ایستاده پیش سلطان ظاهرش ** در ریاض غیب جان طایرش 3435
His exterior (person) stood before the Sultan, (but) his soaring spirit was in the meadows of the Unseen.
چون ملایک او به اقلیم الست ** هر دمی می‌شد به شرب تازه مست
Like the angels, he was momently being intoxicated with fresh draughts (of spiritual wine) in the realm of Alast;
اندرون سور و برون چون پر غمی ** در تن هم‌چون لحد خوش عالمی
Inwardly (merry as) a wedding-feast, but outwardly like a man filled with sorrow; a delectable world (concealed) in a tomb-like body.
او درین حیرت بد و در انتظار ** تا چه پیدا آید از غیب و سرار
He was in this (state of) bewilderment and waiting to see what would appear from the (world of) things occult and mysterious,
اسپ را اندر کشیدند آن زمان ** پیش خوارمشاه سرهنگان کشان
(When) at that time the officers brought the horse along into the presence of the Khwárizmsháh.
الحق اندر زیر این چرخ کبود ** آن‌چنان کره به قد و تگ نبود 3440
Verily beneath this azure sky there was no (other) colt like that in (tallness and comeliness of) figure and in fleetness.
می‌ربودی رنگ او هر دیده را ** مرحب آن از برق و مه زاییده را
Its colour (splendid appearance) dazzled every eye: (all would exclaim), “Hail to the (steed) born of the lightning and the moon!”
هم‌چو مه هم‌چون عطارد تیزرو ** گوییی صرصر علف بودش نه جو
It moved as swiftly as the moon and Mercury: you might say that its fodder was the sarsar wind, not barley.
ماه عرصه‌ی آسمان را در شبی ** می‌برد اندر مسیر و مذهبی
The moon traverses the expanse of heaven in one night during a single journey and course.
چون به یک شب مه برید ابراج را ** از چه منکر می‌شوی معراج را
Since the moon traversed the signs of the zodiac in one night, wherefore wilt thou disbelieve the Ascension (of the Prophet)?
صد چو ماهست آن عجب در یتیم ** که به یک ایماء او شد مه دو نیم 3445
That wondrous orphan Pearl is as a hundred moons, for at a nod from him the moon became (split in) two halves.
آن عجب کو در شکاف مه نمود ** هم به قدر ضعف حس خلق بود
(Even) the marvel which he displayed in splitting the moon was only according to the measure of the weakness of the perception possessed by the (common) people.
کار و بار انبیا و مرسلون ** هست از افلاک و اخترها برون
The work and business of the prophets and (Divine) messengers is beyond the skies and the stars.
تو برون رو هم ز افلاک و دوار ** وانگهان نظاره کن آن کار و بار
Do thou also go beyond (transcend) the skies and the revolving (orb), and then contemplate that work and business.
در میان بیضه‌ای چون فرخ‌ها ** نشنوی تسبیح مرغان هوا
(Whilst) thou art inside the egg, like chicks, thou canst not hear the glorification of God by the birds of the (supermundane) air.
معجزات این‌جا نخواهد شرح گشت ** ز اسپ و خوارمشاه گو و سرگذشت 3450
The miracles (of the Prophet) will not be set forth here: tell of the horse and the Khwárizmsháh and what happened.
آفتاب لطف حق بر هر چه تافت ** از سگ و از اسپ فر کهف یافت
Whatsoever the sun of God's grace shines upon, whether it be dog or horse, gains (is endowed with) the glory of the Cave;
تاب لطفش را تو یکسان هم مدان ** سنگ را و لعل را داد او نشان
Yet deem not the radiance of His grace to be uniform: it has given a sign (distinctive character) to the pebble and the ruby.
لعل را زان هست گنج مقتبس ** سنگ را گرمی و تابانی و بس
From that (radiance) the ruby has a borrowed treasure, (while) the pebble has only heat and brightness.
آنک بر دیوار افتد آفتاب ** آن‌چنان نبود کز آب و اضطراب
(The radiance of) the sun falling on a wall is not the same as (when it is reflected) from water and quivering movement.
چون دمی حیران شد از وی شاه فرد ** روی خود سوی عماد الملک کرد 3455
After the peerless king had been astounded by (gazing at) it (the horse) for a moment, he turned his face to the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk,
کای اچی بس خوب اسپی نیست این ** از بهشتست این مگر نه از زمین
Saying, “O vizier, is not this an exceedingly beautiful horse? Surely it belongs to Paradise, not to the earth.”
پس عماد الملک گفتش ای خدیو ** چون فرشته گردد از میل تو دیو
Thereupon the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk said to him, “O emperor, a demon is made angelic by thy (fond) inclination.
در نظر آنچ آوری گردید نیک ** بس گش و رعناست این مرکب ولیک
That on which thou lookest (fondly) becomes (appears good (to thee). This steed is very handsome and graceful, and yet
هست ناقص آن سر اندر پیکرش ** چون سر گاوست گویی آن سرش
The head is a blemish in its (elegant) form: you might say that its head is like the head of an ox.”
