گربه کرده چنگ خود اندر قفص ** نام چنگش درد و سرسام و مغص
The cat has put its claws into the cage: the name of its claws is pain and delirium and gripes.
گربه مرگست و مرض چنگال او ** می‌زند بر مرغ و پر و بال او
The cat is Death, and its claws are disease: it is striking at the bird and its plumage.
گوشه گوشه می‌جهد سوی دوا ** مرگ چون قاضیست و رنجوری گوا3985
He (the sick man) darts (like the bird) from corner to corner towards the remedy. Death is like the cadi, and the disease is the witness.
چون پیاده‌ی قاضی آمد این گواه ** که همی‌خواند ترا تا حکم گاه
This witness comes (to you), like the cadi's footman (officer), who summons you to the place of judgment.
مهلتی می‌خواهی از وی در گریز ** گر پذیرد شد و گرنه گفت خیز
You, in flight (from your doom), beg him (to grant you) a respite: if he consent, it is granted; otherwise, he says, “Arise (and go with me).”
جستن مهلت دوا و چاره‌ها ** که زنی بر خرقه‌ی تن پاره‌ها
The seeking of a respite consists in remedies and cures, that you may patch (thereby) the tattered cloak, the body.
عاقبت آید صباحی خشم‌وار ** چند باشد مهلت آخر شرم دار
At last, one morning, he comes angrily, saying, “How long will the respite be? Now, prithee, be ashamed!”
عذر خود از شه بخواه ای پرحسد ** پیش از آنک آنچنان روزی رسد3990
O envious man, ask your pardon of the King ere such a day as that arrives.
وانک در ظلمت براند بارگی ** برکند زان نور دل یکبارگی
And he who rides his horse into the darkness and altogether removes his heart from the Light
می‌گریزد از گوا و مقصدش ** کان گوا سوی قضا می‌خواندش
Is fleeing from the witness and his purpose; for that witness is calling him to judgement.
دیگر باره ملامت کردن اهل مسجد مهمان را از شب خفتن در آن مسجد
How the people of the mosque blamed the guest once more for (his intention of) sleeping in the mosque by night.
قوم گفتندش مکن جلدی برو ** تا نگردد جامه و جانت گرو
The people said to him, “Do not act with foolhardiness, depart, lest thy (bodily) vesture and thy soul become in pawn (to Death).”
آن ز دور آسان نماید به نگر ** که به آخر سخت باشد ره‌گذر
Froth afar it seems easy, (but) look well! for in the end the passage is grievous.
خویشتن آویخت بس مرد و سکست ** وقت پیچاپیچ دست‌آویز جست3995
Many a man hanged himself and broke (his neck) and at the moment of agony sought something for his hand to cling to.
پیشتر از واقعه آسان بود ** در دل مردم خیال نیک و بد
Before the battle, the fancy of good or evil is slight (makes no deep impression) in a man’s heart;
چون در آید اندرون کارزار ** آن زمان گردد بر آنکس کار زار
(But) when he enters into the fray, then to that person the matter becomes woeful.
چون نه شیری هین منه تو پای پیش ** کان اجل گرگست و جان تست میش
Since you are not a lion, beware, do not step forward, for that Doom is a wolf, and your soul is the sheep;
ور ز ابدالی و میشت شیر شد ** آمن آ که مرگ تو سرزیر شد
But if you are one of the Abdál (saints) and your sheep has become a lion, come on securely, for your death has been over-thrown.
کیست ابدال آنک او مبدل شود ** خمرش از تبدیل یزدان خل شود4000
Who is the Abdál? He that becomes transmuted, he whose wine is turned into vinegar by Divine transmutation.
لیک مستی شیرگیری وز گمان ** شیر پنداری تو خود را هین مران
But you are drunken, pot-valiant, and from (mere) opinion think yourself to be a lion: Beware, do not advance!
گفت حق ز اهل نفاق ناسدید ** باسهم ما بینهم باس شدید
God bath said of the unrighteous Hypocrites, “Their valour amongst themselves is a great valour.
در میان همدگر مردانه‌اند ** در غزا چون عورتان خانه‌اند
Amongst one another they are manly, (but) in a warlike expedition they are as the women of the house.”
گفت پیغامبر سپهدار غیوب ** لا شجاعة یا فتی قبل الحروب
The Prophet; the commander-in-chief of the things unseen, said, “There is no bravery, O youth, before the battles.”
