The spirits which have escaped from their cages are the prophets, (those) worthy guides.
از برون آوازشان آید ز دین ** که ره رستن ترا این است این
From without comes their voice, (telling) of religion, (and crying), “This, this is the way of escape for thee.
ما به دین رستیم زین ننگین قفس ** جز که این ره نیست چاره‌‌ی این قفس
By this we escaped from this narrow cage: there is no means of escape from this cage but this way,
خویش را رنجور سازی زار زار ** تا ترا بیرون کنند از اشتهار1545
(That) thou shouldst make thyself ill, exceedingly wretched, in order that thou mayst be let out from (the cage of) reputation.”
که اشتهار خلق بند محکم است ** در ره این از بند آهن کی کم است
Worldly reputation is a strong chain: in the Way how is this less than a chain of iron?
قصه‌‌ی بازرگان که طوطی محبوس او او را پیغام داد به طوطیان هندوستان هنگام رفتن به تجارت
The story of the merchant to whom the captive parrot gave a message for the parrots of India on the occasion of his going (thither) to trade.
بود بازرگانی او را طوطیی ** در قفس محبوس زیبا طوطیی
There was a merchant, and he had a parrot imprisoned in a cage, a pretty parrot.
چون که بازرگان سفر را ساز کرد ** سوی هندستان شدن آغاز کرد
When the merchant made ready for travel and was about to depart to India,
هر غلام و هر کنیزک را ز جود ** گفت بهر تو چه آرم گوی زود
Because of his generosity he said to each male slave and each handmaid, “What shall I bring (home) for you? Tell (me) quickly.”
هر یکی از وی مرادی خواست کرد ** جمله را وعده بداد آن نیک مرد1550
Each one asked him for some object of desire: that good man gave his promise to them all.
گفت طوطی را چه خواهی ارمغان ** کارمت از خطه‌‌ی هندوستان
He said to the parrot, “What present would you like me to bring for you from the land of India?”
گفتش آن طوطی که آن جا طوطیان ** چون ببینی کن ز حال من بیان
The parrot said to him, “When thou seest the parrots there, explain my plight (and say),
کان فلان طوطی که مشتاق شماست ** از قضای آسمان در حبس ماست
‘Such and such a parrot, who is longing for you, is in my prison by the destiny of Heaven.
بر شما کرد او سلام و داد خواست ** وز شما چاره و ره ارشاد خواست
She salutes you and asks for justice and desires (to learn) from you the means and way of being rightly guided.
گفت می‌‌شاید که من در اشتیاق ** جان دهم اینجا بمیرم در فراق1555
She says, “Is it meet that I in yearning (after you) should give up the ghost and die here in separation?
این روا باشد که من در بند سخت ** گه شما بر سبزه گاهی بر درخت
Is this right—(that) I (should be) in grievous bondage, while ye are now on green plants, now on trees?
این چنین باشد وفای دوستان ** من در این حبس و شما در بوستان
The faith kept by friends, is it like this?—I in this prison and ye in the rose-garden.
یاد آرید ای مهان زین مرغ زار ** یک صبوحی در میان مرغزار
O ye noble ones, call to mind this piteous bird, (and drink in memory of me) a morning-draught amongst the meadows!
یاد یاران یار را میمون بود ** خاصه کان لیلی و این مجنون بود
Happy it is for a friend to be remembered by friends, in particular when that (beloved) is Laylá and this (lover) Majnún.
ای حریفان بت موزون خود ** من قدحها می‌‌خورم پر خون خود1560
O ye who consort with your charming and adored one, am I to be drinking cups filled with my own blood?
یک قدح می نوش کن بر یاد من ** گر همی‌‌خواهی که بدهی داد من
(O thou who art my beloved), quaff one cup of wine in memory of me, if thou art unwilling to do me justice,
یا به یاد این فتاده‌‌ی خاک بیز ** چون که خوردی جرعه ای بر خاک ریز
Or (at least), when thou hast drunk, spill one draught on the earth in memory of this fallen one who sifts dust.
ای عجب آن عهد و آن سوگند کو ** وعده‌‌های آن لب چون قند کو
Oh, where, I wonder, is that covenant and oath? Where are the promises of that lip like candy?
گر فراق بنده از بد بندهگی است ** چون تو با بدبندگی پس فرق چیس
If thy having forsaken thy slave is because of (his) ill service (to thee)—when thou doest ill to the ill-doer, then what is the difference (between master and slave)?