در دل خوارمشه این دم کار کرد ** اسپ را در منظر شه خوار کرد 3460
These words worked on the heart of the Khwárizmsháh and caused the horse to be cheap in the king's sight.
چون غرض دلاله گشت و واصفی ** از سه گز کرباس یابی یوسفی
When prejudice becomes a go-between and describer (of beauty), you may get (buy) a Joseph for three ells of linen.
چونک هنگام فراق جان شود ** دیو دلال در ایمان شود
When the hour arrives for the spirit's parting (from the body), the Devil becomes a broker (depreciator) of the pearl of Faith,
پس فروشد ابله ایمان را شتاب ** اندر آن تنگی به یک ابریق آب
And then in that (moment of) sore distress the fool hastily sells his faith for a jug of water;
وان خیالی باشد و ابریق نی ** قصد آن دلال جز تخریق نی
But ’tis a (mere) phantom and not (really) a jug: the aim of the broker (the Devil) is naught but trickery.
این زمان که تو صحیح و فربهی ** صدق را بهر خیالی می‌دهی 3465
At this (present) time, when you are healthy and fat, you are giving up the Truth for a phantom.
می‌فروشی هر زمانی در کان ** هم‌چو طفلی می‌ستانی گردگان
You are constantly selling the pearls of the (spiritual) mine and taking walnuts (in exchange), like a child;
پس در آن رنجوری روز اجل ** نیست نادر گر بود اینت عمل
Therefore it is no wonder if you act in this (same) way in the (mortal) sickness of your day of doom (death).
در خیالت صورتی جوشیده‌ای ** هم‌چو جوزی وقت دق پوسیده‌ای
You have concocted an idea (a vain notion) in your fancy: when you are rattled (tested) like a walnut, you are (proved to be) rotten.
هست از آغاز چون بدر آن خیال ** لیک آخر می‌شود هم‌چون هلال
In the beginning that phantom resembles the full-moon, but in the end it will become like the new-moon.
گر تو اول بنگری چون آخرش ** فارغ آیی از فریب فاترش 3470
If you regard its first (state) as being (really) like its last (state), you will be quit of its feeble deception.
جوز پوسیده‌ست دنیا ای امین ** امتحانش کم کن از دورش ببین
This world is a rotten walnut: O man of trust, do not make trial of it, (but) behold it from afar.
شاه دید آن اسپ را با چشم حال ** وآن عمادالملک با چشم مل
The king viewed the horse with regard to the present, while the ‘Imádu ’l- Mulk (viewed it) with regard to the future.
چشم شه دو گز همی دید از لغز ** چشم آن پایان‌نگر پنجاه گز
The king's eye, because of (its) distortion, saw (only) two ells, (but) the eye of him who regarded the end saw fifty ells.
آن چه سرمه‌ست آنک یزدان می‌کشد ** کز پس صد پرده بیند جان رشد
What a (wondrous) collyrium is that which God applies (to the spiritual eye), so that the spirit discerns the truth behind a hundred curtains!
چشم مهتر چون به آخر بود جفت ** پس بدان دیده جهان را جیفه گفت 3475
Since the Chief's (the Prophet's) eye was ever fixed on the end, by reason of (seeing with) that eye he called the world a carcase.
زین یکی ذمش که بشنود او وحسپ ** پس فسرد اندر دل شه مهر اسپ
On hearing only this single (word of) blame from him (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk), the love (that was) in the king's heart for the horse became chilled.
چشم خود بگذاشت و چشم او گزید ** هوش خود بگذاشت و قول او شنید
He abandoned his own eye and preferred his (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk's) eye: he abandoned his own intelligence and hearkened to his (the other's) words.
این بهانه بود و آن دیان فرد ** از نیاز آن در دل شه سرد کرد
This (speech of the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) was (only) the pretext, and (in reality) at (his) entreaty the unique Judge caused it (the horse) to be cold (despicable) in the king's heart.
در ببست از حسن او پیش بصر ** آن سخن بد در میان چون بانگ در
He (God) shut the door on its beauty (made its beauty invisible) to the eye (of the king): those words (of the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) intervened (between the king's eye and the horse) like the sound of the door.
پرده کرد آن نکته را بر چشم شه ** که از آن پرده نماید مه سیه 3480
He (God) made that cryptic saying a veil over the king's eye, a veil through which the moon appears to be black.
پاک بنایی که بر سازد حصون ** در جهان غیب از گفت و فسون
Pure (transcendent) is the Builder who in the unseen world constructs castles of speech and beguiling talk.
بانگ در دان گفت را از قصر راز ** تا که بانگ وا شدست این یا فراز
Know that speech is the sound of the door (coming) from the palace of mystery: consider whether it is the sound of opening or shutting.
بانگ در محسوس و در از حس برون ** تبصرون این بانگ و در لا تبصرون
The sound of the door is perceptible, but the door (itself) is beyond perception: ye see (are aware of) this sound, but the door ye see not.
چنگ حکمت چونک خوش‌آواز شد ** تا چه در از روض جنت باز شد
When the harp of wisdom breaks into melody, (bethink yourself) what door of the Garden of Paradise has been opened.