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.
If knowledge of a trade were (derived) from this intellect, any trade would be acquired without a master.
آموختن پیشه گورکنی قابیل از زاغ پیش از آنک در عالم علم گورکنی و گور بود
How Qábíl (Cain) learned the trade of grave-digging from the crow (raven), before knowledge of grave-digging and graves existed in the world.
کندن گوری که کمتر پیشه بود ** کی ز فکر و حیله و اندیشه بود
When was grave-digging, which was the meanest trade (of all), (acquired) from thought and cunning and meditation?
گر بدی این فهم مر قابیل را ** کی نهادی بر سر او هابیل را
If Qábíl had possessed this understanding, how should he have placed (the body of) Hábíl (Abel) on his head?—
که کجا غایب کنم این کشته را ** این به خون و خاک در آغشته را
Saying, “Where shall I hide this murdered one, this man bestained with blood and earth?”
دید زاغی زاغ مرده در دهان ** بر گرفته تیز می‌آمد چنان
He espied a crow which had taken up a dead crow in its mouth and was approaching (ever) so quickly.
از هوا زیر آمد و شد او به فن ** از پی تعلیم او را گورکن1305
It came down from the air and began skilfully to dig a grave for it (the dead crow) for the purpose of teaching (him).
پس به چنگال از زمین انگیخت گرد ** زود زاغ مرده را در گور کرد
Then with its talons it raised dust from the ground and speedily put the dead crow in the grave.
دفن کردش پس بپوشیدش به خاک ** زاغ از الهام حق بد علم‌ناک
It buried it, then it covered it with earth: the crow was endowed with knowledge through the inspiration (given) of God.
گفت قابیل آه شه بر عقل من ** که بود زاغی ز من افزون به فن
Qábíl cried, “Oh, fie on my intellect! for a crow is superior to me in skill.”
عقل کل را گفت مازاغ البصر ** عقل جزوی می‌کند هر سو نظر
Concerning the Universal Intellect He (God) hath said, “The sight did not rove (má zágh),” (but) the particular intellect is looking in every direction.
عقل مازاغ است نور خاصگان ** عقل زاغ استاد گور مردگان1310
The Intellect whose sight does not rove (‘aql-i má zágh) is the light of the elect; the crow-intellect (‘aql-i zágh) is the sexton for the (spiritually) dead.
جان که او دنباله‌ی زاغان پرد ** زاغ او را سوی گورستان برد
The spirit that flies after crows—the crow carries it towards the graveyard.
هین مدو اندر پی نفس چو زاغ ** کو به گورستان برد نه سوی باغ
Beware! Do not run in pursuit of the crow-like fleshly soul, for it carries (thee) to the graveyard, not towards the orchard.
گر روی رو در پی عنقای دل ** سوی قاف و مسجد اقصای دل
If thou go, go in pursuit of the ‘Anqá of the heart, towards the Qáf and Farther Mosque of the heart.
نوگیاهی هر دم ز سودای تو ** می‌دمد در مسجد اقصای تو
Every moment from thy cogitation a new plant is growing in thy Farther Mosque.
تو سلیمان‌وار داد او بده ** پی بر از وی پای رد بر وی منه1315
Do thou, like Solomon, give it its due: investigate it, do not lay upon it the foot of rejection,
زانک حال این زمین با ثبات ** باز گوید با تو انواع نبات
Because the various sorts of plants declare to thee the (inward) state of this firm-set earth.
در زمین گر نیشکر ور خود نیست ** ترجمان هر زمین نبت ویست
Whether in the earth there are sugar-canes or only (common) reeds, every earth (soil) is interpreted by its plants.
پس زمین دل که نبتش فکر بود ** فکرها اسرار دل را وا نمود
Therefore the heart's soil, whereof thought was (ever) the plant—(those) thoughts have revealed the heart's secrets.
گر سخن‌کش یابم اندر انجمن ** صد هزاران گل برویم چون چمن
If I find in the company him that draws the discourse (from me towards himself), I, like the garden, will grow hundreds of thousands of roses;
ور سخن‌کش یابم آن دم زن به مزد ** می‌گریزد نکته‌ها از دل چو دزد1320
And if at that time I find (there) the scoundrel who kills the discourse, the deep sayings will flee, like a thief, from my heart.
جنبش هر کس به سوی جاذبست ** جذب صدق نه چو جذب کاذبست
The movement of every one is towards the Drawer: the true drawing is not like the false drawing.
می‌روی گه گمره و گه در رشد ** رشته پیدا نه و آنکت می‌کشد
Sometimes thou art going astray, sometimes aright: the cord is not visible, nor He who is drawing thee.
اشتر کوری مهار تو رهین ** تو کشش می‌بین مهارت را مبین
Thou art a blind camel, and thy toggle is in (His) keeping: do thou regard the act of drawing, do not regard thy toggle.
گر شدی محسوس جذاب و مهار ** پس نماندی این جهان دارالغرار
If the Drawer and the toggle became perceptible (to the senses), then this world would no longer remain the abode of heedlessness (delusion).
گبر دیدی کو پی سگ می‌رود ** سخره‌ی دیو ستنبه می‌شود1325
(If) the infidel saw that he was going after a cur and was being made subject to the hideous Devil,
در پی او کی شدی مانند حیز ** پی خود را واکشیدی گبر نیز
How should he go at its heels like a catamite (base sycophant)? The infidel too would step back.
گاو گر واقف ز قصابان بدی ** کی پی ایشان بدان دکان شدی
If the cow were acquainted with the butchers, how should she follow them to that (butcher's) shop,