لاف وا داد کرمها می‌کند ** شاخ رحمت را ز بن بر می‌کند

Vain talk repels acts of kindness and tears off the bough of pity from the trunk of the tree.

راستی پیش آر یا خاموش کن ** وانگهان رحمت ببین و نوش کن

Bring forward (practise) honesty, or else be silent, and then behold pity and enjoy it.

آن شکم خصم سبال او شده ** دست پنهان در دعا اندر زده

That belly became the adversary of his moustache and secretly had recourse to prayer,

کای خدا رسوا کن این لاف لام ** تا بجنبد سوی ما رحم کرام

Crying, “O God, expose this idle brag of the base, in order that the pity of the noble may be moved towards me.”

مستجاب آمد دعای آن شکم ** شورش حاجت بزد بیرون علم 755

The belly's prayer was answered: the ardency of need put out a flag.

گفت حق گر فاسقی و اهل صنم ** چون مرا خوانی اجابتها کنم

God hath said, “Though thou be a profligate and idolater, I will answer when thou callest Me.”

تو دعا را سخت گیر و می‌شخول ** عاقبت برهاندت از دست غول

Do thou cleave fast unto prayer and ever cry out: in the end it will deliver thee from the hands of the ghoul.

چون شکم خود را به حضرت در سپرد ** گربه آمد پوست آن دنبه ببرد

When the belly committed itself to God, the cat came and carried off the skin of that sheep's tail.

از پس گربه دویدند او گریخت ** کودک از ترس عتابش رنگ ریخت

They ran after the cat, (but) she fled. The child (of the braggart), from fear of his scolding, changed colour (turned pale).

آمد اندر انجمن آن طفل خرد ** آب روی مرد لافی را ببرد 760

The little child came into (the midst of) the company and took away the prestige of the boastful man.

گفت آن دنبه که هر صبحی بدان ** چرب می‌کردی لبان و سبلتان

It said, “The sheep's tail with which every morning you greased your lips and moustaches—

گربه آمد ناگهانش در ربود ** بس دویدیم و نکرد آن جهد سود

The cat came and suddenly snatched it away: I ran hard, but the effort was of no use.”

خنده آمد حاضران را از شگفت ** رحمهاشان باز جنبیدن گرفت

Those who were present laughed from astonishment, and their feelings of pity began to be moved again.

دعوتش کردند و سیرش داشتند ** تخم رحمت در زمینش کاشتند

They invited him (to eat) and kept him full-fed, they sowed the seed of pity in his soil.

او چو ذوق راستی دید از کرام ** بی تکبر راستی را شد غلام 765

When he had tasted honesty from the noble, he without arrogance (humbly) became devoted to honesty.

دعوی طاوسی کردن آن شغال کی در خم صباغ افتاده بود

How the jackal which had fallen into the dyer’s vat pretended to be a peacock.

و آن شغال رنگ‌رنگ آمد نهفت ** بر بناگوش ملامت‌گر بکفت

(In the fashion) that parti-colored jackal came secretly and tapped on the lobe of the rebuker’s ear.

بنگر آخر در من و در رنگ من ** یک صنم چون من ندارد خود شمن

“Prithee look at me and at my colour: truly the idolater possesses no idol like me.

چون گلستان گشته‌ام صد رنگ و خوش ** مر مرا سجده کن از من سر مکش

Like the flower-garden I have become many-hued and lovely: bow in homage to me, do not withdraw from me (in aversion).

کر و فر و آب و تاب و رنگ بین ** فخر دنیا خوان مرا و رکن دین

Behold my glory and splendour and sheen and radiance and colour! Call me the Pride of the World and the Pillar of the Religion!

مظهر لطف خدایی گشته‌ام ** لوح شرح کبریایی گشته‌ام 770

I have become the theatre of the Divine Grace, I have become the tablet on which the Divine Majesty is unfolded.

ای شغالان هین مخوانیدم شغال ** کی شغالی را بود چندین جمال

O jackals, take heed, do not call me a jackal: how should a jackal have so much beauty?”

آن شغالان آمدند آنجا بجمع ** همچو پروانه به گرداگرد شمع

Those jackals came thither en masse, like moths around the candle.

پس چه خوانیمت بگو ای جوهری ** گفت طاوس نر چون مشتری

“Say then, what shall we call thee, O creature of (pure) substance?” He replied, “ A peacock (brilliant) as Jupiter.”

پس بگفتندش که طاوسان جان ** جلوه‌ها دارند اندر گلستان

Then they said to him, “The spiritual peacocks have displays (with the Beloved) in the Rose-garden:

تو چنان جلوه کنی گفتا که نی ** بادیه نارفته چون کوبم منی 775

Dost thou display thyself like that?” “No,” said he: “not having gone into the desert, how should I tread (the valley of) Mina?”

بانگ طاووسان کنی گفتا که لا ** پس نه‌ای طاووس خواجه بوالعلا

“Dost thou utter the cry of peacocks?” “Nay,” said he. “Then, Master Bu’l-‘Alam thou art not a peacock.

خلعت طاووس آید ز آسمان ** کی رسی از رنگ و دعویها بدان

The peacock’s garment of honour comes from Heaven: how wilt thou attain thereto by means of colours and pretences?”

