- Oh, happy is the man who was freed from himself and united with the existence of a living one! 1535
- ای خنک آن مرد کز خود رسته شد ** در وجود زندهای پیوسته شد
- Alas for the living one who consorted with the dead! He became dead, and life sped away from him.
- وای آن زنده که با مرده نشست ** مرده گشت و زندگی از وی بجست
- When you have fled (for refuge) to the Qur’án of God, you have mingled with the spirit of the prophets.
- چون تو در قرآن حق بگریختی ** با روان انبیا آمیختی
- The Qur’án is (a description of) the states of the prophets, (who are) the fishes of the holy sea of (Divine) Majesty.
- هست قرآن حالهای انبیا ** ماهیان بحر پاک کبریا
- And if you read and do not accept (take to heart) the Qur’án, suppose you have seen the prophets and saints (what will that avail you?);
- ور بخوانی و نهای قرآن پذیر ** انبیا و اولیا را دیده گیر
- But if you are accepting (the Qur’án), when you read the stories (of the prophets), the bird, your soul, will be distressed in its cage. 1540
- ور پذیرایی چو بر خوانی قصص ** مرغ جانت تنگ آید در قفص
- The bird that is a prisoner in a cage, (if it) is not seeking to escape, ’tis from ignorance.
- مرغ کاو اندر قفس زندانی است ** مینجوید رستن از نادانی است
- The spirits which have escaped from their cages are the prophets, (those) worthy guides.
- روحهایی کز قفسها رستهاند ** انبیای رهبر شایستهاند
- From without comes their voice, (telling) of religion, (and crying), “This, this is the way of escape for thee.
- از برون آوازشان آید ز دین ** که ره رستن ترا این است این
- By this we escaped from this narrow cage: there is no means of escape from this cage but this way,
- ما به دین رستیم زین ننگین قفس ** جز که این ره نیست چارهی این قفس
- (That) thou shouldst make thyself ill, exceedingly wretched, in order that thou mayst be let out from (the cage of) reputation.” 1545
- خویش را رنجور سازی زار زار ** تا ترا بیرون کنند از اشتهار
- Worldly reputation is a strong chain: in the Way how is this less than a chain of iron?
- که اشتهار خلق بند محکم است ** در ره این از بند آهن کی کم است
- The story of the merchant to whom the captive parrot gave a message for the parrots of India on the occasion of his going (thither) to trade.
- قصهی بازرگان که طوطی محبوس او او را پیغام داد به طوطیان هندوستان هنگام رفتن به تجارت
- There was a merchant, and he had a parrot imprisoned in a cage, a pretty parrot.
- بود بازرگانی او را طوطیی ** در قفس محبوس زیبا طوطیی
- When the merchant made ready for travel and was about to depart to India,
- چون که بازرگان سفر را ساز کرد ** سوی هندستان شدن آغاز کرد
- Because of his generosity he said to each male slave and each handmaid, “What shall I bring (home) for you? Tell (me) quickly.”
- هر غلام و هر کنیزک را ز جود ** گفت بهر تو چه آرم گوی زود
- Each one asked him for some object of desire: that good man gave his promise to them all. 1550
- هر یکی از وی مرادی خواست کرد ** جمله را وعده بداد آن نیک مرد
- He said to the parrot, “What present would you like me to bring for you from the land of India?”
- گفت طوطی را چه خواهی ارمغان ** کارمت از خطهی هندوستان
- The parrot said to him, “When thou seest the parrots there, explain my plight (and say),
- گفتش آن طوطی که آن جا طوطیان ** چون ببینی کن ز حال من بیان
- ‘Such and such a parrot, who is longing for you, is in my prison by the destiny of Heaven.
- کان فلان طوطی که مشتاق شماست ** از قضای آسمان در حبس ماست
- She salutes you and asks for justice and desires (to learn) from you the means and way of being rightly guided.
- بر شما کرد او سلام و داد خواست ** وز شما چاره و ره ارشاد خواست
- She says, “Is it meet that I in yearning (after you) should give up the ghost and die here in separation? 1555
- گفت میشاید که من در اشتیاق ** جان دهم اینجا بمیرم در فراق
- Is this right—(that) I (should be) in grievous bondage, while ye are now on green plants, now on trees?
- این روا باشد که من در بند سخت ** گه شما بر سبزه گاهی بر درخت
- The faith kept by friends, is it like this?—I in this prison and ye in the rose-garden.
- این چنین باشد وفای دوستان ** من در این حبس و شما در بوستان
- O ye noble ones, call to mind this piteous bird, (and drink in memory of me) a morning-draught amongst the meadows!
- یاد آرید ای مهان زین مرغ زار ** یک صبوحی در میان مرغزار
- Happy it is for a friend to be remembered by friends, in particular when that (beloved) is Laylá and this (lover) Majnún.
- یاد یاران یار را میمون بود ** خاصه کان لیلی و این مجنون بود