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 دهد 245

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 بریخت‌‌ 250

(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 زبان‌‌ 255

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 فلان‌‌ 260

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 پنداشتند 265

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 شکر 270

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 صفاست‌‌ 275

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 وفا 280

This action is followed by the curse of God, (while) that action receives in payment the mercy (blessing) of God.

کافران اندر مری بوزینه طبع ** آفتی آمد درون سینه طبع‌‌

The infidels in contending (for equality with the prophets and saints) have the nature of an ape: the (evil) nature is a canker within the breast.

هر چه مردم می‌‌کند بوزینه هم ** آن کند کز مرد بیند دم‌‌به‌‌دم‌‌

Whatever a man does, the ape at every moment does the same thing that he sees done by the man.

او گمان برده که من کژدم چو او ** فرق را کی داند آن استیزه رو

He thinks, “I have acted like him”: how should that quarrelsome-looking one know the difference?

این کند از امر و او بهر ستیز ** بر سر استیزه رویان خاک ریز

This one (the holy man) acts by the command (of God), and he (the apish imitator) for the sake of quarrelling (rivalry). Pour dust on the heads of those who have quarrelsome faces!

آن منافق با موافق در نماز ** از پی استیزه آید نی نیاز 285

That (religious) hypocrite joins in ritual prayer with the (sincere) conformist (only) for quarrelling's sake, not for supplication.

در نماز و روزه و حج و زکات ** با منافق مومنان در برد و مات‌‌

In prayer and fasting and pilgrimage and alms-giving the true believers are (engaged) with the hypocrite in (what brings) victory and defeat.

مومنان را برد باشد عاقبت ** بر منافق مات اندر آخرت‌‌

Victory in the end is to the true believers; upon the hypocrite (falls) defeat in the state hereafter.

گر چه هر دو بر سر یک بازی‌‌اند ** هر دو با هم مروزی و رازی‌‌اند

Although both are intent on one game, in relation to each other they are (as far apart as) the man of Merv and the man of Rayy.

هر یکی سوی مقام خود رود ** هر یکی بر وفق نام خود رود

Each one goes to his (proper) abiding-place; each one fares according to his name.

مومنش خوانند جانش خوش شود ** ور منافق تیز و پر آتش شود 290

If he be called a true believer, his soul rejoices; and if (he be called) “hypocrite,” he becomes fierce and filled with fire (rage).

نام او محبوب از ذات وی است ** نام این مبغوض از آفات وی است‌‌

His (the true believer's) name is loved on account of its essence (which is true faith); this one's (the hypocrite's) name is loathed on account of its pestilent qualities.

میم و واو و میم و نون تشریف نیست ** لفظ مومن جز پی تعریف نیست‌‌

(The four letters) mím and wáw and mím and nún do not confer honour: the word múmin (true believer) is only for the sake of denotation.

گر منافق خوانی‌‌اش این نام دون ** همچو کژدم می‌‌خلد در اندرون‌‌

If you call him (the true believer) hypocrite, this vile name is stinging (him) within like a scorpion.