خیر مطلق نیست زینها هیچ چیز ** شر مطلق نیست زینها هیچ نیز
None of these things is absolutely good, nor is any of them absolutely evil.
نفع و ضر هر یکی از موضعست ** علم ازین رو واجبست و نافعست
The usefulness and harm of each depend on the place (occasion): for this reason knowledge is necessary and useful.
ای بسا زجری که بر مسکین رود ** در ثواب از نان و حلوا به بود 2600
Oh, many a punishment inflicted on a poor fellow is more meritorious than (a gift of) bread and sweetmeat,
زانک حلوا بی‌اوان صفرا کند ** سیلیش از خبث مستنقا کند
For sweetmeat (when eaten) unseasonably causes yellow bile, (whereas) slaps purge him of wickedness.
سیلیی در وقت بر مسکین بزن ** که رهاند آنش از گردن زدن
Give the poor fellow a slap in season: it will save him from beheading (afterwards).
زخم در معنی فتد از خوی بد ** چوب بر گرد اوفتد نه بر نمد
The blow is really inflicted because of (his) evil disposition: the stick falls on the dust (in the garment of felt), not on the felt (itself).
بزم و زندن هست هر بهرام را ** بزم مخلص را و زندان خام را
Every Bahrám (emperor) has a banquet(-hall) and a prison: the banquet is for the sincere (friend) and the prison for the half-baked (churl).
شق باید ریش را مرهم کنی ** چرک را در ریش مستحکم کنی 2605
(If) a sore wants lancing and you apply a poultice to it, you will (only) establish the pus in the sore,
تا خورد مر گوشت را در زیر آن ** نیم سودی باشد و پنجه زیان
So that it will eat away the flesh underneath: (the result) will be a half (a mere fraction) of profit and fifty losses.”
گفت دلقک من نمی‌گویم گذار ** من همی‌گویم تحریی بیار
Dalqak said, “I am not saying, ‘Let (my offence) pass’; I am saying, ‘Take some care to investigate.’
هین ره صبر و تانی در مبند ** صبر کن اندیشه می‌کن روز چند
Hark, do not bar the road of patience and deliberation: be patient, reflect for a few days.
در تانی بر یقینی بر زنی ** گوش‌مال من بایقانی کنی
In (the course of) deliberation thou wilt hit upon a certainty, (and then) thou wilt chastise me with a sure conviction (of knowing the truth).”
در روش یمشی مکبا خود چرا ** چون همی‌شاید شدن در استوا 2610
Why, indeed, (be one who) walks falling (on his face) in wayfaring, when it behoves him to walk in an upright posture?
مشورت کن با گروه صالحان ** بر پیمبر امر شاورهم بدان
Take counsel with the company of the righteous: note the (Divine) command (given) to the Prophet, “Consult them.”
امرهم شوری برای این بود ** کز تشاور سهو و کژ کمتر رود
(The words) their affair is (a matter for) consultation are to this (the same) purpose, for owing to consultation mistakes and errors occur less (frequently).
این خردها چون مصابیح انورست ** بیست مصباح از یک روشن‌ترست
These (human) intellects are luminous like lamps: twenty lamps are brighter than one.
بوک مصباحی فتد اندر میان ** مشتعل گشته ز نور آسمان
There may happen to be amongst them a lamp that has become aflame with the light of Heaven,
غیرت حق پرده‌ای انگیختست ** سفلی و علوی به هم آمیختست 2615
(For) the jealousy of God has produced a veil (of concealment) and has mingled the low and the lofty together.
گفت سیروا می‌طلب اندر جهان ** بخت و روزی را همی‌کن امتحان
He hath said, “Travel”: always be seeking in the world and trying your fortune and (destined) lot.
در مجالس می‌طلب اندر عقول ** آن چنان عقلی که بود اندر رسول
In (all) assembly-places always be seeking amidst the intellects such an intellect as is (found) in the Prophet,
زانک میراث از رسول آنست و بس ** که ببیند غیبها از پیش و پس
For the only heritage from the Prophet is that (intellect) which perceives the unseen things before and behind (future and past).
در بصرها می‌طلب هم آن بصر ** که نتابد شرح آن این مختصر
Amidst the (inward) eyes, too, always be seeking that (inward) eye which this epitome has not the power to describe.
بهر این کردست منع آن با شکوه ** از ترهب وز شدن خلوت به کوه 2620
Hence the majestic (Prophet) has forbidden monkery and going to live as a hermit in the mountains,
تا نگردد فوت این نوع التقا ** کان نظر بختست و اکسیر بقا
In order that this kind of meeting (with saints) should not be lost; for to be looked on by them is fortune and an elixir of immortality.
