گفت دی نیم درم راضی‌ترم ** زانک امروز این و فردا صد درم
He replied, “I am more pleased with (the possession of) half a dirhem yesterday than with (the promise of) this (one dirhem) to-day and a hundred dirhems to-morrow.”
سیلی نقد از عطاء نسیه به ** نک قفا پیشت کشیدم نقد ده
(The mouse said), “A slap (given) in cash (immediately) is better than a donation (paid) on credit (hereafter): lo, I put the nape of my neck before thee: give (me) the cash!
خاصه آن سیلی که از دست توست ** که قفا و سیلیش مست توست
Especially as the slap is from thy hand, for both the nape and the slap inflicted on it are intoxicated (enraptured) with thee.
هین بیا ای جان جان و صد جهان ** خوش غنیمت دار نقد این زمان
Hark, come, O soul of my soul and (O thou who art the soul) of a hundred worlds, gladly take the opportunity of (seizing) the cash of this (present) moment.
در مدزد آن روی مه از شب روان ** سرمکش زین جوی ای آب روان 2720
Do not stealthily remove thy moon-like face from the night-travellers, do not withdraw thyself from this river-bed, O flowing water,
تا لب جو خندد از آب معین ** لب لب جو سر برآرد یاسمین
(But flow) in order that the river-bank may laugh (may be made to blossom) by the running water, and that jasmines may rear their heads on each brim of the river.”
چون ببینی بر لب جو سبزه مست ** پس بدان از دور که آنجا آب هست
When you see that verdure is fresh on the river-brim, then (you may) know (even) from afar that water is there.
گفت سیماهم وجوه کردگار ** که بود غماز باران سبزه‌زار
The Maker hath said, “Their mark is (on) their faces,” for the verdant orchard tells a tale of rain.
گر ببارد شب نبیند هیچ کس ** که بود در خواب هر نفس و نفس
If it rains during the night, no one sees (the rain), for (then) every soul and breath is asleep;
تازگی هر گلستان جمیل ** هست بر باران پنهانی دلیل 2725
(But) the freshness of every beauteous rose-garden is (clear) evidence of the rain (that was) hidden (from view).
ای اخی من خاکیم تو آبیی ** لیک شاه رحمت و وهابیی
(The mouse said), “O comrade, I am of the earth, thou art of the water; but thou art the king of mercy and munificence.
آن‌چنان کن از عطا و از قسم ** که گه و بی‌گه به خدمت می‌رسم
By way of (conferring) bounty and dispensing (favour) so act that I may attain to (the privilege of) serving thee early and late.
بر لب جو من به جان می‌خوانمت ** می‌نبینم از اجابت مرحمت
I am always calling thee on the river-bank with (all) my soul, (but) I never experience the mercy of response.
آمدن در آب بر من بسته شد ** زانک ترکیبم ز خاکی رسته شد
Entrance into the water is barred against me because my (bodily) frame has grown from a piece of earth.
یا رسولی یا نشانی کن مدد ** تا ترا از بانگ من آگه کند 2730
Use the aid either of a messenger or a token to make thee aware of my (piteous) cry.”
بحث کردند اندرین کار آن دو یار ** آخر آن بحث آن آمد قرار
The two friends debated on this (matter): at the close of the debate it was settled
که به دست آرند یک رشته‌ی دراز ** تا ز جذب رشته گردد کشف راز
That they should procure a long string, in order that by pulling the string the secret should be revealed.
یک سری بر پای این بنده‌ی دوتو ** بست باید دیگرش بر پای تو
(The mouse said), “One end must be tied to the foot of this slave (who is bent) double, and the other (end) to thy foot,
تا به هم آییم زین فن ما دو تن ** اندر آمیزیم چون جان با بدن
That by this device we two persons may come together and mingle as the soul with the body.”
هست تن چون ریسمان بر پای جان ** می‌کشاند بر زمینش ز آسمان 2735
The body is like a string (tied) on the foot of the soul, drawing it (down) from Heaven to earth.
چغز جان در آب خواب بیهشی ** رسته از موش تن آید در خوشی
When the frog-like soul escapes from the mouse-like body into the water, (which is) the sleep of unconsciousness, it enters into a happy state;
موش تن زان ریسمان بازش کشد ** چند تلخی زین کشش جان می‌چشد
(But) the mouse-like body pulls it back with that string: how much bitterness does the soul taste from this pulling!
Were it not for the pulling of the scatter-brained mouse, the frog would have enjoyed himself in the water.
باقیش چون روز برخیزی ز خواب ** بشنوی از نوربخش آفتاب
You will hear the rest of it from the light-giving (illumination) of the Sun when you rise from slumber on the Day (of Resurrection).
یک سر رشته گره بر پای من ** زان سر دیگر تو پا بر عقده زن 2740
(The mouse said), “Knot one end of the string on my foot and the other end on thine,
تا توانم من درین خشکی کشید ** مر ترا نک شد سر رشته پدید
That I may be able to pull thee to this dry land: lo, the end of the string (the object of my plan) is (now) clear (to thee).”
