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3
243-292

  • خیل و فرزندان و قومت را بیار ** در ده ما باش سه ماه و چهار
  • Bring your retinue and your children and kinsfolk, and stay in our village three or four months,

  • که بهاران خطه‌ی ده خوش بود ** کشت‌زار و لاله‌ی دلکش بود
  • For in spring the countryside is pleasant; there are sown fields and lovely anemones.”

  • وعده دادی شهری او را دفع حال ** تا بر آمد بعد وعده هشت سال 245
  • The townsman was (always) putting him off with promises, until eight years had elapsed since the (first) promise (was given).

  • او بهر سالی همی‌گفتی که کی ** عزم خواهی کرد کامد ماه دی
  • Every year he (the countryman) would say, “When will you set out on the journey?—for the month of December is (already) come,”

  • او بهانه ساختی کامسال‌مان ** از فلان خطه بیامد میهمان
  • And he (the townsman) would make an excuse, saying, “This year we have a guest who has come from such and such a district;

  • سال دیگر گر توانم وا رهید ** از مهمات آن طرف خواهم دوید
  • (But) next year I will run (down) to that part (of the country), if I can escape from the pressing affairs (which keep me at home).”

  • گفت هستند آن عیالم منتظر ** بهر فرزندان تو ای اهل بر
  • He (the countryman) said, “My family are (anxiously) expecting your children, O benefactor.”

  • باز هر سالی چو لکلک آمدی ** تا مقیم قبه‌ی شهری شدی 250
  • Every year he was coming back, like the stork, to reside in the townsman's pavilion,

  • خواجه هر سالی ز زر و مال خویش ** خرج او کردی گشادی بال خویش
  • And every year the Khwája would expend his gold and wealth upon him and open his wings (wide).

  • آخرین کرت سه ماه آن پهلوان ** خوان نهادش بامدادان و شبان
  • On the last occasion, that paladin set dishes (of food) before him at morn and eve for three months.

  • از خجالت باز گفت او خواجه را ** چند وعده چند بفریبی مرا
  • From shame he again said to the Khwája, “How long (nothing but) promises? How long will you deceive me?”

  • گفت خواجه جسم و جانم وصل‌جوست ** لیک هر تحویل اندر حکم هوست
  • The Khwája said, “My body and soul are eager for the meeting, but every change depends on the decree of Him (God).

  • آدمی چون کشتی است و بادبان ** تا کی آرد باد را آن بادران 255
  • Man is like a ship or sail: (he must wait) to see when the Driver of the wind shall send the (favourable) breeze.”

  • باز سوگندان بدادش کای کریم ** گیر فرزندان بیا بنگر نعیم
  • Once more he (the countryman) adjured him, crying, “O generous man, take your children and come and behold the pleasures (of the country).”

  • دست او بگرفت سه کرت بعهد ** کالله الله زو بیا بنمای جهد
  • He took his hand three times in covenant, saying, “In God's name, come quickly, make the utmost effort!”

  • بعد ده سال و بهر سالی چنین ** لابه‌ها و وعده‌های شکرین
  • After ten years—and every year the same sugared entreaties and promises—

  • کودکان خواجه گفتند ای پدر ** ماه و ابر و سایه هم دارد سفر
  • The Khwája's children said, “O father, the moon and the clouds and the shadows too have their journeys.

  • حقها بر وی تو ثابت کرده‌ای ** رنجها در کار او بس برده‌ای 260
  • You have laid obligations on him, you have taken great pains on his account,

  • او همی‌خواهد که بعضی حق آن ** وا گزارد چون شوی تو میهمان
  • And he wishes to repay some part of that obligation when you become his guest.

  • بس وصیت کرد ما را او نهان ** که کشیدش سوی ده لابه‌کنان
  • He gave us many injunctions in secret: ‘Bring him to the country,’ said he, ‘coaxing (him to come).’”

  • گفت حقست این ولی ای سیبویه ** اتق من شر من احسنت الیه
  • He (the townsman) said, “This is true, but, O Síbawayh, be on thy guard against the malice of him to whom thou hast shown kindness.

  • دوستی تخم دم آخر بود ** ترسم از وحشت که آن فاسد شود
  • Love is the seed (that bears fruit at the moment) of the last breath: I fear that it may be corrupted by estrangement.”

  • صحبتی باشد چو شمشیر قطوع ** همچو دی در بوستان و در زروع 265
  • There is a friendship like a cutting sword, (destructive) as December in the gardens and cornfields;

  • صحبتی باشد چو فصل نوبهار ** زو عمارتها و دخل بی‌شمار
  • There is a friendship like the season of spring, whence (come) restorations and produce incalculable.

  • حزم آن باشد که ظن بد بری ** تا گریزی و شوی از بد بری
  • Prudence is this, that you think evil, so that you may flee and become quit of evil.

  • حزم س الظن گفتست آن رسول ** هر قدم را دام می‌دان ای فضول
  • The Prophet has said, “Prudence is (consists in) thinking evil”: know that for every footstep there is a snare, O fool!

