شاه بیدارست حارس خفته گیر ** جان فدای خفتگان دل‌بصیر
The King is awake: suppose the guardsman is asleep, (what does it matter?). May (my) soul be sacrificed to the sleepers whose hearts are seeing!
وصف بیداری دل ای معنوی ** در نگنجد در هزاران مثنوی
The description of the heart's wakefulness, O spiritual man, would not be contained in thousands of rhymed couplets.
چون بدیدندش که خفتست او دراز ** بهر دزدی عصا کردند ساز
When they (the magicians) saw that he was sleeping outstretched, they made preparations for stealing the rod.
ساحران قصد عصا کردند زود ** کز پسش باید شدن وانگه ربود1230
The magicians quickly approached the rod, saying, “We must go behind him and then snatch it (from him).”
اندکی چون پیشتر کردند ساز ** اندر آمد آن عصا در اهتزاز
When they prepared (to approach) a little nearer, the rod began to shake.
آنچنان بر خود بلرزید آن عصا ** کان دو بر جا خشک گشتند از وجا
The rod quivered upon itself in such wise (that) both (magicians) on the spot became petrified by the shock (of terror).
بعد از آن شد اژدها و حمله کرد ** هر دوان بگریختند و روی‌زرد
After that, it turned into a dragon and made a rush (at them): both fled, and pale of countenance
رو در افتادن گرفتند از نهیب ** غلط غلطان منهزم در هر نشیب
Began to fall on their faces from affright, tumbling panic-stricken down every slope.
پس یقینشان شد که هست از آسمان ** زانک می‌دیدند حد ساحران1235
Then to them it became certain that he (Moses) was from Heaven, since they were seeing the limit of (the power of) magicians.
بعد از آن اطلاق و تبشان شد پدید ** کارشان تا نزع و جان کندن رسید
Afterwards diarrhoea and fever appeared in them, and their case reached the last gasp and the death-agony.
پس فرستادند مردی در زمان ** سوی موسی از برای عذر آن
Then at once they sent a man to Moses to excuse that (which they had done),
کامتحان کردیم و ما را کی رسد ** امتحان تو اگر نبود حسد
Saying, “We have put (thee) to the test, and how should (the thought of) testing thee occur to us unless there be envy (as a motive)?
مجرم شاهیم ما را عفو خواه ** ای تو خاص الخاص درگاه اله
We are sinners against the King (God): do thou crave pardon for us, O thou that art the elect of the elect of the Court of God.”
عفو کرد و در زمان نیکو شدند ** پیش موسی بر زمین سر می‌زدند1240
He pardoned (them), and at once they became well; they were striking their heads upon the earth (prostrating themselves) in the presence of Moses.
گفت موسی عفو کردم ای کرام ** گشت بر دوزخ تن و جانتان حرام
Moses said, “I pardon (you), O nobles: your bodies and souls have become unlawful to (immune from) Hell.
من شما را خود ندیدم ای دو یار ** اعجمی سازید خود را ز اعتذار
Verily (’tis as though) I did not see you; O (my) two friends, make yourselves strangers to (refrain from) exculpation.
همچنان بیگانه‌شکل و آشنا ** در نبرد آیید بهر پادشا
Come, even as ye are, alien in appearance (but) familiar (in reality), to combat for the King (God).”
پس زمین را بوسه دادند و شدند ** انتظار وقت و فرصت می‌بدند
Then they kissed the earth and departed: they were waiting in expectation of the time and opportunity.
جمع آمدن ساحران از مداین پیش فرعون و تشریفها یافتن و دست بر سینه زدن در قهر خصم او کی این بر ما نویس
How the magicians from the cities assembled before Pharaoh and received robes of honour and laid their hands upon their breasts, (pledging themselves) to subdue his enemy (Moses), and saying, “Write this down against us.”
تا بفرعون آمدند آن ساحران ** دادشان تشریفهای بس گران1245
Those magicians came unto Pharaoh, and he gave them robes of honour exceedingly precious.
وعده‌هاشان کرد و پیشین هم بداد ** بندگان و اسپان و نقد و جنس و زاد
He made promises to them, and also gave them in advance slaves and horses and money and goods and provisions.
بعد از آن می‌گفت هین ای سابقان ** گر فزون آیید اندر امتحان
After that, he was saying, “Hark, O ye that are foremost (in your art), if ye prove superior in the trial,
برفشانم بر شما چندان عطا ** که بدرد پرده‌ی جود و سخا
I will scatter over you so many gifts that the veil of bounty and munificence will be rent.”
پس بگفتندش به اقبال تو شاه ** غالب آییم و شود کارش تباه
Then they said to him, “Through thy fortune, O King, we shall prevail, and his cause shall be ruined.
ما درین فن صفدریم و پهلوان ** کس ندارد پای ما اندر جهان1250
We are heroes and champions in this art: no one in the world can resist us.”
