Because they said to him, “’Tis for thee to command: (if) thou wishest, do thou cast down thy rod first (of all).”
ز آن که گفتندش که فرمان آن تست ** گر تو می‌‌خواهی عصا بفکن نخست
“Nay,” said he, “first do ye, O magicians, cast down those tricks (objects of enchantment) into the middle (where all can see them).”
گفت نی اول شما ای ساحران ** افکنید آن مکرها را در میان
This amount of respect purchased their (belief in) (the true) religion, so that it (the true belief) cut off the hands and feet of their contention (prevented them from disputing further with Moses).
این قدر تعظیم دینشان را خرید ** کز مری آن دست و پاهاشان برید
When the magicians acknowledged his (Moses') right, they sacrificed their hands and feet (as a penance) for the sin of that (contention).1620
ساحران چون حق او بشناختند ** دست و پا در جرم آن درباختند
To the perfect man (every) mouthful (of food) and (every) saying is lawful. Thou art not perfect: do not eat, be mute,
لقمه و نکته ست کامل را حلال ** تو نه‌‌ای کامل مخور می‌‌باش لال
Inasmuch as thou art an ear and he a tongue, not thy congener: God said to the ears, “Be silent.”
چون تو گوشی او زبان نی جنس تو ** گوشها را حق بفرمود أنصتوا
When the sucking babe is born, at first it keeps silence for a while, it is all ear.
کودک اول چون بزاید شیر نوش ** مدتی خامش بود او جمله گوش
For a while it must close its lips (and refrain) from speech, until it learns to speak;
مدتی می‌‌بایدش لب دوختن ** از سخن تا او سخن آموختن
And if it is not (silent like) an ear but makes babbling sounds, it makes itself the dumbest creature in the world.1625
ور نباشد گوش و تی‌‌تی می‌‌کند ** خویشتن را گنگ گیتی می‌‌کند
He that is deaf by nature, he that had no ear at the beginning, is dumb: how should he burst into speech?
کر اصلی کش نبود آغاز گوش ** لال باشد کی کند در نطق جوش