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
The trader knows it, but the cow does not: the spiritual know, but not any clay-digger.
تاجرش داند ولیکن گاو نی ** اهل دل دانند و هر گل‌کاو نی
Every piece of clay in the heart of which there is a pearl—its pearl can tell the secrets of another (piece of) clay;
هر گلی که اندر دل او گوهریست ** گوهرش غماز طین دیگریست
While the clay that has not been illumined by God's sprinkling (of light) cannot bear the companionship of the pieces of clay that are filled with pearls.
وان گلی کز رش حق نوری نیافت ** صحبت گلهای پر در بر نتافت
This topic is endless, (and meanwhile) our mouse on the bank of the river is (waiting) on our ear (attention).2940
این سخن پایان ندارد موش ما ** هست بر لبهای جو بر گوش ما
Return to the Story of the mouse seeking the frog on the river-bank and pulling the string in order that the frog in the water might become aware of his seeking him.
رجوع کردن به قصه‌ی طلب کردن آن موش آن چغز را لب‌لب جو و کشیدن سر رشته تا چغز را در آب خبر شود از طلب او
That (creature) moulded of love is pulling the string in hope of being united with the righteous frog.
آن سرشته‌ی عشق رشته می‌کشد ** بر امید وصل چغز با رشد
He is perpetually harping on the heart-string, saying, “I have got the end of the string in my paw.
می‌تند بر رشته‌ی دل دم به دم ** که سر رشته به دست آورده‌ام
My heart and soul have become as (frail as) a thread in contemplation, ever since the end of the string (the prospect of success) showed itself to me.”
هم‌چو تاری شد دل و جان در شهود ** تا سر رشته به من رویی نمود
But suddenly the raven of separation came to chase the mouse and carried it off from that spot.
خود غراب البین آمد ناگهان ** بر شکار موش و بردش زان مکان
When the mouse was taken up into the air by the raven, the frog too was dragged from the bottom of the water.2945
چون بر آمد بر هوا موش از غراب ** منسحب شد چغز نیز از قعر آب