از پی صورت نیامد موش خوار ** از خبیثی شد زبون موش‌خوار 3000
The mouse is not despised for its (outward) form: it becomes a helpless victim of the kite because of its villainous character.
طعمه‌جوی و خاین و ظلمت‌پرست ** از پنیر و فستق و دوشاب مست
It is a (greedy) food-seeker and a traitor and a lover of darkness, besotted with cheese and pistachio nuts and syrup.
باز اشهب را چو باشد خوی موش ** ننگ موشان باشد و عار وحوش
When the white falcon has the nature of a mouse, it is an object of contempt to the mice and a disgrace to the wild animals.
خوی آن هاروت و ماروت ای پسر ** چون بگشت و دادشان خوی بشر
O son, when the nature of Hárút and Márút was changed and He (God) bestowed on them the nature of man,
در فتادند از لنحن الصافون ** در چه بابل ببسته سرنگون
They fell from (the eminence of) verily, we are they that stand in rowsinto the pit at Babylon (where they remain) shackled head-foremost.
لوح محفوظ از نظرشان دور شد ** لوح ایشان ساحر و مسحور شد 3005
The Guarded Tablet was removed from their sight: sorcerer and ensorcelled became their tablet.
پر همان و سر همان هیکل همان ** موسیی بر عرش و فرعونی مهان
The same arms, the same head, the same figure—(yet) a Moses is celestial (in his nature), while a Pharaoh is contemptible.
در پی خو باش و با خوش‌خو نشین ** خوپذیری روغن گل را ببین
Be always in quest of the (inward) nature and consort with him whose nature is good: observe how rose-oil (otto) has received (imbibed) the nature (of the rose).
خاک گور از مرد هم یابد شرف ** تا نهد بر گور او دل روی و کف
The earth of the grave is ennobled by the (holy) man (buried there), so that the (owner of an illumined) heart lays his face and hands on his grave.
خاک از همسایگی جسم پاک ** چون مشرف آمد و اقبال‌ناک
Since the earth (of the grave) is ennobled and made fortunate by the neighbourhood of the pure body,
پس تو هم الجار ثم الدار گو ** گر دلی داری برو دلدار جو 3010
Do thou too, then, say, “(First) the neighbour, then the house”: if thou hast a heart, go, seek a sweetheart.
خاک او هم‌سیرت جان می‌شود ** سرمه‌ی چشم عزیزان می‌شود
His dust (body) is endued with the character of his soul: it becomes a collyrium for the eyes of those who are dear (to God).
ای بسا در گور خفته خاک‌وار ** به ز صد احیا به نفع و انتشار
Oh, many a one sleeping like dust in the grave is superior in usefulness and open-handedness to a hundred living.
سایه برده او و خاکش سایه‌مند ** صد هزاران زنده در سایه‌ی ویند
He has taken away (from us) his shadow (body), but his dust is overshadowing (blessing and protecting us): hundreds of thousands of the living are in his shadow (under his protection).
داستان آن مرد کی وظیفه داشت از محتسب تبریز و وامها کرده بود بر امید آن وظیفه و او را خبر نه از وفات او حاصل از هیچ زنده‌ای وام او گزارده نشد الا از محتسب متوفی گزارده شد چنانک گفته‌اند لیس من مات فاستراح بمیت انما المیت میت الاحیاء
Story of the man who had an allowance from the Police Inspector of Tabríz and had incurred (large) debts in expectation of that allowance, since he was unaware of his (the Inspector's) death. The gist (of the story is that) his debts were paid, not by any living person, but by the deceased Inspector, (for) as has been said, “He that died and found peace is not dead: the (real) dead one is the man (spiritually) dead among the (materially) living.”
آن یکی درویش ز اطراف دیار ** جانب تبریز آمد وامدار
A certain dervish, who was in debt, came from the outlying provinces to Tabríz.
نه هزارش وام بد از زر مگر ** بود در تبریز بدرالدین عمر 3015
His debts amounted to nine thousand pieces of gold. It happened that in Tabríz was (a man named) Badru’ddín ‘Umar.
محتسب بد او به دل بحر آمده ** هر سر مویش یکی حاتم‌کده
He was the Police Inspector, (but) at heart he was an ocean (of bounty): every hair's tip of him was a dwelling-place (worthy) of Hátim.
حاتم ار بودی گدای او شدی ** سر نهادی خاک پای او شدی
Hátim, had he been (alive), would have become a beggar to him and laid his head (before him) and made himself (as) the dust of his feet.
گر بدادی تشنه را بحری زلال ** در کرم شرمنده بودی زان نوال
If he had given an ocean of limpid water to a thirsty man, such was his generosity that he would be ashamed of (bestowing) that gift;
ور بکردی ذره‌ای را مشرقی ** بودی آن در همتش نالایقی
And if he had made a mote (as full of splendour as) a place of sunrise, (even) that would (seem) to his lofty aspiration (to) be an unworthy action.
بر امید او بیامد آن غریب ** کو غریبان را بدی خویش و نسیب 3020
That poor stranger came (to Tabríz) in hope of him, for to poor strangers he was always (like) a kinsman and relative.
با درش بود آن غریب آموخته ** وام بی‌حد از عطایش توخته
That poor stranger was familiar with his door and had paid innumerable debts from his bounty.
هم به پشت آن کریم او وام کرد ** که ببخششهاش واثق بود مرد
In reliance upon that generous (patron) he ran into debt, for the (poor) man was confident of (receiving) his donations.
لا ابالی گشته زو و وام‌جو ** بر امید قلزم اکرام‌خو
He had been made reckless by him (the Inspector) and eager to incur debts in hope of (being enriched by) that munificent sea.
