He replied, “Azrael (the Angel of Death) is coming. Get you gone!” “His foot (arrival),” said the deaf man, “is very blessed: be glad!”
کر برون آمد بگفت او شادمان ** شکر کش کردم مراعات این زمان3375
The deaf man went forth. He said gaily, “Thanks (to God) that I paid my respects to him just now.”
گفت رنجور این عدوی جان ماست ** ما ندانستیم کاو کان جفاست
The invalid said, “This is my mortal foe: I did not know he was (such) a mine of iniquity.”
خاطر رنجور جویان صد سقط ** تا که پیغامش کند از هر نمط
The mind of the invalid began seeking abusive terms, that he might send him a message (filled with abuse) of every description,
چون کسی کاو خورده باشد آش بد ** می‌‌بشوراند دلش تا قی کند
As, when any one has eaten bad (indigestible) food, it is turning his heart (stomach) until he vomits.
کظم غیظ این است آن را قی مکن ** تا بیابی در جزا شیرین سخن
Suppression of anger is (like) this: do not vomit it, so that you may gain sweet words in recompense.
چون نبودش صبر می‌‌پیچید او ** کاین سگ زن روسپی حیز کو3380
Since he had no patience, he was tormented. “Where,” he cried, “is this cur, this infamous cuckold,
تا بریزم بر وی آن چه گفته بود ** کان زمان شیر ضمیرم خفته بود
That I may pour upon him what he said (make a retort in his own style)?—for at that time the lion of my thought was asleep (I was too weak to contend with him).
چون عیادت بهر دل آرامی است ** این عیادت نیست دشمن کامی است
Inasmuch as visiting the sick is for the purpose of (giving them) tranquillity, this is not a visit to the sick: it is the satisfaction of an enemy's wish.
تا ببیند دشمن خود را نزار ** تا بگیرد خاطر زشتش قرار
(His motive was) that he should see his enemy enfeebled and that his wicked heart should be at peace.”
بس کسان کایشان ز طاعت گمره‌‌اند ** دل به رضوان و ثواب آن دهند
Many are they that have gone astray from (true) piety, (because) they set their hearts on being approved and rewarded for the same.
خود حقیقت معصیت باشد خفی ** بس کدر کان را تو پنداری صفی3385
’Tis in truth a lurking sin: for there is many a foul thing that you think pure,
همچو آن کر که همی‌‌پنداشته ست ** کو نکویی کرد و آن بر عکس جست
As (in the case of) the deaf man, who fancied that he did a kindness, but it had the opposite result.
او نشسته خوش که خدمت کرده‌‌ام ** حق همسایه به جا آورده‌‌ام
He sits down well-pleased, saying, “I have paid my respects, I have performed what was due to my neighbour”;
بهر خود او آتشی افروخته ست ** در دل رنجور و خود را سوخته ست
(But) he has (only) kindled a fire (of resentment) against himself in the invalid's heart and burned himself.
فاتقوا النار التی أوقدتم ** إنکم فی المعصیة ازددتم
Beware, then, of the fire that ye have kindled: verily ye have increased in sin.
گفت پیغمبر به یک صاحب ریا ** صل إنک لم تصل یا فتی3390
The Prophet said to a hypocrite, “Pray, for indeed thou hast not prayed (aright), my man.”
از برای چاره‌‌ی این خوفها ** آمد اندر هر نمازی اهدنا
As a means of preventing these dangers, “Guide us” comes in every (ritual) prayer,
کاین نمازم را میامیز ای خدا ** با نماز ضالین و اهل ریا
That is to say, “O God, do not mingle my prayer with the prayer of the erring and the hypocrites.”
از قیاسی که بکرد آن کر گزین ** صحبت ده ساله باطل شد بدین
By the analogical reasoning which the deaf man adopted a ten years' friendship was made vain.
خاصه ای خواجه قیاس حس دون ** اندر آن وحیی که هست از حد فزون
Especially, O master, (you must avoid) the analogy drawn by the low senses in regard to the Revelation which is illimitable.
گوش حس تو به حرف ار در خور است ** دان که گوش غیب گیر تو کر است3395
If your sensuous ear is fit for (understanding) the letter (of the Revelation), know that your ear that receives the occult (meaning) is deaf.
اول کسی که در مقابله‌‌ی نص قیاس آورد ابلیس بود
The first to bring analogical reasoning to bear against the Revealed Text was Iblís.
اول آن کس کاین قیاسکها نمود ** پیش انوار خدا ابلیس بود
The first person who produced these paltry analogies in the presence of the Lights of God was Iblís.
گفت نار از خاک بی‌‌شک بهتر است ** من ز نار و او ز خاک اکدر است
He said, “Beyond doubt fire is superior to earth: I am of fire, and he (Adam) is of dingy earth.
