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.
هم در بیان مکر خرگوش
Further setting forth the stratagem of the hare.
در شدن خرگوش بس تاخیر کرد ** مکر را با خویشتن تقریر کرد
The hare made much delay in going; he rehearsed to himself the tricks (which he was about to play).
در ره آمد بعد تاخیر دراز ** تا به گوش شیر گوید یک دو راز
After long delay he came on (took) the road, that he might say one or two secrets into the ear of the lion.
تا چه عالمهاست در سودای عقل ** تا چه با پهناست این دریای عقل
Think what words are in the core (inmost consciousness) of Reason.
صورت ما اندر این بحر عذاب ** میدود چون کاسهها بر روی آب1110
In this sweet ocean our forms are moving fast, like cups on the surface of water:
تا نشد پر بر سر دریا چو طشت ** چون که پر شد طشت در وی غرق گشت
Until they become full, (they float) like bowls on the top of the sea, (but) when the bowl is filled it sinks therein.
عقل پنهان است و ظاهر عالمی ** صورت ما موج یا از وی نمی
Reason is hidden, and (only) a world (of phenomena) is visible: our forms are the waves or a spray of it (of that hidden ocean).
هر چه صورت می وسیلت سازدش ** ز آن وسیلت بحر دور اندازدش
Whatsoever (thing) the form makes (uses as) a means of approach to It (to Reason), by that (same) means the ocean (of Reason) casts it (the form) far away.
تا نبیند دل دهندهی راز را ** تا نبیند تیر دور انداز را
So long as the heart does not see the Giver of (its) conscience, so long as the arrow does not see the far-shooting Archer,
اسب خود را یاوه داند وز ستیز ** میدواند اسب خود در راه تیز1115
He (who is thus blind) thinks his horse is lost, though (all the while) he is obstinately speeding his horse on the road.
اسب خود را یاوه داند آن جواد ** و اسب خود او را کشان کرده چو باد
That fine fellow thinks his horse is lost, while the horse in truth is sweeping him onward like the wind.
در فغان و جستجو آن خیرهسر ** هر طرف پرسان و جویان دربدر
In lamentation and inquiry that scatterbrain (runs) from door to door in every direction, asking and searching:
کان که دزدید اسب ما را کو و کیست ** این که زیر ران تست ای خواجه چیست
“Where and who is he that stole my horse?” What is this (animal) under thy thigh, O master?
آری این اسب است لیک این اسب کو ** با خود آ ای شهسوار اسب جو
“Yes, this is the horse, but where is this horse?” O dexterous rider in search of thy horse, come to thyself!
جان ز پیدایی و نزدیکی است گم ** چون شکم پر آب و لب خشکی چو خم1120
The Spirit is lost (to view) because of its being so manifest and near: how, having thy belly full of water, art thou dry-lipped like a jar?
کی ببینی سرخ و سبز و فور را ** تا نبینی پیش از این سه نور را
How wilt thou see red and green and russet, unless before (seeing) these three (colours) thou see the light?