Jesting is teaching: listen to it in earnest, do not thou be in pawn to (taken up with) its appearance of jest.
هزل تعلیمست آن را جد شنو ** تو مشو بر ظاهر هزلش گرو
To jesters every earnest matter is a jest; to the wise (all) jests are earnest.
هر جدی هزلست پیش هازلان ** هزلها جدست پیش عاقلان
Lazy folk seek the pear-tree, but ’tis a good (long) way to that pear-tree.3560
کاهلان امرودبن جویند لیک ** تا بدان امرودبن راهیست نیک
Descend from the pear-tree on which at present thou hast become giddy-eyed and giddy-faced.
نقل کن ز امرودبن که اکنون برو ** گشته‌ای تو خیره‌چشم و خیره‌رو
This (pear-tree) is the primal egoism and self-existence wherein the eye is awry and squinting.
این منی و هستی اول بود ** که برو دیده کژ و احول بود
When thou comest down from this pear-tree, thy thoughts and eyes and words will no more be awry.
چون فرود آیی ازین امرودبن ** کژ نماند فکرت و چشم و سخن
Thou wilt see that this (pear-tree) has become a tree of fortune, its boughs (reaching) to the Seventh Heaven.
یک درخت بخت بینی گشته این ** شاخ او بر آسمان هفتمین
When thou comest down and partest from it, God in His mercy will cause it to be transformed.3565
چون فرود آیی ازو گردی جدا ** مبدلش گرداند از رحمت خدا
On account of this humility shown by thee in coming down, God will bestow on thine eye true vision.
زین تواضع که فرود آیی خدا ** راست بینی بخشد آن چشم ترا
If true vision were easy and facile, how should Mustafá (Mohammed) have desired it from the Lord?
راست بینی گر بدی آسان و زب ** مصطفی کی خواستی آن را ز رب
He said, “Show (unto me) each part from above and below such as that part is in Thy sight.”
گفت بنما جزو جزو از فوق و پست ** آنچنان که پیش تو آن جزو هست
Afterwards go up the pear-tree which has been transformed and made verdant by the (Divine) command, “Be.”
بعد از آن بر رو بر آن امرودبن ** که مبدل گشت و سبز از امر کن
This tree has (now) become like the tree connected with Moses, inasmuch as thou hast transported thy baggage towards (hast been endued with the nature of) Moses.3570
چون درخت موسوی شد این درخت ** چون سوی موسی کشانیدی تو رخت
The fire (of Divine illumination) makes it verdant and flourishing; its boughs cry “Lo, I am God.”
آتش او را سبز و خرم می‌کند ** شاخ او انی انا الله می‌زند
Beneath its shade all thy needs are fulfilled: such is the Divine alchemy.
زیر ظلش جمله حاجاتت روا ** این چنین باشد الهی کیمیا
That personality and existence is lawful to thee, since thou beholdest therein the attributes of the Almighty.
آن منی و هستیت باشد حلال ** که درو بینی صفات ذوالجلال
The crooked tree has become straight, God-revealing: its root fixed (in the earth) and its branches in the sky.
شد درخت کژ مقوم حق‌نما ** اصله ثابت و فرعه فی‌السما
The remainder of the story of Moses, on whom be peace.
باقی قصه‌ی موسی علیه‌السلام
For there came to him from the peremptory Revelation a message, saying, “Put crookedness aside now, and be upright.”3575
که آمدش پیغام از وحی مهم ** که کژی بگذار اکنون فاستقم
This tree of the body is (like) Moses’ rod, concerning which the (Divine) command came to him —“Let it fall from your hand,
این درخت تن عصای موسیست ** که امرش آمد که بیندازش ز دست
That thou mayst behold its good and evil; after that, take it up (again) by command of Him.”
تا ببینی خیر او و شر او ** بعد از آن بر گیر او را ز امر هو
Before his dropping it, it was naught but wood; whenever he took it up by His command, it became goodly.
پیش از افکندن نبود او غیر چوب ** چون به امرش بر گرفتی گشت خوب
At first it was shaking down leaves for the lambs; (afterwards) it reduced to impotence that deluded people.
اول او بد برگ‌افشان بره را ** گشت معجز آن گروه غره را
It became ruler over the party of Pharaoh: it turned their water into blood and caused them to beat their heads with their hands.3580
گشت حاکم بر سر فرعونیان ** آبشان خون کرد و کف بر سر زنان
From their sown fields arose famine and death on account of the locusts which devoured the leaves,
از مزارعشان برآمد قحط و مرگ ** از ملخهایی که می‌خوردند برگ
Till from Moses, when he considered the ultimate issue, there went up involuntarily a prayer (to God)
تا بر آمد بی‌خود از موسی دعا ** چون نظر افتادش اندر منتها