نوح اندر بادیه کشتی بساخت ** صد مثل‌گو از پی تسخیر بتاخت2795
Noah built an Ark in the desert : a hundred speakers of parables ran up to ridicule (him).
در بیابانی که چاه آب نیست ** می‌کند کشتی چه نادان و ابلهیست
He is making a ship (Ark) in the desert where no well of water exists: what an ignorant fool he is!"
آن یکی می‌گفت ای کشتی بتاز ** و آن یکی می‌گفت پرش هم بساز
One was saying, "O ship, run!" while another said, "Make wings for it too ! "
او همی‌گفت این به فرمان خداست ** این بچربکها نخواهد گشت کاست
He (Noah) said, "This is by the command of God: this will not be defeated by jeers."
حکایت آن دزد کی پرسیدند چه می‌کنی نیمشب در بن این دیوار گفت دهل می‌زنم
Story of the thief who was asked, “What are you doing at the bottom of this wall at midnight?” and replied, “I am beating a drum.”
این مثل بشنو که شب دزدی عنید ** در بن دیوار حفره می‌برید
Hear this parable—how a wicked thief was cutting a hole at the bottom of a wall.
نیم‌بیداری که او رنجور بود ** طقطق آهسته‌اش را می‌شنود2800
Some one half-awake, who was ill, heard the soft tapping of his (pick),
رفت بر بام و فرو آویخت سر ** گفت او را در چه کاری ای پدر
And went on the roof and hung his head down and said to him, “What are you about, O father?
خیر باشد نیمشب چه می‌کنی ** تو کیی گفتا دهل‌زن ای سنی
All is well, I hope. What are you doing (here) at midnight? Who are you?” He said, “A drummer, O honourable sir.”
در چه کاری گفت می‌کوبم دهل ** گفت کو بانگ دهل ای بوسبل
“What are you about?” He said, “I am beating the drum.” He (the sick man) said, “Where is the noise of the drum, O artful one?”
گفت فردا بشنوی این بانگ را ** نعره یا حسرتا وا ویلتا
He said, “You will hear this noise to-morrow, (namely) cries of ‘Oh, alas!’ and ‘Oh, woe is me!’”
آن دروغست و کژ و بر ساخته ** سر آن کژ را تو هم نشناخته2805
That (story of the hare and the elephant) is a lie and false and made up; moreover, thou hast not perceived the secret (the esoteric meaning) of that falsehood.
جواب آن مثل کی منکران گفتند از رسالت خرگوش پیغام به پیل از ماه آسمان
The answer to the parable which the unbelievers related concerning the hare's being sent as ambassador with a message to the elephant from the Moon in heaven.
سر آن خرگوش دان دیو فضول ** که به پیش نفس تو آمد رسول
Know that the hidden nature of that hare is the insolent Devil who came as an ambassador to thy soul,
تا که نفس گول را محروم کرد ** ز آب حیوانی که از وی خضر خورد
In order that he might deprive thy foolish soul of the Water of Life whence Khizr drank.
بازگونه کرده‌ای معنیش را ** کفر گفتی مستعد شو نیش را
Thou hast perverted its (the parable's) meaning, thou hast uttered blasphemy: prepare thyself for the sting (of Divine chastisement).
اضطراب ماه گفتی در زلال ** که بترسانید پیلان را شغال
Thou hast spoken of the moon's being disturbed in the limpid water, whereby the jackal (hare) frightened the elephants;
قصه‌ی خرگوش و پیل آری و آب ** خشیت پیلان ز مه در اضطراب2810
Thou relatest the story of the hare and the elephant and the water, and the elephant's fear of the moon when it was disturbed:
این چه ماند آخر ای کوران خام ** با مهی که شد زبونش خاص و عام
O ye half-baked blind men, pray, how does this bear any resemblance to the Moon to whom (both) lords and commons are subject?
چه مه و چه آفتاب و چه فلک ** چه عقول و چه نفوس و چه ملک
What is the moon and what is the sun and what is the sky? What are intelligences and souls and angels?
آفتاب آفتاب آفتاب ** این چه می‌گویم مگر هستم بخواب
“The Sun of the sun of the sun”: what is this I am saying (of God)? Surely I am asleep.
صد هزاران شهر را خشم شهان ** سرنگون کردست ای بد گم‌رهان
The wrath of the (spiritual) kings has overthrown hundreds of thousands of cities, O ye wicked who have lost the way.
کوه بر خود می‌شکافد صد شکاف ** آفتابی از کسوفش در شغاف2815
At their beck the mountain splits on itself into a hundred fissures; a sun is (enveloped) in a veil (of darkness) through the eclipse (occultation) of him (the perfect saint).