  • روی صحرا هست هموار و فراخ ** هر قدم دامیست کم ران اوستاخ
  • The surface of the plateau is level and broad, (but at) every step there is a snare: do not advance boldly.

  • آن بز کوهی دود که دام کو ** چون بتازد دامش افتد در گلو 270
  • The mountain-goat runs on, saying, “Where is the snare?” As it speeds onward, the snare lights on its throat.

  • آنک می‌گفتی که کو اینک ببین ** دشت می‌دیدی نمی‌دیدی کمین
  • O thou who saidst “Where?” look and see! Thou sawest the plain, (but) thou didst not see the ambush.

  • بی کمین و دام و صیاد ای عیار ** دنبه کی باشد میان کشت‌زار
  • Without ambush and snare and hunter, O cunning one, how should there be a sheep's tail (laid in a trap) amidst the cornfield?

  • آنک گستاخ آمدند اندر زمین ** استخوان و کله‌هاشان را ببین
  • They that came along boldly on the earth—see their bones and skulls!

  • چون به گورستان روی ای مرتضا ** استخوانشان را بپرس از ما مضی
  • When you go to the graveyard, O you with whom God is pleased, ask their bones concerning that which is past,

  • تا بظاهر بینی آن مستان کور ** چون فرو رفتند در چاه غرور 275
  • That you may see clearly how those blind intoxicated men went down into the pit of delusion.

  • چشم اگر داری تو کورانه میا ** ور نداری چشم دست آور عصا
  • If you have eyes, do not walk blindly; and if you have not eyes, take a staff in your hand.

  • آن عصای حزم و استدلال را ** چون نداری دید می‌کن پیشوا
  • When you have not the staff of prudence and judgement, make the (seer's) eye your leader;

  • ور عصای حزم و استدلال نیست ** بی عصاکش بر سر هر ره مه‌ایست
  • And if there is no staff of prudence and judgement, do not stand on every road without a guide.

  • گام زان سان نه که نابینا نهد ** تا که پا از چاه و از سگ وا رهد
  • Step in the same fashion as a blind man steps, in order that your foot may escape from the pit and the dog.

  • لرز لرزان و بترس و احتیاط ** می‌نهد پا تا نیفتد در خباط 280
  • He (the blind man) plants his foot tremblingly and with fear and precaution, so that he may not fall into derangement.

  • ای ز دودی جسته در ناری شده ** لقمه جسته لقمه‌ی ماری شده
  • O you who have jumped away from some smoke and fallen into a fire, you who have sought a mouthful (of food) and become a mouthful for a snake,

  • قصه‌ی اهل سبا و طاغی کردن نعمت ایشان را و در رسیدن شومی طغیان و کفران در ایشان و بیان فضیلت شکر و وفا
  • (Story of the people of Sabá and how prosperity made them forward.)

  • تو نخواندی قصه‌ی اهل سبا ** یا بخواندی و ندیدی جز صدا
  • You have not read the story of the people of Sabá, or you have read it and seen (heard) naught but the echo.

  • از صدا آن کوه خود آگاه نیست ** سوی معنی هوش که را راه نیست
  • The mountain itself (which produces the echo) is not aware of the echo: the mind of the mountain hath no way (of access) to the meaning.

  • او همی بانگی کند بی گوش و هوش ** چون خمش کردی تو او هم شد خموش
  • Without ear and mind, it goes on making a noise; when you are silent, it also becomes silent.

  • داد حق اهل سبا را بس فراغ ** صد هزاران قصر و ایوانها و باغ 285
  • God bestowed on the people of Sabá much ease—myriads of castles and palaces and orchards.

  • شکر آن نگزاردند آن بد رگان ** در وفا بودند کمتر از سگان
  • (But) those bad-natured ones rendered no thanks for that (bounty): in fidelity they were less than dogs.

  • مر سگی را لقمه‌ی نانی ز در ** چون رسد بر در همی‌بندد کمر
  • When to a dog there comes from the door a piece of bread, he will gird up his loins at the door.

  • پاسبان و حارس در می‌شود ** گرچه بر وی جور و سختی می‌رود
  • He will become the watcher and guardian of the door, even though violence and hard treatment befall him.

  • هم بر آن در باشدش باش و قرار ** کفر دارد کرد غیری اختیار
  • Still will he stay and abide at that door: he will deem it ingratitude to prefer another.

  • ور سگی آید غریبی روز و شب ** آن سگانش می‌کنند آن دم ادب 290
  • And (again), if a strange dog come by day or night (to a quarter of the town), the dogs there will at once teach him a lesson,

  • که برو آنجا که اول منزلست ** حق آن نعمت گروگان دلست
  • Saying, “Begone to the place that is thy first lodging: obligation for that kindness is the heart's pledge (which it must redeem).”

  • می‌گزندش که برو بر جای خویش ** حق آن نعمت فرو مگذار بیش
  • They will bite him, saying, “Begone to thy place, do not any more leave (unpaid) the obligation for that kindness.”