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6
2459-2483

  • لیک عمر هرکه باشد بیشتر  ** این علف اوراست اولی گو بخور 
  • But whichever of us has lived longest has the best right to this fodder: let him eat;

  • که اکابر را مقدم داشتن  ** آمدست از مصطفی اندر سنن  2460
  • For (the injunction) to give the foremost place to the seniors has come from Mustafá (Mohammed) among the practices observed by him,

  • گرچه پیران را درین دور لام  ** در دو موضع پیش می‌دارند عام 
  • Although, at this time when vile men hold sway, the vulgar put forward the elders on two occasions (only),

  • یا در آن لوتی که آن سوزان بود  ** یا بر آن پل کز خلل ویران بود 
  • Either in (tasting) food that is burning hot, or on a bridge that is (damaged) by cracks (and) in a state of ruin.

  • خدمت شیخی بزرگی قایدی  ** عام نارد بی‌قرینه‌ی فاسدی 
  • The vulgar do not pay homage to a venerable Shaykh and leader without some mischievous idea associated (with their homage).

  • خیرشان اینست چه بود شرشان  ** قبحشان را باز دان از فرشان 
  • This is their good: what must their evil be? Distinguish their (inward) foulness from their (outward) fairness.”

  • مثل 
  • Parable.

  • سوی جامع می‌شد آن یک شهریار  ** خلق را می‌زد نقیب و چوبدار  2465
  • A king was going to the congregational mosque, and the marshals and mace-bearers were beating the people off.

  • آن یکی را سر شکستی چوب‌زن  ** و آن دگر را بر دریدی پیرهن 
  • The wielder of the stick would break the head of one and tear to bits the shirt of another.

  • در میانه بی‌دلی ده چوب خورد  ** بی‌گناهی که برو از راه برد 
  • A poor wretch amidst the throng received ten blows with the stick without (having committed) any offence. “Begone,” they cried, “get out of the way!”

  • خون چکان رو کرد با شاه و بگفت  ** ظلم ظاهر بین چه پرسی از نهفت 
  • Dripping blood, he turned his face to the king and said, “Behold the manifest iniquity: why ask of that which is hidden?

  • خیر تو این است جامع می‌روی  ** تا چه باشد شر و وزرت ای غوی 
  • This is thy good: (thou doest this whilst) thou art going to the mosque; what must thy evil and burden (of sin) be, O misguided one?”

  • یک سلامی نشنود پیر از خسی  ** تا نپیچد عاقبت از وی بسی  2470
  • The Pír (Elder) never hears a salaam from a base fellow without being exceedingly tormented by him in the end.

  • گرگ دریابد ولی را به بود  ** زانک دریابد ولی را نفس بد 
  • (If) a wolf catch a saint, it is better than that the saint should be caught by the wicked carnal soul,

  • زانک گرگ ارچه که بس استمگریست  ** لیکش آن فرهنگ و کید و مکر نیست 
  • Because, though the wolf does great violence, yet it has not the same knowledge and craft and cunning;

  • ورنه کی اندر فتادی او به دام  ** مکر اندر آدمی باشد تمام 
  • Else how should it fall into the trap? Cunning is complete (attains to perfection) in man.

  • گفت قج با گاو و اشتر ای رفاق  ** چون چنین افتاد ما را اتفاق 
  • The ram said to the ox and the camel, “O comrades, since such a (lucky) chance has come to us,

  • هر یکی تاریخ عمر ابدا کنید  ** پیرتر اولیست باقی تن زنید  2475
  • Let each (of us) declare the date (antiquity) of his life: the oldest has the best right, let the others suffer (disappointment) in silence.

  • گفت قج مرج من اندر آن عهود  ** با قج قربان اسمعیل بود 
  • In those times,” said the ram, “my pasturage was (shared) with the ram that was sacrificed for Ismá‘íl (Ishmael).”

  • گاو گفتا بوده‌ام من سال‌خورد  ** جفت آن گاوی کش آدم جفت کرد 
  • The ox said, “I am the (most) advanced in years, (I was) coupled with the ox that Adam yoked.

  • جفت آن گاوم که آدم جد خلق  ** در زراعت بر زمین می‌کرد فلق 
  • I am the yoke-fellow of the ox with which Adam, the forefather of mankind, used to plough the earth in sowing.”

  • چون شنید از گاو و قج اشتر شگفت  ** سر فرود آورد و آن را برگرفت 
  • When the camel heard the ox and the ram (make these assertions) he was amazed: he lowered his head and picked up that (bunch of grass).

  • در هوا بر داشت آن بند قصیل  ** اشتر بختی سبک بی‌قال و قیل  2480
  • Promptly, without any palaver, the Bactrian camel raised the bunch of fresh barley in the air,

  • که مرا خود حاجت تاریخ نیست  ** کین چنین جسمی و عالی گردنیست 
  • Saying, “I, in sooth, need no (support from) chronology, since I have such a (stout) body and high neck.

  • خود همه کس داند ای جان پدر  ** که نباشم از شما من خردتر 
  • Indeed every one knows, O father's darling, that I am not smaller than you.

  • داند این را هرکه ز اصحاب نهاست  ** که نهاد من فزون‌تر از شماست 
  • Whoever is one of those possessed of intelligence knows this, that my nature is superior to yours.”