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3
2747-2796

  • نک نشان آنست کاندر چشمه ماه ** مضطرب گردد ز پیل آب‌خواه
  • Lo, the token (of my veracity) is that the Moon (reflected) in the spring will be disturbed by the water-craving elephant.

  • آن فلان شب حاضر آ ای شاه‌پیل ** تا درون چشمه یابی زین دلیل
  • Come and be present on the such-and-such a night, O king elephant, in order that within the spring thou mayst find the proof of this (assertion).’

  • چونک هفت و هشت از مه بگذرید ** شاه‌پیل آمد ز چشمه می‌چرید
  • When seven and eight (fifteen nights) of the month had passed, the king elephant came to drink from the spring.

  • چونک زد خرطوم پیل آن شب درآب ** مضطرب شد آب ومه کرد اضطراب 2750
  • When on that night the elephant put his trunk in the water, the water was disturbed, and the Moon showed disturbance.

  • پیل باور کرد از وی آن خطاب ** چون درون چشمه مه کرد اضطراب
  • The elephant believed that speech of his (the hare's), when the Moon in the spring showed disturbance.

  • مانه زان پیلان گولیم ای گروه ** که اضطراب ماه آردمان شکوه
  • O company (of prophets), we are not (to be reckoned) among those stupid elephants who are terrified by the disturbance of the Moon.”

  • انبیا گفتند آوه پند جان ** سخت‌تر کرد ای سفیهان بندتان
  • The prophets said, “Ah, (our) spiritual admonition has (only) made your (carnal) bondage more grievous, O ye fools!

  • جواب گفتن انبیا طعن ایشان را و مثل زدن ایشان را
  • How the prophets answered their sneers and uttered parables unto them.

  • ای دریغا که دوا در رنجتان ** گشت زهر قهر جان آهنجتان
  • Oh, alas that in (the case of) your disease the remedy has become for you the poison of soul-wringing (Divine) vengeance.

  • ظلمت افزود این چراغ آن چشم را ** چون خدا بگماشت پرده‌ی خشم را 2755
  • This lamp (of spiritual admonition) has increased the darkness of that (diseased) eye, since God has set (over it) the veil of wrath.

  • چه رئیسی جست خواهیم از شما ** که ریاستمان فزونست از سما
  • What dominion shall we crave from you? for our dominion is greater than the sky.”

  • چه شرف یابد ز کشتی بحر در ** خاصه کشتیی ز سرگین گشته پر
  • What glory should the sea of pearls acquire from the ship— especially a ship that has been filled with dung?

  • ای دریغ آن دیده‌ی کور و کبود ** آفتابی اندرو ذره نمود
  • Oh, alas for that eye blind and blear! Therein a sun seemed as (insignificant as) a mote.

  • ز آدمی که بود بی مثل و ندید ** دیده ابلیس جز طینی ندید
  • In an Adam who was without like or equal the eye of Iblís discerned naught but a piece of clay.

  • چشم دیوانه بهارش دی نمود ** زان طرف جنبید کو را خانه بود 2760
  • The devilish eye showed (saw) his (Adam's) spring as winter: it moved in the direction where its (original) home was.

  • ای بسا دولت که آید گاه گاه ** پیش بی‌دولت بگردد او ز راه
  • Oh, many a fortune that comes now and then to the unfortunate one, and he turns away (from it)!

  • ای بسا معشوق کاید ناشناخت ** پیش بدبختی نداند عشق باخت
  • Oh, many a beloved who comes unbeknown to an ill-starred one, and he knows not how to make love!

  • این غلط‌ده دیده را حرمان ماست ** وین مقلب قلب را س القضاست
  • This that misleads the eye is our (original) damnation, and this that turns the heart (from seeing the truth) is (our) evil destiny.

  • چون بت سنگین شما را قبله شد ** لعنت و کوری شما را ظله شد
  • Since to you the idol of stone has become an object of adoration, the curse (of God) and blindness have o’ershadowed you.

  • چون بشاید سنگتان انباز حق ** چون نشاید عقل و جان همراز حق 2765
  • When your stone is a fitting partner for God, how are not intellect and spirit fitting confidants of God?

  • پشه‌ی مرده هما را شد شریک ** چون نشاید زنده همراز ملیک
  • The dead gnat has become the consort of the humá: how (then) is the living one not fit to be the confidant of the King?

  • یا مگر مرده تراشیده‌ی شماست ** پشه‌ی زنده تراشیده‌ی خداست
  • Or, maybe, (’tis because) the dead one is fashioned by you, (whereas) the living gnat is fashioned by God.

  • عاشق خویشید و صنعت‌کرد خویش ** دم ماران را سر مارست کیش
  • Ye are in love with yourselves and the thing manufactured by yourselves: to serpents' tails the serpent's head is a law.

  • نه در آن دم دولتی و نعمتی ** نه در آن سر راحتی و لذتی
  • In that tail there is no fortune or happiness; in that head there is no pleasure or delight.

  • گرد سر گردان بود آن دم مار ** لایق‌اند و درخورند آن هر دو یار 2770
  • That serpent's tail is circling around the head: both those friends are fit and suited (to each other).

  • آنچنان گوید حکیم غزنوی ** در الهی‌نامه گر خوش بشنوی
  • So says the Sage of Ghazna in the Iláhí-náma, if thou wilt hearken well—

  • کم فضولی کن تو در حکم قدر ** درخور آمد شخص خر با گوش خر
  • “Do not behave as a (presumptuous) meddler in the decree of (Divine) fore-ordainment: the ass's shape is suited to the ass's ear.”

