سجده کرد و گفت کاین گاو سمین ** چاشت خوردت باشد ای شاه گزین3105
He bowed low and said, “This fat ox will be thy food at breakfast, O excellent King,
و آن بز از بهر میان روز را ** یخنیی باشد شه پیروز را
And that goat will be a portion reserved for the victorious King at midday,
و آن دگر خرگوش بهر شام هم ** شب چره‌‌ی این شاه با لطف و کرم
And the hare too for supper—(to be) the repast at nightfall of the gracious and bountiful King.”
گفت ای روبه تو عدل افروختی ** این چنین قسمت ز کی آموختی
Said the lion, “O fox, thou hast made justice shine forth: from whom didst thou learn to divide in such a manner?
از کجا آموختی این ای بزرگ ** گفت ای شاه جهان از حال گرگ
Whence didst thou learn this, O eminent one?” “O King of the world,” he replied, “(I learned it) from the fate of the wolf.”
گفت چون در عشق ما گشتی گرو ** هر سه را برگیر و بستان و برو3110
The lion said, “Inasmuch as thou hast become pledged to love of me, pick up all the three (animals), and take (them) and depart.
روبها چون جملگی ما را شدی ** چونت آزاریم چون تو ما شدی
O fox, since thou hast become entirely mine, how should I hurt thee when thou hast become myself?
ما ترا و جمله اشکاران ترا ** پای بر گردون هفتم نه بر آ
I am thine, and all the beasts of chase are thine: set thy foot on the Seventh Heaven and mount (beyond)!
چون گرفتی عبرت از گرگ دنی ** پس تو روبه نیستی شیر منی
Since thou hast taken warning from (the fate of) the vile wolf, thou art not a fox: thou art my own lion.
عاقل آن باشد که عبرت گیرد از ** مرگ یاران در بلای محترز
The wise man is he that in (the hour of) the shunned tribulation takes warning from the death of his friends.”
روبه آن دم بر زبان صد شکر راند ** که مرا شیر از پی آن گرگ خواند3115
At that moment the fox uttered a hundred thanksgivings, saying, "(How lucky) that the lion called me up after the wolf.
گر مرا اول بفرمودی که تو ** بخش کن این را که بردی جان از او
If he had bidden me first, saying, ‘Do thou divide this,’ who would have escaped from him with his life?”
پس سپاس او را که ما را در جهان ** کرد پیدا از پس پیشینیان
Thanks be to Him (God), then, that He caused us to appear (be born) in the world after those of old,
تا شنیدیم آن سیاستهای حق ** بر قرون ماضیه اندر سبق
So that we heard of the chastisements which God inflicted upon the past generations in the preceding time,
تا که ما از حال آن گرگان پیش ** همچو روبه پاس خود داریم بیش
That we, like the fox, may keep better watch over ourselves from (considering) the fate of those ancient wolves.
امت مرحومه زین رو خواندمان ** آن رسول حق و صادق در بیان3120
On this account he that is God's prophet and veracious in explanation called us “a people on which God has taken mercy.”
استخوان و پشم آن گرگان عیان ** بنگرید و پند گیرید ای مهان
Behold with clear vision the bones and fur of those wolves, and take warning, O mighty ones!
عاقل از سر بنهد این هستی و باد ** چون شنید انجام فرعونان و عاد
The wise man will put off from his head (lay aside) this self-existence and wind (of vanity), since he heard (what was) the end of the Pharaohs and ‘Ád;
ور بننهد دیگران از حال او ** عبرتی گیرند از اضلال او
And if he do not put it off, others will take warning from what befell him in consequence of his being misguided.
تهدید کردن نوح علیه السلام مر قوم را که با من مپیچید که من رو پوشم در میان پس به حقیقت با خدای می‌‌پیچید ای مخذولان
How Noah, on whom be peace, threatened his people, saying, “Do not struggle with me, for I am (only) a veil: ye are really struggling with God (who is) within this (veil), O God-forsaken men!”
گفت نوح ای سرکشان من من نی‌‌ام ** من ز جان مرده به جانان می‌‌زی‌‌ام
Noah said, “O ye headstrong ones, I am not I: I am dead to the (animal) soul, I am living through the Soul of souls.
چون بمردم از حواس بو البشر ** حق مرا شد سمع و ادراک و بصر3125
Inasmuch as I am dead to the senses of the father of mankind (human sense perceptions), God has become my hearing and perception and sight.
چون که من من نیستم این دم ز هوست ** پیش این دم هر که دم زد کافر اوست
Since I am not I, this breath (of mine) is from Him: in the presence of this breath if any one breathes (a word) he is an infidel.”
هست اندر نقش این روباه شیر ** سوی این روبه نشاید شد دلیر
In the form of this fox there is the lion: ’tis not fitting to advance boldly towards this fox.
گر ز روی صورتش می‌‌نگروی ** غره‌‌ی شیران از او می‌‌نشنوی
Unless thou believe in him from his exterior aspect (accept him in the form in which he appears), thou wilt not hear from him the lions' roar.
