زشت آن زشتست و خوب آن خوب و بس ** دایم آن ضحاک و این اندر عبس
The only ugly one is that (eternally) ugly one; the only beautiful one is that (eternally) beautiful one: this one is always laughing and that one scowling.
خاک را رنگ و فن و سنگی دهد ** طفل‌خویان را بر آن جنگی دهد
He (God) gives to earth a certain colour and variety and value, and causes childish folk to wrangle over it.
از خمیری اشتر وشیری پزند ** کودکان از حرص آن کف می‌گزند
(When) a piece of dough is baked in the shape of a camel or lion, (these) children bite their fingers (excitedly) in their greed for it.
شیر و اشتر نان شود اندر دهان ** در نگیرد این سخن با کودکان
The lion or camel turns to bread in the mouth, but it is futile to tell this to children.
کودک اندر جهل و پندار و شکیست ** شکر باری قوت او اندکیست 4720
The child is in a (state of) ignorance and fancy and doubt: at any rate, thank God, his strength is (but) little.
طفل را استیزه و صد آفتست ** شکر این که بی‌فن و بی‌قوتست
The child is quarrelsome and very mischievous: thank God for his lack of skill and strength.
وای ازین پیران طفل ناادیب ** گشته از قوت بلای هر رقیب
(But) alas for these childish undisciplined elders who in their strength have become an affliction to every guardian!
چون سلاح و جهل جمع آید به هم ** گشت فرعونی جهان‌سوز از ستم
When weapons and ignorance are brought together, he (such an one) becomes in his tyranny a world-consuming Pharaoh.
شکر کن ای مرد درویش از قصور ** که ز فرعونی رهیدی وز کفور
O poor man, thank God for thy deficiency (of means), for (thereby) thou art delivered from being a Pharaoh and ungrateful (for Divine blessings).
شکر که مظلومی و ظالم نه‌ای ** آمن از فرعونی و هر فتنه‌ای 4725
Thank God that thou art the oppressed, not the oppressor: thou art secure from acting like Pharaoh and from every temptation.
اشکم تی لاف اللهی نزد ** که آتشش را نیست از هیزم مدد
An empty belly never bragged of Divinity, for it has no faggots to feed its fire.
اشکم خالی بود زندان دیو ** کش غم نان مانعست از مکر و ریو
An empty belly is the Devil's prison, because anxiety for bread prevents him from plotting and deceiving.
اشکم پر لوت دان بازار دیو ** تاجران دیو را در وی غریو
Know that a belly full of viands is the Devil's market, where the Devil's merchants raise a clamour:
تاجران ساحر لاشی‌فروش ** عقل‌ها را تیره کرده از خروش
Merchants who practise sorcery and sell worthless goods and obfuscate (men's) wits by vociferation.
خم روان کرده ز سحری چون فرس ** کرده کرباسی ز مهتاب و غلس 4730
By a (trick of) sorcery they cause a vat to run like a horse and make a piece of linen out of moonshine and twilight.
چون بریشم خاک را برمی‌تنند ** خاک در چشم ممیز می‌زنند
They weave earth like silk and throw earth (dust) in the eyes of the discerning.
چندلی را رنگ عودی می‌دهند ** بر کلوخیمان حسودی می‌دهند
They give to a bit of (fragrant) sandal-wood the appearance of a piece of (common) wood; they put in us the envious desire for a clod.
پاک آنک خاک را رنگی دهد ** هم‌چو کودکمان بر آن جنگی دهد
(But) holy is He who giveth (mere) earth a (specious) colour and causes us to quarrel over it like children.
دامنی پر خاک ما چون طفلکان ** در نظرمان خاک هم‌چون زر کان
(The world is) a skirtful of earth, and we are like little children: in our sight the earth is as gold of the mine.
طفل را با بالغان نبود مجال ** طفل را حق کی نشاند با رجال 4735
There is no room for a child beside (grown-up) men: how should God let a child sit with men?
میوه گر کهنه شود تا هست خام ** پخته نبود غوره گویندش به نام
If fruit become old, (yet) so long as it is immature and not ripe it is called ghúra (unripe grapes).
گر شود صدساله آن خام ترش ** طفل و غوره‌ست او بر هر تیزهش
Though (one resembling) immature and sour (fruit) reach the age of a hundred years, he is (still) a child and unripe (ghúra) in the opinion of every sagacious person.
گرچه باشد مو و ریش او سپید ** هم در آن طفلی خوفست و امید
Though his hair and beard be white, he is still in the childish state of fear and hope,
که رسم یا نارسیده مانده‌ام ** ای عجب با من کند کرم آن کرم
Saying, “Shall I attain (to maturity), or am I (to be) left immature? Oh, I wonder, will the Vine bestow that bounty on me?
با چنین ناقابلی و دوریی ** بخشد این غوره‌ی مرا انگوریی 4740
Notwithstanding such an incapacity and remoteness (from God), will He confer on these unripe grapes (ghúra) of mine a perfection like that of the ripe grape (angúr)?
