Thy peacock-feathers are a (sore) temptation to thee, for thou must needs have co-partnership (with God) and All-holiness.535
فتنهی تست این پر طاووسیت ** که اشتراکت باید و قدوسیت
Story of the Sage who saw a peacock tearing out his handsome feathers with his beak and dropping them (on the ground) and making himself bald and ugly. In astonishment he asked, “Hast thou no feeling of regret?” “I have,” said the peacock, “but life is dearer to me than feathers, and these (feathers) are the enemy of my life.”
قصهی آن حکیم کی دید طاوسی را کی پر زیبای خود را میکند به منقار و میانداخت و تن خود را کل و زشت میکرد از تعجب پرسید کی دریغت نمیآید گفت میآید اما پیش من جان از پر عزیزتر است و این پر عدوی جان منست
A peacock was tearing out his feathers in the open country, where a sage had gone for a walk.
پر خود میکند طاوسی به دشت ** یک حکیمی رفته بود آنجا بگشت
He said, “O peacock, how art thou tearing out such fine feathers remorselessly from the root?
گفت طاوسا چنین پر سنی ** بیدریغ از بیخ چون برمیکنی
How indeed is thy heart consenting that thou shouldst tear off these gorgeous robes and let them fall in the mud?
خود دلت چون میدهد تا این حلل ** بر کنی اندازیش اندر وحل
Those who commit the Qur’án to memory place every feather of thine, on account of its being prized and acceptable, within the folding of the (Holy) Book.
هر پرت را از عزیزی و پسند ** حافظان در طی مصحف مینهند
For the sake of stirring the healthful air thy feathers are used as fans.540
بهر تحریک هوای سودمند ** از پر تو بادبیزن میکنند
What ingratitude and what recklessness is this! Dost not thou know who is their decorator?
این چه ناشکری و چه بیباکیست ** تو نمیدانی که نقاشش کیست
Or dost thou know (that) and art thou showing disdain and purposely tearing out (such) a (fine) broidery?
یا همیدانی و نازی میکنی ** قاصدا قلع طرازی میکنی
Oh, there is many a disdain that becomes a sin and causes the servant to fall from favour with the King (God).
ای بسا نازا که گردد آن گناه ** افکند مر بنده را از چشم شاه
To show disdain is sweeter than sugar; but chew it not, for it hath a hundred perils.
ناز کردن خوشتر آید از شکر ** لیک کم خایش که دارد صد خطر
The place of safety is the way of want (lowliness): abandon disdain and make up with (be satisfied with) that way.545
ایمن آبادست آن راه نیاز ** ترک نازش گیر و با آن ره بساز
Oh, many a disdainfulness flapped its wings and plumes, (but) in the end it became a bane to that (arrogant) person.
ای بسا نازآوری زد پر و بال ** آخر الامر آن بر آن کس شد وبال
If the sweetness of disdain exalts thee for a moment, (yet) its latent fear and dread consumes thee;
(If) thou become December (Winter), thou wilt experience the bringing forth of Spring; (if) thou become night, thou wilt experience the advent of day.
دی شوی بینی تو اخراج بهار ** لیل گردی بینی ایلاج نهار
Do not tear out thy feathers, for ’tis irreparable: do not rend thy face in grief, O beauteous one.
بر مکن آن پر که نپذیرد رفو ** روی مخراش از عزا ای خوبرو
Such a face that resembles the morning sun—’tis sinful to rend a countenance like that.
آنچنان رویی که چون شمس ضحاست ** آنچنان رخ را خراشیدن خطاست
’Tis (an act of) infidelity (to inflict) scratches upon a countenance (of) such (beauty) that the moon's countenance wept at parting from it.555
زخم ناخن بر چنان رخ کافریست ** که رخ مه در فراق او گریست
Or dost not thou see (the beauty of) thy face? Abandon that contumacious disposition (which prevents thee from seeing it).”
یا نمیبینی تو روی خویش را ** ترک کن خوی لجاج اندیش را
Explaining that the purity and simplicity of the tranquil soul are disturbed by thoughts, just as (when) you write or depict anything on the surface of a mirror, though you may (afterwards) obliterate it entirely, (yet) a mark and blemish will remain (on the mirror).
در بیان آنک صفا و سادگی نفس مطمنه از فکرتها مشوش شود چنانک بر روی آینه چیزی نویسی یا نقش کنی اگر چه پاک کنی داغی بماند و نقصانی
The face of the tranquil soul in the body suffers wounds inflicted by the nails of thought.
روی نفس مطمنه در جسد ** زخم ناخنهای فکرت میکشد
Know that evil thought is a poisonous nail: in (the case of) deep reflection it rends the face of the soul.
فکرت بد ناخن پر زهر دان ** میخراشد در تعمق روی جان
In order that he (the thinker) may loose the knot of a difficulty, he has put a golden spade into ordure.
تا گشاید عقدهی اشکال را ** در حدث کردست زرین بیل را