گفت من گفتم که عهد آن خسان ** خام باشد خام و سست و نارسان
“I said,” cried the lion, “that the promise of those vile ones would be vain—vain and frail and unfulfilled.
دمدمه‌‌ی ایشان مرا از خر فگند ** چند بفریبد مرا این دهر چند
Their palaver has duped me: how long will this Time deceive me, how long?”
سخت درماند امیر سست ریش ** چون نه پس بیند نه پیش از احمقیش
The prince that hath no strength in his beard is left sorely in the lurch when by reason of his folly he looks neither backwards nor forwards.
راه هموار است و زیرش دامها ** قحط معنی در میان نامها1060
The road is smooth, and under it are pitfalls: amidst the names there is a dearth of meaning.
لفظها و نامها چون دامهاست ** لفظ شیرین ریگ آب عمر ماست
Words and names are like pitfalls: the sweet (flattering) word is the sand for (the sand that sucks up) the water of our life.
آن یکی ریگی که جوشد آب ازو ** سخت کمیاب است رو آن را بجو
The one sand whence water gushes is seldom to be found: go, seek it.
منبع حکمت شود حکمت طلب ** فارغ آید او ز تحصیل و سبب
He that searches after wisdom becomes a fountain of wisdom; he becomes independent of acquisition and (ways and) means.
لوح حافظ لوح محفوظی شود ** عقل او از روح محظوظی شود
The guarding tablet becomes a Guarded Tablet; his understanding becomes enriched by the Spirit.
چون معلم بود عقلش ز ابتدا ** بعد از این شد عقل شاگردی و را1065
When his understanding has been his teacher at the beginning, after this the understanding becomes his pupil.
عقل چون جبریل گوید احمدا ** گر یکی گامی نهم سوزد مرا
The understanding says, like Gabriel, “O Ahmad (Mohammed), if I take one (more) step, it will burn me;
تو مرا بگذار زین پس پیش ران ** حد من این بود ای سلطان جان
Do thou leave me, henceforth advance (alone): this is my limit, O sultan of the soul!”
هر که ماند از کاهلی بی‌‌شکر و صبر ** او همین داند که گیرد پای جبر
Whoever, through heedlessness, remains without thanksgiving and patience (selfcontrol), knows (no resource) but this, that he should follow in the heels of necessity (jabr).
هر که جبر آورد خود رنجور کرد ** تا همان رنجوری‌‌اش در گور کرد
Any one who pleads necessity (as an excuse) feigns himself to be ill, with the result that the (feigned) illness brings him to the grave.
گفت پیغمبر که رنجوری به لاغ ** رنج آرد تا بمیرد چون چراغ1070
The Prophet said, “Illness (assumed) in jest brings (real) disease, so that he (the jester) dies like a lamp.”
جبر چه بود بستن اشکسته را ** یا بپیوستن رگی بگسسته را
What is (the meaning of) jabr? To bind up a broken (limb) or tie a severed vein.
چون در این ره پای خود نشکسته‌‌ای ** بر که می‌‌خندی چه پا را بسته‌‌ای
Inasmuch as you have not broken your foot in this path, whom are you mocking? Why have you bandaged your foot?
و آن که پایش در ره کوشش شکست ** در رسید او را براق و بر نشست
But as for him who broke his foot in the path of exertion, Buráq came up to him, and he mounted (and rode).
حامل دین بود او محمول شد ** قابل فرمان بد او مقبول شد
He was a bearer of the (true) religion, and he became one who is borne; he was an accepter of the (Divine) command, and he became accepted.
تا کنون فرمان پذیرفتی ز شاه ** بعد از این فرمان رساند بر سپاه1075
Until now, he was receiving commands from the King; henceforth he delivers the (King's) commands to the people.
تا کنون اختر اثر کردی در او ** بعد از این باشد امیر اختر او
Until now, the stars were influencing him; henceforth he is the ruler of the stars.
گر ترا اشکال آید در نظر ** پس تو شک داری در انشق القمر
If (on this account) perplexity arise in thy sight (mind), then thou wilt have doubts concerning The moon was cloven asunder.
تازه کن ایمان نه از گفت زبان ** ای هوا را تازه کرده در نهان
Refresh thy faith, (but) not with talk of the tongue, O thou who hast secretly refreshed thy (evil) desire.
تا هوا تازه ست ایمان تازه نیست ** کاین هوا جز قفل آن دروازه نیست
So long as desire is fresh, faith is not fresh, for ’tis this desire that locks (against thee) that gate.
کرده‌‌ای تاویل حرف بکر را ** خویش را تاویل کن نی ذکر را1080
Thou hast interpreted (and altered the meaning of) the virgin (uncorrupted) Word: interpret (alter) thyself, not the (Divine) Book.
بر هوا تاویل قرآن می‌‌کنی ** پست و کژ شد از تو معنی سنی
Thou interpretest the Qur’án according to thy desire: by thee the sublime meaning is degraded and perverted.
زیافت تاویل رکیک مگس
The baseness of the foul interpretation given by the fly.
