مرغ یک‌پر زود افتد سرنگون ** باز بر پرد دو گامی یا فزون
The one-winged bird soon falls headlong; then again it flies up some two paces or (a little) more.
افت خیزان می‌رود مرغ گمان ** با یکی پر بر امید آشیان
The bird, Opinion, falling and rising, goes on with one wing in hope of (reaching) the nest.
چون ز ظن وا رست علمش رو نمود ** شد دو پر آن مرغ یک‌پر پر گشود
(But) when he has been delivered from Opinion, Knowledge shows its face to him: that one-winged bird becomes two-winged and spreads his wings.
بعد از آن یمشی سویا مستقیم ** نه علی وجهه مکبا او سقیم
After that, he walks erect and straight, not falling flat on his face or ailing.
با دو پر بر می‌پرد چون جبرئیل ** بی گمان و بی مگر بی قال و قیل1515
He flies aloft with two wings, like Gabriel, without opinion and without peradventure and without disputation.
گر همه عالم بگویندش توی ** بر ره یزدان و دین مستوی
If all the world should say to him, “You are on the Way of God and (are following) the right religion,”
او نگردد گرم‌تر از گفتشان ** جان طاق او نگردد جفتشان
He will not be made hotter by their words: his lonely soul will not mate with them;
ور همه گویند او را گم‌رهی ** کوه پنداری و تو برگ کهی
And if they all should say to him, “You are astray: you think (you are) a mountain, and (in reality) you are a blade of straw,”
او نیفتد در گمان از طعنشان ** او نگردد دردمند از ظعنشان
He will not fall into opinion (doubt) because of their taunts, he will not be grieved by their departure (estrangement from him).
بلک گر دریا و کوه آید بگفت ** گویدش با گم‌رهی گشتی تو جفت1520
Nay, if seas and mountains should come to speech and should say to him, “You are wedded to perdition,”
هیچ یک ذره نیفتد در خیال ** یا به طعن طاعنان رنجورحال
Not the least jot will he fall into phantasy or sickness on account of the taunts of the scoffers.
مثال رنجور شدن آدمی بوهم تعظیم خلق و رغبت مشتریان بوی و حکایت معلم
Parable of a man's being made (spiritually) ill by vain conceit of the veneration in which he is held by the people and of the supplication addressed to him by those seeking his favour; and the (following) story of the Teacher.
کودکان مکتبی از اوستاد ** رنج دیدند از ملال و اجتهاد
The boys in a certain school suffered at the hands of their master from weariness and toil.
مشورت کردند در تعویق کار ** تا معلم در فتد در اضطرار
They consulted about (the means of) stopping (his) work, so that the teacher should be reduced to the necessity (of letting them go),
چون نمی‌آید ورا رنجوریی ** که بگیرد چند روز او دوریی
(Saying), “Since no illness befalls him, which would cause him to take absence for several days,
تا رهیم از حبس و تنگی و ز کار ** هست او چون سنگ خارا بر قرار1525
So that we might escape from (this) imprisonment and confinement and work, (what can we do?). He is fixed (here), like a solid rock.”
آن یکی زیرکتر این تدبیر کرد ** که بگوید اوستا چونی تو زرد
One, the cleverest (of them all), planned that he should say, “Master, how are you (so) pale?
خیر باشد رنگ تو بر جای نیست ** این اثر یا از هوا یا از تبیست
May it be well (with you)! Your colour is changed: this is the effect either of (bad) air or of a fever.”
اندکی اندر خیال افتد ازین ** تو برادر هم مدد کن این‌چنین
(He continued), “At this he (the master) will begin to fancy a little (that he is ill): do you too, brother, help (me) in like manner.
چون درآیی از در مکتب بگو ** خیر باشد اوستا احوال تو
When you come in through the door of the school, say (to him), ‘Master, is your state (of health) good?’
آن خیالش اندکی افزون شود ** کز خیالی عاقلی مجنون شود1530
(Then) that fancy of his will increase a little, for by a fancy a sensible man is driven mad.
آن سوم و آن چارم و پنجم چنین ** در پی ما غم نمایند و حنین
After us let the third (boy) and the fourth and the fifth show sympathy and sorrow likewise,
تا چو سی کودک تواتر این خبر ** متفق گویند یابد مستقر
So that, when with one consent thirty boys successively tell this story, it may find lodgement (in his mind).”
هر یکی گفتش که شاباش ای ذکی ** باد بختت بر عنایت متکی
Each (of the boys) said to him (the ringleader), “Bravo, O sagacious one! May your fortune rest on the favour (of God)!”
متفق گشتند در عهد وثیق ** که نگرداند سخن را یک رفیق
They agreed, in firm covenant, that no fellow should alter the words;
بعد از آن سوگند داد او جمله را ** تا که غمازی نگوید ماجرا1535
And afterwards he administered an oath to them all, lest any tell-tale should reveal the plot.