My spirit has boasted that it is a water-bird: how should it lament the flood of tribulation?
بط را ز اشکستن کشتی چه غم ** کشتی‌اش بر آب بس باشد قدم
What cares the duck for shipwreck? Her feet in the water are ship enough.
زنده زین دعوی بود جان و تنم ** من ازین دعوی چگونه تن زنم 4065
My soul and body are (kept) alive by this boast: how should I refrain from making this boast?
خواب می‌بینم ولی در خواب نه ** مدعی هستم ولی کذاب نه
I am dreaming but I am not asleep; I am a boaster but I am not a liar.
گر مرا صد بار تو گردن زنی ** هم‌چو شمعم بر فروزم روشنی
Though you behead me a hundred times, I am like a candle: I will burn brightly (still).
آتش ار خرمن بگیرد پیش و پس ** شب‌روان را خرمن آن ماه بس
Though the stack (of my existence) catch fire (both) in front and behind, the stack (halo) of that Moon is enough for travellers in the night.
کرده یوسف را نهان و مختبی ** حیلت اخوان ز یعقوب نبی
Joseph was hidden and concealed from Jacob the prophet by the trickery of his brethren.
خفیه کردندش به حیلت‌سازیی ** کرد آخر پیرهن غمازیی 4070
They put him out of sight by an artifice, (but) at last his shirt gave an information.”
آن دو گفتندش نصیحت در سمر ** که مکن ز اخطار خود را بی‌خبر
The two (brothers of the eldest prince) admonished him in converse, saying, “Do not ignore the dangers.
هین منه بر ریش‌های ما نمک ** هین مخور این زهر بر جلدی و شک
Hark, do not put salt on our wounds! Beware, do not drink this poison rashly and in doubt (of the consequences).
جز به تدبیر یکی شیخی خبیر ** چون روی چون نبودت قلبی بصیر
How canst thou go without being counselled by a wise Shaykh, since thou hast not a discerning heart?
وای آن مرغی که ناروییده پر ** بر پرد بر اوج و افتد در خطر
Woe to the unfledged bird that flies up to the zenith and falls into peril!”
عقل باشد مرد را بال و پری ** چون ندارد عقل عقل رهبری 4075
Intelligence is wings and feathers to a man: when he lacks intelligence, (he must rely on) the intelligence of a guide.
یا مظفر یا مظفرجوی باش ** یا نظرور یا نظرورجوی باش
Either be victorious or in search of a victor: either have insight or be in search of one endowed with insight.
بی ز مفتاح خرد این قرع باب ** از هوا باشد نه از روی صواب
Without (possession of) the key, namely, intelligence, this knocking at the door is prompted by self-will, not by right motives.
عالمی در دام می‌بین از هوا ** وز جراحت‌های هم‌رنگ دوا
See a whole world ensnared by self-will and by wounds (harmful things) that look like remedies (beneficial things).
مار استادست بر سینه چو مرگ ** در دهانش بهر صید اشگرف برگ
The snake, (terrible) as death, stands (raises itself) on its breast, with a big leaf in its mouth in order to catch its prey.
در حشایش چون حشیشی او بپاست ** مرغ پندارد که او شاخ گیاست 4080
It stands erect, like a herb, amidst the herbage, (so that) the bird thinks it is the stalk of a plant.
چون نشیند بهر خور بر روی برگ ** در فتد اندر دهان مار و مرگ
When it (the bird) settles on the leaf for the purpose of eating, it falls into the mouth of the snake and (into the jaws of) death.
کرده تمساحی دهان خویش باز ** گرد دندانهاش کرمان دراز
A crocodile opens its mouth: its teeth are surrounded by long worms.
از بقیه‌ی خور که در دندانش ماند ** کرم‌ها رویید و بر دندان نشاند
The worms were produced by the residue of food left in its teeth; and it gave them lodging there.
مرغکان بینند کرم و قوت را ** مرج پندارند آن تابوت را
The little birds see the worms and the food and imagine that coffin to be a meadow.
چون دهان پر شد ز مرغ او ناگهان ** در کشدشان و فرو بندد دهان 4085
When its mouth is filled with birds, it suddenly swallows them and closes its mouth (again).
این جهان پر ز نقل و پر ز نان ** چون دهان باز آن تمساح دان
Know that this world full of dessert (viands) and bread is like the open mouth of the crocodile.
