بهر آن است امتحان نیک و بد ** تا بجوشد بر سر آرد زر زبد
The testing of good and bad is in order that the gold may boil and bring the scum to the top.
گر نبودی کارش الهام اله ** او سگی بودی دراننده نه شاه
If his act were not the inspiration of God, he would have been a dog that rends (its prey), not a king.
پاک بود از شهوت و حرص و هوا ** نیک کرد او لیک نیک بد نما235
He was unstained by lust and covetousness and passion: (what) he did (was) good, but good that wore the aspect of evil.
گر خضر در بحر کشتی را شکست ** صد درستی در شکست خضر هست
If Khadir stove the boat in the sea, (yet) in Khadir's staving there are a hundred rightnesses.
وهم موسی با همه نور و هنر ** شد از آن محجوب، تو بی‌‌پر مپر
The imagination of Moses, notwithstanding his (spiritual) illumination and excellence, was screened from (the comprehension of) that (act of Khadir). Do not thou fly without wings!
آن گل سرخ است تو خونش مخوان ** مست عقل است او تو مجنونش مخوان
That (deed of the king) is a red rose (worthy of praise); do not call it blood (murder). He is intoxicated with Reason; do not call him a madman.
گر بدی خون مسلمان کام او ** کافرم گر بردمی من نام او
Had it been his desire to shed the blood of a Moslem, I am an infidel if I would have mentioned his name (with praise).
می‌‌بلرزد عرش از مدح شقی ** بد گمان گردد ز مدحش متقی240
The highest heaven trembles at praise of the wicked, and by praise of him the devout man is moved to think evil.
شاه بود و شاه بس آگاه بود ** خاص بود و خاصه‌‌ی الله بود
He was a king and a very heedful king; he was elect and the elect (favourite) of God.
آن کسی را کش چنین شاهی کشد ** سوی بخت و بهترین جاهی کشد
One who is slain by a king like this, he (the king) leads him to fortune and to the best (most honourable) estate.
گر ندیدی سود او در قهر او ** کی شدی آن لطف مطلق قهر جو
Unless he (the king) had seen advantage to him (the goldsmith) in doing violence to him, how should that absolute Mercy have sought to do violence?
بچه می‌‌لرزد از آن نیش حجام ** مادر مشفق در آن غم شاد کام
The child trembles at the barber's scalpel (but) the fond mother is happy at that moment.
نیم جان بستاند و صد جان دهد ** آن چه در وهمت نیاید آن دهد245
He takes half a life and gives a hundred lives (in exchange): he gives that which enters not into your imagination.
تو قیاس از خویش می‌‌گیری و لیک ** دور دور افتاده‌‌ای بنگر تو نیک
You are judging (his actions) from (the analogy of) yourself, but you have fallen far, far (away from the truth). Consider well!
حکایت بقال و طوطی و روغن ریختن طوطی در دکان
The story of the greengrocer and the parrot and the parrot's spilling the oil in the shop.
بود بقالی و وی را طوطیی ** خوش نوایی سبز و گویا طوطیی
There was a greengrocer who had a parrot, a sweet-voiced green talking parrot.
بر دکان بودی نگهبان دکان ** نکته گفتی با همه سوداگران
(Perched) on the bench, it would watch over the shop (in the owner's absence) and talk finely to all the traders.
در خطاب آدمی ناطق بدی ** در نوای طوطیان حاذق بدی
In addressing human beings it would speak (like them); it was (also) skilled in the song of parrots.
جست از سوی دکان سویی گریخت ** شیشه‌‌های روغن گل را بریخت250
(Once) it sprang from the bench and flew away; it spilled the bottles of rose-oil.
از سوی خانه بیامد خواجه‌‌اش ** بر دکان بنشست فارغ خواجه‌‌وش
Its master came from the direction of his house and seated himself on the bench at his ease as a merchant does.
دید پر روغن دکان و جامه چرب ** بر سرش زد گشت طوطی کل ز ضرب
(Then) he saw the bench was full of oil and his clothes greasy; he smote the parrot on the head: it was made bald by the blow.
روزکی چندی سخن کوتاه کرد ** مرد بقال از ندامت آه کرد
For some few days it refrained from speech; the greengrocer, in repentance, heaved deep sighs,
ریش بر می‌‌کند و می‌‌گفت ای دریغ ** کافتاب نعمتم شد زیر میغ
Tearing his beard and saying, “Alas! the sun of my prosperity has gone under the clouds.
دست من بشکسته بودی آن زمان ** که زدم من بر سر آن خوش زبان255
Would that my hand had been broken (powerless) at the moment when I struck (such a blow) on the head of that sweet-tongued one?”
هدیه‌‌ها می‌‌داد هر درویش را ** تا بیابد نطق مرغ خویش را
He was giving presents to every dervish, that he might get back the speech of his bird.
