And if he (the scoffer) be not fit for this praise (of Me) and humble supplication, then, O (spiritual) Sultan, the (proper) reply to a fool is silence.
ور نباشد اهل این ذکر و قنوت ** پس جواب الاحمق ای سلطان سکوت
From God's Heaven silence comes in reply when, O (dear) soul, the prayer is unanswered.”
ز آسمان حق سکوت آید جواب ** چون بود جانا دعا نامستجاب
Oh, alas, ’tis harvest-time, but by our (ill) fortune the day has become late.
ای دریغا وقت خرمنگاه شد ** لیک روز از بخت ما بیگاه شد
Time is pressing, and the amplitude of this (subject of) discussion (is such that) a perpetual life will be (too) restricted for it.1485
وقت تنگست و فراخی این کلام ** تنگ می‌آید برو عمر دوام
To dart the lance in these narrow lanes brings to disgrace those who dart the lance.
نیزه‌بازی اندرین کوه‌های تنگ ** نیزه‌بازان را همی آرد به تنگ
The time is narrow (limited), and the mind and understanding of the vulgar is narrower a hundredfold than the time, O youth.
وقت تنگ و خاطر و فهم عوام ** تنگ‌تر صد ره ز وقت است ای غلام
Inasmuch as silence is the (proper) reply to the fool, how art thou thus prolonging the discourse?
چون جواب احمق آمد خامشی ** این درازی در سخن چون می‌کشی
(Because) He (God), from the perfection of His mercy and the waves of His bounty, bestows rain and moisture on every barren soil.
از کمال رحمت و موج کرم ** می‌دهد هر شوره را باران و نم
Showing that (the proverb), "Omission to reply is a reply," confirms the saying that silence is the (proper) reply to the fool. The explanation of both these (sayings) is (contained) in the story which will now be related.
در بیان آنک ترک الجواب جواب مقرر این سخن کی جواب الاحمق سکوت شرح این هر دو درین قصه است کی گفته می‌آید
There was a king: he had a slave; he (the slave) was one whose reason was dead and whose lust was alive.1490
بود شاهی بود او را بنده‌ای ** مرده عقلی بود و شهوت‌زنده‌ای
He would neglect the niceties of service to him (the king): he was thinking evil and deeming (it) good.
خرده‌های خدمتش بگذاشتی ** بد سگالیدی نکو پنداشتی
The monarch said, “Reduce his allowance, and if he wrangle strike his name off the roll.”
گفت شاهنشه جرااش کم کنید ** ور بجنگد نامش از خط بر زنید
His reason was deficient, his cupidity excessive: when he saw the allowance reduced he became violent and refractory.
عقل او کم بود و حرص او فزون ** چون جرا کم دید شد تند و حرون
Had there been reason (in him), he would have made a circuit round himself, in order that he might see his offence and become forgiven.
عقل بودی گرد خود کردی طواف ** تا بدیدی جرم خود گشتی معاف
When, on account of asininity, a tethered ass becomes violent, both his (fore-)legs will be shackled in addition.1495
چون خری پابسته تندد از خری ** هر دو پایش بسته گردد بر سری
Then the ass will say, “One tether is enough for me”; (but) in sooth do not think (that such is the case), for those two are (result) from the action of that vile creature.
پس بگوید خر که یک بندم بست ** خود مدان کان دو ز فعل آن خسست
In exposition of the following Hadíth of Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace: "Verily, the most High God created the angels and set reason in them, and He created the beasts and set lust in them, and He created the sons of Adam and set in them reason and lust; and he whose reason prevails over his lust is higher than the angels, and he whose lust prevails over his reason is lower than the beasts."
در تفسیر این حدیث مصطفی علیه‌السلام کی ان الله تعالی خلق الملائکة و رکب فیهم العقل و خلق البهائم و رکب فیها الشهوة و خلق بنی آدم و رکب فیهم العقل و الشهوة فمن غلب عقله شهوته فهو اعلی من الملائکة و من غلب شهوته عقله فهو ادنی من البهائم
It is related in the Hadíth that the majestical God created the creatures of the world (in) three kinds.
در حدیث آمد که یزدان مجید ** خلق عالم را سه گونه آفرید
One class (He made) entirely reason and knowledge and munificence; that is the angel: he knoweth naught but prostration in worship.
یک گره را جمله عقل و علم و جود ** آن فرشته‌ست او نداند جز سجود
In his original nature is no concupiscence and sensuality: he is absolute light, (he is) living through (his) love of God.
نیست اندر عنصرش حرص و هوا ** نور مطلق زنده از عشق خدا
Another class is devoid of knowledge, like the animal (which lives) in fatness from (eating) fodder.1500
یک گروه دیگر از دانش تهی ** هم‌چو حیوان از علف در فربهی
It sees nothing but stable and fodder: it is heedless of (future) misery and glory (felicity).
او نبیند جز که اصطبل و علف ** از شقاوت غافلست و از شرف
The third (class) is Adam's descendant and Man: half of him is of the angel and half of him is ass.
این سوم هست آدمی‌زاد و بشر ** نیم او ز افرشته و نیمیش خر
The ass-half, indeed, inclines to that which is low; the other half inclines to that which is rational.
نیم خر خود مایل سفلی بود ** نیم دیگر مایل عقلی بود
Those two classes (the angels and the beasts) are at rest from war and combat, while this Man is (engaged) in torment (painful struggle) with two adversaries.
آن دو قوم آسوده از جنگ و حراب ** وین بشر با دو مخالف در عذاب
And, moreover, this (race of) Man, through probation, has been divided: they (all) are of human shape, but (in truth) they have become three communities (families).1505
وین بشر هم ز امتحان قسمت شدند ** آدمی شکلند و سه امت شدند
One party have become submerged absolutely and, like Jesus, have attained unto the (nature of the) angel.
یک گره مستغرق مطلق شدست ** هم‌چو عیسی با ملک ملحق شدست