If now, in thy vile poltroonery, thou hast (only) stolen a beard (art devoid of real manhood), formerly thou must have been laughing at thy beard (making a mock display of manly virtue).
از غری ریش ار کنون دزدیده‌ای ** پیش ازین بر ریش خود خندیده‌ای
When thou exhortest others, (thy cry is), “Come on! come on!” In thine own anguish (thou criest), “Alas, alas!” like women.
وقت پند دیگرانی های های ** در غم خود چون زنانی وای وای
Since thou wert a cure for others' pain, (how is it that) thou art silent when pain has become thy guest?
چون به درد دیگران درمان بدی ** درد مهمان تو آمد تن زدی
’Twas thy fashion to shout at the soldiers (to encourage them): (now) shout (at thyself): why is thy voice choked?
بانگ بر لشکر زدن بد ساز تو ** بانگ بر زن چه گرفت آواز تو
For fifty years thou hast woven on (the loom of) thy intelligence: (now) put on an undervest of the fabric which thou thyself hast woven.3910
آنچ پنجه سال بافیدی به هوش ** زان نسیج خود بغلتانی بپوش
The ears of thy friends were delighted by thy song: (now) put forth thy hand and pull thine own ear.
از نوایت گوش یاران بود خوش ** دست بیرون آر و گوش خود بکش
(Formerly) thou wert always a head (leader): do not make thyself a tail, do not lose thy feet and hands and beard and moustache.
سر بدی پیوسته خود را دم مکن ** پا و دست و ریش و سبلت گم مکن
(Now) ’tis for thee to make a move on the (chess-) board: restore thyself to thy normal state (of spiritual health) and thy (natural) vigour.
بازی آن تست بر روی بساط ** خویش را در طبع آر و در نشاط
Anecdote of a king who brought a learned doctor into his banquet-hall by force and made him sit down. (When) the cup-bearer offered him wine and held out the goblet to him, the doctor averted his face and began to look sour and behave rudely. The king said to the cup-bearer, “Come, put him in a good humour.” The cup-bearer beat him on the head several times and made him drink the wine, etc.
ذکر آن پادشاه که آن دانشمند را به اکراه در مجلس آورد و بنشاند ساقی شراب بر دانشمند عرضه کرد ساغر پیش او داشت رو بگردانید و ترشی و تندی آغاز کرد شاه ساقی را گفت کی هین در طبعش آر ساقی چندی بر سرش کوفت و شرابش در خورد داد الی آخره
(Whilst) a drunken king was feasting merrily, a certain jurist passed by his gate.
پادشاهی مست اندر بزم خوش ** می‌گذشت آن یک فقیهی بر درش
He gave directions, saying, “Bring him into this hall and give him a drink of the ruby wine.”3915
کرد اشارت کش درین مجلس کشید ** وان شراب لعل را با او چشید
So they brought him to the king, (for) he had no choice (power to resist): he sat down in the hall, (looking) sour as poison and snakes.
پس کشیدندش به شه بی‌اختیار ** شست در مجلس ترش چون زهر و مار
(When) he (the cup-bearer) offered him wine, he angrily refused it and averted his eyes from the king and the cup-bearer,
عرضه کردش می نپذرفت او به خشم ** از شه و ساقی بگردانید چشم
Saying, “I have never drunk wine in my life: rank poison would please me better than wine.
که به عمر خود نخوردستم شراب ** خوشتر آید از شرابم زهر ناب
Hey, give me some poison instead of the wine, that I may be delivered from myself and ye from this (impoliteness).”
هین به جای می به من زهری دهید ** تا من از خویش و شما زین وا رهید
Without having drunk wine, he began to make a row and became as disagreeable to the company as death and (its) pangs.3920
می نخورده عربده آغاز کرد ** گشته در مجلس گران چون مرگ و درد
(This is) like (the behaviour of) carnal earthly-minded people in the world when they sit (associate) with spiritual folk.
هم‌چو اهل نفس و اهل آب و گل ** در جهان بنشسته با اصحاب دل
God keeps His elect (ever) drinking secretly the wine of the free.
حق ندارد خاصگان را در کمون ** از می احرار جز در یشربون
They offer the cup to one who is veiled (uninitiated), (but his) perception apprehends naught thereof except the (literal) words.
عرضه می‌دارند بر محجوب جام ** حس نمی‌یابد از آن غیر کلام
He averts his face from their guidance because he does not see their gift with his eye.
رو همی گرداند از ارشادشان ** که نمی‌بیند به دیده دادشان
If there were a passage from his ear to his throat, the hidden meaning of their admonition would have entered his inward parts.3925
گر ز گوشش تا به حلقش ره بدی ** سر نصح اندر درونشان در شدی
Inasmuch as his spirit is wholly fire, not light, who would throw anything but husks into a blazing fire?
چون همه نارست جانش نیست نور ** که افکند در نار سوزان جز قشور
The kernel remains outside and the husk, (consisting of mere) words, goes (in): how should the stomach be made warm and stout by husks?
مغز بیرون ماند و قشر گفت رفت ** کی شود از قشر معده گرم و زفت
The Fire of Hell torments only the husks: the Fire has nothing to do with any kernel;
نار دوزخ جز که قشر افشار نیست ** نار را با هیچ مغزی کار نیست
And if a fire should dart its flames at the kernel, know that ’tis in order to cook it, not to burn it.
ور بود بر مغز ناری شعله‌زن ** بهر پختن دان نه بهر سوختن
So long as God is the Wise, know that this law is perpetual (both) in the past and in the time that has not (yet) come.3930
تا که باشد حق حکیم این قاعده ** مستمر دان در گذشته و نامده