Rumi's Masnavi - How should the flock of birds which are enlightened by Solomon tear out the wings and plumes of the innocent?

How should the flock of birds which are enlightened by Solomon tear out the wings and plumes of the innocent?

جمع مرغان کز سلیمان روشنند ** پر و بال بی‏گنه کی بر کنند

Nay, they would bring grain to the helpless ones: gentle are those birds and without pugnacity or hatred. 3750

بلکه سوی عاجزان چینه کشند ** بی‏خلاف و کینه آن مرغان خوشند

Their hoopoe, for the sake of glorifying (Solomon), unfolds the way (towards Him) to a hundred like Bilqís.

هدهد ایشان پی تقدیس را ** می‏گشاید راه صد بلقیس را

Their crow, (even) if it was a crow in outward aspect, was (really) a falcon in aspiration and (one whose gaze) turned not aside.

زاغ ایشان گر به صورت زاغ بود ** باز همت آمد و ما زاغ بود

Their stork, which cries lak lak, casts upon doubt (and disbelief) the fire of the profession of Unity;

لکلک ایشان که لک لک می‏زند ** آتش توحید در شک می‏زند

And their dove is not scared by hawks: the hawk lays his head (in homage) before their dove.

و آن کبوترشان ز بازان نشکهد ** باز سر پیش کبوترشان نهد

Their nightingale, which throws thee into ecstasy, hath the rose-garden in its heart. 3755

بلبل ایشان که حالت آرد او ** در درون خویش گلشن دارد او

Their parrot was (always) independent of sugar, for the sugar of everlastingness showed its face (was revealed) to it from within.

طوطی ایشان ز قند آزاد بود ** کز درون قند ابد رویش نمود

The feet of their peacocks are fairer to see than (all) others in peacock's plumage.

پای طاوسان ایشان در نظر ** بهتر از طاوس پران دگر

The speeches of princely birds are (meaningless as) an echo: where is the speech of the birds of Solomon?

منطق الطیران خاقانی صداست ** منطق الطیر سلیمانی کجاست‏

How wilt thou know the cries of the birds, when thou hast never seen Solomon for a single moment?

تو چه دانی بانگ مرغان را همی ** چون ندیده‏ستی سلیمان را دمی‏

The wings of that bird whose note thrills (them that can hear it) are beyond East and West. 3760

پر آن مرغی که بانگش مطرب است ** از برون مشرق است و مغرب است‏

Its every course is from the Footstool of God to the earth, and from the earth to the Throne of God it moves in glory and majesty.

هر یک آهنگش ز کرسی تاثری است ** وز ثری تا عرش در کر و فری است‏

The bird that goes without this Solomon is in love with darkness, like a bat.

مرغ کاو بی‏این سلیمان می‏رود ** عاشق ظلمت چو خفاشی بود

Make thyself familiar with Solomon, O reprobate bat, in order that thou mayst not remain in darkness for ever.

با سلیمان خو کن ای خفاش رد ** تا که در ظلمت نمانی تا ابد

When thou goest one ell's length in that direction, like the ell thou wilt become the standard of measurement;

یک گزی ره که بدان سو می‏روی ** همچو گز قطب مساحت می‏شوی‏

And (even by) thy hopping lamely and limply in that direction, thou wilt be freed from all lameness and limpness. 3765

و انکه لنگ و لوک آن سو می‏جهی ** از همه لنگی و لوکی می‏رهی‏

The story of the ducklings which were fostered by a domestic fowl.

قصه‏ی بط بچگان که مرغ خانگی پروردشان‏

Thou art the offspring of a duck, though a domestic fowl has fostered thee as a nurse beneath her wing.

تخم بطی گر چه مرغ خانه‏ات ** کرد زیر پر چو دایه تربیت‏

Thy mother was the duck of that Sea; thy nurse was of the earth and devoted to the dry land.

مادر تو بط آن دریا بده‏ست ** دایه‏ات خاکی بد و خشکی پرست‏

The desire which is in thy heart for the Sea—thy soul hath that nature (instinct) from thy mother.

میل دریا که دل تو اندر است ** آن طبیعت جانت را از مادر است‏

The desire thou hast for the dry land is from this nurse. Leave the nurse, for she is an evil counsellor.

میل خشکی مر ترا زین دایه است ** دایه را بگذار کاو بد رایه است‏

Leave the nurse on the dry land, and press on: come into the Sea of spiritual reality, like the ducks. 3770

دایه را بگذار در خشک و بران ** اندر آن در بحر معنی چون بطان‏

(Even) if thy mother should bid thee be afraid of the water, fear not thou, but push speedily into the Sea.

گر ترا مادر بترساند ز آب ** تو مترس و سوی دریا ران شتاب‏

Thou art a duck: thou art one that lives (both) on dry and wet; thou art not one like the domestic fowl, whose house is ill-smelling.

تو بطی بر خشک و بر تر زنده‏ای ** نی چو مرغ خانه خانه کنده‏ای‏

Thou art a king in virtue of (the text), We have ennobled the sons of Adam: thou settest foot both on the dry land and on the Sea.

تو ز کرمنا بنی آدم شهی ** هم به خشکی هم به دریا پا نهی‏