From without comes their voice, (telling) of religion, (and crying), “This, this is the way of escape for thee.
از برون آوازشان آید ز دین ** که ره رستن ترا این است این
By this we escaped from this narrow cage: there is no means of escape from this cage but this way,
ما به دین رستیم زین ننگین قفس ** جز که این ره نیست چاره‌‌ی این قفس
(That) thou shouldst make thyself ill, exceedingly wretched, in order that thou mayst be let out from (the cage of) reputation.”1545
خویش را رنجور سازی زار زار ** تا ترا بیرون کنند از اشتهار
Worldly reputation is a strong chain: in the Way how is this less than a chain of iron?
که اشتهار خلق بند محکم است ** در ره این از بند آهن کی کم است
The story of the merchant to whom the captive parrot gave a message for the parrots of India on the occasion of his going (thither) to trade.
قصه‌‌ی بازرگان که طوطی محبوس او او را پیغام داد به طوطیان هندوستان هنگام رفتن به تجارت
There was a merchant, and he had a parrot imprisoned in a cage, a pretty parrot.
بود بازرگانی او را طوطیی ** در قفس محبوس زیبا طوطیی
When the merchant made ready for travel and was about to depart to India,
چون که بازرگان سفر را ساز کرد ** سوی هندستان شدن آغاز کرد
Because of his generosity he said to each male slave and each handmaid, “What shall I bring (home) for you? Tell (me) quickly.”
هر غلام و هر کنیزک را ز جود ** گفت بهر تو چه آرم گوی زود
Each one asked him for some object of desire: that good man gave his promise to them all.1550
هر یکی از وی مرادی خواست کرد ** جمله را وعده بداد آن نیک مرد
He said to the parrot, “What present would you like me to bring for you from the land of India?”
گفت طوطی را چه خواهی ارمغان ** کارمت از خطه‌‌ی هندوستان
The parrot said to him, “When thou seest the parrots there, explain my plight (and say),
گفتش آن طوطی که آن جا طوطیان ** چون ببینی کن ز حال من بیان
‘Such and such a parrot, who is longing for you, is in my prison by the destiny of Heaven.
کان فلان طوطی که مشتاق شماست ** از قضای آسمان در حبس ماست
She salutes you and asks for justice and desires (to learn) from you the means and way of being rightly guided.
بر شما کرد او سلام و داد خواست ** وز شما چاره و ره ارشاد خواست
She says, “Is it meet that I in yearning (after you) should give up the ghost and die here in separation?1555
گفت می‌‌شاید که من در اشتیاق ** جان دهم اینجا بمیرم در فراق
Is this right—(that) I (should be) in grievous bondage, while ye are now on green plants, now on trees?
این روا باشد که من در بند سخت ** گه شما بر سبزه گاهی بر درخت
The faith kept by friends, is it like this?—I in this prison and ye in the rose-garden.
این چنین باشد وفای دوستان ** من در این حبس و شما در بوستان
O ye noble ones, call to mind this piteous bird, (and drink in memory of me) a morning-draught amongst the meadows!
یاد آرید ای مهان زین مرغ زار ** یک صبوحی در میان مرغزار
Happy it is for a friend to be remembered by friends, in particular when that (beloved) is Laylá and this (lover) Majnún.
یاد یاران یار را میمون بود ** خاصه کان لیلی و این مجنون بود
O ye who consort with your charming and adored one, am I to be drinking cups filled with my own blood?1560
ای حریفان بت موزون خود ** من قدحها می‌‌خورم پر خون خود
(O thou who art my beloved), quaff one cup of wine in memory of me, if thou art unwilling to do me justice,
یک قدح می نوش کن بر یاد من ** گر همی‌‌خواهی که بدهی داد من
Or (at least), when thou hast drunk, spill one draught on the earth in memory of this fallen one who sifts dust.
یا به یاد این فتاده‌‌ی خاک بیز ** چون که خوردی جرعه ای بر خاک ریز
Oh, where, I wonder, is that covenant and oath? Where are the promises of that lip like candy?
ای عجب آن عهد و آن سوگند کو ** وعده‌‌های آن لب چون قند کو
If thy having forsaken thy slave is because of (his) ill service (to thee)—when thou doest ill to the ill-doer, then what is the difference (between master and slave)?