ای بدی که تو کنی در خشم و جنگ ** با طرب تر از سماع و بانگ چنگ1565
Oh, the ill thou doest in wrath and quarrel is more delightful than music and the sound of the harp.
ای جفای تو ز دولت خوبتر ** و انتقام تو ز جان محبوبتر
Oh, thy cruelty is better than felicity, and thy vengeance dearer than life.
نار تو این است نورت چون بود ** ماتم این تا خود که سورت چون بود
This is thy fire: how (what) must be thy light! This is (thy) mourning, so how (what) indeed must be thy festival!
از حلاوتها که دارد جور تو ** وز لطافت کس نیابد غور تو
In respect of the sweetnesses which thy cruelty hath, and in respect of thy beauty, no one gets to the bottom of thee.
نالم و ترسم که او باور کند ** وز کرم آن جور را کمتر کند
I complain, and (yet) I fear lest he believe me and from kindness make that cruelty less.
عاشقم بر قهر و بر لطفش به جد ** بو العجب من عاشق این هر دو ضد1570
I am exceedingly enamoured of his violence and his gentleness: ’tis marvelous (that) I (am) in love with both these contraries.
و الله ار زین خار در بستان شوم ** همچو بلبل زین سبب نالان شوم
By God, if (I escape) from this thorn (of sorrow) and enter the garden (of joy), because of this I shall begin to moan like the nightingale.
این عجب بلبل که بگشاید دهان ** تا خورد او خار را با گلستان
This is a wondrous nightingale that opens his mouth to eat thorns and roses together.
این چه بلبل این نهنگ آتشی است ** جمله ناخوشها ز عشق او را خوشی است
What nightingale is this? (Nay), ’tis a fiery monster: because of (his) love all unsweet things are sweetness to him.
عاشق کل است و خود کل است او ** عاشق خویش است و عشق خویش جو
He is a lover of the Universal, and he himself is the Universal: he is in love with himself and seeking his own love.”’”
صفت اجنحه‌‌ی طیور عقول الهی
Description of the wings of the birds that are Divine Intelligences.
قصه‌‌ی طوطی جان زین سان بود ** کو کسی کو محرم مرغان بود1575
Such-like is the tale of the parrot which is the soul: where is that one who is the confidant of (the spiritual) birds?
کو یکی مرغی ضعیفی بی‌‌گناه ** و اندرون او سلیمان با سپاه
Where is a bird, weak and innocent, and within him Solomon with (all) his host?
چون بنالد زار بی‌‌شکر و گله ** افتد اندر هفت گردون غلغله
When he moans bitterly, without thanksgiving or complaint, a noise of tumult falls on (arises in) the Seven Spheres (of Heaven).
هر دمش صد نامه صد پیک از خدا ** یا ربی زو شصت لبیک از خدا
At every moment (there come) to him from God a hundred missives, a hundred couriers: from him one (cry of) “O my Lord!” and from God a hundred (cries of) “Labbayka” (“Here am I”).
زلت او به ز طاعت نزد حق ** پیش کفرش جمله ایمانها خلق
In the sight of God his backsliding is better than obedience; beside his infidelity all faiths are tattered (worthless).
هر دمی او را یکی معراج خاص ** بر سر تاجش نهد صد تاج خاص1580
Every moment he hath an ascension (to God) peculiar to himself: He (God) lays upon his crown a hundred peculiar crowns.
صورتش بر خاک و جان بر لامکان ** لامکانی فوق وهم سالکان
His form is on earth and his spirit in “no-place,” a “no-place” beyond the imagination of travellers (on the mystic Way):
لامکانی نه که در فهم آیدت ** هر دمی در وی خیالی زایدت
Not such a “no-place” that it should come into thy understanding (or that) a fancy about it should be born in thee every moment;
بل مکان و لامکان در حکم او ** همچو در حکم بهشتی چارجو
Nay, place and “no-place” are in his control, just as the four (Paradisal) rivers are in the control of one who dwells in Paradise.
شرح این کوته کن و رخ زین بتاب ** دم مزن و الله اعلم بالصواب
Cut short the explanation of this and avert thy face from it: do not breathe a word (more)—and God knows best what is right.
باز می‌‌گردیم ما ای دوستان ** سوی مرغ و تاجر و هندوستان1585
We return, O friends, to the bird and the merchant and India.