صد هزاران سال ابلیس لعین ** بود ز ابدال و امیر المؤمنین
Hundreds of thousands of years the accursed Iblís was a saint and the prince of true believers;
پنجه زد با آدم از نازی که داشت ** گشت رسوا همچو سرگین وقت چاشت
On account of the pride which he had, he grappled with Adam and was put to shame, like dung at morning tide.
دعا کردن بلعم باعور که موسی و قومش را از این شهر که حصار داده‌‌اند بی‌‌مراد باز گردان
How Bal‘am son of Bá‘úr prayed (to God), saying, “Cause Moses and his people to turn back, without having gained their desire, from this city which they have besieged and how his prayer was granted.”
بلعم باعور را خلق جهان ** سغبه شد مانند عیسای زمان
To Bal‘am son of Bá‘úr the people of the world became subject, (for he was) like unto the Jesus of the time.
سجده ناوردند کس را دون او ** صحت رنجور بود افسون او
They bowed (worshipfully) to none but him: his spell was (giving) health to the sick.
پنجه زد با موسی از کبر و کمال ** آن چنان شد که شنیده ستی تو حال3300
From pride and (conceit of) perfection he grappled with Moses: his plight became such as thou hast heard.
صد هزار ابلیس و بلعم در جهان ** همچنین بوده ست پیدا و نهان
Even so there have been in the world, manifest or hidden, a hundred thousand like Iblís and Bal‘am.
این دو را مشهور گردانید اله ** تا که باشد این دو بر باقی گواه
God caused these twain to be notorious, that these twain might bear witness against the rest.
این دو دزد آویخت از دار بلند ** ور نه اندر قهر بس دزدان بدند
These two thieves He hanged on a high gallows (to be a warning to all); else there were many (other) thieves in (the pale of) His vengeance.
این دو را پرچم به سوی شهر برد ** کشتگان قهر را نتوان شمرد
These twain He dragged by their forelocks to the city (for slaughter); (but) ’tis impossible to number (all) the victims of His wrath.
نازنینی تو ولی در حد خویش ** الله الله پا منه از حد خویش3305
You are a favourite (of God), but within your (due) bounds. (Fear) God, (fear) God, do not set foot beyond (those) bounds.
گر زنی بر نازنین تر از خودت ** در تگ هفتم زمین زیر آردت
If you combat with one who is a greater favourite than yourself, ’twill bring you down to the lowest depth of the seventh earth.
قصه‌‌ی عاد و ثمود از بهر چیست ** تا بدانی کانبیا را نازکی است
For what purpose is the tale of ‘Ád and Thamúd? That you may know that the prophets have disdain (for the wicked).
این نشان خسف و قذف و صاعقه ** شد بیان عز نفس ناطقه
These signs—the (earth's) swallowing up (sinners), the hurling of stones (upon them), and the thunderbolts—were evidence of the might of the Rational Soul.
جمله حیوان را پی انسان بکش ** جمله انسان را بکش از بهر هش
Kill all animals for the sake of man, kill all mankind for the sake of Reason.
هش چه باشد عقل کل هوشمند ** هوش جزوی هش بود اما نژند3310
What is Reason? The Universal Intelligence of the man (prophet or saint) endowed with reason. Partial reason is reason (too), but it is infirm.
جمله حیوانات وحشی ز آدمی ** باشد از حیوان انسی در کمی
All the animals that are wild (unfriendly) to man are inferior to the human animal.
خون آنها خلق را باشد سبیل ** ز انکه وحشی‌‌اند از عقل جلیل
Their blood is free to mankind, since they are estranged from the august Reason.
عزت وحشی بدین افتاد پست ** که مر انسان را مخالف آمده ست
The honour of the wild animals is fallen low (has come to be of no account) because they have grown hostile to man.
پس چه عزت باشدت ای نادره ** چون شدی تو حمر مستنفرة
What honour, then, will be thine, O marvel (of folly), since thou hast become (like) timorous wild asses?
خر نشاید کشت از بهر صلاح ** چون شود وحشی شود خونش مباح3315
Because of his usefulness, the (domesticated) ass ought not to be killed; (but) when he turns wild, his blood becomes lawful.
