هر یکی تاریخ عمر ابدا کنید ** پیرتر اولیست باقی تن زنید 2475
Let each (of us) declare the date (antiquity) of his life: the oldest has the best right, let the others suffer (disappointment) in silence.
گفت قج مرج من اندر آن عهود ** با قج قربان اسمعیل بود
In those times,” said the ram, “my pasturage was (shared) with the ram that was sacrificed for Ismá‘íl (Ishmael).”
گاو گفتا بوده‌ام من سال‌خورد ** جفت آن گاوی کش آدم جفت کرد
The ox said, “I am the (most) advanced in years, (I was) coupled with the ox that Adam yoked.
جفت آن گاوم که آدم جد خلق ** در زراعت بر زمین می‌کرد فلق
I am the yoke-fellow of the ox with which Adam, the forefather of mankind, used to plough the earth in sowing.”
چون شنید از گاو و قج اشتر شگفت ** سر فرود آورد و آن را برگرفت
When the camel heard the ox and the ram (make these assertions) he was amazed: he lowered his head and picked up that (bunch of grass).
در هوا بر داشت آن بند قصیل ** اشتر بختی سبک بی‌قال و قیل 2480
Promptly, without any palaver, the Bactrian camel raised the bunch of fresh barley in the air,
که مرا خود حاجت تاریخ نیست ** کین چنین جسمی و عالی گردنیست
Saying, “I, in sooth, need no (support from) chronology, since I have such a (stout) body and high neck.
خود همه کس داند ای جان پدر ** که نباشم از شما من خردتر
Indeed every one knows, O father's darling, that I am not smaller than you.
داند این را هرکه ز اصحاب نهاست ** که نهاد من فزون‌تر از شماست
Whoever is one of those possessed of intelligence knows this, that my nature is superior to yours.”
جملگان دانند کین چرخ بلند ** هست صد چندان که این خاک نژند
(The Christian said), “All know that this lofty heaven is a hundred times as great as this low earth.
کو گشاد رقعه‌های آسمان ** کو نهاد بقعه‌های خاکدان 2485
How can the wide expanse of the celestial domains be compared with the (limited) character of the terrestrial regions?”
جواب گفتن مسلمان آنچ دید به یارانش جهود و ترسا و حسرت خوردن ایشان
How the Moslem in reply told his companions, the Jew and the Christian, what he had seen (in his dream), and how they were disappointed.
پس مسلمان گفت ای یاران من ** پیشم آمد مصطفی سلطان من
Then the Moslem said, “O my friends, to me came Mustafá (Mohammed), my sovereign,
پس مرا گفت آن یکی بر طور تاخت ** با کلیم حق و نرد عشق باخت
And said to me, ‘That one (the Jew) has sped to Sinai with him (Moses) to whom God spake, and has played the game of love (with God);
وان دگر را عیسی صاحب‌قران ** برد بر اوج چهارم آسمان
And the other (the Christian) has been carried by Jesus, the Lord of happy star, to the zenith of the Fourth Heaven.
خیز ای پس مانده‌ی دیده ضرر ** باری آن حلوا و یخنی را بخور
Arise, O thou who hast been left behind and hast suffered injury, at least eat up the sweetmeat and comfit!
آن هنرمندان پر فن راندند ** نامه‌ی اقبال و منصب خواندند 2490
Those (two) talented and accomplished men have pushed forward and have read the book of fortune and honour.
آن دو فاضل فضل خود در یافتند ** با ملایک از هنر در بافتند
Those two eminent men have attained to their (proper) eminence and because of their talents have mingled with the angels.
ای سلیم گول واپس مانده هین ** بر جه و بر کاسه‌ی حلوا نشین
Hark, O foolish simpleton who hast been left behind, jump up and seat thyself beside the bowl of halwá!’”
پس بگفتندش که آنگه تو حریص ** ای عجیب خوردی ز حلوا و خبیص
Thereupon they said to him, “Then, you greedy fellow, have you made a meal of the halwá and khabís? Oh, (what) an astonishing thing!”
گفت چون فرمود آن شاه مطاع ** من کی بودم تا کنم زان امتناع
He replied, “When that sovereign who is obeyed (by all) gave the order, who was I that I should resist it?
تو جهود از امر موسی سر کشی ** گر بخواند در خوشی یا ناخوشی 2495
Will you, Jew, rebel against the command of Moses if he summon you (either) in a fair cause or a foul?
تو مسیحی هیچ از امر مسیح ** سر توانی تافت در خیر و قبیح
Can you, Christian, ever spurn the command of Christ (whether) for good or evil?
من ز فخر انبیا سر چون کشم ** خورده‌ام حلوا و این دم سرخوشم
How, (then), should I rebel against the Glory of the prophets? I have eaten the halwá and now I am happy.”
پس بگفتندش که والله خواب راست ** تو بدیدی وین به از صد خواب ماست
Then they said to him, “By God, you have dreamed a true dream, and ’tis better than a hundred dreams of ours.
خواب تو بیداریست ای بو بطر ** که به بیداری عیانستش اثر
Your dreaming is waking, O gleeful one, for its effect (reality) is made evident by (your) waking (and eating the sweetmeat).”
در گذر از فضل و از جهدی و فن ** کار خدمت دارد و خلق حسن 2500
Abandon eminence and (worldly) energy and skill: what matters is service (rendered to God) and a goodly disposition.