بعد سه روز و سه شب حیران و زار ** بر دکان بنشسته بد نومید وار
After three days and three nights, he was seated on the bench, distraught and sorrowful, like a man in despair,
می‌‌نمود آن مرغ را هر گون شگفت ** تا که باشد کاندر آید او بگفت
Showing the bird every sort of hidden (unfamiliar) thing (in the hope) that maybe it would begin to speak.
جولقیی سر برهنه می‌‌گذشت ** با سر بی‌‌مو چو پشت طاس و طشت
Meanwhile a bare-headed dervish, clad in a jawlaq (coarse woollen frock), passed by, with a head hairless as the outside of bowl and basin.
طوطی اندر گفت آمد در زمان ** بانگ بر درویش زد که هی فلان260
Thereupon the parrot cried to the dervish, as rational persons (might have done).
از چه ای کل با کلان آمیختی ** تو مگر از شیشه روغن ریختی
How were you mixed up with the bald, O baldpate? Did you, then, spill oil from the bottle?”
از قیاسش خنده آمد خلق را ** کو چو خود پنداشت صاحب دلق را
The bystanders laughed at the parrot's inference, because it deemed the wearer of the frock to be like itself.
کار پاکان را قیاس از خود مگیر ** گر چه ماند در نبشتن شیر و شیر
Do not measure the actions of holy men by (the analogy of) yourself, though shér (lion) and shír (milk) are similar in writing.
جمله عالم زین سبب گمراه شد ** کم کسی ز ابدال حق آگاه شد
On this account the whole world is gone astray: scarcely any one is cognisant of God's Abdál (Substitutes).
همسری با انبیا برداشتند ** اولیا را همچو خود پنداشتند265
They set up (a claim of) equality with the prophets; they supposed the saints to be like themselves.
گفته اینک ما بشر ایشان بشر ** ما و ایشان بسته‌‌ی خوابیم و خور
“Behold,” they said, “we are men, they are men; both we and they are in bondage to sleep and food.”
این ندانستند ایشان از عمی ** هست فرقی در میان بی‌‌منتها
In (their) blindness they did not perceive that there is an infinite difference between (them).
هر دو گون زنبور خوردند از محل ** لیک شد ز ان نیش و زین دیگر عسل
Both species of zanbúr ate and drank from the (same) place, but from that one (the hornet) came a sting, and from this other (the bee) honey.
هر دو گون آهو گیا خوردند و آب ** زین یکی سرگین شد و ز ان مشک ناب
Both species of deer ate grass and drank water: from this one came dung, and from that one pure musk.
هر دو نی خوردند از یک آب خور ** این یکی خالی و آن پر از شکر270
Both reeds drank from the same water-source, (but) this one is empty and that one full of sugar.
صد هزاران این چنین اشباه بین ** فرقشان هفتاد ساله راه بین
Consider hundreds of thousands of such likenesses and observe that the distance between the two is (as great as) a seventy years' journey.
این خورد گردد پلیدی زو جدا ** آن خورد گردد همه نور خدا
This one eats, and filth is discharged from him; that one eats, and becomes entirely the light of God.
این خورد زاید همه بخل و حسد ** و آن خورد زاید همه نور احد
This one eats, (and of him) is born nothing but avarice and envy; that one eats, (and of him) is born nothing but the Light of the One (God).
این زمین پاک و ان شوره ست و بد ** این فرشته‌‌ی پاک و ان دیو است و دد
This one is good (fertile) soil and that one brackish and bad; this one is a fair angel and that one a devil and wild beast.
هر دو صورت گر بهم ماند رواست ** آب تلخ و آب شیرین را صفاست275
If both resemble each other in aspect, it may well be (so): bitter water and sweet water have (the same) clearness.
جز که صاحب ذوق کی شناسد بیاب ** او شناسد آب خوش از شوره آب
Who knows (the difference) except a man possessed of (spiritual) taste? Find (him): he knows the sweet water from the brine.
سحر را با معجزه کرده قیاس ** هر دو را بر مکر پندارد اساس
Comparing magic with (prophetic) miracle, he (the ignorant one) fancies that both are founded on deceit.
ساحران موسی از استیزه را ** بر گرفته چون عصای او عصا
The magicians (in the time) of Moses, for contention's sake, lifted up (in their hands) a rod like his,
زین عصا تا آن عصا فرقی است ژرف ** زین عمل تا آن عمل راهی شگرف
(But) between this rod and that rod there is a vast difference; from this action (magic) to that action (miracle) is a great way.
لعنة الله این عمل را در قفا ** رحمه الله آن عمل را در وفا280
This action is followed by the curse of God, (while) that action receives in payment the mercy (blessing) of God.