Take heed., remember (the adage), ‘Men are mines’: one mine may be more than a hundred thousand.
یاد الناس معادن هین بیار ** معدنی باشد فزون از صد هزار
The mine of lurking ruby and cornelian is better than myriads of mines of copper.
معدن لعل و عقیق مکتنس ** بهتر است از صد هزاران کان مس
O Ahmad, here riches have no use; a breast is wanted, full of love and pain and sighs.
احمدا اینجا ندارد مال سود ** سینه باید پر ز عشق و درد و دود
The blind man of enlightened heart is come: do not shut the door; give him counsel, for counsel is his right.2080
اعمی روشن دل آمد در مبند ** پند او را ده که حق اوست پند
If two or three fools have disbelieved in thee, how shouldst thou be soured when thou art a mine of candy?
گر دو سه ابله ترا منکر شدند ** تلخ کی گردی چو هستی کان قند
If two or three fools impute falsehood to thee, God is giving testimony on thy behalf.”
گر دو سه ابله ترا تهمت نهند ** حق برای تو گواهی میدهد
He (Mohammed) said, “I am unconcerned with the acknowledgment of the world: what care (for the world) hath he whose witness is God?
گفت از اقرار عالم فارغم ** آن که حق باشد گواه او را چه غم
If a bat receives anything agreeable (to it) from a sun, ‘tis a proof that that (sun) is not the (real) sun.
گر خفاشی را ز خورشیدی خوری است ** آن دلیل آمد که آن خورشید نیست
The disgust of the wretched bats is a proof that I am the shining glorious sun.2085
نفرت خفاشکان باشد دلیل ** که منم خورشید تابان جلیل
If the beetle feels a desire for some (particular) rose-water, that constitutes a proof of its not being rose-water.
گر گلابی را جعل راغب شود ** آن دلیل ناگلابی میکند
If any false coin is eager for the touchstone, uncertainty and doubt enter into (the fact of) its being a touchstone.
گر شود قلبی خریدار محک ** در محکیاش در آید نقص و شک
The thief wants night, not day––mark this! I am not night, I am day, for I shine throughout the world.
دزد شب خواهد نه روز این را بدان ** شب نیام روزم که تابم در جهان
I am discerning, I am exceedingly discriminating and sieve-like, so that the chaff finds no passage through me.
فارقم فاروقم و غلبیروار ** تا که کاه از من نمییابد گذار
I make the flour distinct from the bran, in order to show that this is the (external) forms, and that the (inward) souls (essences).2090
آرد را پیدا کنم من از سبوس ** تا نمایم کاین نقوش است آن نفوس
I am as the scales of God in the world: I reveal (the difference of) every light thing from the heavy.
من چو میزان خدایم در جهان ** وانمایم هر سبک را از گران
A calf deems the cow God; the ass (deems God) one who is fond (of it) and that which accords with its desires.
گاو را داند خدا گوسالهای ** خر خریداری و در خور کالهای
I am not a cow, that the calf should be fond of me; I am not thistles, that a camel should browse on me.
من نه گاوم تا که گوسالهم خرد ** من نه خارم کاشتری از من چرد
He (the unbeliever) supposes that he has done me an injury; nay, he has wiped away the dust from my mirror.”
او گمان دارد که با من جور کرد ** بلکه از آیینهی من روفت گرد
How the madman sought to ingratiate himself with Jálínús (Galen), and how Jálínús was afraid.
تملق کردن دیوانه جالینوس را و ترسیدن جالینوس
Jálínús said to his companions, “Let (one of you) give me such-and-such a medicine.”2095
گفت جالینوس با اصحاب خود ** مر مرا تا آن فلان دارو دهد
Then said that person to him, “O master of (many) sciences, this medicine is sought (as a cure) for madness.
پس بدو گفت آن یکی ای ذو فنون ** این دوا خواهند از بهر جنون
Far be this from thy intellect! Say no more (about it).” He replied, “A madman turned his face to me,
دور از عقل تو این دیگر مگو ** گفت در من کرد یک دیوانه رو
Looked pleasantly on my face for a while, made little eyes at me, and plucked my sleeve.
ساعتی در روی من خوش بنگرید ** چشمکم زد آستین من درید
Had there not been in me congeniality with him, how would that ill-favoured man have turned his face towards me?
گر نه جنسیت بدی در من از او ** کی رخ آوردی به من آن زشت رو
Had he not seen (in me) one of his own kind, how should he have approached? How should he have thrown himself upon (attached himself to) one of another kind?”2100
گر ندیدی جنس خود کی آمدی ** کی به غیر جنس خود را بر زدی
When two persons come into touch with each other, without any doubt there is something in common between them.
چون دو کس بر هم زند بیهیچ شک ** در میانشان هست قدر مشترک
How should a bird fly except with its own kind? The society of the uncongenial is the grave and the tomb.
