- Did not the sea become a friend to Noah and Moses? Did it not become overbearing in vengeance against their enemies?
- نوح و موسی را نه دریا یار شد ** نه بر اعداشان به کین قهار شد
- Was not the fire a fortress for Abraham, so that it raised smoke (sighs of despair) from the heart of Nimrod?
- آتش ابراهیم را نی قلعه بود ** تا بر آورد از دل نمرود دود
- Did not the mountain call Yahyá (John the Baptist) to itself and drive off his pursuers with blows of stone?
- کوه یحیی را نه سوی خویش خواند ** قاصدانش را به زخم سنگ راند
- “O Yahyá,” it said, “come, take refuge in me, that I may be thy shelter from the sharp sword.”
- گفت ای یحیی بیا در من گریز ** تا پناهت باشم از شمشیر تیز
- How the parrot bade farewell to the merchant and flew away.
- وداع کردن طوطی خواجه را و پریدن
- The parrot gave him one or two counsels devoid of hypocrisy and after that bade him the farewell of parting. 1845
- یک دو پندش داد طوطی بینفاق ** بعد از آن گفتش سلام الفراق
- The merchant said to her, “Go, God protect thee! Just now thou hast shown to me a new Way.”
- خواجه گفتش فی أمان الله برو ** مر مرا اکنون نمودی راه نو
- Said the merchant to himself, “This is the counsel for me; I will take her Way, for this Way is shining with light.
- خواجه با خود گفت کاین پند من است ** راه او گیرم که این ره روشن است
- How should my soul be meaner than the parrot? The soul ought to follow a good track like this.”
- جان من کمتر ز طوطی کی بود ** جان چنین باید که نیکو پی بود
- The harmfulness of being honoured by the people and of becoming conspicuous.
- مضرت تعظیم خلق و انگشت نمای شدن
- The body is cage-like: the body, amidst the cajoleries of those who come in and go out, became a thorn to the soul.
- تن قفس شکل است تن شد خار جان ** در فریب داخلان و خارجان
- This one says to him, “I will be thy confidant,” and that one says, “Nay, I am thy partner.” 1850
- اینش گوید من شوم هم راز تو ** و آنش گوید نی منم انباز تو
- This one says to him, “There is none in existence like thee for beauty and eminence and for kindness and liberality.”
- اینش گوید نیست چون تو در وجود ** در جمال و فضل و در احسان و جود
- That one says to him, “Both the worlds are thine, all our souls are thy soul's parasites.”
- آنش گوید هر دو عالم آن تست ** جمله جانهامان طفیل جان تست
- When he sees the people intoxicated with (desire for) him, because of arrogance he loses self-control.
- او چو بیند خلق را سر مست خویش ** از تکبر میرود از دست خویش
- He does not know that the Devil has cast thousands like him into the water of the river (of destruction).
- او نداند که هزاران را چو او ** دیو افکنده ست اندر آب جو
- The world's flattery and hypocrisy is a sweet morsel: eat less of it (eat it not), for it is a morsel full of fire. 1855
- لطف و سالوس جهان خوش لقمهای است ** کمترش خور کان پر آتش لقمهای است
- Its fire is hidden and its taste is manifest: its smoke becomes visible in the end.
- آتشش پنهان و ذوقش آشکار ** دود او ظاهر شود پایان کار
- Do not say, “How should I swallow that praise? He is speaking from desire (for reward): I am on his track (and see quite well what he is after).”
- تو مگو آن مدح را من کی خورم ** از طمع میگوید او پی میبرم
- If your belauder should satirise you in public, your heart would burn for (many) days on account of those scorches (of vituperation).
- مادحت گر هجو گوید بر ملا ** روزها سوزد دلت ز آن سوزها
- Although you know that he (only) said it in disappointment because the hopes he had of you brought him no gain,
- گر چه دانی کاو ز حرمان گفت آن ** کان طمع که داشت از تو شد زیان
- (Yet) the effect thereof is remaining within you. The same experience happens to you in the case of praise. 1860
- آن اثر میماندت در اندرون ** در مدیح این حالتت هست آزمون
- The effect of that too lasts for many days and becomes a source of arrogance and deception of the soul,
- آن اثر هم روزها باقی بود ** مایهی کبر و خداع جان شود
- But it does not show itself, because praise is sweet; (in the case of blame) the evil shows itself, because blame is bitter.
- لیک ننماید چو شیرین است مدح ** بد نماید ز آن که تلخ افتاد قدح
- It (blame) is like (bitter) decoctions and pills which you swallow and for a long time you are in disturbance and pain,
- همچو مطبوخ است و حب کان را خوری ** تا به دیری شورش و رنج اندری
- Whereas, if you eat halwá (sweetmeat), its taste is momentary: this effect, like the other, is not enduring for ever.
- ور خوری حلوا بود ذوقش دمی ** این اثر چون آن نمیپاید همی
- Since it does not endure (perceptibly), it endures imperceptibly: recognise every opposite by means of its opposite. 1865
- چون نمیپاید همیپاید نهان ** هر ضدی را تو به ضد او بدان