(Our) talent is a cord of palm-fibre on our neck: there is no help (to be gained) from those accomplishments on the day of death.”
آن هنر فی جیدنا حبل مسد ** روز مردن نیست زان فنها مدد
(None of them avails) save only the specialty of that man endowed with goodly perceptions whose eye was recognising the Sultan in the (darkness of) night.
جز همان خاصیت آن خوش‌حواس ** که به شب بد چشم او سلطان‌شناس
All those talents were (as) ghouls (waylaying travellers) on the road, except (that of) the eye which was aware of the King.
آن هنرها جمله غول راه بود ** غیر چشمی کو ز شه آگاه بود
On the day of audience the King was ashamed (to refuse the petition) of him whose gaze was (fixed) on the King's face at night.2915
شاه را شرم از وی آمد روز بار ** که به شب بر روی شه بودش نظار
And the dog that is acquainted with the loving King—even him you must entitle “the Dog of the Cave.”
وان سگ آگاه از شاه وداد ** خود سگ کهفش لقب باید نهاد
Excellent, too, is the specialty (residing) in the ear; for he (who possesses it) by (hearing) the bark of a dog is made aware of the Lion.
خاصیت در گوش هم نیکو بود ** کو به بانگ سگ ز شیر آگه شود
When the dog is awake during the night, like a watchman, he is not ignorant of the nightly vigil of the (spiritual) kings.
Hark, you must not disdain them that have a bad name: you must set your mind on their inward parts (spiritual qualities).
هین ز بدنامان نباید ننگ داشت ** هوش بر اسرارشان باید گماشت
Whoever has once got a bad name must not seek (to win) a (good) name and (thereby) become half-baked.2920
هر که او یک‌بار خود بدنام شد ** خود نباید نام جست و خام شد
Oh, many a (piece of) gold is made (like) black polished iron in order that it may be saved from pillage and calamity.
ای بسا زر که سیه‌تابش کنند ** تا شود آمن ز تاراج و گزند
Story of the sea-cow: how it brings up the royal pearl from the depths of the ocean and at night lays it on the seashore and feeds in the resplendence and lustre thereof; and how the trader comes forth from his hiding-place and, when the cow has gone some distance away from the pearl, covers the pearl with loam and black clay and runs off and climbs a tree; and so on to the end of the story and exposition.
قصه‌ی آنک گاو بحری گوهر کاویان از قعر دریا بر آورد شب بر ساحل دریا نهد در درخش و تاب آن می‌چرد بازرگان از کمین برون آید چون گاو از گوهر دورتر رفته باشد بازرگان به لجم و گل تیره گوهر را بپوشاند و بر درخت گریزد الی آخر القصه و التقریب
The water-cow fetches a pearl out of the sea, lays it on the meadow, and grazes around it.
گاو آبی گوهر از بحر آورد ** بنهد اندر مرج و گردش می‌چرد
In the radiance of the light of the pearl the water-cow feeds hurriedly on hyacinths and lilies.
در شعاع نور گوهر گاو آب ** می‌چرد از سنبل و سوسن شتاب
The excrement of the water-cow is ambergris because its food is narcissus and nenuphar.
زان فکنده‌ی گاو آبی عنبرست ** که غذااش نرگس و نیلوفرست
Any one whose food is the Light of (Divine) Majesty, how should not lawful magic (wondrous eloquence) spring from his lips?2925
هرکه باشد قوت او نور جلال ** چون نزاید از لبش سحر حلال
Any one who, like the bee, has been given (Divine) inspiration as a prize, how should not his house be full of honey?
هرکه چون زنبور وحیستش نفل ** چون نباشد خانه‌ی او پر عسل
The cow grazes in the light of the pearl; (then) suddenly it moves some distance away from the pearl.
می‌چرد در نور گوهر آن بقر ** ناگهان گردد ز گوهر دورتر
A trader (appears and) puts black loam on the pearl, so that the meadow and verdant ground becomes dark.
تاجری بر در نهد لجم سیاه ** تا شود تاریک مرج و سبزه‌گاه
Then the trader takes refuge on a tree, while the cow seeks the man with its hard horn.
پس گریزد مرد تاجر بر درخت ** گاوجویان مرد را با شاخ سخت
Twenty times the cow runs about the meadow, in order to impale its enemy on its horn.2930
بیست بار آن گاو تازد گرد مرج ** تا کند آن خصم را در شاخ درج
When the fierce cow despairs of (finding) him, it comes to the place where the pearl was laid
چون ازو نومید گردد گاو نر ** آید آنجا که نهاده بد گهر
And sees the loam (spread) over the royal pearl; then it runs away from the clay, like Iblís.
لجم بیند فوق در شاه‌وار ** پس ز طین بگریزد او ابلیس‌وار
(Since) Iblís is blind and deaf to the gist (spiritual content) of the clay (of Adam), how should the cow know that the pearl is in the clay?
کان بلیس از متن طین کور و کرست ** گاو کی داند که در گل گوهرست
(The Divine command) fall ye cast the spirit into abasement: this menstruation excluded it from prayer (communion with God).
اهبطوا افکند جان را در حضیض ** از نمازش کرد محروم این محیض
O comrades, beware of this resting-place and of that (idle) talk: verily, sensuality is the menstruation of men.2935
ای رفیقان زین مقیل و زان مقال ** اتقوا ان الهوی حیض الرجال
(The Divine command) fall ye cast the spirit into the body, that the pearl of Aden might be hidden in clay.
اهبطوا افکند جان را در بدن ** تا به گل پنهان بود در عدن