گر فراق بنده از بد بندهگی است ** چون تو با بدبندگی پس فرق چیس
Oh, the ill thou doest in wrath and quarrel is more delightful than music and the sound of the harp.1565
ای بدی که تو کنی در خشم و جنگ ** با طرب تر از سماع و بانگ چنگ
Oh, thy cruelty is better than felicity, and thy vengeance dearer than life.
ای جفای تو ز دولت خوبتر ** و انتقام تو ز جان محبوبتر
This is thy fire: how (what) must be thy light! This is (thy) mourning, so how (what) indeed must be thy festival!
نار تو این است نورت چون بود ** ماتم این تا خود که سورت چون بود
In respect of the sweetnesses which thy cruelty hath, and in respect of thy beauty, no one gets to the bottom of thee.
از حلاوتها که دارد جور تو ** وز لطافت کس نیابد غور تو
I complain, and (yet) I fear lest he believe me and from kindness make that cruelty less.
نالم و ترسم که او باور کند ** وز کرم آن جور را کمتر کند
I am exceedingly enamoured of his violence and his gentleness: ’tis marvelous (that) I (am) in love with both these contraries.1570
عاشقم بر قهر و بر لطفش به جد ** بو العجب من عاشق این هر دو ضد
By God, if (I escape) from this thorn (of sorrow) and enter the garden (of joy), because of this I shall begin to moan like the nightingale.
و الله ار زین خار در بستان شوم ** همچو بلبل زین سبب نالان شوم
This is a wondrous nightingale that opens his mouth to eat thorns and roses together.
این عجب بلبل که بگشاید دهان ** تا خورد او خار را با گلستان
What nightingale is this? (Nay), ’tis a fiery monster: because of (his) love all unsweet things are sweetness to him.
این چه بلبل این نهنگ آتشی است ** جمله ناخوشها ز عشق او را خوشی است
He is a lover of the Universal, and he himself is the Universal: he is in love with himself and seeking his own love.”’”
عاشق کل است و خود کل است او ** عاشق خویش است و عشق خویش جو
Description of the wings of the birds that are Divine Intelligences.
صفت اجنحه‌‌ی طیور عقول الهی
Such-like is the tale of the parrot which is the soul: where is that one who is the confidant of (the spiritual) birds?1575
قصه‌‌ی طوطی جان زین سان بود ** کو کسی کو محرم مرغان بود
Where is a bird, weak and innocent, and within him Solomon with (all) his host?
کو یکی مرغی ضعیفی بی‌‌گناه ** و اندرون او سلیمان با سپاه
When he moans bitterly, without thanksgiving or complaint, a noise of tumult falls on (arises in) the Seven Spheres (of Heaven).
چون بنالد زار بی‌‌شکر و گله ** افتد اندر هفت گردون غلغله
At every moment (there come) to him from God a hundred missives, a hundred couriers: from him one (cry of) “O my Lord!” and from God a hundred (cries of) “Labbayka” (“Here am I”).
هر دمش صد نامه صد پیک از خدا ** یا ربی زو شصت لبیک از خدا
In the sight of God his backsliding is better than obedience; beside his infidelity all faiths are tattered (worthless).
زلت او به ز طاعت نزد حق ** پیش کفرش جمله ایمانها خلق
Every moment he hath an ascension (to God) peculiar to himself: He (God) lays upon his crown a hundred peculiar crowns.1580
هر دمی او را یکی معراج خاص ** بر سر تاجش نهد صد تاج خاص
His form is on earth and his spirit in “no-place,” a “no-place” beyond the imagination of travellers (on the mystic Way):
صورتش بر خاک و جان بر لامکان ** لامکانی فوق وهم سالکان
Not such a “no-place” that it should come into thy understanding (or that) a fancy about it should be born in thee every moment;
لامکانی نه که در فهم آیدت ** هر دمی در وی خیالی زایدت
Nay, place and “no-place” are in his control, just as the four (Paradisal) rivers are in the control of one who dwells in Paradise.
بل مکان و لامکان در حکم او ** همچو در حکم بهشتی چارجو
Cut short the explanation of this and avert thy face from it: do not breathe a word (more)—and God knows best what is right.
شرح این کوته کن و رخ زین بتاب ** دم مزن و الله اعلم بالصواب