بهر کرم و طعمه ای روزی‌تراش ** از فن تمساح دهر آمن مباش
O thou who scrapest together the means of livelihood, (in thy desire) for worms and morsels do not feel secure from the artfulness of the crocodile, (which is) Time.
روبه افتد پهن اندر زیر خاک ** بر سر خاکش حبوب مکرناک
A fox falls (and lies) flat under his earth: above his earth are deceptive grains,
تا بیاید زاغ غافل سوی آن ** پای او گیرد به مکر آن مکردان
In order that the heedless crow may approach them and the crafty one cunningly seize her by the leg.
صدهزاران مکر در حیوان چو هست ** چون بود مکر بشر کو مهترست 4090
Since there are a hundred thousand cunning tricks in animals, how (great) must be the cunning of Man who is superior (to all other animals)!
مصحفی در کف چو زین‌العابدین ** خنجری پر قهر اندر آستین
In his hand (he carries) a copy of the Holy Book as (though he were) Zaynu ’l- ‘Ábidín; (but) in his sleeve a vengeful dagger.
گویدت خندان کای مولای من ** در دل او بابلی پر سحر و فن
He addresses thee smilingly—“O my lord,” (while) in his heart there is a Babylon of sorcery and guileful spells.
Mile after mile through the night the lightning's deception leads thee on, without a guide, in a dark wilderness.
بر که افتی گاه و در جوی اوفتی ** گه بدین سو گه بدان سوی اوفتی
Now thou fallest on a mountain, now into a river; now thou wanderest in this direction, now in that.
خود نبینی تو دلیل ای جاه‌جو ** ور ببینی رو بگردانی ازو 4100
O seeker of worldly estate, thou wilt never find the guide; and if thou find him, thou wilt avert thy face from him,
که سفر کردم درین ره شصت میل ** مر مرا گمراه گوید این دلیل
Saying, “I have travelled sixty miles on this road, and (now) this guide tells me I have lost my way.
گر نهم من گوش سوی این شگفت ** ز امر او راهم ز سر باید گرفت
If I give ear to this marvel, I must begin my journey again under his authority.
من درین ره عمر خود کردم گرو ** هرچه بادا باد ای خواجه برو
I have devoted my life to this journey: (I will pursue it) come what may. Begone, O Khwája!”
راه کردی لیک در ظن چو برق ** عشر آن ره کن پی وحی چو شرق
“(Yes), thou hast journeyed (far), but (only) in opinion (unsubstantial) as lightning: (come), make a tenth part of that journey for the sake of (Divine) inspiration (glorious) as the sunrise.
ظن لایغنی من الحق خوانده‌ای ** وز چنان برقی ز شرقی مانده‌ای 4105
Thou hast read (the Verse), Opinion cannot serve instead of truth, and (yet) by a lightning-flash like that thou hast been blinded to a rising sun.
هی در آ در کشتی ما ای نژند ** یا تو آن کشتی برین کشتی ببند
Hark, come into our boat, O wretched man, or (at least) tie that boat (of thine) to this boat (of ours).”
گوید او چون ترک گیرم گیر و دار ** چون روم من در طفیلت کوروار
He replies, “How should I abandon power and dominion? How should I follow thee blindly?”
کور با رهبر به از تنها یقین ** زان یکی ننگست و صد ننگست ازین
A blind man is certainly better off with a guide than (when he goes) alone: in the former case there is (only) one ignominy, while in the latter there are a hundred.
می‌گریزی از پشه در کزدمی ** می‌گریزی در یمی تو از نمی
Thou art fleeing from a gnat to a scorpion, thou art fleeing from a dewdrop into an ocean.
می‌گریزی از جفاهای پدر ** در میان لوطیان و شور و شر 4110
Thou art fleeing from thy father's unkindnesses into the midst of scoundrels and mischief and trouble.
می‌گریزی هم‌چو یوسف ز اندهی ** تا ز نرتع نلعب افتی در چهی
Like Joseph, thou art fleeing from one sorrow to fall into a well (of woe) through (being beguiled by) “let us frolic and play.”
در چه افتی زین تفرج هم‌چو او ** مر ترا لیک آن عنایت یار کو
Because of this pastime thou fallest into a well, like him; but where is the (Divine) favour to help thee (as it helped him)?