شاه فرعون و چو هامانش وزیر ** هر دو را نبود ز بدبختی گزیر
(When) the king (is like) Pharaoh and his vizier like Hámán, ill-fortune is inevitable for both.
پس بود ظلمات بعضی فوق بعض ** نه خرد یار و نه دولت روز عرض
Then it is (a case of) darkness, one part over another: neither intellect nor fortune shall be their friend on the Day of Judgement.
من ندیدم جز شقاوت در لام ** گر تو دیدستی رسان از من سلام1255
I have not seen aught but misery in the vile: if thou hast seen (aught else), convey (to them) the salaam (of felicitation) from me.
هم‌چو جان باشد شه و صاحب چو عقل ** عقل فاسد روح را آرد بنقل
The king is as the spirit, and the vizier as the intellect: the corrupt intellect brings the spirit into movement (towards corruption).
آن فرشته‌ی عقل چون هاروت شد ** سحرآموز دو صد طاغوت شد
When the angelical intellect became a Hárút, it became the teacher in magic to two hundred devils.
عقل جزوی را وزیر خود مگیر ** عقل کل را ساز ای سلطان وزیر
Do not take the particular (individual) intellect as thy vizier: make the Universal Intellect thy vizier, O king.
مر هوا را تو وزیر خود مساز ** که برآید جان پاکت از نماز
Do not make sensuality thy vizier, else thy pure spirit will cease from prayer,
کین هوا پر حرص و حالی‌بین بود ** عقل را اندیشه یوم دین بود1260
For this sensuality is full of greed and sees (only) the immediate present, (whereas) the Intellect takes thought for the Day of Judgement.
عقل را دو دیده در پایان کار ** بهر آن گل می‌کشد او رنج خار
The two eyes of the Intellect are (fixed) on the end of things: it endures the pain of the thorn for the sake of that Rose
که نفرساید نریزد در خزان ** باد هر خرطوم اخشم دور از آن
Which does not fade and drop in autumn—far from it be the wind (breath) of every nose that cannot smell!
نشستن دیو بر مقام سلیمان علیه‌السلام و تشبه کردن او به کارهای سلیمان علیه‌السلام و فرق ظاهر میان هر دو سلیمان و دیو خویشتن را سلیمان بن داود نام کردن
How the Demon sat on the place (throne) of Solomon, on whom be peace, and imitated his actions; and concerning the manifest difference between the two Solomons, and how the Demon called himself Solomon son of David.
ورچه عقلت هست با عقل دگر ** یار باش و مشورت کن ای پدر
Even if thou hast intellect, associate and consult with another intellect, O father.
با دو عقل از بس بلاها وا رهی ** پای خود بر اوج گردونها نهی
With two intellects thou wilt be delivered from many afflictions: thou wilt plant thy foot on the summit of the heavens.
دیو گر خود را سلیمان نام کرد ** ملک برد و مملکت را رام کرد1265
If the Demon called himself Solomon and won the kingdom and made the empire subject (to him),
صورت کار سلیمان دیده بود ** صورت اندر سر دیوی می‌نمود
(It was because) he had seen (and imitated) the form of Solomon's action; (but) within the form the spirit of demonry was appearing.
خلق گفتند این سلیمان بی‌صفاست ** از سلیمان تا سلیمان فرقهاست
The people said, “This Solomon is without excellence: there are (great) differences between (that) Solomon and (this) Solomon.”
او چو بیداریست این هم‌چون وسن ** هم‌چنانک آن حسن با این حسن
He (the former) is like wakefulness, this one is like sleep; (there is as much difference) as between that Hasan and this Hasan.
دیو می‌گفتی که حق بر شکل من ** صورتی کردست خوش بر اهرمن
The Demon would reply, “God has bestowed on Ahriman a pleasing form (aspect) in the likeness of me.
دیو را حق صورت من داده است ** تا نیندازد شما را او بشست1270
God hath given my aspect to the Devil: let him not cast you into his net!
گر پدید آید به دعوی زینهار ** صورت او را مدارید اعتبار
If he appear with the pretence (that he is really I), beware! Do not have regard to his (outward) form.”
دیوشان از مکر این می‌گفت لیک ** می‌نمود این عکس در دلهای نیک
The Demon was saying this to them from guile, but in good (enlightened) hearts the reverse of this was apparent.
نیست بازی با ممیز خاصه او ** که بود تمییز و عقلش غیب‌گو
There is no playing tricks with the discerning man, especially (with) him whose discernment and intelligence speak of the Unseen.
هیچ سحر و هیچ تلبیس و دغل ** می‌نبندد پرده بر اهل دول
No magic and no imposture and fraud will bind a veil upon the owners of (spiritual) empire.
پس همی گفتند با خود در جواب ** بازگونه می‌روی ای کژ خطاب1275
Hence they were saying to themselves in reply (to the Demon), “Thou art going upside down, O thou who art addressed falsely (by the name of Solomon).
بازگونه رفت خواهی همچنین ** سوی دوزخ اسفل اندر سافلین
Upside down likewise thou wilt go Hellward, the lowest among the low.