وقت لاف غزو مستان کف کنند ** وقت جوش جنگ چون کف بی‌فنند4005
The drunken make a froth when there is talk of war, (but) when war is raging they are as unskilled (useless) as froth.
وقت ذکر غزو شمشیرش دراز ** وقت کر و فر تیغش چون پیاز
At the time when war is spoken Of, his (such a one’s) scimitar is long (drawn and extended); at the time of combat his sword is (sheathed) like an onion.
وقت اندیشه دل او زخم‌جو ** پس به یک سوزن تهی شد خیک او
At the time of premeditation his heart is eager for wounds; then (in action) his bag is emptied (of air) by a single needle.
من عجب دارم ز جویای صفا ** کو رمد در وقت صیقل از جفا
I marvel at the seeker of purity who at the time of polishing shrinks from being handled roughly.
عشق چون دعوی جفا دیدن گواه ** چون گواهت نیست شد دعوی تباه
Love is like the lawsuit; to suffer harsh treatment is (like) the evidence: when you have no evidence, the lawsuit is lost.
چون گواهت خواهد این قاضی مرنج ** بوسه ده بر مار تا یابی تو گنج4010
Do not be aggrieved when this Judge demands your evidence: kiss the snake in order that you may gain the treasure.
آن جفا با تو نباشد ای پسر ** بلک با وصف بدی اندر تو در
That harshness is not towards you, O son; nay, towards the evil qualities within you.
بر نمد چوبی که آن را مرد زد ** بر نمد آن را نزد بر گرد زد
The blows of the stick with which a man beats a rug he inflicts, not on the rug, but on the dust (in the rug).
گر بزد مر اسپ را آن کینه کش ** آن نزد بر اسپ زد بر سکسکش
If that vindictive fellow lashes the horse, he directs the blows, not at the horse, but at its stumbling,
تا ز سکسک وا رهد خوش‌پی شود ** شیره را زندان کنی تا می‌شود
In order that it may be delivered from (the vice of) stumbling and may move well: you imprison must (in the vat) in order that it may become wine.
گفت چندان آن یتیمک را زدی ** چون نترسیدی ز قهر ایزدی4015
He (some one) said, “Thou hast struck that little orphan so many blows: how wert not thou afraid of the Divine wrath?”
گفت او را کی زدم ای جان و دوست ** من بر آن دیوی زدم کو اندروست
He (the striker) said, “O (dear) soul and friend, when did I strike him? I struck at the devil that is in him,”
مادر ار گوید ترا مرگ تو باد ** مرگ آن خو خواهد و مرگ فساد
If your mother say to you, “Mayst thou die!” she wishes the death of that (evil) nature (of yours) and the death of iniquity.
آن گروهی کز ادب بگریختند ** آب مردی و آب مردان ریختند
The folk who fled from correction dishonoured’ their (own) manhood and (true) men.
عاذلانشان از وغا وا راندند ** تا چنین حیز و مخنث ماندند
The railers drove them back from the war, so that they remained so infamous and effeminate.
لاف و غره‌ی ژاژخا را کم شنو ** با چنینها در صف هیجا مرو4020
Do not thou hearken to the boasting and roaring of the driveller: do not go into the battle-line with such fellows.
زانک زاد و کم خبالا گفت حق ** کز رفاق سست برگردان ورق
Since they would have added to you (naught but) corruption, God said, “Turn the leaf (avert yourself) from pusillanimous comrades,
که گر ایشان با شما همره شوند ** غازیان بی‌مغز همچون که شوند
For if they go along with you, the warriors will become pith- less, like straw.
خویشتن را با شما هم‌صف کنند ** پس گریزند و دل صف بشکنند
They put themselves in line with you (on the field of battle); then they flee and break the heart of the line.
پس سپاهی اندکی بی این نفر ** به که با اهل نفاق آید حشر
Therefore, better a little army without these persons than (that) it should be mustered (reinforced) with the Hypocrites.”
هست بادام کم خوش بیخته ** به ز بسیاری به تلخ آمیخته4025
A few well-sifted almonds are better than a great many (sweet ones) mixed with bitter..
تلخ و شیرین در ژغاژغ یک شی‌اند ** نقص از آن افتاد که همدل نیند
The bitter and the sweet are one thing (alike) in respect of rattling (against each other, when poured out); the defect arises from their not being the same at heart.
گبر ترسان دل بود کو از گمان ** می‌زید در شک ز حال آن جهان
The infidel is of timorous heart, for, (judging) from opinion, he lives in doubt as to the state of that (the other) world.