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
The mouse (was) in the raven's beak, and the frog likewise (was) suspended in the air, (with) its foot (entangled) in the string.
موش در منقار زاغ و چغز هم ** در هوا آویخته پا در رتم
The people were saying, “How could the raven make the water-frog its prey by craft and cunning?
خلق میگفتند زاغ از مکر و کید ** چغز آبی را چگونه کرد صید
How could it go into the water, and how could it carry him off? When was the water-frog (ever) the raven's prey?”
چون شد اندر آب و چونش در ربود ** چغز آبی کی شکار زاغ بود
“This,” said the frog, “is the fit punishment for that one who, like persons devoid of honour, consorts with a rascal.”
چغز گفتا این سزای آن کسی ** کو چو بیآبان شود جفت خسی
Oh, alas, alas for the sorrow caused by a base friend! O sirs, seek ye a good companion.2950
ای فغان از یار ناجنس ای فغان ** همنشین نیک جویید ای مهان
Reason complains bitterly of the vicious carnal soul: (they are as discordant) as an ugly nose on a beautiful face.
عقل را افغان ز نفس پر عیوب ** همچو بینی بدی بر روی خوب
Reason was saying to him (the frog), “’Tis certain that congeniality is spiritual in origin and is not (derived) from water and clay (the outward form).”
عقل میگفتش که جنسیت یقین ** از ره معنیست نی از آب و طین
Take heed, do not become a worshipper of form and do not say this. Do not seek (to discover) the secret of congeniality in the (outward) form.
هین مشو صورتپرست و این مگو ** سر جنسیت به صورت در مجو
Form resembles the mineral and the stone: an inorganic thing has no knowledge of congeniality.
صورت آمد چون جماد و چون حجر ** نیست جامد را ز جنسیت خبر
The spirit is like an ant, and the body like a grain of wheat which it (the ant) carries to and fro continually.2955
جان چو مور و تن چو دانهی گندمی ** میکشاند سو به سویش هر دمی
The ant knows that the grains of which it has taken charge will be changed and become homogeneous with it.
مور داند کان حبوب مرتهن ** مستحیل و جنس من خواهد شدن
One ant picks up (a grain of) barley on the road, another ant picks up a grain of wheat and runs away.
آن یکی موری گرفت از راه جو ** مور دیگر گندمی بگرفت و دو
The barley does not hurry to the wheat, but the ant comes to the ant; yes (it does).
جو سوی گندم نمیتازد ولی ** مور سوی مور میآید بلی
The going of the barley to the wheat is (merely) consequential: (’tis) the ant, mark you, (that) returns to its congener.
رفتن جو سوی گندم تابعست ** مور را بین که به جنسش راجعست
Do not say, “Why did the wheat go to the barley?” Fix your eye on the holder, not on that which he holds in pawn.2960
تو مگو گندم چرا شد سوی جو ** چشم را بر خصم نه نی بر گرو
(As when) a black ant (moves along) on a black felt cloth: the ant is hidden (from view), (only) the grain is visible on its way,
مور اسود بر سر لبد سیاه ** مور پنهان دانه پیدا پیش راه
(But) Reason says, “Look well to your eye: when does a grain ever go along without a grain-bearer?”
عقل گوید چشم را نیکو نگر ** دانه هرگز کی رود بی دانهبر
(’Twas) on this account (that) the dog came to the Companions (of the Cave): the (outward) forms are (like) the grains, while the heart (spirit) is (like) the ant.
زین سبب آمد سوی اصحاب کلب ** هست صورتها حبوب و مور قلب
Hence Jesus goes (ascends) to the holy ones of Heaven: the cages (bodies) were diverse, (but) the young birds (spirits) were of the same kind.
زان شود عیسی سوی پاکان چرخ ** بد قفسها مختلف یک جنس فرخ
This cage is visible, but the young bird in it is hidden (from sight): how should the cage be moving without a cage-carrier?2965
این قفس پیدا و آن فرخش نهان ** بیقفس کش کی قفس باشد روان
Oh, blessed is the eye that is ruled by reason, (the eye) that discerns the end and is wise and cool.
ای خنک چشمی که عقلستش امیر ** عاقبتبین باشد و حبر و قریر
Get (learn) the distinction between evil and good from reason, not from the eye that tells (only) of black and white.
فرق زشت و نغز از عقل آورید ** نی ز چشمی کز سیه گفت و سپید
The eye is beguiled by the verdure on dunghills, (but) reason says, “Put it to my touchstone.”
چشم غره شد به خضرای دمن ** عقل گوید بر محک ماش زن
The eye that sees (only) its (object of) desire is the bird's bane; reason, which sees the trap, is the bird's means of deliverance.