A magician by his art makes a dish of rice (appear to be) a dish full of (tiny) worms in the assembly;
ساحری صحن برنجی را به فن ** صحن پر کرمی کند در انجمن
(Or) by the breath (power) of magic he has caused a room to appear full of scorpions, though in truth there were no scorpions.
خانه را او پر ز کزدمها نمود ** از دم سحر و خود آن کزدم نبود
When sorcery produces a hundred such illusions, how (much greater) must be the cunning of the Creator of sorcery?
چونک جادو مینماید صد چنین ** چون بود دستان جادوآفرین
Of necessity, through the magic of God generation after generation have fallen down (been vanquished), like a woman (lying) flat beneath (sub marito). [Of necessity, through the magic of God generation after generation have fallen down (been vanquished), like a woman (lying) flat beneath (under her husband).]
لاجرم از سحر یزدان قرن قرن ** اندر افتادند چون زن زیر پهن
Their magicians were slaves and servants, and fell into the trap (of Divine cunning) like wagtails.450
ساحرانشان بنده بودند و غلام ** اندر افتادند چون صعوه به دام
Hark, read the Qur’án and behold lawful magic (in) the overthrow of plots (huge) as the mountains.
“I am not (like) Pharaoh that I should come to the Nile; I am going towards the fire, like Khalíl (Abraham).
من نیم فرعون کایم سوی نیل ** سوی آتش میروم من چون خلیل
’Tis not fire; (in reality) ’tis flowing water, (while) the other, through (Divine) cunning, is water whereof the (real) nature is fire.
نیست آتش هست آن ماء معین ** وآن دگر از مکر آب آتشین
Excellently well said the complaisant Prophet, “A mote of intelligence is better for thee than fasting and performing the ritual prayer,”
پس نکو گفت آن رسول خوشجواز ** ذرهای عقلت به از صوم و نماز
Because thy intelligence is the substance, (whereas) these two (things) are accidents: these two are made obligatory in (the case of persons who possess) the full complement of it,455
زانک عقلت جوهرست این دو عرض ** این دو در تکمیل آن شد مفترض