در میان صالحان یک اصلحیست ** بر سر توقیعش از سلطان صحیست
Amongst the righteous there is one (who is) the most righteous: on his diploma (is inscribed) by the Sultan's hand a sahh,
کان دعا شد با اجابت مقترن ** کفو او نبود کبار انس و جن
(Indicating) that the prayer (uttered by him) is (inseparably) linked with acceptance, (and that) the greatest of men and Jinn are not his peers.
در مری‌اش آنک حلو و حامض است ** حجت ایشان بر حق داحض است
(When) those who are sweet or sour (engage) in contention with him, in God's sight their argument is null,
که چو ما او را به خود افراشتیم ** عذر و حجت از میان بر داشتیم 2625
For (God says), “As We have exalted him by (grace of) Ourselves, We have done away with (every) plea and argument (against him).”
قبله را چون کرد دست حق عیان ** پس تحری بعد ازین مردود دان
Since the Hand of God has made the Qibla manifest, henceforth deem searching to be disallowed.
هین بگردان از تحری رو و سر ** که پدید آمد معاد و مستقر
Hark, avert your face and head from searching, now that the Destination and Dwelling-place has come into view.
یک زمان زین قبله گر ذاهل شوی ** سخره‌ی هر قبله‌ی باطل شوی
If you forget this Qibla for one moment, you will become in thrall to every worthless qibla (object of desire).
چون شوی تمییزده را ناسپاس ** بجهد از تو خطرت قبله‌شناس
When you show ingratitude to him that gives you discernment, the thought that recognises the Qibla will dart away from you.
گر ازین انبار خواهی بر و بر ** نیم‌ساعت هم ز همدردان مبر 2630
If you desire benefit and (spiritual) wheat from this Barn, do not part, even for half an hour, from those who sympathise,
که در آن دم که ببری زین معین ** مبتلی گردی تو با بس القرین
For at the moment when you part from this helper you will be afflicted with an evil comrade
حکایت تعلق موش با چغز و بستن پای هر دو به رشته‌ای دراز و بر کشیدن زاغ موش را و معلق شدن چغز و نالیدن و پشیمانی او از تعلق با غیر جنس و با جنس خود ناساختن
Story of the attachment between the mouse and the frog: how they tied their legs together with a long string, and how a raven carried off the mouse, and how the frog was suspended (in the air) and lamented and repented of having attached himself to an animal of a different species instead of sorting with one of his own kind.
از قضا موشی و چغزی با وفا ** بر لب جو گشته بودند آشنا
As it happened, a mouse and a faithful frog had become friends on the bank of a river.
هر دو تن مربوط میقاتی شدند ** هر صباحی گوشه‌ای می‌آمدند
Both of them were bound to (keep) a (daily) tryst: every morning they would come into a nook,
نرد دل با هم‌دگر می‌باختند ** از وساوس سینه می‌پرداختند
(Where) they played heart-and-soul with one another and emptied their breasts of evil (suspicious) thoughts.
هر دو را دل از تلاقی متسع ** هم‌دگر را قصه‌خوان و مستمع 2635
The hearts of both swelled (with joy) from meeting: they recited stories and listened to each other,
رازگویان با زبان و بی‌زبان ** الجماعه رحمه را تاویل دان
Telling secrets with and without tongue, knowing how to interpret (the Tradition), “A united party is a (Divine) mercy.”
آن اشر چون جفت آن شاد آمدی ** پنج ساله قصه‌اش یاد آمدی
Whenever the exultant (mouse) consorted with the merry (frog), a five years' tale would come into his mind.
جوش نطق از دل نشان دوستیست ** بستگی نطق از بی‌الفتیست
Flow of speech from the heart is a sign of (intimate) friendship; obstruction of speech arises from lack of intimacy.
دل که دلبر دید کی ماند ترش ** بلبلی گل دید کی ماند خمش
The heart that has seen the sweetheart, how should it remain bitter? (When) a nightingale has seen the rose, how should he remain silent?
ماهی بریان ز آسیب خضر ** زنده شد در بحر گشت او مستقر 2640
At the touch of Khadir the roasted fish came to life and took its abode in the sea.
یار را با یار چون بنشسته شد ** صد هزاران لوح سر دانسته شد
To the friend, when he is seated beside his Friend, a hundred thousand tablets of mystery are made known.
لوح محفوظ است پیشانی یار ** راز کونینش نماید آشکار
The brow of the Friend is a Guarded Tablet: to him (his friend) it reveals plainly the secret of the two worlds.