تشبیه فرعون و دعوی الوهیت او بدان شغال کی دعوی طاوسی می‌کرد

Comparison of Pharaoh and his pretence of divinity to the jackal which pretended to be a peacock.

همچو فرعونی مرصع کرده ریش ** برتر از عیسی پریده از خریش

Thou art even as Pharaoh, who bejeweled his beard and in his asinine folly soared higher than Jesus.

او هم از نسل شغال ماده زاد ** در خم مالی و جاهی در فتاد

He too was born of the generation of the she-jackal and fell into a vat of riches and power.

هر که دید آن جاه و مالش سجده کرد ** سجده‌ی افسوسیان را او بخورد 780

Every one who beheld his power and riches bowed down to him in worship: he swallowed the worship of the idle mockers (worldlings).

گشت مستک آن گدای ژنده‌دلق ** از سجود و از تحیرهای خلق

That beggar in tattered cloak became miserably drunken with the people’s worship and feelings of amazement.

مال مار آمد که در وی زهرهاست ** و آن قبول و سجده‌ی خلق اژدهاست

Riches are a snake, for therein are poisons; and popular favour and worship is a dragon.

های ای فرعون ناموسی مکن ** تو شغالی هیچ طاووسی مکن

Ah, do not assume a virtue (which thou dost not possess), O Pharaoh: thou art a jackal, do not in any wise behave as a peacock.

سوی طاووسان اگر پیدا شوی ** عاجزی از جلوه و رسوا شوی

If thou appear in the direction of the peacocks, thou art in capable of (their) display and thou wilt be put to shame.

موسی و هارون چو طاووسان بدند ** پر جلوه بر سر و رویت زدند 785

Moses and Aaron were as peacocks: they flapped the wings of display upon thy head and face.

زشتیت پیدا شد و رسواییت ** سرنگون افتادی از بالاییت

Thy foulness and disgrace were exposed, thou didst fall head-long from thy height.

چون محک دیدی سیه گشتی چو قلب ** نقش شیری رفت و پیدا گشت کلب

When thou sawest the touchstone, thou becamest black, like adulterated coin: the leonine figure vanished, and the dog was revealed.

ای سگ‌گرگین زشت از حرص و جوش ** پوستین شیر را بر خود مپوش

O foul mangy dog, through greed and exuberant insolence do not clothe thyself in the lion’s skin.

غره‌ی شیرت بخواهد امتحان ** نقش شیر و آنگه اخلاق سگان

The roar of the lion will demand from thee the test (of thy sincerity). The figure of a lion , and then the dispositions of dogs!

تفسیر ولتعرفنهم فی لحن القول

Explanation of (the text), And thou wilt surely know them in the perversion of their speech.

گفت یزدان مر نبی را در مساق ** یک نشانی سهل‌تر ز اهل نفاق 790

God said to the Prophet in the course (of the Qur’án), “One sign of the hypocritical is easier (to perceive than other signs):

گر منافق زفت باشد نغز و هول ** وا شناسی مر ورا در لحن و قول

Though the hypocrite be big, handsome, and terrible, thou wilt recognise him in his perverse enunciation and speech.”

چون سفالین کوزه‌ها را می‌خری ** امتحانی می‌کنی ای مشتری

When you are buying earthenware pots, you make a trial, O purchaser.

می‌زنی دستی بر آن کوزه چرا ** تا شناسی از طنین اشکسته را

You give the pot a tap with your hand: why? In order that you may know the cracked one by the sound (which it makes).

بانگ اشکسته دگرگون می‌بود ** بانگ چاووشست پیشش می‌رود

The voice of the cracked one is different; the voice is a cháwúsh (beadle): it goes in front of it (the pot).

بانگ می‌آید که تعریفش کند ** همچو مصدر فعل تصریفش کند 795

The voice comes in order to make it known: it determines (the character of) it, as the verb (determines the form of) the masdar (verbal noun).

چون حدیث امتحان رویی نمود ** یادم آمد قصه‌ی هاروت زود

When the subject of (Divine) probation cropped up, the story of Hárút at once came into my memory.

قصه‌ی هاروت و ماروت و دلیری ایشان بر امتحانات حق تعالی

The Story of Hárút and Márút and their boldness in encountering the probations of God most High.

پیش ازین زان گفته بودیم اندکی ** خود چه گوییم از هزارانش یکی

Before this (occasion), we had told a little of it: what, indeed, should we tell? (We can tell only) one (item) of its thousands.

خواستم گفتن در آن تحقیقها ** تا کنون وا ماند از تعویقها

I wished to speak of the (spiritual) truths (contained) in it, (but) till now they have remained (untold) on account of hindrances.

حمله‌ی دیگر ز بسیارش قلیل ** گفته آید شرح یک عضوی ز پیل

(Now) once again a little of its much shall be told—the description (as it were) of a single limb of the elephant.

گوش کن هاروت را ماروت را ** ای غلام و چاکران ما روت را 800

Listen to (the tale of) Hárút and Márút, O thou to whose face we are (devoted) slaves and servants.