Come, O (master of the) bird-speech of Solomon, sing the song of every bird that comes.
منطق‌الطیر سلیمانی بیا ** بانگ هر مرغی که آید می‌سرا
Since God hath sent thee to the birds, He hath instructed thee in the note of every bird.
چون به مرغانت فرستادست حق ** لحن هر مرغی بدادستت سبق
To the necessitarian bird speak the language of necessitarianism ; to the bird whose wings are broken speak of patience (quietism).
مرغ جبری را زبان جبر گو ** مرغ پر اشکسته را از صبر گو
Keep the patient bird happy and free from harm; to the bird (resembling the) ‘Anqá recite the descriptions of (Mount) Qáf.
مرغ صابر را تو خوش دار و معاف ** مرغ عنقا را بخوان اوصاف قاف
Bid the pigeon beware of the falcon; to the falcon speak of forbearance and being on its guard (against acting unjustly).855
مر کبوتر را حذر فرما ز باز ** باز را از حلم گو و احتراز
And as for the bat that is left destitute (of spiritual illumination), make it to consort and to be familiar with the Light.
وان خفاشی را که ماند او بی‌نوا ** می‌کنش با نور جفت و آشنا
Cause the warlike partridge to learn peace; to the cocks display the signs of dawn.
کبک جنگی را بیاموزان تو صلح ** مر خروسان را نما اشراط صبح
Even so proceed from the hoopoe to the eagle, and show the way. And God best knoweth the right course.
هم‌چنان می‌رو ز هدهد تا عقاب ** ره نما والله اعلم بالصواب
How Bilqís was freed from her kingdom and was intoxicated with longing for the Faith, and how at the moment of her (spiritual) emigration the regard of her desire became severed from the whole of her kingdom except from her throne.
آزاد شدن بلقیس از ملک و مست شدن او از شوق ایمان و التفات همت او از همه‌ی ملک منقطع شدن وقت هجرت الا از تخت
When Solomon uttered a single whistling note to the birds of Sabá he ensnared them all,
چون سلیمان سوی مرغان سبا ** یک صفیری کرد بست آن جمله را
Except, maybe, the bird that was without spirit or wings, or was dumb and deaf, like a fish, from the beginning.860
جز مگر مرغی که بد بی‌جان و پر ** یا چو ماهی گنگ بود از اصل کر
Nay, I have spoken wrongly, for if the deaf one lay his head before the inspiration of the Divine Majesty, it will give to him (the power of) hearing.
نی غلط گفتم که کر گر سر نهد ** پیش وحی کبریا سمعش دهد
When Bilqís set out (from Sabá) with heart and soul, she felt remorse too for the bygone time,
چونک بلقیس از دل و جان عزم کرد ** بر زمان رفته هم افسوس خورد
She took leave of her kingdom and riches in the same way as those lovers (of God) take leave of honour and disgrace (reputation).
ترک مال و ملک کرد او آن چنان ** که بترک نام و ننگ آن عاشقان
Those charming pages and handmaidens (of hers seemed) to her eye (loathly) as a rotten onion.
آن غلامان و کنیزان بناز ** پیش چشمش هم‌چو پوسیده پیاز
For love’s sake, orchards and palaces and river-water seemed to her eye (contemptible as) a dunghill.865
باغها و قصرها و آب رود ** پیش چشم از عشق گلحن می‌نمود
Love, in the hour of domination and anger, makes the pleasing ones to become hideous to the eye.
عشق در هنگام استیلا و خشم ** زشت گرداند لطیفان را به چشم
Love’s jealousy causes every emerald to appear as a leek: this is the (inner) meaning of Lá.
هر زمرد را نماید گندنا ** غیرت عشق این بود معنی لا
O (thou who givest) protection , (the meaning of) “There is no god but He” is that the moon should seem to thee a black kettle.
لااله الا هو اینست ای پناه ** که نماید مه ترا دیگ سیاه
No wealth, no treasury, and no goods or gear were being grudged by her (Bilqis) except her throne.
هیچ مال و هیچ مخزن هیچ رخت ** می دریغش نامد الا جز که تخت
Then Solomon became aware of (this feeling in) her heart, for the way was open from his heart to hers.870
پس سلیمان از دلش آگاه شد ** کز دل او تا دل او راه شد
He that hears the voice of ants will also hear the cry from the inmost soul of them that are afar.
آن کسی که بانگ موران بشنود ** هم فغان سر دوران بشنود
He that declares the mystery of “an ant said” will also know the mystery of this ancient dome.
آنک گوید راز قالت نملة ** هم بداند راز این طاق کهن
From afar he (Solomon) discerned that to her (Bilqís) who was following the path of resignation ‘twas bitter to part with her throne.
دید از دورش که آن تسلیم کیش ** تلخش آمد فرقت آن تخت خویش
If I explain the reason why she had that love and complaisance to her throne, it (the discourse) will become (too) long.
گر بگویم آن سبب گردد دراز ** که چرا بودش به تخت آن عشق و ساز