وام‌داران روترش او شادکام ** هم‌چو گل خندان از آن روض الکرام
His creditors looked sour, while he was laughing happily, like the rose, on account of that garden (abode) of generous souls.
گرم شد پشتش ز خورشید عرب ** چه غمستش از سبال بولهب 3025
(When) his (the Moslem's) back is warmed by the Sun of the Arabs, what does he care for the moustache (vain bluster) of Bú Lahab?
چونک دارد عهد و پیوند سحاب ** کی دریغ آید ز سقایانش آب
When he has a covenant and alliance with the rain-cloud, how should he grudge water to the water-carriers?
ساحران واقف از دست خدا ** کی نهند این دست و پا را دست و پا
How should the magicians who were acquainted with God's Hand (Power) bestow (the name of) hands and feet upon these hands and feet?
روبهی که هست زان شیرانش پشت ** بشکند کله‌ی پلنگان را به مشت
The fox that is backed by those lions will break the skulls of the leopards with his fist.
آمدن جعفر رضی الله عنه به گرفتن قلعه به تنهایی و مشورت کردن ملک آن قلعه در دفع او و گفتن آن وزیر ملک را کی زنهار تسلیم کن و از جهل تهور مکن کی این مرد میدست و از حق جمعیت عظیم دارد در جان خویش الی آخره
How Ja‘far, may God be well-pleased with him, advanced alone to capture a fortress, and how the king of the fortress consulted (his vizier) as to the means of repelling him, and how the vizier said to the king, “Beware! Surrender (it) and do not be so foolhardy as to hurl thyself upon him; for this man is (Divinely) aided and possesses in his soul a great collectedness (derived) from God,” etc.
چونک جعفر رفت سوی قلعه‌ای ** قلعه پیش کام خشکش جرعه‌ای
When Ja‘far advanced against a certain fortress, the fortress (seemed) to his dry palate (to be no more than) a single gulp.
یک سواره تاخت تا قلعه بکر ** تا در قلعه ببستند از حذر 3030
Riding alone, he charged up to the fortress, so that they (the garrison) locked the fortress-gate in dread.
زهره نه کس را که پیش آید به جنگ ** اهل کشتی را چه زهره با نهنگ
No one dared to meet him in battle: what stomach have the ship's crew (to contend) with a leviathan?
روی آورد آن ملک سوی وزیر ** که چه چاره‌ست اندرین وقت ای مشیر
The king turned to his vizier, saying, “What is to be done in this crisis, Counsellor?”
گفت آنک ترک گویی کبر و فن ** پیش او آیی به شمشیر و کفن
He replied, “(The only remedy is) that you should bid farewell to pride and cunning, and come to him with sword and shroud.”
گفت آخر نه یکی مردیست فرد ** گفت منگر خوار در فردی مرد
“Why,” said the king, “is not he a single man (and) alone?” He (the vizier) replied, “Do not look with contempt on the man's loneliness.
چشم بگشا قلعه را بنگر نکو ** هم‌چو سیمابست لرزان پیش او 3035
Open your eye: look well at the fortress: it is trembling before him like quicksilver.
شسته در زین آن‌چنان محکم‌پیست ** گوییا شرقی و غربی با ویست
He sits (alone) on the saddle, (but) his nerve is just as unshaken as if an (army of the) East and West were accompanying him.
چند کس هم‌چون فدایی تاختند ** خویشتن را پیش او انداختند
Several men rushed forward, like Fidá’ís (desperate assassins), and flung themselves into combat with him.
هر یکی را او بگرزی می‌فکند ** سر نگوسار اندر اقدام سمند
He felled each of them with a blow of his mace (so that they were hurled) headlong at the feet of his steed.
داده بودش صنع حق جمعیتی ** که همی‌زد یک تنه بر امتی
God's (creative) action had bestowed on him such a collectedness that he was attacking a (whole) people single-handed.
چشم من چون دید روی آن قباد ** کثرت اعداد از چشمم فتاد 3040
When mine eye beheld the face of that (spiritual) emperor, (all) plurality vanished from my sight.”
اختران بسیار و خورشید ار یکیست ** پیش او بنیاد ایشان مندکیست
The stars are many; though the sun is one, (yet) on his appearance their foundation is demolished.
گر هزاران موش پیش آرند سر ** گربه را نه ترس باشد نه حذر
If a thousand mice put forth their heads, the cat feels no fear or apprehension of danger.
کی به پیش آیند موشان ای فلان ** نیست جمعیت درون جانشان
How should mice advance (to the attack), O such-and-such? They have no collectedness in their souls.
هست جمعیت به صورتها فشار ** جمع معنی خواه هین از کردگار
The collectedness (that consists) in outward forms is a vain thing: hark, beg from the Creator collectedness of spirit.
نیست جمعیت ز بسیاری جسم ** جسم را بر باد قایم دان چو اسم 3045
Collectedness is not the result of bodily multitude: know that body, like name, is built on (empty) air.
در دل موش ار بدی جمعیتی ** جمع گشتی چند موش از حمیتی
If there were any collectedness in the heart of the mouse, a number of mice would be collected (united) by a feeling of indignation,
بر زدندی چون فدایی حمله‌ای ** خویش را بر گربه‌ی بی‌مهله‌ای
And, rushing up like assassins, they would throw themselves on a cat without (giving her) any respite.
آن یکی چشمش بکندی از ضراب ** وان دگر گوشش دریدی هم به ناب
One would tear out her eyes in conflict (with her), while another would rip her ears with its teeth,
وان دگر سوراخ کردی پهلوش ** از جماعت گم شدی بیرون شوش
And another make a hole in her side: there would be no way of escape for her from the united party.