- Let the (carnal) nature weep sore and bitterly: do you take from it and pay the debt of the (rational) soul.
- طبع را هل تا بگرید زار زار ** تو از او بستان و وام جان گزار
- For years you have been the ass's slave. It is enough, for the ass's slave is behind (even) the ass. 1855
- سالها خربنده بودی بس بود ** ز انکه خربنده ز خر واپس بود
- The thing meant by (the Prophet's words) “put them (the women) behind” is your fleshly soul; for it must be last, and your intellect (must be) first.
- ز اخروهن مرادش نفس تست ** کاو به آخر باید و عقلت نخست
- This base intellect has become of the same temperament as the ass: its (only) thought is how it shall get hold of fodder.
- هم مزاج خر شده ست این عقل پست ** فکرش این که چون علف آرم بدست
- The ass of Jesus took (to itself) the temperament of the (rational) spirit: it took its abode in the place of the intelligent,
- آن خر عیسی مزاج دل گرفت ** در مقام عاقلان منزل گرفت
- Because (in Jesus) intellect was ruling, and the ass (was) weak —the ass is made lean by a strong rider—
- ز انکه غالب عقل بود و خر ضعیف ** از سوار زفت گردد خر نحیف
- While from the weakness of your intellect, O you who have (no more than) the value of an ass, this worn-out ass has become a dragon. 1860
- و ز ضعیفی عقل تو ای خر بها ** این خر پژمرده گشته ست اژدها
- If through Jesus (the spiritual guide) you have become heart-sick, (yet) health too comes from him: do not leave him.
- گر ز عیسی گشتهای رنجور دل ** هم از او صحت رسد او را مهل
- How art thou as to affliction, O thou Jesus who hast the (healing) breath of Jesus? For there never was in the world a treasure without a snake.
- چونی ای عیسای عیسی دم ز رنج ** که نبود اندر جهان بیمار گنج
- How art thou, O Jesus, at the sight of the Jews? How art thou, O Joseph, in respect of the envious plotter?
- چونی ای عیسی ز دیدار جهود ** چونی ای یوسف ز مکار حسود
- Night and day for the sake of this foolish people thou, like night and day, art a replenisher of life.
- تو شب و روز از پی این قوم غمر ** چون شب و روزی مدد بخشای عمر
- How art thou in regard to those bilious ones who are without excellence? What excellence is born from bile? Headache. 1865
- چونی از صفراییان بیهنر ** چه هنر زاید ز صفرا درد سر
- Do thou the same thing as the sun of the east does: we are hypocrisy and craft and thieving and dissimulation.
- تو همان کن که کند خورشید شرق ** ما نفاق و حیله و دزدی و زرق
- Thou art honey, we are vinegar in (the affairs of) this world and in religion; the (means of) removing this bile is oxymel.
- تو عسل ما سرکه در دنیا و دین ** دفع این صفرا بود سرکنگبین
- We folk who suffer from colic have added more and more vinegar; do thou add more and more honey, withhold not thy bounty.
- سرکه افزودیم ما قوم زحیر ** تو عسل بفزا کرم را وامگیر
- This was meet in us; such (acts naturally) issued from us: what is increased by sand in the eye? Blindness.
- این سزید از ما چنان آمد ز ما ** ریگ اندر چشم چه فزاید عما
- (But) ’tis meet in thee, O precious collyrium, that every nothing should gain from thee something. 1870
- آن سزد از تو أیا کحل عزیز ** که بیابد از تو هر ناچیز چیز
- Thy heart is roasted by the fire of these unrighteous men, (yet) all thy appeal (to God) has been, “Guide my people!”
- ز آتش این ظالمانت دل کباب ** از تو جمله اهد قومی بد خطاب
- Thou art a mine of aloes-wood: if they set thee afire, they will fill this world with otto of roses and sweet basil.
- کان عودی در تو گر آتش زنند ** این جهان از عطر و ریحان آگنند
- Thou art not that aloes-wood that is minished by the fire: thou art not that spirit that is made captive by grief.
- تو نه آن عودی کز آتش کم شود ** تو نه آن روحی که اسیر غم شود
- Aloes-wood burns, (but) the mine of aloes-wood is far from burning: how should the wind (of evil words) assail the source of (spiritual) light?
- عود سوزد کان عود از سوز دور ** باد کی حمله برد بر اصل نور
- Oh, ’tis from thee the heavens have (their) purity; oh, thy unkindness is better than kindness, 1875
- ای ز تو مر آسمانها را صفا ** ای جفای تو نکوتر از وفا
- Because if an unkindness come from the wise it is better than the kindness of the ignorant.
- ز انکه از عاقل جفایی گر رود ** از وفای جاهلان آن به بود
- The Prophet said, “Enmity (proceeding) from wisdom is better than the love that comes from a fool.”
- گفت پیغمبر عداوت از خرد ** بهتر از مهری که از جاهل رسد
- How an Amír harassed a sleeping man into whose mouth a snake had gone.
