To weave gold-embroidered robes, to win pearls from the bottom of the sea,1515
جامههای زرکشی را بافتن ** درها از قعر دریا یافتن
The fine artifices of geometry or astronomy, and the science of medicine and philosophy—
خردهکاریهای علم هندسه ** یا نجوم و علم طب و فلسفه
Which are connected only with this world and have no way (of mounting) up to the Seventh Heaven—
که تعلق با همین دنیاستش ** ره به هفتم آسمان بر نیستش
All this is the science of building the (worldly) stable which is the pillar (basis) of the existence of (persons like) the ox and the camel.
این همه علم بنای آخرست ** که عماد بود گاو و اشترست
For the sake of preserving the animal for a few days, these crazy fools have given to those (arts and sciences) the name of “mysteries.”
بهر استبقای حیوان چند روز ** نام آن کردند این گیجان رموز
The knowledge of the Way to God and the knowledge of His dwelling place—that only the owner of the heart knows, or (you may say) his heart (itself).1520
علم راه حق و علم منزلش ** صاحب دل داند آن را با دلش
He (God), then, created in this composite fashion the goodly animal and made him familiar with knowledge.
پس درین ترکیب حیوان لطیف ** آفرید و کرد با دانش الیف
That (bestial) class (of men) He named “like the cattle,” for where is the resemblance between waking and sleep?
نام کالانعام کرد آن قوم را ** زانک نسبت کو بیقظه نوم را
The animal spirit hath naught but sleep (ignorance): the (bestial) class of men possess inverted sense-perceptions.
روح حیوانی ندارد غیر نوم ** حسهای منعکس دارند قوم
(When) waking comes, the animal sleep is no more, and he (the enlightened man) reads the (former) inversion of his senses from the tablet (of his clairvoyant consciousness)—
یقظه آمد نوم حیوانی نماند ** انعکاس حس خود از لوح خواند
Like the sense-perceptions of one whom sleep has seized: when he awakes, the inverted quality (of his sense-perceptions whilst he was dreaming) becomes apparent.1525
همچو حس آنک خواب او را ربود ** چون شد او بیدار عکسیت نمود
Necessarily, he (the bestial man) is the lowest of the low. Take leave of him: I love not them that sink.
لاجرم اسفل بود از سافلین ** ترک او کن لا احب الافلین
In exposition of the following Verse: "and as for those in whose hearts is a disease, it (each new Súra of the Qur’án) added unto their uncleanness (wicked unbelief)"; and of His Word: "thereby He letteth many be led astray, and thereby He letteth many be guided aright."
در تفسیر این آیت کی و اما الذین فی قلوبهم مرض فزادتهم رجسا و قوله یضل به کثیرا و یهدی به کثیرا
(The bestial man is the lowest of the low) because he possessed the capacity for transforming himself and striving (to escape) from lowness, but (afterwards) lost it.
زانک استعداد تبدیل و نبرد ** بودش از پستی و آن را فوت کرد
Again, since the animal does not possess (that) capacity, its excusability (for remaining) in the bestial state is a thing (most) evident.
باز حیوان را چو استعداد نیست ** عذر او اندر بهیمی روشنیست
When the capacity, which is the guide (to salvation), is gone from him, every nutriment that he eats is the brain of an ass.
زو چو استعداد شد کان رهبرست ** هر غذایی کو خورد مغز خرست
If he eats anacardium, it becomes (acts upon him as) opium: his apoplexy and dementia are increased.1530
گر بلادر خورد او افیون شود ** سکته و بیعقلیش افزون شود
There remains another sort (of men: they are engaged) in warfare: (they are) half animal, half (spiritually) alive and endowed with good guidance.
ماند یک قسم دگر اندر جهاد ** نیم حیوان نیم حی با رشاد
Day and night in strife and mutual struggle, his (such a one's) last (state) battles with his first.
روز و شب در جنگ و اندر کشمکش ** کرده چالیش آخرش با اولش
The battle of the reason against the flesh is like the contention of Majnún with his she camel: Majnún's inclination is towards the noble woman (Laylá), while the she camel's inclination is (to go) back towards her foal, as Majnún said (in verse): "My she-camel's love is behind me, while my love is in front of me; and verily I and she are discordant."
چالیش عقل با نفس هم چون تنازع مجنون با ناقه میل مجنون سوی حره میل ناقه واپس سوی کره چنانک گفت مجنون هوا ناقتی خلفی و قدامی الهوی و انی و ایاها لمختلفان
Assuredly they (the reason and the flesh) are like Majnún and his she-camel: that one is pulling forward and this one backward in (mutual) enmity.
همچو مجنوناند و چون ناقهش یقین ** میکشد آن پیش و این واپس به کین
Majnún's desire is speeding to the presence of that (beloved) Laylá; the she camel's desire is running back after her foal.
میل مجنون پیش آن لیلی روان ** میل ناقه پس پی کره دوان
If Majnún forgot himself for one moment, the she-camel would turn and go back.1535
یک دم ار مجنون ز خود غافل بدی ** ناقه گردیدی و واپس آمدی
Since his body was full of love and passion, he had no resource but to become beside himself.
عشق و سودا چونک پر بودش بدن ** مینبودش چاره از بیخود شدن
That which is regardful was (ever) reason: passion for Laylá carried (his) reason away.
آنک او باشد مراقب عقل بود ** عقل را سودای لیلی در ربود
But the she-camel was very regardful and alert: whenever she saw her toggle slack
لیک ناقه بس مراقب بود و چست ** چون بدیدی او مهار خویش سست
She would at once perceive that he had become heedless and dazed, and would turn her face back to the foal without delay.
فهم کردی زو که غافل گشت و دنگ ** رو سپس کردی به کره بیدرنگ