آن مگس بر برگ کاه و بول خر ** همچو کشتیبان همی‌‌افراشت سر
The fly was lifting up his head, like a pilot, on a blade of straw and (a pool of) ass's urine.
گفت من دریا و کشتی خوانده‌‌ام ** مدتی در فکر آن می‌‌مانده‌‌ام
“I have called (them) sea and ship,” said he; “I have been pondering over that (interpretation) for a long while.
اینک این دریا و این کشتی و من ** مرد کشتیبان و اهل و رایزن
Look! here is this sea and this ship, and I am the pilot and skilled (in navigation) and judicious.”
بر سر دریا همی‌‌راند او عمد ** می‌‌نمودش آن قدر بیرون ز حد1085
He was propelling the raft on the “sea”: that (small) quantity appeared to him illimitable.
بود بی‌‌حد آن چمین نسبت بدو ** آن نظر که بیند آن را راست کو
That urine was boundless in relation to him: where was the vision that should see it truly?
عالمش چندان بود کش بینش است ** چشم چندین بحر هم چندینش است
His world extends (just) as far as his sight reaches; his eye is so big, his “sea” is big in the same proportion.
صاحب تاویل باطل چون مگس ** وهم او بول خر و تصویر خس
So with the false interpreter (of the Qur’án): like the fly, his imagination is (foul as) ass's urine and his conception (worthless as) a straw.
گر مگس تاویل بگذارد به رای ** آن مگس را بخت گرداند همای
If the fly leave off interpreting by (following his own) opinion, Fortune will turn that fly into a humáy.
آن مگس نبود کش این عبرت بود ** روح او نی در خور صورت بود1090
One who possesses this (Divine) indication (of the true meaning) is not a fly: his spirit is not analogous to his (outward) form.
تولیدن شیر از دیر آمدن خرگوش
How the lion roared wrathfully because the hare was late in coming.
همچو آن خرگوش کاو بر شیر زد ** روح او کی بود اندر خورد قد
As (for example) the hare who struck against the lion: how was his spirit analogous to his stature?
شیر می‌‌گفت از سر تیزی و خشم ** کز ره گوشم عدو بر بست چشم
The lion from fury and rage was saying, “By means of my ear the enemy has bound up my eye.
مکرهای جبریانم بسته کرد ** تیغ چوبینشان تنم را خسته کرد
The tricks of the necessitarians have bound me (in captivity); their wooden sword has wounded my body.
زین سپس من نشنوم آن دمدمه ** بانگ دیوان است و غولان آن همه
After this I will not hearken to their palaver: all that is (only meant to deceive, like) the cry of demons and ghouls.
بردران ای دل تو ایشان را مه‌‌ایست ** پوستشان بر کن کشان جز پوست نیست1095
O my heart, tear them to pieces, do not lag; rend their skins, for they have naught but skin.”
پوست چه بود گفتهای رنگ رنگ ** چون زره بر آب کش نبود درنگ
What is skin? Specious words, like ripples on water which have no continuance.
این سخن چون پوست و معنی مغز دان ** این سخن چون نقش و معنی همچو جان
Know that these words are as the skin (rind), and the meaning is (as) the kernel; these words are as the form, and the meaning is like the spirit.
پوست باشد مغز بد را عیب پوش ** مغز نیکو را ز غیرت غیب پوش
The skin hides the defect of the bad kernel; it (also) hides jealously the secrets of the good kernel.
چون قلم از باد بد دفتر ز آب ** هر چه بنویسی فنا گردد شتاب
When the pen is of wind and the scroll of water, whatever you write perishes speedily;
نقش آب است ار وفا جویی از آن ** باز گردی دستهای خود گزان1100
It is written on water: if you seek constancy from it, you will return biting your hands (in disappointment).
باد در مردم هوا و آرزوست ** چون هوا بگذاشتی پیغام هوست
The wind in men is vanity and desire; when you have abandoned vanity, (then) is (the time for) the message from Him (God).
خوش بود پیغامهای کردگار ** کاو ز سر تا پای باشد پایدار
Sweet are the messages of the Maker, for it (that message) from head to foot (from first to last) is enduring.
خطبه‌‌ی شاهان بگردد و آن کیا ** جز کیا و خطبه‌‌های انبیا
The khutbas for kings change (and pass), and their empire; (all will pass) except the empire and khutbas (insignia) of the prophets,
ز آن که بوش پادشاهان از هواست ** بار نامه‌‌ی انبیا از کبریاست
Because the pomp of kings is from (earthly) vanity, (while) the glorious privilege of the prophets is from (Divine) Majesty.
از درمها نام شاهان بر کنند ** نام احمد تا ابد بر می‌‌زنند1105
The names of kings are removed from the dirhems, (but) the name of Ahmad (Mohammed) is stamped on them for ever.
نام احمد نام جمله انبیاست ** چون که صد آمد نود هم پیش ماست
The name of Ahmad is the name of all the prophets: when the hundred comes (is counted), ninety is with us as well.