نیستم اومیدوار از هیچ سو ** وان کرم می‌گویدم لا تیاسوا
I have no hopes from any quarter, but that (Divine) Bounty is saying to me, ‘Do not ye despair!’”
دایما خاقان ما کردست طو ** گوشمان را می‌کشد لا تقنطوا
Our Kháqán (Emperor) has made a perpetual feast (for us): He is always pulling our ears (drawing us thither and saying), “Do not lose hope!”
گرچه ما زین ناامیدی در گویم ** چون صلا زد دست اندازان رویم
Although we are in the ditch (and overwhelmed) by this despair, let us go dancing along since He has invited us.
دست اندازیم چون اسپان سیس ** در دویدن سوی مرعای انیس
Let us dance (along) like mettlesome horses galloping towards the familiar pasturage.
گام اندازیم و آنجا گام نی ** جام پردازیم و آنجا جام نی 4745
Let us toss our feet, though no foot is there; let us drain the cup, though no cup is there,
زانک آنجا جمله اشیا جانیست ** معنی اندر معنی اندر معنیست
Because all things there are spiritual: ’tis reality on reality on reality.
هست صورت سایه معنی آفتاب ** نور بی‌سایه بود اندر خراب
Form is the shadow, reality is the sun: the shadowless light is (only to be found) in the ruin.
چونک آنجا خشت بر خشتی نماند ** نور مه را سایه‌ی زشتی نماند
When not a brick is left (resting) on a brick there, no ugly shadow remains in the moonlight.
خشت اگر زرین بود بر کندنیست ** چون بهای خشت وحی و روشنیست
(Even) if the brick be of gold it must be torn away, since (the removal of) the brick is the price paid for inspiration and light.
کوه بهر دفع سایه مندکست ** پاره گشتن بهر این نور اندکست 4750
In order to remove the shadow (of materiality) the mountain (Sinai) is rased to the ground: ’tis a small matter to fall to pieces for the sake of this light.
بر برون که چو زد نور صمد ** پاره شد تا در درونش هم زند
When the light of the Lord struck on the surface of the mountain, it (the mountain) fell to pieces in order that it (the light) should penetrate its interior too.
گرسنه چون بر کفش زد قرص نان ** وا شکافد از هوس چشم و دهان
As soon as a loaf of bread touches the palm of a hungry man, his eyes and mouth open wide in desire (to eat it).
صد هزاران پاره گشتن ارزد این ** از میان چرخ برخیز ای زمین
This (light) is worth (the price, namely) falling into a hundred thousand pieces: soar up through the (spiritual) heaven, O (thou who resemblest) earth,
تا که نور چرخ گردد سایه‌سوز ** شب ز سایه‌ی تست ای یاغی روز
That the light of heaven may consume thy shadow: the (dark) night is caused by thy shadow, O enemy of Day.
این زمین چون گاهواره‌ی طفلکان ** بالغان را تنگ می‌دارد مکان 4755
This earth is like a cradle for babes: it cramps the movements of grownup men.
بهر طفلان حق زمین را مهد خواند ** شیر در گهواره بر طفلان فشاند
On account of the babes (who live in it) God hath called the earth a cradle (mahd), and He hath bestowed milk on the babes in their cradle.
خانه تنگ آمد ازین گهواره‌ها ** طفلکان را زود بالغ کن شها
The house is crowded with these cradles: let the babes grow up quickly, O King!
ای گواره خانه را ضیق مدار ** تا تواند کرد بالغ انتشار
O cradle, do not incommode the house (but let there be room), so that the grown-up man can move freely.
وسوسه‌ای کی پادشاه‌زاده را پیدا شد از سبب استغنایی و کشفی کی از شاه دل او را حاصل شده بود و قصد ناشکری و سرکشی می‌کرد شاه را از راه الهام و سر شاه را خبر شد دلش درد کرد روح او را زخمی زد چنانک صورت شاه را خبر نبود الی آخره
(Concerning) the vicious distempered thoughts that arose in the prince in consequence of the (spiritual) self-sufficiency and illumination with which his heart had been endowed by the King: how he proceeded to show ingratitude and rebelliousness, and how the King, being made aware of it in an inspired and mysterious manner, was pained at heart and, though outwardly unconscious (of it), dealt his (the prince's) spirit a (mortal) wound, etc.
چون مسلم گشت بی‌بیع و شری ** از درون شاه در جانش جری
When from the inward nature of the King the (spiritual) allowance was paid over, without sale or purchase, into his (the prince's) soul,
قوت می‌خوردی ز نور جان شاه ** ماه جانش هم‌چو از خورشید ماه 4760
His moon-like soul was feeding on the light of the King's soul as the moon (feeds) on (the light of) the sun,
راتبه‌ی جانی ز شاه بی‌ندید ** دم به دم در جان مستش می‌رسید
And the spiritual ration from the peerless King was arriving in his intoxicated soul at every moment.
آن نه که ترسا و مشرک می‌خورند ** زان غذایی که ملایک می‌خورند
’Twas not that (material food) which polytheists and Christians eat, (but) part of the (spiritual) food which the angels eat.