او اگر معزول گشتست و فقیر ** هست در پیشانیش بدر منیر
If he (Solomon) has been deposed and reduced to poverty, (yet) the radiant full-moon is on his forehead.
تو اگر انگشتری را برده‌ای ** دوزخی چون زمهریر افسرده‌ای
If thou hast carried off the (royal) signet-ring, (yet) thou art (as) a Hell frozen like (the region of) piercing cold.
ما ببوش و عارض و طاق و طرنب ** سر کجا که خود همی ننهیم سنب
On account of (the Demon's) ostentation and vain show and pomp and grandeur how (should we lay) the head (in obeisance before him)? for we will not lay (before him) even a hoof.
ور به غفلت ما نهیم او را جبین ** پنجه‌ی مانع برآید از زمین1280
And if heedlessly we should lay the forehead (on the ground in homage) to him, a preventing hand will rise up from the earth,
که منه آن سر مرین سر زیر را ** هین مکن سجده مرین ادبار را
(As though to say), ‘Do not lay the head before this headlong-fallen one; beware, do not bow down to this ill-fated wretch!’”
کردمی من شرح این بس جان‌فزا ** گر نبودی غیرت و رشک خدا
I would have given a very soul-quickening exposition of this (story), were it not for the indignation and jealousy of God.
هم قناعت کن تو بپذیر این قدر ** تا بگویم شرح این وقتی دگر
Still, be content and accept this (insufficient) amount, that I may explain (the whole of) this at another time.
نام خود کرده سلیمان نبی ** روی‌پوشی می‌کند بر هر صبی
He (the Demon), having called himself by the name of the prophet Solomon, makes it a mask to deceive every (foolish) boy.
در گذر از صورت و از نام خیز ** از لقب وز نام در معنی گریز1285
Pass on from the (outward) form and rise beyond the name: flee from title and from name (and enter) into reality.
پس بپرس از حد او وز فعل او ** در میان حد و فعل او را بجو
Inquire, then, about his (spiritual) degree and his (interior) actions: in the midst of his degree and actions seek (to discover) him.
درآمدن سلیمان علیه‌السلام هر روز در مسجد اقصی بعد از تمام شدن جهت عبادت و ارشاد عابدان و معتکفان و رستن عقاقیر در مسجد
How Solomon, on whom be peace, entered the Farther Mosque daily, after its completion, for the purpose of worshipping and directing the worshippers and devotees; and how medicinal herbs grew in the Mosque.
هر صباحی چون سلیمان آمدی ** خاضع اندر مسجد اقصی شدی
Every morning, when Solomon came and made supplication in the Farther Mosque.
نوگیاهی رسته دیدی اندرو ** پس بگفتی نام و نفع خود بگو
He saw that a new plant had grown there; then he would say, “Tell thy name and use.
تو چه دارویی چیی نامت چیست ** تو زیان کی و نفعت بر کیست
What medicine art thou? What art thou? What is thy name? To whom art thou hurtful and for whom is thy usefulness?”
پس بگفتی هر گیاهی فعل و نام ** که من آن را جانم و این را حمام1290
Then every plant would tell its effect and name, saying “I am life to that one, and death to this one.
من مرین را زهرم و او را شکر ** نام من اینست بر لوح از قدر
I am poison to this one, and sugar to that one: this is my name (inscribed) on the Tablet by (the pen of) the Divine decree.”
پس طبیبان از سلیمان زان گیا ** عالم و دانا شدندی مقتدی
Then (by hearing) from Solomon about those plants the physicians became learned and wise authorities (on medicine),
تا کتبهای طبیبی ساختند ** جسم را از رنج می‌پرداختند
So that they compiled medical books and were relieving the body from pain.
این نجوم و طب وحی انبیاست ** عقل و حس را سوی بی‌سو ره کجاست
This astronomy and medicine is (knowledge given by) Divine inspiration to the prophets: where is the way for intellect and sense (to advance) towards that which is without (spatial) direction?
عقل جزوی عقل استخراج نیست ** جز پذیرای فن و محتاج نیست1295
The particular (individual) intellect is not the intellect (capable) of production: it is only the receiver of science and is in need (of teaching).
قابل تعلیم و فهمست این خرد ** لیک صاحب وحی تعلیمش دهد
This intellect is capable of being taught and of apprehending, but (only) the man possessed of Divine inspiration gives it the teaching (which it requires).
جمله حرفتها یقین از وحی بود ** اول او لیک عقل آن را فزود
Assuredly, in their beginning, all trades (crafts and professions) were (derived) from Divine inspiration, but the intellect added (something) to them.
هیچ حرفت را ببین کین عقل ما ** تاند او آموختن بی‌اوستا
Consider whether this intellect of ours can learn any trade without a master.
گرچه اندر مکر موی‌اشکاف بد ** هیچ پیشه رام بی‌استا نشد
Although it (the intellect) was hair-splitting (subtle and ingenious) in contrivance, no trade was subdued (brought under command) without a master.