When the dog is awake during the night, like a watchman, he is not ignorant of the nightly vigil of the (spiritual) kings.
هین ز بدنامان نباید ننگ داشت ** هوش بر اسرارشان باید گماشت
Hark, you must not disdain them that have a bad name: you must set your mind on their inward parts (spiritual qualities).
هر که او یک‌بار خود بدنام شد ** خود نباید نام جست و خام شد 2920
Whoever has once got a bad name must not seek (to win) a (good) name and (thereby) become half-baked.
ای بسا زر که سیه‌تابش کنند ** تا شود آمن ز تاراج و گزند
Oh, many a (piece of) gold is made (like) black polished iron in order that it may be saved from pillage and calamity.
قصه‌ی آنک گاو بحری گوهر کاویان از قعر دریا بر آورد شب بر ساحل دریا نهد در درخش و تاب آن می‌چرد بازرگان از کمین برون آید چون گاو از گوهر دورتر رفته باشد بازرگان به لجم و گل تیره گوهر را بپوشاند و بر درخت گریزد الی آخر القصه و التقریب
Story of the sea-cow: how it brings up the royal pearl from the depths of the ocean and at night lays it on the seashore and feeds in the resplendence and lustre thereof; and how the trader comes forth from his hiding-place and, when the cow has gone some distance away from the pearl, covers the pearl with loam and black clay and runs off and climbs a tree; and so on to the end of the story and exposition.
گاو آبی گوهر از بحر آورد ** بنهد اندر مرج و گردش می‌چرد
The water-cow fetches a pearl out of the sea, lays it on the meadow, and grazes around it.
در شعاع نور گوهر گاو آب ** می‌چرد از سنبل و سوسن شتاب
In the radiance of the light of the pearl the water-cow feeds hurriedly on hyacinths and lilies.
زان فکنده‌ی گاو آبی عنبرست ** که غذااش نرگس و نیلوفرست
The excrement of the water-cow is ambergris because its food is narcissus and nenuphar.
هرکه باشد قوت او نور جلال ** چون نزاید از لبش سحر حلال 2925
Any one whose food is the Light of (Divine) Majesty, how should not lawful magic (wondrous eloquence) spring from his lips?
هرکه چون زنبور وحیستش نفل ** چون نباشد خانه‌ی او پر عسل
Any one who, like the bee, has been given (Divine) inspiration as a prize, how should not his house be full of honey?
می‌چرد در نور گوهر آن بقر ** ناگهان گردد ز گوهر دورتر
The cow grazes in the light of the pearl; (then) suddenly it moves some distance away from the pearl.
تاجری بر در نهد لجم سیاه ** تا شود تاریک مرج و سبزه‌گاه
A trader (appears and) puts black loam on the pearl, so that the meadow and verdant ground becomes dark.
پس گریزد مرد تاجر بر درخت ** گاوجویان مرد را با شاخ سخت
Then the trader takes refuge on a tree, while the cow seeks the man with its hard horn.
بیست بار آن گاو تازد گرد مرج ** تا کند آن خصم را در شاخ درج 2930
Twenty times the cow runs about the meadow, in order to impale its enemy on its horn.
چون ازو نومید گردد گاو نر ** آید آنجا که نهاده بد گهر
When the fierce cow despairs of (finding) him, it comes to the place where the pearl was laid
لجم بیند فوق در شاه‌وار ** پس ز طین بگریزد او ابلیس‌وار
And sees the loam (spread) over the royal pearl; then it runs away from the clay, like Iblís.
کان بلیس از متن طین کور و کرست ** گاو کی داند که در گل گوهرست
(Since) Iblís is blind and deaf to the gist (spiritual content) of the clay (of Adam), how should the cow know that the pearl is in the clay?
اهبطوا افکند جان را در حضیض ** از نمازش کرد محروم این محیض
(The Divine command) fall ye cast the spirit into abasement: this menstruation excluded it from prayer (communion with God).
ای رفیقان زین مقیل و زان مقال ** اتقوا ان الهوی حیض الرجال 2935
O comrades, beware of this resting-place and of that (idle) talk: verily, sensuality is the menstruation of men.
اهبطوا افکند جان را در بدن ** تا به گل پنهان بود در عدن
(The Divine command) fall ye cast the spirit into the body, that the pearl of Aden might be hidden in clay.
تاجرش داند ولیکن گاو نی ** اهل دل دانند و هر گل‌کاو نی
The trader knows it, but the cow does not: the spiritual know, but not any clay-digger.
هر گلی که اندر دل او گوهریست ** گوهرش غماز طین دیگریست
Every piece of clay in the heart of which there is a pearl—its pearl can tell the secrets of another (piece of) clay;
وان گلی کز رش حق نوری نیافت ** صحبت گلهای پر در بر نتافت
While the clay that has not been illumined by God's sprinkling (of light) cannot bear the companionship of the pieces of clay that are filled with pearls.
این سخن پایان ندارد موش ما ** هست بر لبهای جو بر گوش ما 2940
This topic is endless, (and meanwhile) our mouse on the bank of the river is (waiting) on our ear (attention).
