صرصری می‌برد بر سر تخت شاه ** هر صباح و هر مسا یک ماهه راه
A roaring wind carried on its head the throne of the king (Solomon) a month's journey every morn and eve.
هم شده حمال و هم جاسوس او ** گفت غایب را کنان محسوس او
It became both a carrier and a spy for him, making the talk of the absent to be apprehended by him.
باد دم که گفت غایب یافتی ** سوی گوش آن ملک بشتافتی
The waft of air that caught the words of the absent would hasten to the ear of the king,
که فلانی این چنین گفت این زمان ** ای سلیمان مه صاحب‌قران
Saying, “Such-and-such an one said so-and-so just now, O mighty Solomon of auspicious fortune!”
تدبیر کردن موش به چغز کی من نمی‌توانم بر تو آمدن به وقت حاجت در آب میان ما وصلتی باید کی چون من بر لب جو آیم ترا توانم خبر کردن و تو چون بر سر سوراخ موش‌خانه آیی مرا توانی خبر کردن الی آخره
How the mouse made an arrangement with the frog, saying, “I cannot come to you in the water when I want (to see you). There must be some means of communication between us, so that when I come to the river-bank I may be able to let you know, and when you come to the mouse-hole you may be able to let me know, etc.”
این سخن پایان ندارد گفت موش ** چغز را روزی کای مصباح هوش 2665
This topic is endless. One day the mouse said to the frog, “O lamp of intelligence,
وقتها خواهم که گویم با تو راز ** تو درون آب داری ترک‌تاز
At times I wish to talk with you in secret, and you are gambolling in the water.
بر لب جو من ترا نعره‌زنان ** نشنوی در آب ناله‌ی عاشقان
I am on the river-bank, crying aloud for you, (but) you in the water do not hear the wailing of lovers.
من بدین وقت معین ای دلیر ** می‌نگردم از محاکات تو سیر
(When we meet) at this appointed time, O brave (frog), I never become weary of conversing with you.”
پنج وقت آمد نماز و رهنمون ** عاشقان را فی صلاة دائمون
The (ritual) prayer is five times (daily), but the guide for lovers is (the Verse), (they who are) in prayer continually.
نه به پنج آرام گیرد آن خمار ** که در آن سرهاست نی پانصد هزار 2670
The wine-headache that is in those heads is not relieved by five (times) nor by five hundred thousand.
نیست زر غبا وظیفه‌ی عاشقان ** سخت مستسقیست جان صادقان
“Visit once a week” is not the ration for lovers; the soul of the sincere (lovers) has an intense craving to drink.
“Visit once a week” is not the ration for (those) fishes, since they feel no spiritual joy without the Sea.
آب این دریا که هایل بقعه‌ایست ** با خمار ماهیان خود جرعه‌ایست
Notwithstanding the crop-sickness of the fishes, the water of this Sea, which is a tremendous place, is but a single draught (too little to satisfy them).
یک دم هجران بر عاشق چو سال ** وصل سالی متصل پیشش خیال
To the lover one moment of separation is as a year; to him a (whole) year's uninterrupted union is a (fleeting) fancy.
عشق مستسقیست مستسقی‌طلب ** در پی هم این و آن چون روز و شب 2675
Love craves to drink and seeks him who craves to drink: this (Love) and that (lover) are at each other's heels, like Day and Night.
روز بر شب عاشقست و مضطرست ** چون ببینی شب برو عاشق‌ترست
Day is in love with Night and has lost control of itself; when you look (inwardly), (you will see that) Night is (even) more in love with it.
نیستشان از جست‌وجو یک لحظه‌ایست ** از پی همشان یکی دم ایست نیست
Never for one instant do they cease from seeking; never for one moment do they cease from pursuing each other.
این گرفته پای آن آن گوش این ** این بر آن مدهوش و آن بی‌هوش این
This one has caught the foot of that one, and that one the ear of this one: this one is distraught with that one, and that one is beside itself for this one.
در دل معشوق جمله عاشق است ** در دل عذرا همیشه وامق است
In the heart of the beloved the lover is all: Wámiq is always in the heart of ‘Adhrá.
در دل عاشق به جز معشوق نیست ** در میانشان فارق و فاروق نیست 2680
In the lover's heart is naught but the beloved: there is nothing to separate and divide them.
بر یکی اشتر بود این دو درا ** پس چه زر غبا بگنجد این دو را
These two bells are on one camel: how, then, in regard to these twain should (the injunction), “Visit once a week,” be admissible?
هیچ کس با خویش زر غبا نمود ** هیچ کس با خود به نوبت یار بود
Did any one (ever) pay recurring visits to himself? Was any one (ever) a companion to himself at regular intervals?
آن یکیی نه که عقلش فهم کرد ** فهم این موقوف شد بر مرگ مرد
That (of which I speak) is not the (sort of) oneness that reason apprehends: the apprehension of this (oneness) depends on a man's dying (to self);
ور به عقل ادراک این ممکن بدی ** قهر نفس از بهر چه واجب شدی
And if it were possible to perceive this (oneness) by means of reason, wherefore should self-violence have become a duty?
