سنگ خارا گشت و زان خو بر نگشت ** ریگ شد کز وی نروید هیچ کشت
He became hard rock and changed not from that disposition; he became sand from which no produce grows.”
گفت حکمت چیست کنجا اسم حق ** سود کرد اینجا نبود آن را سبق2590
Said the other, “What is the reason that the Name of God availed there, (while) it had no advantage (good effect) here?
آن همان رنجست و این رنجی چرا ** او نشد این را و آن را شد دوا
That (physical infirmity) is disease too, and this (folly) is a disease: why did it (the Name of God) not become a cure for this, since it cured that?”
گفت رنج احمقی قهر خداست ** رنج و کوری نیست قهر آن ابتلاست
He (Jesus) said, “The disease of folly is (the result of) the wrath of God; (physical) disease and blindness are not (the result of Divine) wrath: they are (a means of) probation.”
Probation is a disease that brings (Divine) mercy (in its train); folly is a disease that brings (Divine) rejection.
آنچ داغ اوست مهر او کرده است ** چاره‌ای بر وی نیارد برد دست
That which is branded on him (the fool) He (God) hath sealed: no hand can apply a remedy to it.
ز احمقان بگریز چون عیسی گریخت ** صحبت احمق بسی خونها که ریخت2595
Flee from the foolish, seeing that (even) Jesus fled (from them): how much blood has been shed by companionship with fools!
اندک اندک آب را دزدد هوا ** دین چنین دزدد هم احمق از شما
The air steals away (absorbs) water little by little: so too does the fool steal away religion from you.
گرمیت را دزدد و سردی دهد ** همچو آن کو زیر کون سنگی نهد
He steals away your heat and gives you cold, like one who puts a stone under your rump.
آن گریز عیسی نه از بیم بود ** آمنست او آن پی تعلیم بود
The flight of Jesus was not caused by fear, (for) he is safe (from the mischief done by fools): it was for the purpose of teaching (others).
زمهریر ار پر کند آفاق را ** چه غم آن خورشید با اشراق را
Though intense frost fill the world from end to end, what harm (would it do) to the radiant sun?
قصه‌ی اهل سبا و حماقت ایشان و اثر ناکردن نصیحت انبیا در احمقان
The story of the people of Sabá and their folly, and how the admonition of the prophets produces no effect upon the foolish.
یادم آمد قصه‌ی اهل سبا ** کز دم احمق صباشان شد وبا2600
I am reminded of the story of the people of Sabá—how their (balmy) zephyr (sabá) was turned into pestilence (wabá) by the words of the foolish.
آن سبا ماند به شهر بس کلان ** در فسانه بشنوی از کودکان
That (kingdom of) Sabá resembles the great big city (which) you may hear of from children in (their) tales.
کودکان افسانه‌ها می‌آورند ** درج در افسانه‌شان بس سر و پند
The children relate tales, (but) in their tales there is enfolded many a mystery and (moral) lesson.
هزلها گویند در افسانه‌ها ** گنج می‌جو در همه ویرانه‌ها
(Though) in (their) tales they say (many) ridiculous things, (yet) in all ruined places do thou ever seek the treasure.
بود شهری بس عظیم و مه ولی ** قدر او قدر سکره بیش نی
(Once) there was a city very huge and great, but its size was the size of a saucer, no more (than that).
بس عظیم و بس فراخ و بس دراز ** سخت زفت زفت اندازه‌ی پیاز2605
(It was) very huge and very broad and very long, ever so big, as big as an onion.
مردم ده شهر مجموع اندرو ** لیک جمله سه تن ناشسته‌رو
The people of ten cities were assembled within it, but the whole (amounted to) three fellows with unwashed (dirty) faces.
اندرو خلق و خلایق بی‌شمار ** لیک آن جمله سه خام پخته‌خوار
Within it there were numberless people and folk, but the whole of them (amounted to) three beggarly fools.
جان ناکرده به جانان تاختن ** گر هزارانست باشد نیم تن
The soul that has not made haste towards the Beloved— (even) if it is thousands, (yet) it is (only) half a body.
آن یکی بس دور بین و دیده‌کور ** از سلیمان کور و دیده پای مور
One (of the three) was very far-sighted and blind-eyed— blind to Solomon and seeing the leg of the ant;
و آن دگر بس تیزگوش و سخت کر ** گنج و در وی نیست یک جو سنگ زر2610
And the second was very sharp of hearing and extremely deaf—a treasure in which there is not a barleycorn's weight of gold;
وآن دگر عور و برهنه لاشه‌باز ** لیک دامنهای جامه‌ی او دراز
And the other (the third) was naked and bare, pudendo patefacto, but the skirts of his raiment were long. [And the other (the third) was naked and bare, (the private parts of his) body exposed, but the skirts of his raiment were long.]
گفت کور اینک سپاهی می‌رسند ** من همی‌بینم که چه قومند و چند
The blind man said, “Look, an army is approaching: I see what people they are and how many.”
گفت کر آری شنودم بانگشان ** که چه می‌گویند پیدا و نهان
The deaf man said, “Yes; I heard their voices (and know) what they are saying openly and secretly.”
آن برهنه گفت ترسان زین منم ** که ببرند از درازی دامنم
The naked man said, “I am afraid they will cut off (something) from the length of my skirt.”
کور گفت اینک به نزدیک آمدند ** خیز بگریزیم پیش از زخم و بند2615
The blind man said, “Look, they have come near! Arise and let us flee before (we suffer) blows and chains.”
کر همی‌گوید که آری مشغله ** می‌شود نزدیکتر یاران هله
“Yes,” says the deaf man, “the noise is getting nearer. Come on, my friends!”
آن برهنه گفت آوه دامنم ** از طمع برند و من ناآمنم
The naked man said, “Alas, from covetousness they will cut off my skirt, and I am unprotected.”
شهر را هشتند و بیرون آمدند ** در هزیمت در دهی اندر شدند
They (the three) left the city and came forth and in their flight entered a village.
اندر آن ده مرغ فربه یافتند ** لیک ذره‌ی گوشت بر وی نه نژند
In that village they found a fat fowl, but not a mite of flesh on it: (’twas) abject—