هزل تعلیمست آن را جد شنو ** تو مشو بر ظاهر هزلش گرو
Jesting is teaching: listen to it in earnest, do not thou be in pawn to (taken up with) its appearance of jest.
هر جدی هزلست پیش هازلان ** هزلها جدست پیش عاقلان
To jesters every earnest matter is a jest; to the wise (all) jests are earnest.
کاهلان امرودبن جویند لیک ** تا بدان امرودبن راهیست نیک3560
Lazy folk seek the pear-tree, but ’tis a good (long) way to that pear-tree.
نقل کن ز امرودبن که اکنون برو ** گشته‌ای تو خیره‌چشم و خیره‌رو
Descend from the pear-tree on which at present thou hast become giddy-eyed and giddy-faced.
این منی و هستی اول بود ** که برو دیده کژ و احول بود
This (pear-tree) is the primal egoism and self-existence wherein the eye is awry and squinting.
چون فرود آیی ازین امرودبن ** کژ نماند فکرت و چشم و سخن
When thou comest down from this pear-tree, thy thoughts and eyes and words will no more be awry.
یک درخت بخت بینی گشته این ** شاخ او بر آسمان هفتمین
Thou wilt see that this (pear-tree) has become a tree of fortune, its boughs (reaching) to the Seventh Heaven.
چون فرود آیی ازو گردی جدا ** مبدلش گرداند از رحمت خدا3565
When thou comest down and partest from it, God in His mercy will cause it to be transformed.
زین تواضع که فرود آیی خدا ** راست بینی بخشد آن چشم ترا
On account of this humility shown by thee in coming down, God will bestow on thine eye true vision.
راست بینی گر بدی آسان و زب ** مصطفی کی خواستی آن را ز رب
If true vision were easy and facile, how should Mustafá (Mohammed) have desired it from the Lord?
گفت بنما جزو جزو از فوق و پست ** آنچنان که پیش تو آن جزو هست
He said, “Show (unto me) each part from above and below such as that part is in Thy sight.”
بعد از آن بر رو بر آن امرودبن ** که مبدل گشت و سبز از امر کن
Afterwards go up the pear-tree which has been transformed and made verdant by the (Divine) command, “Be.”
چون درخت موسوی شد این درخت ** چون سوی موسی کشانیدی تو رخت3570
This tree has (now) become like the tree connected with Moses, inasmuch as thou hast transported thy baggage towards (hast been endued with the nature of) Moses.
آتش او را سبز و خرم می‌کند ** شاخ او انی انا الله می‌زند
The fire (of Divine illumination) makes it verdant and flourishing; its boughs cry “Lo, I am God.”
زیر ظلش جمله حاجاتت روا ** این چنین باشد الهی کیمیا
Beneath its shade all thy needs are fulfilled: such is the Divine alchemy.
آن منی و هستیت باشد حلال ** که درو بینی صفات ذوالجلال
That personality and existence is lawful to thee, since thou beholdest therein the attributes of the Almighty.
شد درخت کژ مقوم حق‌نما ** اصله ثابت و فرعه فی‌السما
The crooked tree has become straight, God-revealing: its root fixed (in the earth) and its branches in the sky.
باقی قصه‌ی موسی علیه‌السلام
The remainder of the story of Moses, on whom be peace.
که آمدش پیغام از وحی مهم ** که کژی بگذار اکنون فاستقم3575
For there came to him from the peremptory Revelation a message, saying, “Put crookedness aside now, and be upright.”
این درخت تن عصای موسیست ** که امرش آمد که بیندازش ز دست
This tree of the body is (like) Moses’ rod, concerning which the (Divine) command came to him —“Let it fall from your hand,
تا ببینی خیر او و شر او ** بعد از آن بر گیر او را ز امر هو
That thou mayst behold its good and evil; after that, take it up (again) by command of Him.”
پیش از افکندن نبود او غیر چوب ** چون به امرش بر گرفتی گشت خوب
Before his dropping it, it was naught but wood; whenever he took it up by His command, it became goodly.
اول او بد برگ‌افشان بره را ** گشت معجز آن گروه غره را
At first it was shaking down leaves for the lambs; (afterwards) it reduced to impotence that deluded people.
گشت حاکم بر سر فرعونیان ** آبشان خون کرد و کف بر سر زنان3580
It became ruler over the party of Pharaoh: it turned their water into blood and caused them to beat their heads with their hands.
از مزارعشان برآمد قحط و مرگ ** از ملخهایی که می‌خوردند برگ
From their sown fields arose famine and death on account of the locusts which devoured the leaves,
تا بر آمد بی‌خود از موسی دعا ** چون نظر افتادش اندر منتها
Till from Moses, when he considered the ultimate issue, there went up involuntarily a prayer (to God)
کین همه اعجاز و کوشیدن چراست ** چون نخواهند این جماعت گشت راست
“For what reason is all this disablement (of them) and striving (to convert them), since this multitude will never become righteous? ”
امر آمد که اتباع نوح کن ** ترک پایان‌بینی مشروح کن
The (Divine) command came (to him), saying, “Follow Noah! Refrain from considering the end (of the matter) as it has been disclosed (to thee).
