تا که شد در شهر معروف و شهیر ** کو ز انبان تهی جوید پنیر
So that he became well-known and celebrated in the town as one who seeks (to obtain) cheese from an empty wallet.
شد مثل در خام‌طبعی آن گدا ** او ازین خواهش نمی‌آمد جدا
That beggar became a proverb for foolishness, (but) he would not desist from this petitioning.
دویدن گاو در خانه‌ی آن دعا کننده بالحاح قال النبی صلی الله علیه وسلم ان الله یحب الملحین فی الدعا زیرا عین خواست از حق تعالی و الحاح خواهنده را به است از آنچ می‌خواهد آن را ازو
How a cow ran into the house of him that was praying importunately. The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, has said, “God loves them that are importunate in prayer,” because the actual asking (of anything) from God most High and the importunity (itself) is better for the petitioner than the thing which he is asking of Him.
تا که روزی ناگهان در چاشتگاه ** این دعا می‌کرد با زاری و آه1485
Until suddenly one day, (when) he was uttering this prayer with moaning and sighs at morningtide,
ناگهان در خانه‌اش گاوی دوید ** شاخ زد بشکست دربند و کلید
Suddenly a cow ran into his house; she butted with her horns and broke the bolt and key.
گاو گستاخ اندر آن خانه بجست ** مرد در جست و قوایمهاش بست
The bold cow jumped into the house; the man sprang forward and bound her legs.
پس گلوی گاو ببرید آن زمان ** بی توقف بی تامل بی امان
Then he at once cut the throat of the cow without pause, without consideration, and without mercy.
چون سرش ببرید شد سوی قصاب ** تا اهابش بر کند در دم شتاب
After he had cut off her head, he went to the butcher, in order that he might quickly rip off her hide forthwith.
عذر گفتن نظم کننده و مدد خواستن
The Poet's excusing himself and asking help.
ای تقاضاگر درون همچون جنین ** چون تقاضا می‌کنی اتمام این1490
O Thou that makest demands within (me), like the embryo— since Thou art making a demand, make easy
سهل گردان ره نما توفیق ده ** یا تقاضا را بهل بر ما منه
The fulfilment of this (task), show the way, give aidance, or (else) relinquish the demand and do not lay (the burden) upon me!
چون ز مفلس زر تقاضا می‌کنی ** زر ببخشش در سر ای شاه غنی
Since Thou art demanding gold from an insolvent, give him gold in secret, O rich King!
بی تو نظم و قافیه شام و سحر ** زهره کی دارد که آید در نظر
Without Thee, how should poesy and rhyme dare to come into sight at eve or morn?
نظم و تجنیس و قوافی ای علیم ** بنده‌ی امر توند از ترس و بیم
Poesy and homonymy and rhymes, O Knowing One, are the slaves of Thy Command from fear and dread,
چون مسبح کرده‌ای هر چیز را ** ذات بی تمییز و با تمییز را1495
Inasmuch as Thou hast made everything a glorifier (of Thee) —the undiscerning entity and the discerning (alike).
هر یکی تسبیح بر نوعی دگر ** گوید و از حال آن این بی‌خبر
Each glorifies (Thee) in a different fashion, and that one is unaware of the state of this one.
آدمی منکر ز تسبیح جماد ** و آن جماد اندر عبادت اوستاد
Man disbelieves in the glorification uttered by inanimate things, but those inanimate things are masters in (performing) worship.
بلک هفتاد و دو ملت هر یکی ** بی‌خبر از یکدگر واندر شکی
Nay, the two-and-seventy sects, every one, are unaware of (the real state of) each other and in a (great) doubt.
چون دو ناطق را ز حال همدگر ** نیست آگه چون بود دیوار و در
Since two speakers have no knowledge of each other's state, how will (it) be (with) wall and door?
چون من از تسبیح ناطق غافلم ** چون بداند سبحه‌ی صامت دلم1500
Since I am heedless of the glorification uttered by one who speaks, how should my heart know the glorification performed by that which is mute?
هست سنی را یکی تسبیح خاص ** هست جبری را ضد آن در مناص
The Sunní is unaware of the Jabrí's (mode of) glorification; the Jabrí is unaffected by the Sunní's (mode of) glorification.
سنی از تسبیح جبری بی‌خبر ** جبری از تسبیح سنی بی اثر
The Sunní has a particular (mode of) glorification; the Jabrí has the opposite thereof in (taking) refuge (with God).
این همی‌گوید که آن ضالست و گم ** بی‌خبر از حال او وز امر قم
This one (the Jabrí) says, “He (the Sunní) is astray and lost,” (being) unaware of his (real) state and of the (Divine) command, “Arise (and preach)!”
و آن همی گوید که این را چه خبر ** جنگشان افکند یزدان از قدر
And that one (the Sunní) says, “What awareness has this one (the Jabrí)?” God, by fore-ordainment, hath cast them into strife.
گوهر هر یک هویدا می‌کند ** جنس از ناجنس پیدا می‌کند1505
He maketh manifest the real nature of each, He displays the congener by (contrast with) the uncongenial.
