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1
1019-1068

  • If a human being were a man in virtue of form, Ahmad (Mohammed) and Bú Jahl would be just the same.
  • گر به صورت آدمی انسان بدی ** احمد و بو جهل خود یکسان بدی‌‌

  • The painting on the wall is like Adam: see from the (pictured) form what thing in it is wanting. 1020
  • نقش بر دیوار مثل آدم است ** بنگر از صورت چه چیز او کم است‌‌

  • The spirit is wanting in that resplendent form: go, seek that jewel rarely found!
  • جان کم است آن صورت با تاب را ** رو بجو آن گوهر کمیاب را

  • The heads of all the lions in the world were laid low when They (God) gave a hand to (bestowed favour on) the dog of the Companions (of the Cave).
  • شد سر شیران عالم جمله پست ** چون سگ اصحاب را دادند دست‌‌

  • What loss does it suffer from that abhorred shape, inasmuch as its spirit was plunged in the ocean of light?
  • چه زیان استش از آن نقش نفور ** چون که جانش غرق شد در بحر نور

  • ’Tis not in pens to describe (the outward) form: (what is written) in letters is (qualities like) “learned” and “just”;
  • وصف صورت نیست اندر خامه‌‌ها ** عالم و عادل بود در نامه‌‌ها

  • (And qualities like) “learned” and “just” are only the spiritual essence which thou wilt not find in (any) place or in front or behind. 1025
  • عالم و عادل همه معنی است بس ** کش نیابی در مکان و پیش و پس‌‌

  • The sun of the spirit strikes (with its beams) on the body from the quarter where (the relation of) place does not exist: it (that sun) is not contained in the sky.
  • می‌‌زند بر تن ز سوی لامکان ** می‌‌نگنجد در فلک خورشید جان‌‌

  • An account of the knowledge of the hare and an explanation of the excellence and advantages of knowledge.
  • ذکر دانش خرگوش و بیان فضیلت و منافع دانستن‌‌

  • This topic hath no end. Give heed! Attend to the story of the hare.
  • این سخن پایان ندارد هوش دار ** گوش سوی قصه‌‌ی خرگوش دار

  • Sell your asinine (corporeal) ear and buy another ear, for the asinine ear will not apprehend this discourse.
  • گوش خر بفروش و دیگر گوش خر ** کاین سخن را در نیابد گوش خر

  • Go, behold the foxy tricks played by the hare; behold the cunning of the hare and how he overthrew the lion.
  • رو تو روبه بازی خرگوش بین ** مکر و شیر اندازی خرگوش بین‌‌

  • Knowledge is the seal of the kingdom of Solomon: the whole world is form, and knowledge is the spirit. 1030
  • خاتم ملک سلیمان است علم ** جمله عالم صورت و جان است علم‌‌

  • Because of this virtue, the creatures of the seas and those of mountain and plain are helpless before man.
  • آدمی را زین هنر بی‌‌چاره گشت ** خلق دریاها و خلق کوه و دشت‌‌

  • Of him the pard and lion are afraid, like the mouse; from him the leviathan and the sea are in pallor and agitation.
  • زو پلنگ و شیر ترسان همچو موش ** زو نهنگ و بحر در صفرا و جوش‌‌

  • From him peri and demon took to the shores (sought refuge): each took abode in some hiding-place.
  • زو پری و دیو ساحلها گرفت ** هر یکی در جای پنهان جا گرفت‌‌

  • Man hath many a secret enemy: the cautious man is a wise one.
  • آدمی را دشمن پنهان بسی است ** آدمی با حذر عاقل کسی است‌‌

  • (There are) hidden creatures, evil and good: at every instant their blows are striking on the heart. 1035
  • خلق پنهان زشتشان و خوبشان ** می‌‌زند در دل بهر دم کوبشان‌‌

  • If you go into the river to wash yourself, a thorn in the water inflicts a hurt upon you.
  • بهر غسل ار در روی در جویبار ** بر تو آسیبی زند در آب خار

  • Although the thorn is hidden low in the water, you know it is there, since it is pricking you.
  • گر چه پنهان خار در آب است پست ** چون که در تو می‌‌خلد دانی که هست‌‌

  • The pricks of (angelic) inspirations and (satanic) temptations are from thousands of beings, not (only) from one.
  • خار خار وحیها و وسوسه ** از هزاران کس بود نی یک کسه‌‌

  • Wait (patiently) for your (bodily) senses to be transmuted, so that you may see them (the hidden beings), and the difficulty may be solved,
  • باش تا حسهای تو مبدل شود ** تا ببینیشان و مشکل حل شود

  • So that (you may see) whose words you have rejected and whom you have made your captain. 1040
  • تا سخنهای کیان رد کرده‌‌ای ** تا کیان را سرور خود کرده‌‌ای‌‌

  • How the beasts requested the hare to tell the secret of his thought.
  • باز طلبیدن نخجیران از خرگوش سر اندیشه‌‌ی او را

  • Afterwards they said, “O nimble hare, communicate what is in thy apprehension.
  • بعد از آن گفتند کای خرگوش چست ** در میان آر آن چه در ادراک تست‌‌

  • O thou who hast grappled with a lion, declare the plan which thou hast thought of.
  • ای که با شیری تو در پیچیده‌‌ای ** باز گو رایی که اندیشیده‌‌ای‌‌

  • Counsel gives perception and understanding: the mind is helped by (other) minds.
  • مشورت ادراک و هشیاری دهد ** عقلها مر عقل را یاری دهد