- رنجانیدن امیری خفتهای را که مار در دهانش رفته بود
- A wise man was riding along (at the moment when) a snake was going into the mouth of a man asleep.
- عاقلی بر اسب میآمد سوار ** در دهان خفتهای میرفت مار
- The rider saw that, and was hurrying to scare away the snake, (but) he got no chance (of doing so).
- آن سوار آن را بدید و میشتافت ** تا رماند مار را فرصت نیافت
- Since he had an abundant supply of intelligence, he struck the sleeper several powerful blows with a mace. 1880
- چون که از عقلش فراوان بد مدد ** چند دبوسی قوی بر خفته زد
- The strokes of the hard mace drove him in flight from him (the rider) to beneath a tree.
- برد او را زخم آن دبوس سخت ** زو گریزان تا به زیر یک درخت
- There were many rotten apples which had dropped (from the tree): he said, “Eat of these, O you in the grip of pain!”
- سیب پوسیده بسی بد ریخته ** گفت از این خور ای به درد آویخته
- He gave him so many apples to eat that they were falling out of his mouth again.
- سیب چندان مر و را در خورد داد ** کز دهانش باز بیرون میفتاد
- He was crying, “O Amír, pray, why have you set on me when you have not suffered injury?
- بانگ میزد کای امیر آخر چرا ** قصد من کردی تو نادیده جفا
- If you have an inveterate and mortal feud with me, strike with your sword and shed my blood at once. 1885
- گر ترا ز اصل است با جانم ستیز ** تیغ زن یک بارگی خونم بریز
- Ill-omened (was) the hour I came into your sight: oh, happy he that never saw your face!
- شوم ساعت که شدم بر تو پدید ** ای خنک آن را که روی تو ندید
- Without guilt, without sin, without (having done) anything great or small—(even) the heretics hold not such oppression allowable.
- بیجنایت بیگنه بیبیش و کم ** ملحدان جایز ندارند این ستم
- Blood gushes from my mouth together with (my) words. O God, I beseech Thee, give him the retribution (which he deserves)!”
- میجهد خون از دهانم با سخن ** ای خدا آخر مکافاتش تو کن
- Every instant he was uttering a new curse, (while) he (the rider) kept beating him and saying, “Run in this plain.”
- هر زمان میگفت او نفرین نو ** اوش میزد کاندر این صحرا بدو
- Blows of the mace, and the rider (swift) as the wind! He (therefore) went on running and (now and) again falling on his face. 1890
- زخم دبوس و سوار همچو باد ** میدوید و باز در رو میفتاد
- He was full-fed and sleepy and fatigued: his feet and face became (covered with) a hundred thousand wounds.
- ممتلی و خوابناک و سست بد ** پا و رویش صد هزاران زخم شد
- Till nightfall he (the rider) drove (him) to and fro, until vomiting caused by bile overtook him.
- تا شبانگه میکشید و میگشاد ** تا ز صفرا قی شدن بر وی فتاد
- All the things he had eaten, bad or good, came up from him: the snake shot forth from him along with what he had eaten.
- زو بر آمد خوردهها زشت و نکو ** مار با آن خورده بیرون جست از او
- When he saw the snake outside of him, he fell on his knees before that beneficent man.
- چون بدید از خود برون آن مار را ** سجده آورد آن نکو کردار را
- As soon as he saw the horror of that black, ugly, big snake, those griefs departed from him. 1895
- سهم آن مار سیاه زشت زفت ** چون بدید آن دردها از وی برفت
- “Truly,” said he, “you are the Gabriel of (Divine) mercy, or you are God, for you are the lord of bounty.
- گفت خود تو جبرییل رحمتی ** یا خدایی که ولی نعمتی
- Oh, blest (is) the hour that you saw me: I was dead, you have given me new life.
- ای مبارک ساعتی که دیدیام ** مرده بودم جان نو بخشیدیام
- You (were) seeking me like mothers (in search of their children); I (was) fleeing from you like asses.
- تو مرا جویان مثال مادران ** من گریزان از تو مانند خران
- The ass flees from his master because of asininity; his owner (runs) after (him) because of good-nature.
- خر گریزد از خداوند از خری ** صاحبش در پی ز نیکو گوهری
- He seeks him, not on account of profit or loss, but in order that a wolf or (other) wild beast may not tear him. 1900
- نه از پی سود و زیان میجویدش ** لیک تا در گرگش ندرد یا ددش
- Oh, happy he that espies your face or suddenly lights upon your abode.
- ای خنک آن را که بیند روی تو ** یا در افتد ناگهان در کوی تو
- O you whom the pure spirit hath praised, how many foolish and idle words have I spoken to you!
- ای روان پاک بستوده ترا ** چند گفتم ژاژ و بیهوده ترا
- O lord and emperor and amír, I spoke not, my folly spoke: do not punish that (offence).
- ای خداوند و شهنشاه و امیر ** من نگفتم جهل من گفت آن مگیر