Thereupon the parrot cried to the dervish, as rational persons (might have done). 260 طوطی اندر گفت آمد در زمان ** بانگ بر درویش زد که هی فلان
How were you mixed up with the bald, O baldpate? Did you, then, spill oil from the bottle?” از چه ای کل با کلان آمیختی ** تو مگر از شیشه روغن ریختی
The bystanders laughed at the parrot's inference, because it deemed the wearer of the frock to be like itself. از قیاسش خنده آمد خلق را ** کو چو خود پنداشت صاحب دلق را
Do not measure the actions of holy men by (the analogy of) yourself, though shér (lion) and shír (milk) are similar in writing. کار پاکان را قیاس از خود مگیر ** گر چه ماند در نبشتن شیر و شیر
On this account the whole world is gone astray: scarcely any one is cognisant of God's Abdál (Substitutes). جمله عالم زین سبب گمراه شد ** کم کسی ز ابدال حق آگاه شد
They set up (a claim of) equality with the prophets; they supposed the saints to be like themselves. 265 همسری با انبیا برداشتند ** اولیا را همچو خود پنداشتند
“Behold,” they said, “we are men, they are men; both we and they are in bondage to sleep and food.” گفته اینک ما بشر ایشان بشر ** ما و ایشان بستهی خوابیم و خور
In (their) blindness they did not perceive that there is an infinite difference between (them). این ندانستند ایشان از عمی ** هست فرقی در میان بیمنتها
Both species of zanbúr ate and drank from the (same) place, but from that one (the hornet) came a sting, and from this other (the bee) honey. هر دو گون زنبور خوردند از محل ** لیک شد ز ان نیش و زین دیگر عسل
Both species of deer ate grass and drank water: from this one came dung, and from that one pure musk. هر دو گون آهو گیا خوردند و آب ** زین یکی سرگین شد و ز ان مشک ناب
Both reeds drank from the same water-source, (but) this one is empty and that one full of sugar. 270 هر دو نی خوردند از یک آب خور ** این یکی خالی و آن پر از شکر
Consider hundreds of thousands of such likenesses and observe that the distance between the two is (as great as) a seventy years' journey. صد هزاران این چنین اشباه بین ** فرقشان هفتاد ساله راه بین
This one eats, and filth is discharged from him; that one eats, and becomes entirely the light of God. این خورد گردد پلیدی زو جدا ** آن خورد گردد همه نور خدا
This one eats, (and of him) is born nothing but avarice and envy; that one eats, (and of him) is born nothing but the Light of the One (God). این خورد زاید همه بخل و حسد ** و آن خورد زاید همه نور احد
This one is good (fertile) soil and that one brackish and bad; this one is a fair angel and that one a devil and wild beast. این زمین پاک و ان شوره ست و بد ** این فرشتهی پاک و ان دیو است و دد
If both resemble each other in aspect, it may well be (so): bitter water and sweet water have (the same) clearness. 275 هر دو صورت گر بهم ماند رواست ** آب تلخ و آب شیرین را صفاست
Who knows (the difference) except a man possessed of (spiritual) taste? Find (him): he knows the sweet water from the brine. جز که صاحب ذوق کی شناسد بیاب ** او شناسد آب خوش از شوره آب
Comparing magic with (prophetic) miracle, he (the ignorant one) fancies that both are founded on deceit. سحر را با معجزه کرده قیاس ** هر دو را بر مکر پندارد اساس
The magicians (in the time) of Moses, for contention's sake, lifted up (in their hands) a rod like his, ساحران موسی از استیزه را ** بر گرفته چون عصای او عصا
(But) between this rod and that rod there is a vast difference; from this action (magic) to that action (miracle) is a great way. زین عصا تا آن عصا فرقی است ژرف ** زین عمل تا آن عمل راهی شگرف
This action is followed by the curse of God, (while) that action receives in payment the mercy (blessing) of God. 280 لعنة الله این عمل را در قفا ** رحمه الله آن عمل را در وفا
The infidels in contending (for equality with the prophets and saints) have the nature of an ape: the (evil) nature is a canker within the breast. کافران اندر مری بوزینه طبع ** آفتی آمد درون سینه طبع
Whatever a man does, the ape at every moment does the same thing that he sees done by the man. هر چه مردم میکند بوزینه هم ** آن کند کز مرد بیند دمبهدم
He thinks, “I have acted like him”: how should that quarrelsome-looking one know the difference? او گمان برده که من کژدم چو او ** فرق را کی داند آن استیزه رو
This one (the holy man) acts by the command (of God), and he (the apish imitator) for the sake of quarrelling (rivalry). Pour dust on the heads of those who have quarrelsome faces! این کند از امر و او بهر ستیز ** بر سر استیزه رویان خاک ریز