Suppose that, from kindness, he does not rebuke you to your face, (and that) whatever you say, he smiles and says "Yes"
گیر در رویت نمالد از کرم ** هر چه گویی خندد و گوید نعم
He does not smile from pleasure at your stroking (flattering him); he smiles at that (concealed) thought of yours.1590
او نمیخندد ز ذوق مالشت ** او همیخندد بر آن اسگالشت
So a deceit is paid with a deceit: strike with a cup, (and you) get struck with a jug—serve you right!
پس خداعی را خداعی شد جزا ** کاسه زن کوزه بخور اینک سزا
Were his smile at you one of approval, hundreds of thousands of flowers would blossom for you.
گر بدی با تو و را خندهی رضا ** صد هزاران گل شکفتی مر ترا
When his heart works (for you) in approval, deem it (to be) a sun entering Aries,
چون دل او در رضا آرد عمل ** آفتابی دان که آید در حمل
Because of whom both the day and the spring smile, and blossoms and green fields are mingled together,
زو بخندد هم نهار و هم بهار ** در هم آمیزد شکوفه و سبزهزار
And myriads of nightingales and ringdoves pour their song into the unplenished world.1595
صد هزاران بلبل و قمری نوا ** افکنند اندر جهان بینوا
When you see the leaves of your spirit yellow and black; how know you not the anger of the King?
چون که برگ روح خود زرد و سیاه ** میببینی چون ندانی خشم شاه
The King's sun, in the (zodiacal) sign of reproach, makes faces black as a piece of roasted meat.
آفتاب شاه در برج عتاب ** میکند روها سیه همچون کباب
Our souls are leaves for that Mercury (to write on): that white and black (writing) is our standard (criterion).
آن عطارد را ورقها جان ماست ** آن سپیدی و آن سیه میزان ماست
Again, he writes a patent in red and green, that (our) spirits may be delivered from melancholy and despair.
باز منشوری نویسد سرخ و سبز ** تا رهند ارواح از سودا و عجز
Red and green are Spring's cancellation (of winter); in regard (to their significance they are) like the (coloured) lines of the rainbow.1600
سرخ و سبز افتاد نسخ نو بهار ** چون خط قوس و قزح در اعتبار
How reverence for the message of Solomon, on whom be peace, was reflected in the heart of Bilqís from the despicable form of the hoopoe.
عکس تعظیم پیغام سلیمان علیه السلام در دل بلقیس از صورت حقیر هدهد
Hundredfold mercy be on that Bilqís to whom God gave the intellect of a hundred men!
رحمت صد تو بر آن بلقیس باد ** که خدایش عقل صد مرده بداد
A hoopoe brought the letter with the (royal) sign-manual from Solomon—a few eloquent words.
هدهدی نامه بیاورد و نشان ** از سلیمان چند حرفی با بیان
(When) she read those pregnant sayings, she did not look with contempt on the messenger.
خواند او آن نکتهای با شمول ** با حقارت ننگرید اندر رسول
Her body saw him as a hoopoe, (but) her spirit saw him as the ‘Anqá; her senses saw him as a fleck of foam, (but) her heart saw him as the sea.
جسم هدهد دید و جان عنقاش دید ** حس چو کفی دید و دل دریاش دید
Because of these two-coloured (diverse) talismans (appearance and reality) the intellect is at war with the senses, as Mohammed with the likes of Abú Jahl.1605
عقل با حس زین طلسمات دو رنگ ** چون محمد با ابو جهلان به جنگ
The infidels regarded Ahmad (Mohammed) as (only) a man, since they did not see in him (the Prophetic nature which was manifested by the miracle) the moon was cleft asunder.
کافران دیدند احمد را بشر ** چون ندیدند از وی انشق القمر
Throw dust on your sense-perceiving eye: the sensuous eye is the enemy of intellect and religion.
خاک زن در دیدهی حس بین خویش ** دیدهی حس دشمن عقل است و کیش
God has called the sensuous eye blind; He has said that it is an idolater and our foe,
دیدهی حس را خدا اعماش خواند ** بت پرستش گفت و ضد ماش خواند
Because it saw the foam and not the sea, because it saw the present and not to-morrow.
ز انکه او کف دید و دریا را ندید ** ز انکه حالی دید و فردا را ندید
The master of to-morrow and of the present (is) before it; (yet) of a (whole) treasure it sees only a groat.1610
خواجهی فردا و حالی پیش او ** او نمیبیند ز گنجی جز تسو
(If) a mote bring a message from yonder Sun, the sun would become a slave to that mote.
ذرهای ز آن آفتاب آرد پیام ** آفتاب آن ذره را گردد غلام
The drop that has become an envoy from the Sea of Unity— the seven seas would be captive to that drop.
قطرهای کز بحر وحدت شد سفیر ** هفت بحر آن قطره را باشد اسیر
If a handful of earth become His courier, His heavens will lay their heads (in homage) before His earth.
گر کف خاکی شود چالاک او ** پیش خاکش سر نهد افلاک او