زان تغافل کن چو داعی رهی ** امر بلغ هست نبود آن تهی3585
Take no heed of that, since thou art one who calls (the people) to the (true) Way. The command, ‘Deliver the message,’ is there: it is not void (of meaning).”
کمترین حکمت کزین الحاح تو ** جلوه گردد آن لجاج و آن عتو
The least purpose (thereof) is that through this persistence of thine that obstinacy and rebellious pride (of the infidels) may be displayed,
تا که ره بنمودن و اضلال حق ** فاش گردد بر همه اهل و فرق
So that God’s showing the way (to some) and letting (others) be lost may become evident to all the followers of religious sects.
چونک مقصود از وجود اظهار بود ** بایدش از پند و اغوا آزمود
Inasmuch as the object of existence was the manifestation (of these two Divine attributes), it must be tested by means of exhorting (to obedience) and leading astray.
دیو الحاح غوایت می‌کند ** شیخ‌الحاح هدایت می‌کند
The Devil persists to (seducing to) error; the Shaykh persists in guiding aright.
چون پیاپی گشت آن امر شجون ** نیل می‌آمد سراسر جمله خون3590
When that grievous command (of God) proceeded step by step (pursued its course), the whole Nile was turned into blood from end to end,
تا بنفس خویش فرعون آمدش ** لابه می‌کردش دو تا گشته قدش
Till (at last) Pharaoh came in person to him (Moses), humbly entreating him, his tall figure bent double,
کانچ ما کردیم ای سلطان مکن ** نیست ما را روی ایراد سخن
And said, “O (spiritual) sovereign, do not that which we did we have not the face to offer words (of excuse).
پاره پاره گردمت فرمان‌پذیر ** من بعزت خوگرم سختم مگیر
I will become obedient to thy command with every bit (of my body); I am accustomed to be held in honour: do not deal hardly with me.
هین بجنبان لب به رحمت ای امین ** تا ببندد این دهانه‌ی آتشین
Hark, move thy lips in mercy, O trusted one, that it (thy prayer) may shut this fiery mouth (of Divine anger).”
گفت یا رب می‌فریبد او مرا ** می‌فریبد او فریبنده‌ی ترا3595
He (Moses) said, “O Lord, he is deceiving me; he is deceiving Thy deceiver.
بشنوم یا من دهم هم خدعه‌اش ** تا بداند اصل را آن فرع‌کش
Shall I hearken (to him) or shall I too give him deceit (in return), in order that that puller of the branch may recognise the root?
که اصل هر مکری و حیلت پیش ماست ** هر چه بر خاکست اصلش از سماست
For the root (origin) of every cunning and contrivance is with use: whatsoever is on the earth, its root (origin) is from Heaven.”
گفت حق آن سگ نیرزد هم به آن ** پیش سگ انداز از دور استخوان
God said (to Moses), “That cur (Pharaoh) is not worth even that: fling a bone to the cur from a distance.
هین بجنبان آن عصا تا خاکها ** وا دهد هرچه ملخ کردش فنا
Hark, shake the rod, so that the sods may give back whatever the locusts have destroyed,
وان ملخها در زمان گردد سیاه ** تا ببیند خلق تبدیل اله3600
And let the locusts immediately become black, that the people may behold the transformation wrought by God;
که سببها نیست حاجت مر مرا ** آن سبب بهر حجابست و غطا
For I have no need of means: those means are (only) for the purpose of (serving as) a screen and covering,
تا طبیعی خویش بر دارو زند ** تا منجم رو با ستاره کند
To the end that the natural philosopher may attach himself to the drug; and that the astronomer may turn his face to the star;
تا منافق از حریصی بامداد ** سوی بازار آید از بیم کساد
And that the hypocrite, from greed, may come to market at daybreak for fear of (finding) no demand for his wares,
بندگی ناکرده و ناشسته روی ** لقمه‌ی دوزخ بگشته لقمه‌جوی
Without having performed his devotions or washed his face (whilst) seeking morsels (for himself) he has become a morsel for Hell.”
آکل و ماکول آمد جان عام ** هم‌چو آن بره‌ی چرنده از حطام3605
The spirit of the vulgar is devouring and being devoured, like the lamb that feeds on hay.
می‌چرد آن بره و قصاب شاد ** کو برای ما چرد برگ مراد
The lamb is feeding, while the butcher rejoices, saying, “For our sake it feeds on the grass of (its) desire.”
کار دوزخ می‌کنی در خوردنی ** بهر او خود را تو فربه می‌کنی
In respect of food and drink thou art doing the work of Hell thou art fattening thyself for its (Hell’s) sake.