بهر این آوردمان یزدان برون ** ما خلقت الانس الا یعبدون
For this (object) God brought us forth (from non-existence): “I did not create mankind except to serve Me.”
سامری را آن هنر چه سود کرد ** کان فن از باب اللهش مردود کرد
How did that knowledge (of his) profit Sámirí, whom the skill (shown in making the golden Calf) banished from God's door?
چه کشید از کیمیا قارون ببین ** که فرو بردش به قعر خود زمین
What did Qárún gain by his alchemy? See how the earth bore him down to its abyss.
بوالحکم آخر چه بر بست از هنر ** سرنگون رفت او ز کفران در سقر
What, after all, did Bu ’l-Hakam (Abú Jahl) get from (intellectual) knowledge? On account of his unbelief he went headlong into Hell.
خود هنر آن داد که دید آتش عیان ** نه کپ دل علی النار الدخان 2505
Know that (true) knowledge consists in seeing fire plainly, not in prating that smoke is evidence of fire.
ای دلیلت گنده‌تر پیش لبیب ** در حقیقت از دلیل آن طبیب
O you whose evidence in the eyes of the Sage is really more stinking than the evidence of the physician,
چون دلیلت نیست جز این ای پسر ** گوه می‌خور در کمیزی می‌نگر
Since you have no evidence but this, O son, eat dung and inspect urine!
ای دلیل تو مثال آن عصا ** در کفت دل علی عیب العمی
O you whose evidence is like the staff in your hand (which) indicates that you suffer from blindness,
غلغل و طاق و طرنب و گیر و دار ** که نمی‌بینم مرا معذور دار
(All this) noise and pompous talk and assumption of authority (only means), “I cannot see: (kindly) excuse me.”
منادی کردن سید ملک ترمد کی هر کی در سه یا چهار روز به سمرقند رود به فلان مهم خلعت و اسپ و غلام و کنیزک و چندین زر دهم و شنیدن دلقک خبر این منادی در ده و آمدن به اولاقی نزد شاه کی من باری نتوانم رفتن
How the Sayyid, the King of Tirmid, proclaimed that he would give robes of honour and horses and slave-boys and slave-girls and a large sum in gold to any one who would go on urgent business to Samarcand (and complete the journey) in three or four days; and how Dalqak, having heard the news of this proclamation in the country (where he then was), came post-haste to the king, saying, “I, at all events, cannot go.”
سید ترمد که آنجا شاه بود ** مسخره‌ی او دلقک آگاه بود 2510
The sagacious Dalqak was the buffoon (court-jester) of the Sayyid of Tirmid, who reigned in that place (city).
داشت کاری در سمرقند او مهم ** جست‌الاقی تا شود او مستتم
He (the king) had an urgent affair in Samarcand, and wanted a courier in order that he might conclude it.
زد منادی هر که اندر پنج روز ** آردم زانجا خبر بدهم کنوز
(Therefore) he proclaimed that he would bestow (his) treasures on any one who should bring him news from there in five days.
دلقک اندر ده بد و آن را شنید ** بر نشست و تا بترمد می‌دوید
Dalqak was in the country and heard of that (proclamation): he mounted (a horse) and galloped to Tirmid.
مرکبی دو اندر آن ره شد سقط ** از دوانیدن فرس را زان نمط
Two horses dropped (dead) on the way because of his galloping in that (furious) manner.
پس به دیوان در دوید از گرد راه ** وقت ناهنگام ره جست او به شاه 2515
Then, (fresh) from the dust of the road, he ran into the council-chamber and demanded admission to the king at an untimely hour.
فجفجی در جمله‌ی دیوان فتاد ** شورشی در وهم آن سلطان فتاد
A whispered rumour arose in the council, and a (feeling of) agitation came into the mind of the Sultan.
خاص و عام شهر را دل شد ز دست ** تا چه تشویش و بلا حادث شدست
The hearts of the nobles and populace of the city were stricken with panic, (for they wondered) what disturbance and calamity had occurred,
یا عدوی قاهری در قصد ماست ** یا بلایی مهلکی از غیب خاست
(Saying), “Either a conquering enemy is about to attack us or a deadly calamity has emerged from the Unseen,
که ز ده دلقک به سیران درشت ** چند اسپی تازی اندر راه کشت
For Dalqak, riding hard from the country, has killed several Arab horses on the way.”
جمع گشته بر سرای شاه خلق ** تا چرا آمد چنین اشتاب دلق 2520
The people gathered at the king's palace, wondering why Dalqak had come in such a hurry.
از شتاب او و فحش اجتهاد ** غلغل و تشویش در ترمد فتاد
Because of his (hot) haste and the enormity of his exertions, tumult and commotion arose in Tirmid;
آن یکی دو دست بر زانوزنان ** وآن دگر از وهم واویلی‌کنان
One man (was) beating both hands against his knee, while another, from presentiment of evil, was uttering woeful cries.
از نفیر و فتنه و خوف نکال ** هر دلی رفته به صد کوی خیال
On account of the hubbub and distraction and the dread of punishment every heart went to (wander in) a hundred streets (haunts) of phantasy.
هر کسی فالی همی‌زد از قیاس ** تا چه آتش اوفتاد اندر پلاس
Every one was taking an omen (predicting) by conjecture (and trying to guess) what had set the rug on fire.