Even as there was a dense host (of infidels), (but) to the Prophet’s eye it seemed small,
همچنان که لشکر انبوه بود ** مر پیمبر را به چشم اندک نمود
So that the Prophet set upon them without (fear of) the danger; but if he had deemed (them) more (in number), he would have acted cautiously in that (affair).
تا بر ایشان زد پیمبر بیخطر ** ور فزون دیدی از آن کردی حذر
That was the Divine favour, and thou wert worthy of it, O Ahmad (Mohammed); else, thou wouldst have become faint-hearted.
آن عنایت بود و اهل آن بدی ** احمدا ور نه تو بد دل میشدی
God caused the outward and inward warfare to seem little to him and his Companions,2295
کم نمود او را و اصحاب و را ** آن جهاد ظاهر وباطن خدا
In order that He might make it easy for him to gain ease (success), and that he might turn away his face from difficulty (unsuccess).
تا میسر کرد یسری را بر او ** تا ز عسری او بگردانید رو
For him, (God’s) causing (the warfare) to seem little was victory, since God was his friend and taught him the way.
کم نمودن مر و را پیروز بود ** که حقش یار و طریق آموز بود
(But) he that hath not God for his victorious support, alas if the fierce lion seem to him a cat.
آن که حق پشتش نباشد از ظفر ** وای اگر گربش نماید شیر نر
Alas if from afar he see a hundred as one, so that in vain confidence he enters on the fray.
وای اگر صدرا یکی بیند ز دور ** تا به چالش اندر آید از غرور
He (God) causes a Prophet’s sword to seem a dart and makes the fierce lion appear as a cat,2300
ز آن نماید ذو الفقاری حربهای ** ز آن نماید شیر نر چون گربهای
To the end that the fool may fall boldly to fighting, and that He may catch them by this device;
تا دلیر اندر فتد احمق به جنگ ** و اندر آردشان بدین حیلت به چنگ
(And besides He is acting thus), in order that those dolts may have come towards the fire-temple by means of their own feet (by their own free will).
تا به پای خویش باشند آمده ** آن فلیوان جانب آتشکده
He is showing (what seems to you) a blade of straw, in order that you may quickly give a puff so as to make it vanish out of existence.
کاه برگی مینماید تا تو زود ** پف کنی کاو را برانی از وجود
Beware! for that straw has uprooted mountains: through it the world is weeping, while it (the straw) is in laughter.
هین که آن که کوهها بر کنده است ** زو جهان گریان و او در خنده است
He makes this river-water seem (only) up to the ankle, (but) a hundred such as Áj son of 'Unuq have ben drowned therein.2305
مینماید تا به کعب این آب جو ** صد چو عاج ابن عنق شد غرق او
He makes the wave of blood seem to him a mound of musk: He makes the bottom of the sea seem dry land.
مینماید موج خونش تل مشک ** مینماید قعر دریا خاک خشک
Blind Pharaoh deemed that sea dry, so that in (the pride of his) manhood and strength he drave into it.
خشک دید آن بحر را فرعون کور ** تا در او راند از سر مردی و زور
When he enters (it), he is at the bottom of the sea: how should the eye of Pharaoh be seeing?
چون در آید در تگ دریا بود ** دیدهی فرعون کی بینا بود
The eye is made seeing by meeting with God: how should God become the confidant of every fool?
دیده بینا از لقای حق شود ** حق کجا هم راز هر احمق شود
He (the fool) sees (what he thinks is) candy: it is, in sooth, deadly poison; he sees (what he thinks is) the road: it is, in sooth, the cry of the ghoul (luring him to destruction).2310
قند بیند خود شود زهر قتول ** راه بیند خود بود آن بانگ غول
O sky, in the tribulation of (these) latter days thou art revolving swiftly; pray, give (us) time (respite and relief).
ای فلک در فتنهی آخر زمان ** تیز میگردی بده آخر زمان
Thou art a keen dagger to assail us; thou art a poisoned lancet to bleed us.
خنجر تیزی تو اندر قصد ما ** نیش زهر آلودهای در فصد ما
O sky, learn mercy from the Mercy of God: do not, like a snake, inflict wounds on the hearts of ants.
ای فلک از رحم حق آموز رحم ** بر دل موران مزن چون مار زخم
By the truth of Him who hath set the wheel of thy sphere turning above this (earthly) abode,
حق آن که چرخهی چرخ ترا ** کرد گردان بر فراز این سرا
(We beseech thee to) revolve in another wise and show mercy, ere thou uproot us.2315
که دگرگون گردی و رحمت کنی ** پیش از آن که بیخ ما را بر کنی
(We beseech thee by) the truth of thy having fostered us at first, so that our (young) shoot grew up from (the nurture given by) water and earth;
حق آن که دایگی کردی نخست ** تا نهال ما ز آب و خاک رست
By the truth of that King who created thee pure and displayed so many cressets in thee,
حق آن شه که ترا صاف آفرید ** کرد چندان مشعله در تو پدید
Who hath kept thee so flourishing and lasting that the materialist hath thought thee (existent) from eternity.