  • شد مناسب عضوها و ابدانها ** شد مناسب وصفها با جانها
  • Limbs and bodies are congruous; qualities are congruous with souls.

  • وصف هر جانی تناسب باشدش ** بی گمان با جان که حق بتراشدش
  • Unquestionably the quality of every soul has congruity with the soul; for God fashions it (accordingly).

  • چون صفت با جان قرین کردست او ** پس مناسب دانش همچون چشم و رو 2775
  • Inasmuch as He hath joined the quality to the soul, know that it (the quality) is congruous, like eyes and face.

  • شد مناسب وصفها در خوب و زشت ** شد مناسب حرفها که حق نبشت
  • The (good and evil) qualities are congruous in the good and evil (souls): congruous are the letters that God hath written.

  • دیده و دل هست بین اصبعین ** چون قلم در دست کاتب ای حسین
  • The eye and the heart are between two fingers like a pen in the hand of the writer, O Husayn.

  • اصبع لطفست و قهر و در میان ** کلک دل با قبض و بسطی زین بنان
  • (These) are the fingers of Grace and Wrath, and between them the pen, the heart, is in a state of distress or ease (caused) by these fingers.

  • ای قلم بنگر گر اجلالیستی ** که میان اصبعین کیستی
  • O pen, if thou art one that (duly) magnifies (God), consider whose two fingers thou art between.

  • جمله قصد و جنبشت زین اصبعست ** فرق تو بر چار راه مجمعست 2780
  • All thy volition and movement are (controlled) by this finger: thy head (point) is on the crossways of the assembly-place.

  • این حروف حالهات از نسخ اوست ** عزم و فسخت هم ز عزم و فسخ اوست
  • These letters (symbolising) thy (diverse) states are of His inditing: thy forming a purpose and changing it is just from His forming a purpose and changing it.

  • جز نیاز و جز تضرع راه نیست ** زین تقلب هر قلم آگاه نیست
  • There is no way but supplication and self-abasement: not every pen is conscious of this subjection to (Divine) control.

  • این قلم داند ولی بر قدر خود ** قدر خود پیدا کند در نیک و بد
  • The pen knows this (control), but (only) according to its (fore-ordained) measure: it manifests its measure (of knowledge) in good and evil (actions).

  • آنچ در خرگوش و پیل آویختند ** تا ازل را با حیل آمیختند
  • (As regards) that (apologue) which they attached to the hare and the elephant, so that they confused (the dispensation of) eternity with (mere) tricks,

  • بیان آنک هر کس را نرسد مثل آوردن خاصه در کار الهی
  • [Explaining that it is not seemly for every one to adduce parables, especially concerning Divine actions.]

  • کی رسدتان این مثلها ساختن ** سوی آن درگاه پاک انداختن 2785
  • How is it seemly for you to make these similitudes and cast them at (apply them to) that holy Court?

  • آن مثل آوردن آن حضرتست ** که بعلم سر و جهر او آیتست
  • That use of similitudes belongs to the Lord, for He is the (sole) authority for the knowledge of the hidden and the manifest.

  • تو چه دانی سر چیزی تا تو کل ** یا به زلفی یا به رخ آری مثل
  • What dost thou know of the hidden nature of anything, that thou, baldpate, shouldst use a lock of hair or a cheek as similitudes?

  • موسیی آن را عصا دید و نبود ** اژدها بد سر او لب می‌گشود
  • A Moses deemed that (wood) a rod, but it was not (a rod): it was a dragon: its hidden nature was opening its lips (revealing itself).

  • چون چنان شاهی نداند سر چوب ** تو چه دانی سر این دام و حبوب
  • Inasmuch as such a (spiritual) king knows not the hidden nature of wood, how shouldst thou know the hidden nature of this snare and bait?

  • چون غلط شد چشم موسی در مثل ** چون کند موشی فضولی مدخل 2790
  • Since the eye of Moses was at fault in the similitude, how should a meddling mouse find an entrance (to perception of the truth)?

  • آن مثالت را چو اژدرها کند ** تا به پاسخ جزو جزوت بر کند
  • He (God) will make that comparison of thine a dragon, that in answer it may tear thee to pieces.

  • این مثال آورد ابلیس لعین ** تا که شد ملعون حق تا یوم دین
  • The accursed Iblís used this (kind of) comparison, so that he fell under God's curse till the Day of Judgement.

  • این مثال آورد قارون از لجاج ** تا فرو شد در زمین با تخت و تاج
  • Qárún (Korah) from contumacy used this (kind of) comparison, so that he sank down into the earth with his throne and diadem.

  • این مثالت را چو زاغ و بوم دان ** که ازیشان پست شد صد خاندان
  • Know that this comparison of thine is like crows and owls by which a hundred households are laid low.

  • مثلها زدن قوم نوح باستهزا در زمان کشتی ساختن
  • How the people of Noah uttered similitudes derisively at the time of his building the Ark

  • نوح اندر بادیه کشتی بساخت ** صد مثل‌گو از پی تسخیر بتاخت 2795
  • Noah built an Ark in the desert : a hundred speakers of parables ran up to ridicule (him).

  • در بیابانی که چاه آب نیست ** می‌کند کشتی چه نادان و ابلهیست
  • He is making a ship (Ark) in the desert where no well of water exists: what an ignorant fool he is!"