Inasmuch as thou hast made thyself the slave of sensuality, thou hast made a petty worm into a dragon.
بس که خود را کردهای بندهی هوا ** کرمکی را کردهای تو اژدها
I have brought a dragon for (thy) dragon, that I may correct (thy dragon's) breath by (my dragon's) breath,
اژدها را اژدها آوردهام ** تا با صلاح آورم من دم به دم
So that the breath of that one may be defeated by the breath of this one, and that my serpent may destroy that dragon (of thine).
تا دم آن از دم این بشکند ** مار من آن اژدها را بر کند
If thou submittest, thou art freed from two serpents; otherwise, it (thy dragon) will bring thy spirit to utter perdition.”
گر رضا دادی رهیدی از دو مار ** ورنه از جانت برآرد آن دمار
He (Pharaoh) said, “In truth, thou art an exceedingly cunning sorcerer, for by craft thou hast introduced duality (disunion) here.2360
گفت الحق سخت استا جادوی ** که در افکندی به مکر اینجا دوی
Thou hast made the unanimous people into two factions: sorcery makes fissures in rock and mountain.”
خلق یکدل را تو کردی دو گروه ** جادوی رخنه کند در سنگ و کوه
He (Moses) said, “I am submerged in the message of God: who (ever) saw sorcery together with the name of God?
گفت هستم غرق پیغام خدا ** جادوی کی دید با نام خدا
The substance of sorcery is forgetfulness (of God) and unbelief: the spirit of Moses is the flaming torch of the (true) religion.
غفلت و کفرست مایهی جادوی ** مشعلهی دینست جان موسوی
How do I resemble sorcerers, O impudent one?—for the Messiah (Jesus) is becoming jealous of my (life-giving) breath.
من به جادویان چه مانم ای وقیح ** کز دمم پر رشک میگردد مسیح
How do I resemble sorcerers, O polluted one?—for the (Revealed) Books are receiving light from my spirit.2365
من به جادویان چه مانم ای جنب ** که ز جانم نور میگیرد کتب
Since thou art soaring on the wings of sensuality, inevitably thou bearest (in thy heart) that (ill) thought against me.”
چون تو با پر هوا بر میپری ** لاجرم بر من گمان آن میبری
Every one whose actions are those of wild beasts hath ill thoughts against the noble.
هر کرا افعال دام و دد بود ** بر کریمانش گمان بد بود
Since thou art a part of the world, howsoever thou art thou deemest all to be of the same description as thyself, misguided man.
چون تو جزو عالمی هر چون بوی ** کل را بر وصف خود بینی سوی
If thou whirl round and thy head whirl round, thy (organ of) sight sees the house whirling round;
گر تو برگردی و بر گردد سرت ** خانه را گردنده بیند منظرت
And if thou embark in a ship moving on the sea, thou deemest the seashore to be running (along).2370
ور تو در کشتی روی بر یم روان ** ساحل یم را همی بینی دوان
If thou art narrow (oppressed) at heart from (being engaged in) combat, thou deemest the whole atmosphere of the world to be narrow;
گر تو باشی تنگدل از ملحمه ** تنگ بینی جمله دنیا را همه
And if thou art happy as thy friends would desire, this world seems to thee like a garden of roses.
ور تو خوش باشی به کام دوستان ** این جهان بنمایدت چون گلستان
How many a one has gone as far as Syria and ‘Iráq and has seen nothing but unbelief and hypocrisy;
ای بسا کس رفته تا شام و عراق ** او ندیده هیچ جز کفر و نفاق
And how many a one has gone as far as India and Hirá (Herát) and seen nothing but selling and buying;
وی بسا کس رفته تا هند و هری ** او ندیده جز مگر بیع و شری
And how many a one has gone as far as Turkistán and China and seen nothing but deceit and hidden guile!2375
وی بسا کس رفته ترکستان و چین ** او ندیده هیچ جز مکر و کمین
Since he has no object of perception save colour and perfume (external phenomena), let him seek (through) all the climes, (he will see nothing spiritual).
چون ندارد مدرکی جز رنگ و بو ** جملهی اقلیمها را گو بجو
(If) a cow come suddenly into Baghdád and pass from this side (of the city) to that (farther) side,
گاو در بغداد آید ناگهان ** بگذرد او زین سران تا آن سران
Of all (its) pleasures and joys and delights she will see nothing but the rind of a water-melon.
از همه عیش و خوشیها و مزه ** او نبیند جز که قشر خربزه
(If) straw or hay has fallen on the road, (it is) suitable to his (such a one's) bovine or asinine disposition.
که بود افتاده بر ره یا حشیش ** لایق سیران گاوی یا خریش
(Hanging) dry on the nail of (his bestial) nature, like strips of meat (exposed to the sun), his spirit, bound with (the cords of) secondary causes, does not grow;2380
خشک بر میخ طبیعت چون قدید ** بستهی اسباب جانش لا یزید