گر چه خر را دانش زاجر نبود ** هیچ معذورش نمی‌‌دارد ودود
Although the ass had no knowledge to restrain him (from becoming wild), the Loving One is not excusing him at all.
پس چو وحشی شد از آن دم آدمی ** کی بود معذور ای یار سمی
How, then, shall man be excused, O noble friend, when he has become wild (refractory and hostile) to that Word (the voice of Reason)?
لاجرم کفار را شد خون مباح ** همچو وحشی پیش نشاب و رماح
Of necessity permission was given to shed the blood of the infidels, like (that of) a wild beast before the arrows and lances.
جفت و فرزندانشان جمله سبیل ** ز آنکه بی‌‌عقلند و مردود و ذلیل
All their wives and children are free spoil, since they are irrational and reprobate and base.
باز عقلی کاو رمد از عقل عقل ** کرد از عقلی به حیوانات نقل3320
Once more, a reason that flees from the Reason of reason (Universal Reason) is transported from rationality to (the grade of) the animals.
اعتماد کردن هاروت و ماروت بر عصمت خویش و آمیزی اهل دنیا خواستن و در فتنه افتادن
How Hárút and Márút relied upon their immaculateness and desired to mix with the people of this world and fell into temptation.
همچو هاروت و چو ماروت شهیر ** از بطر خوردند زهر آلود تیر
As (for example), because of their arrogance, the celebrated Hárút and Márút were smitten by the poisoned arrow (of Divine wrath).
اعتمادی بودشان بر قدس خویش ** چیست بر شیر اعتماد گاومیش
They had confidence in their holiness, (but) what (use) is it for the buffalo to have confidence in the lion?
گر چه او با شاخ صد چاره کند ** شاخ شاخش شیر نر پاره کند
Though he make a hundred shifts (to defend himself) with his horn, the fierce lion will tear him to pieces limb by limb.
گر شود پر شاخ همچون خار پشت ** شیر خواهد گاو را ناچار کشت
(Even) if he become as full of horns (prickles) as a hedgehog, the buffalo will inevitably be killed by the lion.
گر چه صرصر بس درختان می‌‌کند ** با گیاه تر وی احسان می‌‌کند3325
(But) though the Sarsar wind uproots many trees, it bestows kindness on the wet grass.
بر ضعیفی گیاه آن باد تند ** رحم کرد ای دل تو از قوت ملند
That violent wind had pity on the weakness of the grass: do not thou, O heart, brag vainly of thy strength.
تیشه را ز انبوهی شاخ درخت ** کی هراس آید ببرد لخت لخت
How should the axe be afraid of the thickness of the branches? It cuts them to pieces.
لیک بر برگی نکوبد خویش را ** جز که بر نیشی نکوبد نیش را
But it does not beat itself against a leaf, it does not beat its edge except against an edge (something hard and solid like itself).
شعله را ز انبوهی هیزم چه غم ** کی رمد قصاب از خیل غنم
What does the flame care for the great quantity of firewood? How should the butcher flee in terror from the flock of sheep?
پیش معنی چیست صورت بس زبون ** چرخ را معنیش می‌‌دارد نگون3330
What is form in the presence of (in comparison with) reality? Very feeble. ’Tis the reality of the sky that keeps it upside down (like an inverted cup).
تو قیاس از چرخ دولابی بگیر ** گردشش از کیست از عقل مشیر
Judge by the analogy of the celestial wheel: from whom does its motion proceed? From directive Reason.
گردش این قالب همچون سپر ** هست از روح مستر ای پسر
The motion of this shield-like body is (derived) from the veiled spirit, O son.
گردش این باد از معنی اوست ** همچو چرخی کان اسیر آب جوست
The motion of this wind is from its reality, like the wheel that is captive to the water of the stream.
جر و مد و دخل و خرج این نفس ** از که باشد جز ز جان پر هوس
The ebb and flow and incoming and outgoing of this breath —from whom does it proceed but from the spirit that is filled with desire?