  • The Prophet said, ‘O adviser, take counsel (with the trustworthy), for he whose counsel is sought is trusted.’”
  • گفت پیغمبر بکن ای رایزن ** مشورت کالمستشار موتمن‌‌

  • How the hare withheld the secret from them.
  • منع کردن خرگوش راز را از ایشان‌‌

  • He said, “One ought not to say forth every secret: sometimes the even number turns out to be odd, and sometimes the odd number to be even.” 1045
  • گفت هر رازی نشاید باز گفت ** جفت طاق آید گهی گه طاق جفت‌‌

  • If from guilelessness you breathe words to a mirror, the mirror at once becomes dim to us.
  • از صفا گر دم زنی با آینه ** تیره گردد زود با ما آینه‌‌

  • Do not move your lip in explanation of these three things, (namely) concerning your departure and your gold and your religion;
  • در بیان این سه کم جنبان لبت ** از ذهاب و از ذهب وز مذهبت‌‌

  • For to these three there is many an adversary and foe standing in wait for you when he knows (about any of them).
  • کین سه را خصم است بسیار و عدو ** در کمینت ایستد چون داند او

  • And if you tell (only) one or two (a few people), farewell (to your secret): every secret that goes beyond the twain (who share it) is published abroad.
  • ور بگویی با یکی دو الوداع ** کل سر جاوز الاثنین شاع‌‌

  • If you tie two or three birds together, they will remain on the ground, imprisoned by grief; 1050
  • گر دو سه پرنده را بندی به هم ** بر زمین مانند محبوس از الم‌‌

  • (But in truth) they hold a consultation well-disguised and mingled, in its (apparent) significance, with that which casts error (into the mind of any one who observes them).
  • مشورت دارند سرپوشیده خوب ** در کنایت با غلط افکن مشوب‌‌

  • (Similarly) the Prophet used to take counsel, (speaking) cryptically, and they (his companions) would answer him and (would be) without knowledge (of his real meaning).
  • مشورت کردی پیمبر بسته سر ** گفته ایشانش جواب و بی‌‌خبر

  • He would speak his opinion in a covert parable, in order that the adversary might not know foot from head.
  • در مثالی بسته گفتی رای را ** تا نداند خصم از سر پای را

  • He (the Prophet) would receive his answer from him (the adversary), while the other would not catch the smell (drift) of his question.
  • او جواب خویش بگرفتی از او ** وز سؤالش می‌‌نبردی غیر بو

  • The story of the hare's stratagem.
  • قصه‌‌ی مکر خرگوش‌‌

  • He delayed awhile in going, then he went before the lion who rends (his prey) with claws. 1055
  • ساعتی تاخیر کرد اندر شدن ** بعد از آن شد پیش شیر پنجه زن‌‌

  • Because he tarried late in going, the lion was tearing up the earth and roaring.
  • ز آن سبب کاندر شدن او ماند دیر ** خاک را می‌‌کند و می‌‌غرید شیر

  • “I said,” cried the lion, “that the promise of those vile ones would be vain—vain and frail and unfulfilled.
  • گفت من گفتم که عهد آن خسان ** خام باشد خام و سست و نارسان‌‌

  • Their palaver has duped me: how long will this Time deceive me, how long?”
  • دمدمه‌‌ی ایشان مرا از خر فگند ** چند بفریبد مرا این دهر چند

  • The prince that hath no strength in his beard is left sorely in the lurch when by reason of his folly he looks neither backwards nor forwards.
  • سخت درماند امیر سست ریش ** چون نه پس بیند نه پیش از احمقیش‌‌

  • The road is smooth, and under it are pitfalls: amidst the names there is a dearth of meaning. 1060
  • راه هموار است و زیرش دامها ** قحط معنی در میان نامها

  • Words and names are like pitfalls: the sweet (flattering) word is the sand for (the sand that sucks up) the water of our life.
  • لفظها و نامها چون دامهاست ** لفظ شیرین ریگ آب عمر ماست‌‌

  • The one sand whence water gushes is seldom to be found: go, seek it.
  • آن یکی ریگی که جوشد آب ازو ** سخت کمیاب است رو آن را بجو

  • He that searches after wisdom becomes a fountain of wisdom; he becomes independent of acquisition and (ways and) means.
  • منبع حکمت شود حکمت طلب ** فارغ آید او ز تحصیل و سبب‌‌

  • The guarding tablet becomes a Guarded Tablet; his understanding becomes enriched by the Spirit.
  • لوح حافظ لوح محفوظی شود ** عقل او از روح محظوظی شود

  • When his understanding has been his teacher at the beginning, after this the understanding becomes his pupil. 1065
  • چون معلم بود عقلش ز ابتدا ** بعد از این شد عقل شاگردی و را

  • The understanding says, like Gabriel, “O Ahmad (Mohammed), if I take one (more) step, it will burn me;
  • عقل چون جبریل گوید احمدا ** گر یکی گامی نهم سوزد مرا

  • Do thou leave me, henceforth advance (alone): this is my limit, O sultan of the soul!”
  • تو مرا بگذار زین پس پیش ران ** حد من این بود ای سلطان جان‌‌

  • Whoever, through heedlessness, remains without thanksgiving and patience (selfcontrol), knows (no resource) but this, that he should follow in the heels of necessity (jabr).
  • هر که ماند از کاهلی بی‌‌شکر و صبر ** او همین داند که گیرد پای جبر