رجوع کردن به قصه‌ی طلب کردن آن موش آن چغز را لب‌لب جو و کشیدن سر رشته تا چغز را در آب خبر شود از طلب او
Return to the Story of the mouse seeking the frog on the river-bank and pulling the string in order that the frog in the water might become aware of his seeking him.
آن سرشته‌ی عشق رشته می‌کشد ** بر امید وصل چغز با رشد
That (creature) moulded of love is pulling the string in hope of being united with the righteous frog.
می‌تند بر رشته‌ی دل دم به دم ** که سر رشته به دست آورده‌ام
He is perpetually harping on the heart-string, saying, “I have got the end of the string in my paw.
هم‌چو تاری شد دل و جان در شهود ** تا سر رشته به من رویی نمود
My heart and soul have become as (frail as) a thread in contemplation, ever since the end of the string (the prospect of success) showed itself to me.”
خود غراب البین آمد ناگهان ** بر شکار موش و بردش زان مکان
But suddenly the raven of separation came to chase the mouse and carried it off from that spot.
چون بر آمد بر هوا موش از غراب ** منسحب شد چغز نیز از قعر آب 2945
When the mouse was taken up into the air by the raven, the frog too was dragged from the bottom of the water.
موش در منقار زاغ و چغز هم ** در هوا آویخته پا در رتم
The mouse (was) in the raven's beak, and the frog likewise (was) suspended in the air, (with) its foot (entangled) in the string.
خلق می‌گفتند زاغ از مکر و کید ** چغز آبی را چگونه کرد صید
The people were saying, “How could the raven make the water-frog its prey by craft and cunning?
چون شد اندر آب و چونش در ربود ** چغز آبی کی شکار زاغ بود
How could it go into the water, and how could it carry him off? When was the water-frog (ever) the raven's prey?”
چغز گفتا این سزای آن کسی ** کو چو بی‌آبان شود جفت خسی
“This,” said the frog, “is the fit punishment for that one who, like persons devoid of honour, consorts with a rascal.”
ای فغان از یار ناجنس ای فغان ** هم‌نشین نیک جویید ای مهان 2950
Oh, alas, alas for the sorrow caused by a base friend! O sirs, seek ye a good companion.
عقل را افغان ز نفس پر عیوب ** هم‌چو بینی بدی بر روی خوب
Reason complains bitterly of the vicious carnal soul: (they are as discordant) as an ugly nose on a beautiful face.
عقل می‌گفتش که جنسیت یقین ** از ره معنیست نی از آب و طین
Reason was saying to him (the frog), “’Tis certain that congeniality is spiritual in origin and is not (derived) from water and clay (the outward form).”
هین مشو صورت‌پرست و این مگو ** سر جنسیت به صورت در مجو
Take heed, do not become a worshipper of form and do not say this. Do not seek (to discover) the secret of congeniality in the (outward) form.
صورت آمد چون جماد و چون حجر ** نیست جامد را ز جنسیت خبر
Form resembles the mineral and the stone: an inorganic thing has no knowledge of congeniality.
جان چو مور و تن چو دانه‌ی گندمی ** می‌کشاند سو به سویش هر دمی 2955
The spirit is like an ant, and the body like a grain of wheat which it (the ant) carries to and fro continually.
مور داند کان حبوب مرتهن ** مستحیل و جنس من خواهد شدن
The ant knows that the grains of which it has taken charge will be changed and become homogeneous with it.
آن یکی موری گرفت از راه جو ** مور دیگر گندمی بگرفت و دو
One ant picks up (a grain of) barley on the road, another ant picks up a grain of wheat and runs away.
جو سوی گندم نمی‌تازد ولی ** مور سوی مور می‌آید بلی
The barley does not hurry to the wheat, but the ant comes to the ant; yes (it does).
رفتن جو سوی گندم تابعست ** مور را بین که به جنسش راجعست
The going of the barley to the wheat is (merely) consequential: (’tis) the ant, mark you, (that) returns to its congener.
تو مگو گندم چرا شد سوی جو ** چشم را بر خصم نه نی بر گرو 2960
Do not say, “Why did the wheat go to the barley?” Fix your eye on the holder, not on that which he holds in pawn.
مور اسود بر سر لبد سیاه ** مور پنهان دانه پیدا پیش راه
(As when) a black ant (moves along) on a black felt cloth: the ant is hidden (from view), (only) the grain is visible on its way,
عقل گوید چشم را نیکو نگر ** دانه هرگز کی رود بی دانه‌بر
(But) Reason says, “Look well to your eye: when does a grain ever go along without a grain-bearer?”
زین سبب آمد سوی اصحاب کلب ** هست صورتها حبوب و مور قلب
(’Twas) on this account (that) the dog came to the Companions (of the Cave): the (outward) forms are (like) the grains, while the heart (spirit) is (like) the ant.
زان شود عیسی سوی پاکان چرخ ** بد قفس‌ها مختلف یک جنس فرخ
Hence Jesus goes (ascends) to the holy ones of Heaven: the cages (bodies) were diverse, (but) the young birds (spirits) were of the same kind.