(’Tis) a killing better than a thousand lives: (all) sovereignties are mortally enamoured of this servitude.
کشتنی به از هزاران زندگی ** سلطنت‌ها مرده‌ی این بندگی
They (the princes) were telling each other their secrets allusively in low tones with a hundred fears and precautions.
با کنایت رازها با هم‌دگر ** پست گفتندی به صد خوف و حذر
None but God was the confidant of their secret, their sighs were breathed to Heaven alone.
راز را غیر خدا محرم نبود ** آه را جز آسمان هم‌دم نبود
They were using certain mystical terms among themselves in order to convey information.
اصطلاحاتی میان هم‌دگر ** داشتندی بهر ایراد خبر
The vulgar have learned this birds' language and (by means of it) have acquired prestige and authority.4010
زین لسان الطیر عام آموختند ** طمطراق و سروری اندوختند
That terminology is (only) the image (imitation) of the bird's voice: the uninitiated man is ignorant of the (inward) state of the birds.
صورت آواز مرغست آن کلام ** غافلست از حال مرغان مرد خام
Where is the Solomon who knows the birds' song? The demon, though he seize the kingdom (of Solomon), is an alien.
کو سلیمانی که داند لحن طیر ** دیو گرچه ملک گیرد هست غیر
The demon in the likeness of Solomon stood (in Solomon's place): he knows how to deceive, but he does not possess (the knowledge denoted by the words) we have been taught.
دیو بر شبه سلیمان کرد ایست ** علم مکرش هست و علمناش نیست
Inasmuch as Solomon was rejoiced exceedingly by (the favour of) God, he had a birds' language (derived) from we have been taught.
چون سلیمان از خدا بشاش بود ** منطق الطیری ز علمناش بود
Understand that you are a bird of the (common) air because you have not beheld the esoteric birds.4015
تو از آن مرغ هوایی فهم کن ** که ندیدستی طیور من لدن