طوطی اندر گفت آمد در زمان ** بانگ بر درویش زد که هی فلان 260
Thereupon the parrot cried to the dervish, as rational persons (might have done).
از چه ای کل با کلان آمیختی ** تو مگر از شیشه روغن ریختی
How were you mixed up with the bald, O baldpate? Did you, then, spill oil from the bottle?”
از قیاسش خنده آمد خلق را ** کو چو خود پنداشت صاحب دلق را
The bystanders laughed at the parrot's inference, because it deemed the wearer of the frock to be like itself.
کار پاکان را قیاس از خود مگیر ** گر چه ماند در نبشتن شیر و شیر
Do not measure the actions of holy men by (the analogy of) yourself, though shér (lion) and shír (milk) are similar in writing.
جمله عالم زین سبب گمراه شد ** کم کسی ز ابدال حق آگاه شد
On this account the whole world is gone astray: scarcely any one is cognisant of God's Abdál (Substitutes).
همسری با انبیا برداشتند ** اولیا را همچو خود پنداشتند 265
They set up (a claim of) equality with the prophets; they supposed the saints to be like themselves.
گفته اینک ما بشر ایشان بشر ** ما و ایشان بسته‌‌ی خوابیم و خور
“Behold,” they said, “we are men, they are men; both we and they are in bondage to sleep and food.”
این ندانستند ایشان از عمی ** هست فرقی در میان بی‌‌منتها
In (their) blindness they did not perceive that there is an infinite difference between (them).
هر دو گون زنبور خوردند از محل ** لیک شد ز ان نیش و زین دیگر عسل
Both species of zanbúr ate and drank from the (same) place, but from that one (the hornet) came a sting, and from this other (the bee) honey.
هر دو گون آهو گیا خوردند و آب ** زین یکی سرگین شد و ز ان مشک ناب
Both species of deer ate grass and drank water: from this one came dung, and from that one pure musk.
هر دو نی خوردند از یک آب خور ** این یکی خالی و آن پر از شکر 270
Both reeds drank from the same water-source, (but) this one is empty and that one full of sugar.
صد هزاران این چنین اشباه بین ** فرقشان هفتاد ساله راه بین
Consider hundreds of thousands of such likenesses and observe that the distance between the two is (as great as) a seventy years' journey.
این خورد گردد پلیدی زو جدا ** آن خورد گردد همه نور خدا
This one eats, and filth is discharged from him; that one eats, and becomes entirely the light of God.
این خورد زاید همه بخل و حسد ** و آن خورد زاید همه نور احد
This one eats, (and of him) is born nothing but avarice and envy; that one eats, (and of him) is born nothing but the Light of the One (God).
این زمین پاک و ان شوره ست و بد ** این فرشته‌‌ی پاک و ان دیو است و دد
This one is good (fertile) soil and that one brackish and bad; this one is a fair angel and that one a devil and wild beast.
هر دو صورت گر بهم ماند رواست ** آب تلخ و آب شیرین را صفاست 275
If both resemble each other in aspect, it may well be (so): bitter water and sweet water have (the same) clearness.
جز که صاحب ذوق کی شناسد بیاب ** او شناسد آب خوش از شوره آب
Who knows (the difference) except a man possessed of (spiritual) taste? Find (him): he knows the sweet water from the brine.
سحر را با معجزه کرده قیاس ** هر دو را بر مکر پندارد اساس
Comparing magic with (prophetic) miracle, he (the ignorant one) fancies that both are founded on deceit.
ساحران موسی از استیزه را ** بر گرفته چون عصای او عصا
The magicians (in the time) of Moses, for contention's sake, lifted up (in their hands) a rod like his,
زین عصا تا آن عصا فرقی است ژرف ** زین عمل تا آن عمل راهی شگرف
(But) between this rod and that rod there is a vast difference; from this action (magic) to that action (miracle) is a great way.
لعنة الله این عمل را در قفا ** رحمه الله آن عمل را در وفا 280
This action is followed by the curse of God, (while) that action receives in payment the mercy (blessing) of God.
کافران اندر مری بوزینه طبع ** آفتی آمد درون سینه طبع
The infidels in contending (for equality with the prophets and saints) have the nature of an ape: the (evil) nature is a canker within the breast.
هر چه مردم می‌‌کند بوزینه هم ** آن کند کز مرد بیند دم‌‌به‌‌دم
Whatever a man does, the ape at every moment does the same thing that he sees done by the man.
او گمان برده که من کژدم چو او ** فرق را کی داند آن استیزه رو
He thinks, “I have acted like him”: how should that quarrelsome-looking one know the difference?
این کند از امر و او بهر ستیز ** بر سر استیزه رویان خاک ریز
This one (the holy man) acts by the command (of God), and he (the apish imitator) for the sake of quarrelling (rivalry). Pour dust on the heads of those who have quarrelsome faces!