تو ز شادی چون گرفتی طبل‌زن ** که منم شاه و رئیس گولحن
How didst thou jubilantly take drummers (into thy service), proclaiming, ‘I am queen and mistress of the bath-stove’?”
مثل قانع شدن آدمی به دنیا و حرص او در طلب دنیا و غفلت او از دولت روحانیان کی ابنای جنس وی‌اند و نعره‌زنان کی یا لیت قومی یعلمون
Parable of Man's being contented with (the goods of) this world, and his greed in seeking (them) and his indifference to the high and blessed estate of the spiritual who are his congeners (and are) crying, "Oh, would that my people might know!"
آن سگی در کو گدای کور دید ** حمله می‌آورد و دلقش می‌درید1045
A dog saw a blind beggar in the street, and was rushing at him and tearing his cloak.
گفته‌ایم این را ولی باری دگر ** شد مکرر بهر تاکید خبر
We have (already) related this, but it is repeated (here) once again in order to strengthen (the effect of) the story.
کور گفتش آخر آن یاران تو ** بر کهند این دم شکاری صیدجو
The blind man said to it (the dog), “Why, at this moment your friends are hunting and seeking prey on the mountain.
قوم تو در کوه می‌گیرند گور ** در میان کوی می‌گیری تو کور
Your kinsfolk are catching onagers in the mountains: you are catching blind men in the streets.”
ترک این تزویر گو شیخ نفور ** آب شوری جمع کرده چند کور
O recalcitrant Shaykh, abandon this imposture: thou art (like) briny water, having gathered some blind men (around thee),
کین مریدان من و من آب شور ** می‌خورند از من همی گردند کور1050
(As though implicitly thou wert) saying, “These are my disciples, and I am (like) briny water: they drink of me and become blind.”
آب خود شیرین کن از بحر لدن ** آب بد را دام این کوران مکن
Sweeten thy water with the esoteric Sea: do not make the foul water a snare for these blind ones.
خیز شیران خدا بین گورگیر ** تو چو سگ چونی بزرقی کورگیر
Arise, behold the lions of God who catch the onager: how art thou, like a dog, catching the blind with a (display of) hypocrisy?
گور چه از صید غیر دوست دور ** جمله شیر و شیرگیر و مست نور
What onager (do they catch)? They are far from hunting aught but the Beloved. They all are lions and lion-catchers and intoxicated with the Light (of God).
در نظاره صید و صیادی شه ** کرده ترک صید و مرده در وله
In contemplation of the chase and hunting of the King, they have abandoned the chase and have become dead in bewilderment.
هم‌چو مرغ مرده‌شان بگرفته یار ** تا کند او جنس ایشان را شکار1055
The Friend has taken them, like a dead bird, that (by means of them) He may hunt down their congeners.
مرغ مرده مضطر اندر وصل و بین ** خوانده‌ای القلب بین اصبعین
The dead bird is compelled (deprived of volition) in respect of being united or separated: you have read (the Hadíth), “The heart is between two fingers (of the Merciful God).”
مرغ مرده‌ش را هر آنک شد شکار ** چون ببیند شد شکار شهریار
Every one that has fallen a prey to His dead bird (will perceive), when he sees (the truth), (that) he has fallen a prey to the King.
هر که او زین مرغ مرده سر بتافت ** دست آن صیاد را هرگز نیافت
Whoever turned his head away from this dead bird never gained the hand of that Hunter.
گوید او منگر به مرداری من ** عشق شه بین در نگهداری من
It (the dead bird) says, “Do not regard my being a carcase: see the King's love (shown) in preserving me.
من نه مردارم مرا شه کشته است ** صورت من شبه مرده گشته است1060
I am not a carcase: the King hath killed me: my appearance has become like (that of) the dead.
جنبشم زین پیش بود از بال و پر ** جنبشم اکنون ز دست دادگر
My former motion was by means of wing and pinion: now my motion proceeds from the hand of the (Divine) Judge.
جنبش فانیم بیرون شد ز پوست ** جنبشم باقیست اکنون چون ازوست
My perishable motion has gone forth from my skin: now my motion is everlasting, since it proceeds from Him.
هر که کژ جنبد به پیش جنبشم ** گرچه سیمرغست زارش می‌کشم
If any one move crookedly (misbehave) in the presence of my motion, I will kill him miserably, (even) though he is the Símurgh.
هین مرا مرده مبین گر زنده‌ای ** در کف شاهم نگر گر بنده‌ای
Beware! If thou art (spiritually) alive, do not deem me dead; if thou art a (devoted) slave (of God), regard me (as being) in the hand of the King.
مرده زنده کرد عیسی از کرم ** من به کف خالق عیسی درم1065
Jesus, by his grace, made the dead to be living: I am in the hand of the Creator of Jesus.
کی بمانم مرده در قبضه‌ی خدا ** بر کف عیسی مدار این هم روا
How should I remain dead in the grasp of God? Likewise, do not hold this to be possible in (the case of) the hand of ‘Jesus.’