پس قیاس فرع بر اصلش کنیم ** او ز ظلمت ما ز نور روشنیم
Let us, then, judge by comparing the secondary with its principal: he is of darkness, I of radiant light.”
گفت حق نی بل که لا انساب شد ** زهد و تقوی فضل را محراب شد
God said, “Nay, but on the contrary there shall be no relationships : asceticism and piety shall be the (sole) avenue to pre-eminence.”
این نه میراث جهان فانی است ** که به انسابش بیابی جانی است3400
This is not the heritage of the fleeting world, so that thou shouldst gain it by ties of relationship: ’tis a spiritual (heritage).
بلکه این میراثهای انبیاست ** وارث این جانهای اتقیاست
Nay, these things are the heritage of the prophets; the inheritors of these are the spirits of the devout.
پور آن بو جهل شد مومن عیان ** پور آن نوح نبی از گمرهان
The son of Bú Jahl became a true believer for all to see; the son of the prophet Noah became one of those who lost the way.
زاده‌‌ی خاکی منور شد چو ماه ** زاده‌‌ی آتش تویی رو رو سیاه
“The child of earth (Adam) became illumined like the moon; thou art the child of fire: get thee gone with thy face black (in disgrace)!”
این قیاسات و تحری روز ابر ** یا به شب مر قبله را کرده ست حبر
The wise man has made (use of) such reasonings and investigation on a cloudy day or at night for the sake of (finding) the qibla;
لیک با خورشید و کعبه پیش رو ** این قیاس و این تحری را مجو3405
But with the sun and with the Ka‘ba before your face, do not seek to reason and investigate in this manner.
کعبه نادیده مکن رو زو متاب ** از قیاس الله أعلم بالصواب
Do not pretend that you cannot see the Ka‘ba, do not avert your face from it because you have reasoned (that it is not to be seen). God knows best what is right.
چون صفیری بشنوی از مرغ حق ** ظاهرش را یاد گیری چون سبق
When you hear a pipe from the Bird of God, you commit its outward (meaning) to memory, like a lesson,
وانگهی از خود قیاساتی کنی ** مر خیال محض را ذاتی کنی
And then from yourself (out of your own head) you make some analogies: you make (what is) mere fancy into a (thing of) substance (reality).
اصطلاحاتی است مر ابدال را ** که نباشد ز آن خبر اقوال را
The Abdál have certain mystical expressions of which the doctrines (of external religion) are ignorant.
منطق الطیری به صوت آموختی ** صد قیاس و صد هوس افروختی3410
You have learned the birds' language by the sound (alone), you have kindled (invented) a hundred analogies and a hundred caprices.
همچو آن رنجور دلها از تو خست ** کر به پندار اصابت گشته مست
The hearts (of the saints) are wounded by you, as the invalid (was hurt by the deaf man), (while) the deaf man became intoxicated (overjoyed) with the vain notion of success.
کاتب آن وحی ز آن آواز مرغ ** برده ظنی کاو بود همباز مرغ
The writer of the Revelation, from (hearing) the Bird's voice, supposed that he was the Bird's equal:
مرغ پری زد مر او را کور کرد ** نک فرو بردش به قعر مرگ و درد
The Bird flapped a wing and blinded him: lo, it plunged him in the abyss of death and bale.
هین به عکسی یا به ظنی هم شما ** در میفتید از مقامات سما
“Beware! do not ye also, (beguiled) by a reflexion or an opinion, fall from the dignities of Heaven!
گر چه هاروتید و ماروت و فزون ** از همه بر بام نحن الصافون3415
Although ye are Hárút and Márút and superior to all (the angels) on the terrace of We are they that stand in ranks,
بر بدیهای بدان رحمت کنید ** بر منی و خویش بینی کم تنید
(Yet) take mercy on the wickednesses of the wicked: execrate egoism and the self-conceited (egoist).
هین مبادا غیرت آید از کمین ** سر نگون افتید در قعر زمین
Beware, lest (the Divine) jealousy come from ambush and ye fall headlong to the bottom of the earth.”
هر دو گفتند ای خدا فرمان تراست ** بی‌‌امان تو امانی خود کجاست
They both said, “O God, Thine is the command: without Thy security (protection) where indeed is any security?”
این همی‌‌گفتند و دلشان می‌‌طپید ** بد کجا آید ز ما نعم العبید
They were saying this, but their hearts were throbbing (with desire)—“How should evil come from us? Good servants (of God) are we!”
خار خار دو فرشته هم نهشت ** تا که تخم خویش بینی را نکشت3420
The prick of desire in the two angels did not leave (them) until it sowed the seed of self-conceit.
پس همی‌‌گفتند کای ارکانیان ** بی‌‌خبر از پاکی روحانیان
Then they were saying, “O ye that are composed of the (four) elements (and are) unacquainted with the purity of the spiritual beings,