موش در منقار زاغ و چغز هم ** در هوا آویخته پا در رتم
The mouse (was) in the raven's beak, and the frog likewise (was) suspended in the air, (with) its foot (entangled) in the string.
خلق می‌گفتند زاغ از مکر و کید ** چغز آبی را چگونه کرد صید
The people were saying, “How could the raven make the water-frog its prey by craft and cunning?
چون شد اندر آب و چونش در ربود ** چغز آبی کی شکار زاغ بود
How could it go into the water, and how could it carry him off? When was the water-frog (ever) the raven's prey?”
چغز گفتا این سزای آن کسی ** کو چو بی‌آبان شود جفت خسی
“This,” said the frog, “is the fit punishment for that one who, like persons devoid of honour, consorts with a rascal.”
ای فغان از یار ناجنس ای فغان ** هم‌نشین نیک جویید ای مهان 2950
Oh, alas, alas for the sorrow caused by a base friend! O sirs, seek ye a good companion.
عقل را افغان ز نفس پر عیوب ** هم‌چو بینی بدی بر روی خوب
Reason complains bitterly of the vicious carnal soul: (they are as discordant) as an ugly nose on a beautiful face.
عقل می‌گفتش که جنسیت یقین ** از ره معنیست نی از آب و طین
Reason was saying to him (the frog), “’Tis certain that congeniality is spiritual in origin and is not (derived) from water and clay (the outward form).”
هین مشو صورت‌پرست و این مگو ** سر جنسیت به صورت در مجو
Take heed, do not become a worshipper of form and do not say this. Do not seek (to discover) the secret of congeniality in the (outward) form.
صورت آمد چون جماد و چون حجر ** نیست جامد را ز جنسیت خبر
Form resembles the mineral and the stone: an inorganic thing has no knowledge of congeniality.
جان چو مور و تن چو دانه‌ی گندمی ** می‌کشاند سو به سویش هر دمی 2955
The spirit is like an ant, and the body like a grain of wheat which it (the ant) carries to and fro continually.
مور داند کان حبوب مرتهن ** مستحیل و جنس من خواهد شدن
The ant knows that the grains of which it has taken charge will be changed and become homogeneous with it.
آن یکی موری گرفت از راه جو ** مور دیگر گندمی بگرفت و دو
One ant picks up (a grain of) barley on the road, another ant picks up a grain of wheat and runs away.
جو سوی گندم نمی‌تازد ولی ** مور سوی مور می‌آید بلی
The barley does not hurry to the wheat, but the ant comes to the ant; yes (it does).
رفتن جو سوی گندم تابعست ** مور را بین که به جنسش راجعست
The going of the barley to the wheat is (merely) consequential: (’tis) the ant, mark you, (that) returns to its congener.
تو مگو گندم چرا شد سوی جو ** چشم را بر خصم نه نی بر گرو 2960
Do not say, “Why did the wheat go to the barley?” Fix your eye on the holder, not on that which he holds in pawn.
مور اسود بر سر لبد سیاه ** مور پنهان دانه پیدا پیش راه
(As when) a black ant (moves along) on a black felt cloth: the ant is hidden (from view), (only) the grain is visible on its way,
عقل گوید چشم را نیکو نگر ** دانه هرگز کی رود بی دانه‌بر
(But) Reason says, “Look well to your eye: when does a grain ever go along without a grain-bearer?”
زین سبب آمد سوی اصحاب کلب ** هست صورتها حبوب و مور قلب
(’Twas) on this account (that) the dog came to the Companions (of the Cave): the (outward) forms are (like) the grains, while the heart (spirit) is (like) the ant.
زان شود عیسی سوی پاکان چرخ ** بد قفس‌ها مختلف یک جنس فرخ
Hence Jesus goes (ascends) to the holy ones of Heaven: the cages (bodies) were diverse, (but) the young birds (spirits) were of the same kind.
این قفس پیدا و آن فرخش نهان ** بی‌قفس کش کی قفس باشد روان 2965
This cage is visible, but the young bird in it is hidden (from sight): how should the cage be moving without a cage-carrier?
ای خنک چشمی که عقلستش امیر ** عاقبت‌بین باشد و حبر و قریر
Oh, blessed is the eye that is ruled by reason, (the eye) that discerns the end and is wise and cool.
فرق زشت و نغز از عقل آورید ** نی ز چشمی کز سیه گفت و سپید
Get (learn) the distinction between evil and good from reason, not from the eye that tells (only) of black and white.
چشم غره شد به خضرای دمن ** عقل گوید بر محک ماش زن
The eye is beguiled by the verdure on dunghills, (but) reason says, “Put it to my touchstone.”
آفت مرغست چشم کام‌بین ** مخلص مرغست عقل دام‌بین
The eye that sees (only) its (object of) desire is the bird's bane; reason, which sees the trap, is the bird's means of deliverance.
دام دیگر بد که عقلش در نیافت ** وحی غایب‌بین بدین سو زان شتافت 2970
(But) there was another trap which reason did not perceive; hence the inspiration which beholds the unseen sped in this direction.
جنس و ناجنس از خرد دانی شناخت ** سوی صورتها نشاید زود تاخت
By reason you can recognise congener and non-congener: you ought not to run at once to (outward) forms.