کی پرد مرغی مگر با جنس خود ** صحبت ناجنس گور است و لحد
The cause of a bird's flying and feeding with a bird that is not of its own kind.
سبب پریدن و چریدن مرغی با مرغی که جنس او نبود
Said a certain sage, “I saw a crow running about in the desert with a stork.
آن حکیمی گفت دیدم هم تکی ** در بیابان زاغ را با لکلکی
I marvelled long, and I investigated their case, in order that I might find the clue (as to) what it was that they had in common.
در عجب ماندم بجستم حالشان ** تا چه قدر مشترک یابم نشان
When, amazed and bewildered, I approached them, (then) indeed I saw that both of them were lame.”2105
چون شدم نزدیک، من حیران و دنگ ** خود بدیدم هر دوان بودند لنگ
In particular, (how should) a royal falcon, which is of the highest heaven, (consort) with an owl, which is of the low earth?
خاصه شهبازی که او عرشی بود ** با یکی جغدی که او فرشی بود
That one is the sun of ‘Illiyyún, while the other is a bat which belongs to Sijjín.
آن یکی خورشید علیین بود ** وین دگر خفاش کز سجین بود
That one is a luminary, free from every defect, while this (other) one is a blind man begging at every door.
آن یکی نوری ز هر عیبی بری ** وین یکی کوری گدای هر دری
That one is a moon that strikes (its beams) upon the Pleiades, while this (other) one is a worm that lives in dung.
آن یکی ماهی که بر پروین زند ** وین یکی کرمی که در سرگین زید
That one has the face of a Joseph, the breath of a Jesus, while this (other) one is a wolf or an ass with a bell.2110
آن یکی یوسف رخی عیسی نفس ** وین یکی گرگی و یا خر با جرس
That one has flown to Spacelessness, while this (other) one is in the straw-barn, like the dogs.
آن یکی پران شده در لا مکان ** وین یکی در کاهدان همچون سگان
With the tongue of (unspoken) meaning the rose is saying to the beetle this—“O stinking (creature),
با زبان معنوی گل با جعل ** این همیگوید که ای گنده بغل
If thou art fleeing from the rose-bed, doubtless that aversion (shown by thee) is (a sign of) the perfection of the rose-garden.
My jealousy (sense of dignity) smites thee on the head with a baton, (warning thee to) keep far away from here, O vile one;
غیرت من بر سر تو دور باش ** میزند کای خس از اینجا دور باش
For if, base wretch, thou shouldst mix with me, it will be thought that thou art of my stock.2115
ور بیامیزی تو با من ای دنی ** این گمان آید که از کان منی
For nightingales the garden is the proper place; for the beetle the best home is in ordure.”
بلبلان را جای میزیبد چمن ** مر جعل را در چمین خوشتر وطن
Since God has kept me pure from filth, how were it seemly to appoint a foul one for (companionship with) me?
حق مرا چون از پلیدی پاک داشت ** چون سزد بر من پلیدی را گماشت
I had (in me) a vein of them (of their nature). He (God) cut it out: how (then) will he with the vein of evil attain unto me?
یک رگم ز ایشان بد و آن را برید ** در من آن بد رگ کجا خواهد رسید
One mark of Adam from eternity was this, that the angels should lay their heads (on the ground) before him, because it was his place (proper to his dignity).
یک نشان آدم آن بود از ازل ** که ملایک سر نهندش از محل
Another mark was that Iblís, saying, “I am the king and chief,” should not lay down his head before him.2120
یک نشان دیگر آن که آن بلیس ** ننهدش سر که منم شاه و رئیس
If, then, Iblís too had become a worshipper (of Adam), he (Adam) would not have been Adam: he would have been another.
پس اگر ابلیس هم ساجد شدی ** او نبودی آدم او غیری بدی
At once the worship of every angel is the test of him, and the denial (of him) by that enemy (Iblís) is the proof of him.
هم سجود هر ملک میزان اوست ** هم جحود آن عدو برهان اوست
At once the acknowledgment (made) by the angels is witness for him, and the disbelief of that petty cur (Iblís) is witness for him.
هم گواه اوست اقرار ملک ** هم گواه اوست کفران سگک
Conclusion of the (story concerning the) trust of that deluded man in the fawningness of the bear.
تتمه اعتماد آن مغرور بر تملق خرس
The man fell asleep, and the bear kept driving away the flies (which were) on him, but in spite of him they soon came back again.
شخص خفت و خرس میراندش مگس ** وز ستیز آمد مگس زو باز پس
Several times he drove them from the youth’s face, but soon they came hurrying back once more.2125
چند بارش راند از روی جوان ** آن مگس زو باز میآمد دوان
The bear was enraged with the flies and went off. He picked up a very big stone from the mountain-side.
خشمگین شد با مگس خرس و برفت ** بر گرفت از کوه سنگی سخت زفت