Were it not for the pulling of the scatter-brained mouse, the frog would have enjoyed himself in the water.
باقیش چون روز برخیزی ز خواب ** بشنوی از نوربخش آفتاب
You will hear the rest of it from the light-giving (illumination) of the Sun when you rise from slumber on the Day (of Resurrection).
یک سر رشته گره بر پای من ** زان سر دیگر تو پا بر عقده زن 2740
(The mouse said), “Knot one end of the string on my foot and the other end on thine,
تا توانم من درین خشکی کشید ** مر ترا نک شد سر رشته پدید
That I may be able to pull thee to this dry land: lo, the end of the string (the object of my plan) is (now) clear (to thee).”
تلخ آمد بر دل چغز این حدیث ** که مرا در عقده آرد این خبیث
This news (proposal) was disagreeable to the heart of the frog, (who thought to himself), “This wicked fellow will bring me into a tangle.”
هر کراهت در دل مرد بهی ** چون در آید از فنی نبود تهی
Whenever a feeling of repugnance comes into the heart of a good man, ’tis not devoid of some significance.
وصف حق دان آن فراست را نه وهم ** نور دل از لوح کل کردست فهم
Deem that (intuitive) sagacity to be a Divine attribute, not a (vain) suspicion: the light of the heart has apprehended (by intuitive perception) from the Universal Tablet.
امتناع پیل از سیران ببیت ** با جد آن پیلبان و بانگ هیت 2745
(For example) the refusal of the Elephant to march against the House (of Allah) notwithstanding the driver's efforts and cries of “Come on!”
جانب کعبه نرفتی پای پیل ** با همه لت نه کثیر و نه قلیل
In spite of all blows the Elephant's feet would not move, either much or little, towards the Ka‘ba.
گفتیی خود خشک شد پاهای او ** یا بمرد آن جان صول‌افزای او
You would have said that its legs were paralysed or that its impetuous spirit was dead.
چونک کردندی سرش سوی یمن ** پیل نر صد اسپه گشتی گام‌زن
(But) whenever they turned its head towards Yemen, the fierce Elephant would begin to stride (forward) with the speed of a hundred horses.
حس پیل از زخم غیب آگاه بود ** چون بود حس ولی با ورود
(Since) the Elephant's perception was aware of the blow (coming) from the Unseen, how (much more) must the perception of the saint (endowed) with (the Divine) afflatus be (aware)!
نه که یعقوب نبی آن پاک‌خو ** بهر یوسف با همه اخوان او 2750
Is it not (the case) that the prophet Jacob, that man of holy nature, (said) for Joseph's sake to all his (Joseph's) brethren—
از پدر چون خواستندش دادران ** تا برندش سوی صحرا یک زمان
When the brothers begged their father to give him to them, that they might take him to the country for a while,
جمله گفتندش میندیش از ضرر ** یک دو روزش مهلتی ده ای پدر
(And) they all said to him, “Do not be afraid of harm (befalling him): give him one or two days' time, O father;
که چرا ما را نمی داری امین ** یوسف خود را به سیران و ظعین
For why wilt not thou entrust thy Joseph to us in going about and travelling (for pleasure),
تا به هم در مرجها بازی کنیم ** ما درین دعوت امین و محسنیم
That we may play together in the meadows? In (making) this request we are trustworthy and beneficent”—