نیست جنسیت به صورت لی و لک ** عیسی آمد در بشر جنس ملک
My being your congener is not in respect of (outward) form: Jesus, in the form of man, was (really) homogeneous with the angels
برکشیدش فوق این نیلی‌حصار ** مرغ گردونی چو چغزش زاغ‌وار
The celestial Bird (Gabriel) carried him up above this dark-blue fortress (vault) as the raven (carried) the frog.
قصه‌ی عبدالغوث و ربودن پریان او را و سالها میان پریان ساکن شدن او و بعد از سالها آمدن او به شهر و فرزندان خویش را باز ناشکیفتن او از آن پریان بحکم جنسیت و همدلی او با ایشان
Story of ‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth and his being carried off by the peris and staying among them for years, and how after (many) years he returned to his (native) town and his children, but could not endure to be parted from the peris, because he was really their congener and spiritually one with them.
بود عبدالغوث هم‌جنس پری ** چون پری نه سال در پنهان‌پری
‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth was a congener of the peri: for nine years he was flying about invisibly, like a peri.
شد زنش را نسل از شوی دگر ** وآن یتیمانش ز مرگش در سمر 2975
His wife had offspring by another husband, and his (‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth's) orphans used to talk of his death,
که مرورا گرگ زد یا ره‌زنی ** یا فتاد اندر چهی یا مکمنی
Saying, “A wolf or a brigand (must have) attacked him, or (perhaps) he fell into a pit or ambush.”
جمله فرزندانش در اشغال مست ** خود نگفتندی که بابایی بدست
All his children were passionately absorbed in (worldly) occupations: they never said (thought) that they had a father (who might be alive).
بعد نه سال آمد او هم عاریه ** گشت پیدا باز شد متواریه
After nine years he came (back) temporarily: he appeared and (then) disappeared again.
یک مهی مهمان فرزندان خویش ** بود و زان پس کس ندیدش رنگ بیش
He was the guest of his children for one month, and after that nobody saw any more of him.
برد هم جنسی پریانش چنان ** که رباید روح را زخم سنان 2980
(Inward) homogeneity with the peris carried him off, just as a spear-thrust ravishes the spirit (from the body).
چون بهشتی جنس جنت آمدست ** هم ز جنسیت شود یزدان‌پرست
Since one who is destined for Paradise is (inwardly) homogeneous with Paradise, on account of homogeneity he also becomes a worshipper of God.
نه نبی فرمود جود و محمده ** شاخ جنت دان به دنیا آمده
Has not the Prophet said, “Know that liberality and virtue are (drooping) branches of (the trees in) Paradise (and have) come (have been let down) into this world”?
مهرها را جمله جنس مهر خوان ** قهرها را جمله جنس قهر دان
Declare all loves to be homogeneous with (Divine) Love; deem all wraths to be homogeneous with (Divine) Wrath.
لاابالی لا ابالی آورد ** زانک جنس هم بوند اندر خرد
The reckless man gets a reckless man (as his comrade), because they are congenial in respect of their understanding.
بود جنسیت در ادریس از نجوم ** هشت سال او با زحل بد در قدوم 2985
The congeniality (spiritual affinity) in Idrís was (derived) from the stars: for eight years he was coming along with Saturn.
در مشارق در مغارب یار او ** هم‌حدیث و محرم آثار او
He was his (Saturn's) companion in the East and in the West; (he was) his partner in conversation and familiar with his characteristics.
بعد غیبت چونک آورد او قدوم ** در زمین می‌گفت او درس نجوم
When after his absence (from the body) he arrived (on earth), on the earth he was always giving lessons in astronomy.
پیش او استارگان خوش صف زده ** اختران در درس او حاضر شده
The stars gladly ranged themselves in ranks before him: the stars attended his lectures,
آنچنان که خلق آواز نجوم ** می‌شنیدند از خصوص و از عموم
So that the people (present), nobles and commons alike, would hear the voices of the stars.
جذب جنسیت کشیده تا زمین ** اختران را پیش او کرده مبین 2990
The attraction exerted by homogeneity (spiritual affinity) drew the stars down to the earth and caused them to speak plainly before him.
هر یکی نام خود و احوال خود ** باز گفته پیش او شرح رصد
Each one declared its name and its circumstances and expounded to him (the science of) astronomical observation.
چیست جنسیت یکی نوع نظر ** که بدان یابند ره در هم‌دگر
What is (real) homogeneity? A species of insight whereby people gain admission into (the minds and feelings of) one another.
آن نظر که کرد حق در وی نهان ** چون نهد در تو تو گردی جنس آن
When God endows you with the same insight which He has hidden in him (another person), you become his congener.
هر طرف چه می‌کشد تن را نظر ** بی‌خبر را کی کشاند با خبر
What draws a body (person) in any direction? Insight. How should the conscious attract the unconscious?
چونک اندر مرد خوی زن نهد ** او مخنث گردد و گان می‌دهد 2995
When He (God) implants in a man the nature of a woman, fit catamitus et coitum dat. [When He (God) implants in a man the nature of a woman, he becomes a catamite and offers (anal) intercourse.]