The mention of Moses has become a chain (obstruction) to the thoughts (of my readers), (for they think) that these are stories (of that) which happened long ago.
ذکر موسی بهر روپوشست لیک ** نور موسی نقد تست ای مرد نیک
The mention of Moses serves for a mask, but the Light of Moses is thy actual concern, O good man.
موسی و فرعون در هستی تست ** باید این دو خصم را در خویش جست
Moses and Pharaoh are in thy being: thou must seek these two adversaries in thyself.
تا قیامت هست از موسی نتاج ** نور دیگر نیست دیگر شد سراج
The (process of) generation from Moses is (continuing) till the Resurrection: the Light is not different, (though) the lamp has become different.
این سفال و این پلیته دیگرست ** لیک نورش نیست دیگر زان سرست1255
This earthenware lamp and this wick are different, but its light is not different: it is from Yonder.
گر نظر در شیشه داری گم شوی ** زانک از شیشه‌ست اعداد دوی
If thou keep looking at the glass (lantern), thou wilt be lost, because from the glass arise the numbers of (the plurality inherent in) dualism;
ور نظر بر نور داری وا رهی ** از دوی واعداد جسم منتهی
But if thou keep thy gaze (fixed) upon the Light, thou wilt be delivered from dualism and the numbers (plurality) of the finite body.
از نظرگاهست ای مغز وجود ** اختلاف مومن و گبر و جهود
From the place (object) of view, O (thou who art the) kernel of Existence, there arises the difference between the true believer and the Zoroastrian and the Jew.
اختلاف کردن در چگونگی و شکل پیل
The disagreement as to the description and shape of the elephant.
پیل اندر خانه‌ی تاریک بود ** عرضه را آورده بودندش هنود
The elephant was in a dark house: some Hindús had brought it for exhibition.
از برای دیدنش مردم بسی ** اندر آن ظلمت همی‌شد هر کسی1260
In order to see it, many people were going, every one, into that darkness.
دیدنش با چشم چون ممکن نبود ** اندر آن تاریکیش کف می‌بسود
As seeing it with the eye was impossible, (each one) was feeling it in the dark with the palm of his hand.
آن یکی را کف به خرطوم اوفتاد ** گفت همچون ناودانست این نهاد
The hand of one fell on its trunk: he said, “This creature is like a water-pipe.”
آن یکی را دست بر گوشش رسید ** آن برو چون بادبیزن شد پدید
The hand of another touched its ear: to him it appeared to be like a fan.
آن یکی را کف چو بر پایش بسود ** گفت شکل پیل دیدم چون عمود
Since another handled its leg, he said, “I found the elephant's shape to be like a pillar.”
آن یکی بر پشت او بنهاد دست ** گفت خود این پیل چون تختی بدست1265
Another laid his hand on its back: he said, “Truly, this elephant was like a throne.”
همچنین هر یک به جزوی که رسید ** فهم آن می‌کرد هر جا می‌شنید
Similarly, whenever any one heard (a description of the elephant), he understood (it only in respect of) the part that he had touched.
از نظرگه گفتشان شد مختلف ** آن یکی دالش لقب داد این الف
On account of the (diverse) place (object) of view, their statements differed: one man entitled it “dál,” another “alif.”
در کف هر کس اگر شمعی بدی ** اختلاف از گفتشان بیرون شدی
If there had been a candle in each one's hand, the difference would have gone out of their words.
چشم حس همچون کف دستست و بس ** نیست کف را بر همه‌ی او دست‌رس
The eye of sense-perception is only like the palm of the hand: the palm hath not power to reach the whole of him (the elephant).
چشم دریا دیگرست و کف دگر ** کف بهل وز دیده‌ی دریا نگر1270
The eye of the Sea is one thing, and the foam another: leave the foam and look with the eye of the Sea.
جنبش کفها ز دریا روز و شب ** کف همی‌بینی و دریا نه عجب
Day and night (there is) the movement of foam-flecks from the Sea: thou beholdest the foam, but not the Sea. Marvellous!
ما چو کشتیها بهم بر می‌زنیم ** تیره‌چشمیم و در آب روشنیم
We are dashing against each other, like boats: our eyes are darkened, though we are in the clear water.
ای تو در کشتی تن رفته به خواب ** آب را دیدی نگر در آب آب
O thou that hast gone to sleep in the body's boat, thou hast seen the water, (but) look on the Water of the water.
آب را آبیست کو می‌راندش ** روح را روحیست کو می‌خواندش
The water hath a Water that is driving it; the spirit hath a Spirit that is calling it.
موسی و عیسی کجا بد کفتاب ** کشت موجودات را می‌داد آب1275
Where were Moses and Jesus when the (Divine) Sun was giving water to the sown field of existent things?
آدم و حوا کجا بد آن زمان ** که خدا افکند این زه در کمان
Where were Adam and Eve at the time when God fitted this string to the bow?