عیسی‌ام لیکن هر آنکو یافت جان ** از دم من او بماند جاودان
I am ‘Jesus’; but every one that hath gained life from (been revived by) my breath will remain unto everlasting.
شد ز عیسی زنده لیکن باز مرد ** شاد آنکو جان بدین عیسی سپرد
He (the dead man) was made living by Jesus, but died again. Happy is he that gave up his life to this ‘Jesus.’
من عصاام در کف موسی خویش ** موسیم پنهان و من پیدا به پیش
I am the staff in the hand of my ‘Moses’: my ‘Moses’ is hidden, while I am visible in presence.
بر مسلمانان پل دریا شوم ** باز بر فرعون اژدها شوم1070
For the true believers I become a bridge across the sea; for Pharaoh, again, I become a dragon.”
این عصا را ای پسر تنها مبین ** که عصا بی‌کف حق نبود چنین
O son, do not regard this staff alone, for the staff would not be like this without the hand of God.
موج طوفان هم عصا بد کو ز درد ** طنطنه‌ی جادوپرستان را بخورد
The waves of the Flood too were a staff which, from being aggrieved, devoured the pomp of the votaries of magic.
گر عصاهای خدا را بشمرم ** زرق این فرعونیان را بر درم
If I should enumerate the staves of God, I should tear to pieces (expose and confound) the hypocrisy of these followers of Pharaoh;
لیک زین شیرین گیای زهرمند ** ترک کن تا چند روزی می‌چرند
But leave them to browse on this sweet poisonous grass for a few days.
گر نباشد جاه فرعون و سری ** از کجا یابد جهنم پروری1075
If there be not the power and dominion of Pharaoh, whence shall Hell obtain nutriment?
فربهش کن آنگهش کش ای قصاب ** زانک بی‌برگ‌اند در دوزخ کلاب
Fatten him, then kill him, O Butcher; for the dogs in Hell are without food.
گر نبودی خصم و دشمن در جهان ** پس بمردی خشم اندر مردمان
If there were no adversary and enemy in the world, then the anger in men would die.
دوزخ آن خشمست خصمی بایدش ** تا زید ور نی رحیمی بکشدش
That anger is Hell: it needs an adversary that it may live; else Mercy would kill it.
پس بماندی لطف بی‌قهر و بدی ** پس کمال پادشاهی کی بدی
Then clemency would remain without any vengeance or evil: then how would the perfection of Kingship be (manifested)?
ریش‌خندی کرده‌اند آن منکران ** بر مثلها و بیان ذاکران1080
Those disbelievers have made a laughing-stock of the parables and clear exposition of them that glorify (God).
تو اگر خواهی بکن هم ریش‌خند ** چند خواهی زیست ای مردار چند
Make (them) a laughing-stock, if thou wishest (O disbeliever): how long wilt thou live, O carcase, how long?
شاد باشید ای محبان در نیاز ** بر همین در که شود امروز باز
Rejoice, O lovers (of God), in supplication at this same door, for it is opened today.
هر حویجی باشدش کردی دگر ** در میان باغ از سیر و کبر
Every pot-herb, (such as) garlic and caper, has a different bed in the garden.
هر یکی با جنس خود در کرد خود ** از برای پختگی نم می‌خورد
Each with its own kind in its own bed drinks moisture (is watered) for the purpose of becoming mature.
تو که کرد زعفرانی زعفران ** باش و آمیزش مکن با دیگران1085
Thou, who art a saffron-bed, be saffron and do not mix with the others.
آب می‌خور زعفرانا تا رسی ** زعفرانی اندر آن حلوا رسی
Drink the water, O saffron, that thou mayst attain to maturity: thou art saffron, thou wilt attain to that halwá (sweetmeat).
در مکن در کرد شلغم پوز خویش ** که نگردد با تو او هم‌طبع و کیش
Do not put thy muzzle into the bed of turnips, for it (the turnip) will not agree with thee in nature and habit.
تو بکردی او بکردی مودعه ** زانک ارض الله آمد واسعه
Thou art planted in one bed, it (the turnip) in another bed, because God's earth is spacious,
خاصه آن ارضی که از پهناوری ** در سفر گم می‌شود دیو و پری
Particularly that earth (the unseen world) where, on account of its breadth, demon and genie are lost in their journey.
اندر آن بحر و بیابان و جبال ** منقطع می‌گردد اوهام و خیال1090
In (seeking to measure) those seas and deserts and mountains imagination and fancy fail entirely.
این بیابان در بیابانهای او ** هم‌چو اندر بحر پر یک تای مو
In (comparison with) the deserts thereof, this desert (the material world) is like a single hair in a full sea.
آب استاده که سیرستش نهان ** تازه‌تر خوشتر ز جوهای روان
The still water whose course is hidden is fresher and sweeter than running brooks,
کو درون خویش چون جان و روان ** سیر پنهان دارد و پای روان
For, like the (vital) spirit and the (rational) soul, it hath within itself a hidden course and a moving foot.