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.
این قفس پیدا و آن فرخش نهان ** بی‌قفس کش کی قفس باشد روان 2965
This cage is visible, but the young bird in it is hidden (from sight): how should the cage be moving without a cage-carrier?
ای خنک چشمی که عقلستش امیر ** عاقبت‌بین باشد و حبر و قریر
Oh, blessed is the eye that is ruled by reason, (the eye) that discerns the end and is wise and cool.
فرق زشت و نغز از عقل آورید ** نی ز چشمی کز سیه گفت و سپید
Get (learn) the distinction between evil and good from reason, not from the eye that tells (only) of black and white.
چشم غره شد به خضرای دمن ** عقل گوید بر محک ماش زن
The eye is beguiled by the verdure on dunghills, (but) reason says, “Put it to my touchstone.”
آفت مرغست چشم کام‌بین ** مخلص مرغست عقل دام‌بین
The eye that sees (only) its (object of) desire is the bird's bane; reason, which sees the trap, is the bird's means of deliverance.
دام دیگر بد که عقلش در نیافت ** وحی غایب‌بین بدین سو زان شتافت 2970
(But) there was another trap which reason did not perceive; hence the inspiration which beholds the unseen sped in this direction.
جنس و ناجنس از خرد دانی شناخت ** سوی صورتها نشاید زود تاخت
By reason you can recognise congener and non-congener: you ought not to run at once to (outward) forms.
نیست جنسیت به صورت لی و لک ** عیسی آمد در بشر جنس ملک
My being your congener is not in respect of (outward) form: Jesus, in the form of man, was (really) homogeneous with the angels
برکشیدش فوق این نیلی‌حصار ** مرغ گردونی چو چغزش زاغ‌وار
The celestial Bird (Gabriel) carried him up above this dark-blue fortress (vault) as the raven (carried) the frog.
قصه‌ی عبدالغوث و ربودن پریان او را و سالها میان پریان ساکن شدن او و بعد از سالها آمدن او به شهر و فرزندان خویش را باز ناشکیفتن او از آن پریان بحکم جنسیت و همدلی او با ایشان
Story of ‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth and his being carried off by the peris and staying among them for years, and how after (many) years he returned to his (native) town and his children, but could not endure to be parted from the peris, because he was really their congener and spiritually one with them.
بود عبدالغوث هم‌جنس پری ** چون پری نه سال در پنهان‌پری
‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth was a congener of the peri: for nine years he was flying about invisibly, like a peri.
شد زنش را نسل از شوی دگر ** وآن یتیمانش ز مرگش در سمر 2975
His wife had offspring by another husband, and his (‘Abdu ’l-Ghawth's) orphans used to talk of his death,
که مرورا گرگ زد یا ره‌زنی ** یا فتاد اندر چهی یا مکمنی
Saying, “A wolf or a brigand (must have) attacked him, or (perhaps) he fell into a pit or ambush.”
جمله فرزندانش در اشغال مست ** خود نگفتندی که بابایی بدست
All his children were passionately absorbed in (worldly) occupations: they never said (thought) that they had a father (who might be alive).
بعد نه سال آمد او هم عاریه ** گشت پیدا باز شد متواریه
After nine years he came (back) temporarily: he appeared and (then) disappeared again.
یک مهی مهمان فرزندان خویش ** بود و زان پس کس ندیدش رنگ بیش
He was the guest of his children for one month, and after that nobody saw any more of him.
برد هم جنسی پریانش چنان ** که رباید روح را زخم سنان 2980
(Inward) homogeneity with the peris carried him off, just as a spear-thrust ravishes the spirit (from the body).