گر نبودی نوح را از حق یدی ** پس جهانی را چرا بر هم زدی
Unless Noah had had a hand (a powerful aid) from God, why should he have cast a whole world into confusion?
صد هزاران شیر بود او در تنی ** او چو آتش بود و عالم خرمنی3130
He was hundreds of thousands of lions in a single body; he was like fire, and the world (like) a stack.
چون که خرمن پاس عشر او نداشت ** او چنان شعله بر آن خرمن گماشت
Forasmuch as the stack neglected (to pay) the tithe due to him, he launched such a flame against that stack.
هر که او در پیش این شیر نهان ** بی‌‌ادب چون گرگ بگشاید دهان
Whosoever in the presence of this hidden Lion opens his mouth disrespectfully, like the wolf,
همچو گرگ آن شیر بردراندش ** فانتقمنا منهم بر خواندش
That Lion will tear him to pieces, as (he tore) the wolf, and will recite to him (the text) So we took vengeance upon them.
زخم یابد همچو گرگ از دست شیر ** پیش شیر ابله بود کاو شد دلیر
He will suffer blows, like the wolf, from the Lion's paw: foolish is he that waxed bold in the presence of the Lion.
کاشکی آن زخم بر تن آمدی ** تا بدی کایمان و دل سالم بدی3135
Would that those blows fell upon the body, so that it might be that (the sinner's) faith and heart would be safe!
قوتم بگسست چون اینجا رسید ** چون توانم کرد این سر را پدید
My power is broken (fails me) on reaching this point: how can I declare this mystery?
همچو آن روبه کم اشکم کنید ** پیش او روباه بازی کم کنید
Make little of your bellies, like that fox: do not play fox's tricks in His presence.
جمله ما و من به پیش او نهید ** ملک ملک اوست ملک او را دهید
Lay the whole of your “we” and “I” before Him: the kingdom is His kingdom: give the kingdom to Him.
چون فقیر آیید اندر راه راست ** شیر و صید شیر خود آن شماست
When ye become poor (selfless) in the right Way, verily the Lion and the Lion's prey are yours,
ز آنکه او پاک است و سبحان وصف اوست ** بی‌‌نیاز است او ز نغز و مغز و پوست3140
Because He is holy, and Glory is His attribute: He hath no need of good things and kernel or rind.
هر شکار و هر کراماتی که هست ** از برای بندگان آن شه است
Every prize and every gift of grace that exists is for the sake of the servants of that King (God).
نیست شه را طمع بهر خلق ساخت ** این همه دولت خنک آن کاو شناخت
The King hath no desire (for anything): He hath made all this empire for His creatures. Happy is he that knew!
آن که دولت آفرید و دو سرا ** ملک دولتها چه کار آید و را
Of what use should the possession of empires be to Him who created (all) empire and the two worlds?
پیش سبحان بس نگه دارید دل ** تا نگردید از گمان بد خجل
In the presence of His Glory keep watch, then, over your hearts, lest ye be put to shame by thinking evil.
کاو ببیند سر و فکر و جستجو ** همچو اندر شیر خالص تار مو3145
For He sees conscience and thought and quest (desire) as (plainly) as a thread of hair in pure milk.
آن که او بی‌‌نقش ساده سینه شد ** نقشهای غیب را آیینه شد
He whose clear breast has become devoid of (any) image (impression) has become a mirror for the impressions of the Invisible.
سر ما را بی‌‌گمان موقن شود ** ز آن که مومن آینه‌‌ی مومن شود
He becomes intuitively and undoubtingly aware of our inmost thought, because the true believer is the mirror of the true believer.
چون زند او نقد ما را بر محک ** پس یقین را باز داند او ز شک
When he rubs our coin on the touchstone, then he knows the difference between faith and doubt.
چون شود جانش محک نقدها ** پس ببیند قلب را و قلب را
When his soul becomes the touchstone of the coin, then he will see (distinguish) the (true) heart and the false money (of hypocrisy).
نشاندن پادشاهان صوفیان عارف را پیش روی خویش تا چشمشان بدیشان روشن شود
How kings seat in front of them the Súfís who know God, in order that their eyes may be illumined by (seeing) them.
پادشاهان را چنان عادت بود ** این شنیده باشی ار یادت بود3150
Such is the custom of kings: you will have heard of this, if you remember.
دست چپشان پهلوانان ایستند ** ز آنکه دل پهلوی چپ باشد ببند
The paladins stand on their left hand, because the heart (the seat of courage) is fixed on the left side (of the body).
مشرف و اهل قلم بر دست راست ** ز آن که علم و خط و ثبت آن دست راست
On the right hand are the chancellor and the secretaries, because the science of writing and book-keeping belongs (in practice) to that hand.
صوفیان را پیش رو موضع دهند ** کاینه‌‌ی جان‌‌اند و ز آیینه بهند
They give the Súfís the place in front of their countenance, for they (the Súfís) are a mirror for the soul, and better than a mirror,
سینه صیقلها زده در ذکر و فکر ** تا پذیرد آینه‌‌ی دل نقش بکر
(Since) they have polished their breasts (hearts) in commemoration (of God) and meditation, that the heart's mirror may receive the virgin (original) image.