قهر را از لطف داند هر کسی ** خواه دانا خواه نادان یا خسی
Every one knows (can distinguish) mercy from vengeance, whether he be wise or ignorant or vile,
لیک لطفی قهر در پنهان شده ** یا که قهری در دل لطف آمده
But a mercy that has become hidden in vengeance, or a vengeance that has sunk into the heart of mercy,
کم کسی داند مگر ربانیی ** کش بود در دل محک جانیی
No one knows except the divine (deified) man in whose heart is a spiritual touchstone.
باقیان زین دو گمانی می‌برند ** سوی لانه‌ی خود به یک پر می‌پرند
The rest hold (only) an opinion of these two (qualities): they fly to their nest with a single wing.
بیان آنک علم را دو پرست و گمان را یک پرست ناقص آمد ظن به پرواز ابترست مثال ظن و یقین در علم
Explaining that Knowledge has two wings, and Opinion (only) one: “Opinion is defective and curtailed in flight”; and a comparison illustrating opinion and certainty in knowledge.
علم را دو پر گمان را یک پرست ** ناقص آمد ظن به پرواز ابترست1510
Knowledge has two wings, Opinion one wing: Opinion is defective and curtailed in flight.
مرغ یک‌پر زود افتد سرنگون ** باز بر پرد دو گامی یا فزون
The one-winged bird soon falls headlong; then again it flies up some two paces or (a little) more.
افت خیزان می‌رود مرغ گمان ** با یکی پر بر امید آشیان
The bird, Opinion, falling and rising, goes on with one wing in hope of (reaching) the nest.
چون ز ظن وا رست علمش رو نمود ** شد دو پر آن مرغ یک‌پر پر گشود
(But) when he has been delivered from Opinion, Knowledge shows its face to him: that one-winged bird becomes two-winged and spreads his wings.
بعد از آن یمشی سویا مستقیم ** نه علی وجهه مکبا او سقیم
After that, he walks erect and straight, not falling flat on his face or ailing.
با دو پر بر می‌پرد چون جبرئیل ** بی گمان و بی مگر بی قال و قیل1515
He flies aloft with two wings, like Gabriel, without opinion and without peradventure and without disputation.
گر همه عالم بگویندش توی ** بر ره یزدان و دین مستوی
If all the world should say to him, “You are on the Way of God and (are following) the right religion,”
او نگردد گرم‌تر از گفتشان ** جان طاق او نگردد جفتشان
He will not be made hotter by their words: his lonely soul will not mate with them;
ور همه گویند او را گم‌رهی ** کوه پنداری و تو برگ کهی
And if they all should say to him, “You are astray: you think (you are) a mountain, and (in reality) you are a blade of straw,”
او نیفتد در گمان از طعنشان ** او نگردد دردمند از ظعنشان
He will not fall into opinion (doubt) because of their taunts, he will not be grieved by their departure (estrangement from him).
بلک گر دریا و کوه آید بگفت ** گویدش با گم‌رهی گشتی تو جفت1520
Nay, if seas and mountains should come to speech and should say to him, “You are wedded to perdition,”
هیچ یک ذره نیفتد در خیال ** یا به طعن طاعنان رنجورحال
Not the least jot will he fall into phantasy or sickness on account of the taunts of the scoffers.
مثال رنجور شدن آدمی بوهم تعظیم خلق و رغبت مشتریان بوی و حکایت معلم
Parable of a man's being made (spiritually) ill by vain conceit of the veneration in which he is held by the people and of the supplication addressed to him by those seeking his favour; and the (following) story of the Teacher.
کودکان مکتبی از اوستاد ** رنج دیدند از ملال و اجتهاد
The boys in a certain school suffered at the hands of their master from weariness and toil.
مشورت کردند در تعویق کار ** تا معلم در فتد در اضطرار
They consulted about (the means of) stopping (his) work, so that the teacher should be reduced to the necessity (of letting them go),
چون نمی‌آید ورا رنجوریی ** که بگیرد چند روز او دوریی
(Saying), “Since no illness befalls him, which would cause him to take absence for several days,
تا رهیم از حبس و تنگی و ز کار ** هست او چون سنگ خارا بر قرار1525
So that we might escape from (this) imprisonment and confinement and work, (what can we do?). He is fixed (here), like a solid rock.”
آن یکی زیرکتر این تدبیر کرد ** که بگوید اوستا چونی تو زرد
One, the cleverest (of them all), planned that he should say, “Master, how are you (so) pale?
خیر باشد رنگ تو بر جای نیست ** این اثر یا از هوا یا از تبیست
May it be well (with you)! Your colour is changed: this is the effect either of (bad) air or of a fever.”
اندکی اندر خیال افتد ازین ** تو برادر هم مدد کن این‌چنین
(He continued), “At this he (the master) will begin to fancy a little (that he is ill): do you too, brother, help (me) in like manner.
چون درآیی از در مکتب بگو ** خیر باشد اوستا احوال تو
When you come in through the door of the school, say (to him), ‘Master, is your state (of health) good?’
آن خیالش اندکی افزون شود ** کز خیالی عاقلی مجنون شود1530
(Then) that fancy of his will increase a little, for by a fancy a sensible man is driven mad.
آن سوم و آن چارم و پنجم چنین ** در پی ما غم نمایند و حنین
After us let the third (boy) and the fourth and the fifth show sympathy and sorrow likewise,
تا چو سی کودک تواتر این خبر ** متفق گویند یابد مستقر
So that, when with one consent thirty boys successively tell this story, it may find lodgement (in his mind).”