the human soul and rejoices at the destruction of Man;
از پی هر آدمی او نسکلد ** خو و طبع زشت خود او کی هلد
He never breaks off his pursuit of any human being: how should he abandon his wicked disposition and nature?
زانک خبث ذات او بی‌موجبی ** هست سوی ظلم و عدوان جاذبی
For, without any cause, his essential malignity pulls him on to (commit) injustice and tyranny.
هر زمان خواند ترا تا خرگهی ** که در اندازد ترا اندر چهی
He continually invites thee to a spacious tent in order that he may cast thee into a pit,
که فلان جا حوض آبست و عیون ** تا در اندازد به حوضت سرنگون
Saying, “In such and such a place there is a tank of water and (many) fountains,” that he may cast thee headlong into the tank.
آدمی را با همه وحی و نظر ** اندر افکند آن لعین در شور و شر 2610
That accursed one caused an Adam, notwithstanding all his inspiration and insight, to fall into woe and bane,
بی‌گناهی بی‌گزند سابقی ** که رسد او را ز آدم ناحقی
Without any sin (having been committed against him) and without any previous harm having been wrongfully done to him by Adam.
گفت روبه آن طلسم سحر بود ** که ترا در چشم آن شیری نمود
The fox replied, “It was a spell of magic that appeared in your eyes as a lion;
ورنه من از تو به تن مسکین‌ترم ** که شب و روز اندر آنجا می‌چرم
Else I am more puny in body than you, and I always feed there by night and day.
گرنه زان گونه طلسمی ساختی ** هر شکم‌خواری بدانجا تاختی
If he (the magician) had not wrought a spell of that kind, every famishing (animal) would have run thither.
یک جهان بی‌نوا پر پیل و ارج ** بی‌طلسمی کی بماندی سبز مرج 2615
(In) a foodless world full of elephants and rhinoceroses how should the meadow have remained verdant without (the protection of) a spell?
من ترا خود خواستم گفتن به درس ** که چنان هولی اگر بینی مترس
Truly, I meant to tell you, by way of instruction, not to be afraid if you should see a terrible thing like that;
لیک رفت از یاد علم آموزیت ** که بدم مستغرق دلسوزیت
But I forgot to impart (this) knowledge to you, because I was overwhelmed with grief and pity on your account.
دیدمت در جوع کلب و بی‌نوا ** می‌شتابیدم که آیی تا دوا
I saw you were ravenously hungry and without food, (therefore) I was making haste so that you might attain to the remedy;
ورنه با تو گفتمی شرح طلسم ** که آن خیالی می‌نماید نیست جسم
Otherwise I would have explained the spell to you: it (the lion) presents itself as an apparition, it is not a (real) body.”
جواب گفتن خر روباه را
The reply of the ass to the fox.
گفت رو رو هین ز پیشم ای عدو ** تا نبینم روی تو ای زشت‌رو 2620
“Hark,” cried the ass, “begone, begone from my presence, O enemy, that I may not see your face, O ugly one!
آن خدایی که ترا بدبخت کرد ** روی زشتت را کریه و سخت کرد
That God who made you ill-fated hath made your ugly face detestable and impudent.
با کدامین روی می‌آیی به من ** این چنین سغری ندارد کرگدن
With what face do you come to me? The rhinoceros has not such a hard skin (as you have).
رفته‌ای در خون جانم آشکار ** که ترا من ره‌برم تا مرغزار
You manifestly attempted to shed my life-blood, saying, ‘I will guide you to the meadow,’
تا بدیدم روی عزرائیل را ** باز آوردی فن و تسویل را
So that I beheld the face of Azrael; (now) again you have brought cunning and plausible suggestion (to bear on me).
گرچه من ننگ خرانم یا خرم ** جانورم جان دارم این را کی خرم 2625
Though I am a disgrace to the asses or an ass (myself), (yet) I am possessed of life, I have a vital spirit: how should I purchase (accept and believe) this (palaver)?
آنچ من دیدم ز هول بی‌امان ** طفل دیدی پیر گشتی در زمان
If a child had seen the pitiless horror that I saw, it would instantly have become old.
بی‌دل و جان از نهیب آن شکوه ** سرنگون خود را در افکندم ز کوه
Deprived of heart and soul by dread of that awful object, I threw myself headlong from the mountain.
بسته شد پایم در آن دم از نهیب ** چون بدیدم آن عذاب بی‌حجاب
My legs were tied (paralysed) by terror as soon as I perceived that (cruel) torment without (any) barrier (between it and me).
عهد کردم با خدا کای ذوالمنن ** برگشا زین بستگی تو پای من
I made a promise to God, crying, ‘O gracious One, do Thou loose my legs from this bondage,
تا ننوشم وسوسه‌ی کس بعد ازین ** عهد کردم نذر کردم ای معین 2630
So that henceforth I may not listen to any one's temptation: I promise, I vow (that I will not listen), O Helper!’
حق گشاده کرد آن دم پای من ** زان دعا و زاری و ایمای من
Thereupon God loosed my legs because of my prayer and humble entreaty and indication (of abasement);
ورنه اندر من رسیدی شیر نر ** چون بدی در زیر پنجه‌ی شیر خر
Else the fierce lion would have overtaken me: how would an ass have fared in the grip of a lion?
باز بفرستادت آن شیر عرین ** سوی من از مکر ای بس القرین
Now the lion of the jungle has sent you to me again for the purpose of deceit, O evil companion that you are!”
حق ذات پاک الله الصمد ** که بود به مار بد از یار بد
(I swear) by the truth of the Holy Person of Allah, the Lord, that a malign snake is better than a malign friend.
مار بد جانی ستاند از سلیم ** یار بد آرد سوی نار مقیم 2635
The malign snake takes a soul (life) from the man it has bitten; the malign friend leads him into the everlasting Fire.
از قرین بی‌قول و گفت و گوی او ** خو بدزدد دل نهان از خوی او
Thy heart secretly steals its disposition from the disposition of thy companion, without speech and talk on his part.
چونک او افکند بر تو سایه را ** دزدد آن بی‌مایه از تو مایه را
When he casts his shadow over thee, that unprincipled one steals away thy principles from thee.
عقل تو گر اژدهایی گشت مست ** یار بد او را زمرد دان که هست
(Even) if thy reason has become (as strong as) a furious dragon, know that the evil companion is an emerald to it.