مارگیر اندر زمستان شدید ** مار می‌جست اژدهایی مرده دید
(Whilst) the snake-catcher was looking for snakes in the hard winter, he espied a dead dragon.
مارگیر از بهر حیرانی خلق ** مار گیرد اینت نادانی خلق
The snake-catcher catches snakes in order to amaze the people—behold the foolishness of the people!
آدمی کوهیست چون مفتون شود ** کوه اندر مار حیران چون شود
Man is a mountain: how should he be led into temptation? How should a mountain become amazed at a snake?
خویشتن نشناخت مسکین آدمی ** از فزونی آمد و شد در کمی1000
Wretched Man does not know himself: he has come from a high estate and fallen into lowlihood.
خویشتن را آدمی ارزان فروخت ** بود اطلس خویش بر دلقی بدوخت
Man has sold himself cheaply: he was satin, he has sewn himself on (become attached) to a tattered cloak.
صد هزاران مار و که حیران اوست ** او چرا حیران شدست و ماردوست
Hundreds of thousands of snakes and mountains are amazed at him: why (then) has he become amazed and fond of a snake?
مارگیر آن اژدها را بر گرفت ** سوی بغداد آمد از بهر شگفت
The snake-catcher took up that snake and came to Baghdád for the sake of (exciting) astonishment.
اژدهایی چون ستون خانه‌ای ** می‌کشیدش از پی دانگانه‌ای
In quest of a paltry fee he carried along a dragon like the pillar of a house,
کاژدهای مرده‌ای آورده‌ام ** در شکارش من جگرها خورده‌ام1005
Saying, “I have brought a dead dragon: I have suffered agonies in hunting it.”
او همی مرده گمان بردش ولیک ** زنده بود و او ندیدش نیک نیک
He thought it was dead, but it was living, and he did not see it very well.
او ز سرماها و برف افسرده بود ** زنده بود و شکل مرده می‌نمود
It was frozen by frosts and snow: it was alive, but it presented the appearance of the dead.
عالم افسردست و نام او جماد ** جامد افسرده بود ای اوستاد
The world is frozen: its name is jamád (inanimate): jámid is (means) “frozen,” O master.
باش تا خورشید حشر آید عیان ** تا ببینی جنبش جسم جهان
Wait till the sun of the Resurrection shall become manifest, that thou mayst see the movement of the world's body.
چون عصای موسی اینجا مار شد ** عقل را از ساکنان اخبار شد1010
When here (in this world) the rod of Moses became a snake, information was given to the intellect concerning motionless (inanimate) beings.
پاره‌ی خاک ترا چون مرد ساخت ** خاکها را جملگی شاید شناخت
Since He (God) made thy piece of earth a man, thou shouldst recognise (the real nature of) the entire sum of the particles of earth:
مرده زین سو اند و زان سو زنده‌اند ** خامش اینجا و آن طرف گوینده‌اند
(That) from this standpoint they are dead and from that standpoint they are living; (that they are) silent here and speaking yonder.
چون از آن سوشان فرستد سوی ما ** آن عصا گردد سوی ما اژدها
When He sends them from that quarter towards us, the rod becomes a dragon in relation to us.
کوهها هم لحن داودی کند ** جوهر آهن بکف مومی بود
The mountains too make a song like that of David, and the substance of iron is (as) wax in the hand.
باد حمال سلیمانی شود ** بحر با موسی سخن‌دانی شود1015
The wind becomes a bearer for Solomon, the sea becomes capable of understanding words in regard to Moses.
ماه با احمد اشارت‌بین شود ** نار ابراهیم را نسرین شود
The moon becomes able to see the sign in obedience to Ahmad (Mohammed), the fire becomes wild-roses for Abraham.
خاک قارون را چو ماری در کشد ** استن حنانه آید در رشد
The earth swallows Qárún (Korah) like a snake; the Moaning Pillar comes into (the way of) righteousness.
سنگ بر احمد سلامی می‌کند ** کوه یحیی را پیامی می‌کند
The stone salaams to Ahmad (Mohammed); the mountain sends a message to Yahyá (John the Baptist).
ما سمعیعیم و بصیریم و خوشیم ** با شما نامحرمان ما خامشیم
(They all say), “We have hearing and sight and are happy, (although) with you, the uninitiated, we are mute.”
چون شما سوی جمادی می‌روید ** محرم جان جمادان چون شوید1020
Forasmuch as ye are going towards (are inclined to) inanimateness (worldliness), how shall ye become familiar with the spiritual life of inanimate beings?
از جمادی عالم جانها روید ** غلغل اجزای عالم بشنوید
Go (forth) from inanimateness into the world of spirits, hearken to the loud noise of the particles of the world.
