کل خود را خوار کرد او چون بلیس ** پاره‌ی این کل نباشد جز خسیس
He (the Arab) made the whole of himself despicable, like Iblís: a piece of this whole is naught but vile.
من غلام آنک نفروشد وجود ** جز بدان سلطان با افضال و جود 490
I am the (devoted) slave of him who will not sell his existence save to that bounteous and munificent Sovereign,
چون بگرید آسمان گریان شود ** چون بنالد چرخ یا رب خوان شود
(So that) when he weeps, heaven begins to weep, and when he moans (in supplication), the celestial sphere begins to cry, “O Lord!”
من غلام آن مس همت‌پرست ** کو به غیر کیمیا نارد شکست
I am the (devoted) slave of that high-aspiring copper which humbles itself to naught but the Elixir.
دست اشکسته برآور در دعا ** سوی اشکسته پرد فضل خدا
Lift up in prayer a broken hand: the loving kindness of God flies towards the broken.
گر رهایی بایدت زین چاه تنگ ** ای برادر رو بر آذر بی‌درنگ
If thou hast need of deliverance from this narrow dungeon (the world), O brother, go without delay (and cast thyself) on the fire.
مکر حق را بین و مکر خود بهل ** ای ز مکرش مکر مکاران خجل 495
Regard God's contrivance and abandon thine own contrivance: oh, by His contrivance (all) the contrivance of contrivers is put to shame.
چونک مکرت شد فنای مکر رب ** برگشایی یک کمینی بوالعجب
When thy contrivance is naughted in the contrivance of the Lord, thou wilt open a most marvellous hiding-place,
که کمینه‌ی آن کمین باشد بقا ** تا ابد اندر عروج و ارتقا
Of which hiding-place the least (treasure) is everlasting life (occupied) in ascending and mounting higher.
در بیان آنک هیچ چشم بدی آدمی را چنان مهلک نیست کی چشم پسند خویشتن مگر کی چشم او مبدل شده باشد به نور حق که بی یسمع و بی یبصر و خویشتن او بی‌خویشتن شده
Explaining that no evil eye is so deadly to a man as the eye of self-approval, unless his eye shall have been transformed by the Light of God, so that “he hears through Me and sees through Me,” and (unless) his self shall have become selfless.
پر طاوست مبین و پای بین ** تا که س العین نگشاید کمین
Do not regard thy peacock-feathers but regard thy feet, in order that the mischief of the (evil) eye may not waylay thee;
که بلغزد کوه از چشم بدان ** یزلقونک از نبی بر خوان بدان
For (even) a mountain slips (from its foundations) at the eye of the wicked: read and mark in the Qur’án (the words) they cause thee to stumble.
احمد چون کوه لغزید از نظر ** در میان راه بی‌گل بی‌مطر 500
From (their) looking (at him), Ahmad (Mohammed), (who was) like a mountain, slipped in the middle of the road, without mud and without rain.
در عجب درماند کین لغزش ز چیست ** من نپندارم که این حالت تهیست
He remained in astonishment, saying, “Wherefore is this slipping? I do not think that this occurrence is empty (of meaning),”
تا بیامد آیت و آگاه کرد ** کان ز چشم بد رسیدت وز نبرد
Until the Verse (of the Qur’án) came and made him aware that this had happened to him in consequence of the evil eye and enmity (of the unbelievers).
گر بدی غیر تو در دم لا شدی ** صید چشم و سخره‌ی افنا شدی
(God said to the Prophet), “Had it been any one except thee, he would at once have been annihilated: he would have become the prey of the (evil) eye and in thrall to destruction;
لیک آمد عصمتی دامن‌کشان ** وین که لغزیدی بد از بهر نشان
But there came (from Me) a protection, sweeping along (majestically), and thy slipping was (only) for a sign.”
عبرتی گیر اندر آن که کن نگاه ** برگ خود عرضه مکن ای کم ز کاه 505
Take a warning, look on that mountain, and do not expose thy (petty) leaf (to destruction), O thou who art less than a straw.
تفسیر و ان یکاد الذین کفروا لیزلقونک بابصارهم الایه
Commentary on “And verily those who disbelieve wellnigh cause thee to slip by their (malignant) eyes.”
یا رسول‌الله در آن نادی کسان ** می‌زنند از چشم بد بر کرکسان
“O Messenger of Allah, some persons in that assembly (of the unbelievers) smite with their (evil) eye the vultures (flying aloft).
از نظرشان کله‌ی شیر عرین ** وا شکافد تا کند آن شیر انین
By their looks the head of the lion of the jungle is cloven asunder, so that the lion makes moan.
بر شتر چشم افکند هم‌چون حمام ** وانگهان بفرستد اندر پی غلام
He (such an one) casts on a camel an eye like death, and then sends a slave after it,
که برو از پیه این اشتر بخر ** بیند اشتر را سقط او راه بر
Saying, ‘Go, buy some of the fat of this camel’: he (the slave) sees the camel fallen dead on the road.
سر بریده از مرض آن اشتری ** کو بتگ با اسب می‌کردی مری 510
(He sees) mortally stricken by disease the camel that used to vie with a horse in speed;
کز حسد وز چشم بد بی‌هیچ شک ** سیر و گردش را بگرداند فلک
For, without any doubt, from envy and (the effect of) the evil eye the celestial sphere would alter its course and revolution.”
آب پنهانست و دولاب آشکار ** لیک در گردش بود آب اصل کار
The water is hidden and the water-wheel is visible, yet as regards (the wheel's) revolution the water is the source of action.
چشم نیکو شد دوای چشم بد ** چشم بد را لا کند زیر لگد
The remedy of the evil eye is the good eye: it makes the evil eye naught beneath its kick.