تلخ آمد بر دل چغز این حدیث ** که مرا در عقده آرد این خبیث
This news (proposal) was disagreeable to the heart of the frog, (who thought to himself), “This wicked fellow will bring me into a tangle.”
هر کراهت در دل مرد بهی ** چون در آید از فنی نبود تهی
Whenever a feeling of repugnance comes into the heart of a good man, ’tis not devoid of some significance.
وصف حق دان آن فراست را نه وهم ** نور دل از لوح کل کردست فهم
Deem that (intuitive) sagacity to be a Divine attribute, not a (vain) suspicion: the light of the heart has apprehended (by intuitive perception) from the Universal Tablet.
امتناع پیل از سیران ببیت ** با جد آن پیلبان و بانگ هیت 2745
(For example) the refusal of the Elephant to march against the House (of Allah) notwithstanding the driver's efforts and cries of “Come on!”
جانب کعبه نرفتی پای پیل ** با همه لت نه کثیر و نه قلیل
In spite of all blows the Elephant's feet would not move, either much or little, towards the Ka‘ba.
گفتیی خود خشک شد پاهای او ** یا بمرد آن جان صول‌افزای او
You would have said that its legs were paralysed or that its impetuous spirit was dead.
چونک کردندی سرش سوی یمن ** پیل نر صد اسپه گشتی گام‌زن
(But) whenever they turned its head towards Yemen, the fierce Elephant would begin to stride (forward) with the speed of a hundred horses.
حس پیل از زخم غیب آگاه بود ** چون بود حس ولی با ورود
(Since) the Elephant's perception was aware of the blow (coming) from the Unseen, how (much more) must the perception of the saint (endowed) with (the Divine) afflatus be (aware)!
نه که یعقوب نبی آن پاک‌خو ** بهر یوسف با همه اخوان او 2750
Is it not (the case) that the prophet Jacob, that man of holy nature, (said) for Joseph's sake to all his (Joseph's) brethren—
از پدر چون خواستندش دادران ** تا برندش سوی صحرا یک زمان
When the brothers begged their father to give him to them, that they might take him to the country for a while,
جمله گفتندش میندیش از ضرر ** یک دو روزش مهلتی ده ای پدر
(And) they all said to him, “Do not be afraid of harm (befalling him): give him one or two days' time, O father;
که چرا ما را نمی داری امین ** یوسف خود را به سیران و ظعین
For why wilt not thou entrust thy Joseph to us in going about and travelling (for pleasure),
تا به هم در مرجها بازی کنیم ** ما درین دعوت امین و محسنیم
That we may play together in the meadows? In (making) this request we are trustworthy and beneficent”—
گفت این دانم که نقلش از برم ** می‌فروزد در دلم درد و سقم 2755
Did not he (Jacob) say (to them), “I know this, that (the thought of) his being removed from me is kindling grief and sickness in my heart;
این دلم هرگز نمی‌گوید دروغ ** که ز نور عرش دارد دل فروغ
This heart of mine never lies, for my heart is illumined by the light of the highest heaven”?
آن دلیل قاطعی بد بر فساد ** وز قضا آن را نکرد او اعتداد
That (foreboding) was a decisive proof of (their) wickedness, but by (Divine) destiny he took no account (of it).
در گذشت از وی نشانی آن‌چنان ** که قضا در فلسفه بود آن زمان
An intimation like that passed away from him (from his mind), because Destiny was at that moment (engaged) in (putting into operation the Divine) philosophy.
این عجب نبود که کور افتد به چاه ** بوالعجب افتادن بینای راه
’Tis no wonder that a blind man should fall into a pit, (but) the falling of one who can see the way is beyond all wonder.
این قضا را گونه گون تصریفهاست ** چشم‌بندش یفعل‌الله ما یشاست 2760
This Destiny employs diverse shifts: its eye-binding spell is God doeth what He pleaseth.
هم بداند هم نداند دل فنش ** موم گردد بهر آن مهر آهنش
The heart knows and yet knows not its (Destiny's) artfulness: its (hard) iron becomes (soft) as wax for the seal.
گوییی دل گویدی که میل او ** چون درین شد هرچه افتد باش گو
’Tis as though the heart should say (to itself), “Since its (Destiny's) inclination is turned to (bringing) this (to pass), whatever may happen, let it come!”
خویش را زین هم مغفل می‌کند ** در عقالش جان معقل می‌کند
Accordingly it makes itself heedless of this (happening) and binds its soul fast in the shackle thereof.
گر شود مات اندرین آن بوالعلا ** آن نباشد مات باشد ابتلا
If that exalted one (the prophet or saint) is checkmated (worsted) in this (matter), ’tis not (really) checkmate, ’tis tribulation.
یک بلا از صد بلااش وا خرد ** یک هبوطش بر معارجها برد 2765
A single tribulation redeems him from a hundred tribulations, a single fall takes him (high) up on the ladders (of spiritual ascent).