فاش تسبیح جمادات آیدت ** وسوسه‌ی تاویلها نربایدت
The glorification of God by inanimate beings will become evident to thee; the doubts suggested by (false) interpretations will not carry thee away (from the truth).
چون ندارد جان تو قندیلها ** بهر بینش کرده‌ای تاویلها
Since thy soul hath not the lamps (the lights necessary) for seeing, thou hast made interpretations,
که غرض تسبیح ظاهر کی بود ** دعوی دیدن خیال غی بود
Saying, “How should visible glorification (of God) be the meaning intended? The claim to see (that glorification) is an erroneous fancy.
بلک مر بیننده را دیدار آن ** وقت عبرت می‌کند تسبیح‌خوان1025
Nay, the sight of that (inanimate object) causes him that sees it to glorify God at the time when he regards its significance.
پس چو از تسبیح یادت می‌دهد ** آن دلالت همچو گفتن می‌بود
Therefore, inasmuch as it reminds you of glorification, that indication (which it gives to you) is even as (equivalent to its) uttering (the words of glorification).”
این بود تاویل اهل اعتزال ** و آن آنکس کو ندارد نور حال
This is the interpretation of the Mu‘tazilites and of those who do not possess the light of immediate (mystical) intuition.
چون ز حس بیرون نیامد آدمی ** باشد از تصویر غیبی اعجمی
When a man has not escaped from sense-perception, he will be a stranger to the ideas of the unseen world.
این سخن پایان ندارد مارگیر ** می‌کشید آن مار را با صد زحیر
This discourse hath no end. The snake-catcher, with a hundred pains, was bringing the snake along,
تا به بغداد آمد آن هنگامه‌جو ** تا نهد هنگامه‌ای بر چارسو1030
Till (at last) the would-be showman arrived at Baghdád, that he might set up a public show at the cross-roads.
بر لب شط مرد هنگامه نهاد ** غلغله در شهر بغداد اوفتاد
The man set up a show on the bank of the Tigris, and a hubbub arose in the city of Baghdád—
مارگیری اژدها آورده است ** بوالعجب نادر شکاری کرده است
“A snake-catcher has brought a dragon: he has captured a marvellous rare beast.”
جمع آمد صد هزاران خام‌ریش ** صید او گشته چو او از ابلهیش
Myriads of simpletons assembled, who had become a prey to him as he (to it) in his folly.
منتظر ایشان و هم او منتظر ** تا که جمع آیند خلق منتشر
They were waiting (to see the dragon), and he too was waiting for the scattered people to assemble.
مردم هنگامه افزون‌تر شود ** کدیه و توزیع نیکوتر رود1035
The greater the crowd, the better goes the begging and contributing (of money).
جمع آمد صد هزاران ژاژخا ** حلقه کرده پشت پا بر پشت پا
Myriads of idle babblers assembled, forming a ring, sole against sole.
مرد را از زن خبر نه ز ازدحام ** رفته درهم چون قیامت خاص و عام
Man took no heed of woman: on account of the throng they were mingled together like nobles and common folk at the Resurrection.
چون همی حراقه جنبانید او ** می‌کشیدند اهل هنگامه گلو
When he (the snake-catcher) began to move the cloth (which covered the dragon), the people in the crowd strained their throats (necks),
و اژدها کز زمهریر افسرده بود ** زیر صد گونه پلاس و پرده بود
And (saw that) the dragon, which had been frozen by intense cold, was underneath a hundred kinds of coarse woollen cloths and coverlets.
بسته بودش با رسنهای غلیظ ** احتیاطی کرده بودش آن حفیظ1040
He had bound it with thick ropes: that careful keeper had taken great precaution for it.
در درنگ انتظار و اتفاق ** تافت بر آن مار خورشید عراق
During the delay (interval) of expectation and coming together, the sun of ‘Iráq shone upon the snake.
آفتاب گرم‌سیرش گرم کرد ** رفت از اعضای او اخلاط سرد
The sun of the hot country warmed it; the cold humours went out of its limbs.
مرده بود و زنده گشت او از شگفت ** اژدها بر خویش جنبیدن گرفت
It had been dead, and it revived: from astonishment (at feeling the sun's heat) the dragon began to uncoil itself.
خلق را از جنبش آن مرده مار ** گشتشان آن یک تحیر صد هزار
By the stirring of that dead serpent the people's amazement was multiplied a hundred thousand fold.
با تحیر نعره‌ها انگیختند ** جملگان از جنبشش بگریختند1045
With amazement they started shrieking and fled en masse from its motion.
می‌سکست او بند و زان بانگ بلند ** هر طرف می‌رفت چاقاچاق بند
It set about bursting the bonds, and at that loud outcry (of the people) the bonds on every side went crack, crack.