آن چنان معمور و باقی داشتت ** تا که دهری از ازل پنداشتت
Thanks (to God), we have come to know thy beginning: the prophets have told that secret of thine.
شکر دانستیم آغاز ترا ** انبیا گفتند آن راز ترا
A man knows that a house is made (at some time or other); the spider which plays idly in it (knows) not (this).2320
آدمی داند که خانه حادث است ** عنکبوتی نه که در وی عابث است
How should the gnat know of what date this garden is?––for ‘twas born in spring, and its death is in the (following) winter.
پشه کی داند که این باغ از کی است ** کاو بهاران زاد و مرگش در دی است
The worm that is born miserably in (dry) wood––how should it know the wood at the time when it was a (sappy) shoot?
کرم کاندر چوب زاید سست حال ** کی بداند چوب را وقت نهال
And if the worm should know (this), it would be intellect in its essential substance; the worm would be (only) its (outward) form.
ور بداند کرم از ماهیتش ** عقل باشد کرم باشد صورتش
Intellect shows itself (in many) guises, (but) like the Jinn is leagues removed from them (in its real nature).
عقل خود را مینماید رنگها ** چون پری دور است از آن فرسنگها
It is above the angels––what occasion is there for (comparing it with) the Jinn? (But) you have the wings of a gnat, you are flying downwards.2325
از ملک بالاست چه جای پری ** تو مگس پری به پستی میپری
Although your intellect is flying upward, the bird of your conventional notions is feeding below.
گر چه عقلت سوی بالا میپرد ** مرغ تقلیدت به پستی میچرد
Conventional knowledge is the bane of our souls; it is a borrowed thing, but we rest (at ease in the belief) that it is ours.
علم تقلیدی وبال جان ماست ** عاریه ست و ما نشسته کان ماست
It behoves us to become ignorant of this (worldly) wisdom; (rather) must we clutch at madness.
زین خرد جاهل همی باید شدن ** دست در دیوانگی باید زدن
Always flee from whatever you deem profitable to your (lower) self: drink poison and spill the water of life.
هر چه بینی سود خود ز آن میگریز ** زهر نوش و آب حیوان را بریز
Revile any one that praises you: lend (both) interest and capital to the destitute.2330
هر که بستاند ترا دشنام ده ** سود و سرمایه به مفلس وام ده
Let safety go, and dwell in the place of fear (danger): leave reputation behind and be disgraced and notorious.
ایمنی بگذار و جای خوف باش ** بگذر از ناموس و رسوا باش و فاش
I have tried far-thinking (provident) intellect; henceforth I will make myself mad.
آزمودم عقل دور اندیش را ** بعد از این دیوانه سازم خویش را
How Dalqak excused himself to the Sayyid-i Ajall (who asked him) why he had married a harlot.
عذر گفتن دلقک با سید که چرا فاحشه را نکاح کرد
One night the Sayyid-i Ajall said to Dalqak, “You have married a harlot in haste.
گفت با دلقک شبی سید اجل ** قحبهای را خواستی تو از عجل
You ought to have disclosed this (matter) to me, so that we might have made a chaste (woman) your wife.”
با من این را باز میبایست گفت ** تا یکی مستور کردیمیت جفت
Dalqak replied, “I have (already) married nine chaste and virtuous women: they became harlots, and I wasted away with grief.2335
گفت نه مستور صالح خواستم ** قحبه گشتند و ز غم تن کاستم
I married this harlot without (previous) acquaintance (with her), in order to see how this one (also) would turn out in the end.
خواستم این قحبه را بیمعرفت ** تا ببینم چون شود این عاقبت
Often have I tried (sound) intelligence; henceforth I will seek a nursery for insanity.”
عقل را من آزمودم هم بسی ** زین سپس جویم جنون را مغرسی
How an inquirer managed to draw into conversation an eminent (saintly) man who had feigned to be mad.
به حیلت در سخن آوردن سائل آن بزرگ را که خود را دیوانه ساخته بود
A certain man was saying, “I want some one of intelligence, (that) I may consult him about a difficulty.”
آن یکی میگفت خواهم عاقلی ** مشورت آرم بدو در مشکلی
One said to him, “In our city there is nobody of intelligence except yonder man who appears to be mad.
آن یکی گفتش که اندر شهر ما ** نیست عاقل جز که آن مجنوننما
Look, there is (one named) so-and-so: mounted on a cane, he rides (it as a cock-horse) amongst the children.2340
بر نیی گشته سواره نک فلان ** میدواند در میان کودکان
He is possessed of judgment and (keen as) a spark of fire; he is as the sky in dignity, and as the stars in high estate.
صاحب رای است و آتش پارهای ** آسمان قدر است و اختر بارهای