سبق رحمت‌راست و او از رحمتست ** چشم بد محصول قهر و لعنتست
(Divine) mercy has the precedence (over Divine wrath): it (the good eye) is (derived) from (Divine) mercy, (while) the evil eye is the product of (Divine) wrath and execration.
رحمتش بر نقمتش غالب شود ** چیره زین شد هر نبی بر ضد خود 515
His (God's) mercy overcomes His vengeance: hence every prophet prevailed over his adversary;
کو نتیجه‌ی رحمتست و ضد او ** از نتیجه‌ی قهر بود آن زشت‌رو
For he (the prophet) is the result of (Divine) mercy and is the opposite of him (the adversary): that ill-favoured one was the result of (Divine) wrath.
حرص بط یکتاست این پنجاه تاست ** حرص شهوت مار و منصب اژدهاست
The greed of the duck is single, (but) this (greed of the peacock) is fiftyfold: the greed of lust is (only) a snake, while this (greed for) eminence is a dragon.
حرص بط از شهوت حلقست و فرج ** در ریاست بیست چندانست درج
The duck's greed arises from the appetite of the gullet and pudendum, (but) twenty times as much (greed) is included in (the ambition to) rule.
از الوهیت زند در جاه لاف ** طامع شرکت کجا باشد معاف
He (who is) in power (really) pretends to Divinity: how should one ambitious of co-partnership (with God) be saved?
زلت آدم ز اشکم بود و باه ** وآن ابلیس از تکبر بود و جاه 520
The sin of Adam arose from the belly and sexual intercourse, and that of Iblís from pride and power.
لاجرم او زود استغفار کرد ** وآن لعین از توبه استکبار کرد
Consequently, he (Adam) at once besought pardon, while the accursed (Iblís) disdained to repent.
حرص حلق و فرج هم خود بدرگیست ** لیک منصب نیست آن اشکستگیست
The greed of the gullet and pudendum is in truth (a mark of) depravity; but it is not (headstrong like) ambition: it is abasement.
بیخ و شاخ این ریاست را اگر ** باز گویم دفتری باید دگر
If I should relate the root and branch (the whole story) of dominion, another Book would be needed.
اسپ سرکش را عرب شیطانش خواند ** نی ستوری را که در مرعی بماند
The Arabs called a restive (high-spirited) horse a “devil” (shaytán); (they did) not (give that name to) the beast of burden that stayed (quietly) in the pasture.
شیطنت گردن کشی بد در لغت ** مستحق لعنت آمد این صفت 525
“Devilry” (shaytanat) in lexicology is (synonymous with) “rebelliousness”: this quality is deserving of execration.
این جهان محدود و آن خود بی حدست ** نقش و صورت پیش آن معنی سدست
There is room for a hundred eaters (guests) round a table, (but) there is not room in the (whole) world for two seekers of dominion.
آن نخواهد کین بود بر پشت خاک ** تا ملک بکشد پدر را ز اشتراک
The one is not willing that the other should be on the surface of the earth; so that a prince kills his father for partaking with him (in sovereignty).
آن شنیدستی که الملک عقیم ** قطع خویشی کرد ملکت‌جو ز بیم
Thou hast heard (the saying) that kingship is childless: the seeker of sovereignty has cut (the ties of) relationship because of (his) fear;
که عقیمست و ورا فرزند نیست ** هم‌چو آتش با کسش پیوند نیست
For he is childless and has no son: like fire, he has no kinship with any one.
هر چه یابد او بسوزد بر درد ** چون نیابد هیچ خود را می‌خورد 530
Whatsoever he finds he destroys and tears to pieces: when he finds nothing, he devours himself.
هیچ شو وا ره تو از دندان او ** رحم کم جو از دل سندان او
Become naught, escape from his teeth: do not seek mercy from his (hard) anvil-like heart.
چونک گشتی هیچ از سندان مترس ** هر صباح از فقر مطلق گیر درس
After thou hast become naught, do not fear the anvil: take lessons every morning from absolute poverty.
هست الوهیت ردای ذوالجلال ** هر که در پوشد برو گردد وبال
Divinity is the mantle of the Lord of glory: it becomes a plague to any one who puts it on.
تاج از آن اوست آن ما کمر ** وای او کز حد خود دارد گذر
His (God's) is the crown (of sovereignty), ours the belt (of servitude): woe to him that passes beyond his proper bound!
فتنه‌ی تست این پر طاووسیت ** که اشتراکت باید و قدوسیت 535
Thy peacock-feathers are a (sore) temptation to thee, for thou must needs have co-partnership (with God) and All-holiness.
قصه‌ی آن حکیم کی دید طاوسی را کی پر زیبای خود را می‌کند به منقار و می‌انداخت و تن خود را کل و زشت می‌کرد از تعجب پرسید کی دریغت نمی‌آید گفت می‌آید اما پیش من جان از پر عزیزتر است و این پر عدوی جان منست
Story of the Sage who saw a peacock tearing out his handsome feathers with his beak and dropping them (on the ground) and making himself bald and ugly. In astonishment he asked, “Hast thou no feeling of regret?” “I have,” said the peacock, “but life is dearer to me than feathers, and these (feathers) are the enemy of my life.”
پر خود می‌کند طاوسی به دشت ** یک حکیمی رفته بود آنجا بگشت
A peacock was tearing out his feathers in the open country, where a sage had gone for a walk.
گفت طاوسا چنین پر سنی ** بی‌دریغ از بیخ چون برمی‌کنی
He said, “O peacock, how art thou tearing out such fine feathers remorselessly from the root?
خود دلت چون می‌دهد تا این حلل ** بر کنی اندازیش اندر وحل
How indeed is thy heart consenting that thou shouldst tear off these gorgeous robes and let them fall in the mud?