با چنان رحمت که دارد شاه هش ** بی‌ضرورت چون بگوید نفس کش 2685
How, with such (infinite) mercy as He hath, would the King of intellect say unnecessarily “Kill thyself”?
مبالغه کردن موش در لابه و زاری و وصلت جستن از چغز آبی
How the mouse exerted himself to the utmost in supplication and humble entreaty and besought the water-frog to grant him access (at all times).
گفت کای یار عزیز مهرکار ** من ندارم بی‌رخت یک‌دم قرار
He (the mouse) said, “O dear and affectionate friend, without (seeing) thy face I have not a moment's rest.
روز نور و مکسب و تابم توی ** شب قرار و سلوت و خوابم توی
By day thou art my light and (power of) acquisition and strength; by night thou art my rest and comfort and sleep.
از مروت باشد ار شادم کنی ** وقت و بی‌وقت از کرم یادم کنی
It would be a generous act if thou wouldst make me happy and kindly remember me early and late.
در شبان‌روزی وظیفه‌ی چاشتگاه ** راتبه کردی وصال ای نیک‌خواه
During (the period of) a (whole) day and night thou hast allowed me (only) breakfast-time for access (to thee), O well-wisher.
پانصد استسقاستم اندر جگر ** با هر استسقا قرین جوع البقر 2690
I feel in my liver five hundred cravings for drink, and bulimy (morbid hunger) is conjoined with every craving.
بی‌نیازی از غم من ای امیر ** ده زکات جاه و بنگر در فقیر
Thou, O prince, art unconcerned with my passion: pay the poor-tax on thy high estate, look (kindly) on (this) poor wretch.
این فقیر بی‌ادب نا درخورست ** لیک لطف عام تو زان برترست
This poor unmannerly wretch is not worthy (of thy favour); but thy universal grace is superior to (regard for) that.
می‌نجوید لطف عام تو سند ** آفتابی بر حدثها می‌زند
Thy universal grace requires no support (reason to justify it): a sun strikes (with its beams) on (all) ordures.
نور او را زان زیانی نابده ** وان حدث از خشکیی هیزم شده
Its light suffers no loss thereby, and the ordure is made dry and (fit for) fuel,
تا حدث در گلخنی شد نور یافت ** در در و دیوار حمامی بتافت 2695
So that the ordure goes into a bath-furnace, is converted into light, and illumines the door and wall of a bath-house.
بود آلایش شد آرایش کنون ** چون برو بر خواند خورشید آن فسون
(Formerly) it was a defilement, now it has become an adornment, since the sun chanted that spell (exerted that powerful influence) upon it.
شمس هم معده‌ی زمین را گرم کرد ** تا زمین باقی حدثها را بخورد
The sun also warms the belly of the earth, so that the earth consumes the remaining ordures.
جزو خاکی گشت و رست از وی نبات ** هکذا یمحو الاله السیات
They become a part of the earth, and herbage springs up from them: even so doth God wipe out evil actions.
با حدث که بترینست این کند ** کش نبات و نرگس و نسرین کند
To ordure, which is the worst (of things), He does this (favour), that He makes it herbage and narcissus and eglantine.
تا به نسرین مناسک در وفا ** حق چه بخشد در جزا و در عطا 2700
(Judge, then), what God bestows in (the way of) recompense and bounty on the eglantines (good works) of devotion (performed) faithfully.
چون خبیثان را چنین خلعت دهد ** طیبین را تا چه بخشد در رصد
Since He confers such a robe of honour on the wicked, (consider) what He bestows on the righteous in the place where He waits (for them).
آن دهد حقشان که لا عین رات ** که نگنجد در زبان و در لغت
God gives them that which no eye hath beheld, that which is not comprehensible in any tongue or language.
ما کییم این را بیا ای یار من ** روز من روشن کن از خلق حسن
Who are we to (aspire to) this? Come, my friend, make my day bright with (thy) goodly disposition.
منگر اندر زشتی و مکروهیم ** که ز پر زهری چو مار کوهیم
Do not regard my ugliness and hatefulness, though I am as venomous as a mountain-snake.
ای که من زشت و خصالم جمله زشت ** چون شوم گل چون مرا او خار کشت 2705
Oh, I am ugly and all my qualities are ugly: since He planted me as a thorn, how should I become a rose?
نوبهار حسن گل ده خار را ** زینت طاووس ده این مار را
Bestow on the thorn the springtide of the rose's beauty: bestow on this snake the loveliness of the peacock!
در کمال زشتیم من منتهی ** لطف تو در فضل و در فن منتهی
I have reached the limit in perfection of ugliness: thy grace has reached the limit in excellence and accomplishment.
حاجت این منتهی زان منتهی ** تو بر آر ای حسرت سرو سهی
Do thou grant the boon sought by this consummate one from that consummate one, O thou who art the envy of the tall cypress.
چون بمیرم فضل تو خواهد گریست ** از کرم گرچه ز حاجت او بریست
When I die, thy bounty, though it is exempt from need, will weep for kindness' sake.
بر سر گورم بسی خواهد نشست ** خواهد از چشم لطیفش اشک جست 2710
It will sit beside my grave a long while: tears will gush from its gracious eye.