While those two who know are blinded by their self-interest: prejudice has put their knowledge into the grave.
و آن دو عالم را غرضشان کور کرد ** علمشان را علت اندر گور کرد
Unprejudicedness makes ignorance wise; prejudice makes knowledge perverse and iniquitous.
جهل را بیعلتی عالم کند ** علم را علت کژ و ظالم کند
So long as you accept no bribe, you are seeing; when you act covetously, you are blind and enslaved.’
تا تو رشوت نستدی بینندهای ** چون طمع کردی ضریر و بندهای
I have turned my nature away from vain desire: I have not eaten delicious morsels.
از هوا من خوی را واکردهام ** لقمههای شهوتی کم خوردهام
My heart, which tastes (and distinguishes), has become bright (like a clear mirror): it really knows truth from falsehood.2755
چاشنی گیر دلم شد با فروغ ** راست را داند حقیقت از دروغ
How Mu‘áwiya—may God be well-pleased with him!— induced Iblís to confess.
به اقرار آوردن معاویه ابلیس را
Why did you awaken me? You are the enemy of wakefulness, O trickster.
تو چرا بیدار کردی مر مرا ** دشمن بیداریی تو ای دغا
You are like poppy-seeds: you put every one to sleep. You are like wine: you take away understanding and knowledge.
همچو خشخاشی همه خواب آوری ** همچو خمری عقل و دانش را بری
I have impaled you. Come, tell the truth, I know what is true: do not seek evasions.
چار میخت کردهام هین راست گو ** راست را دانم تو حیلتها مجو
I expect from every person (only) that of which by nature and disposition he is the owner.
من ز هر کس آن طمع دارم که او ** صاحب آن باشد اندر طبع و خو
I do not look for any sugar from vinegar; I do not take the catamite for a soldier.2760
من ز سرکه مینجویم شکری ** مر مخنث را نگیرم لشکری
I do not, like (idolatrous) infidels, seek (expect) from an idol that it should be God or even a sign from God.
همچو گبران من نجویم از بتی ** کاو بود حق یا خود از حق آیتی
I do not seek the smell of musk from dung; I do not seek dry bricks in river water.
من ز سرگین مینجویم بوی مشک ** من در آب جو نجویم خشت خشک
From Satan, who is other (than good), I do not look for this— that he should awaken me with good (intent).”
من ز شیطان این نجویم کاوست غیر ** که مرا بیدار گرداند به خیر
How Iblís told truly his hidden thought to Mu‘áwiya—may God be well-pleased with him!
راست گفتن ابلیس ضمیر خود را به معاویه
Iblís spoke many words of deceit and treachery, (but) the Amír hearkened not to him and strove (against him) and showed fortitude.
گفت بسیار آن بلیس از مکر و غدر ** میر از او نشنید کرد استیز و صبر
(At length), with the bitterest pangs he (Iblís) said: “O such-and-such, know that I awakened you for the purpose2765
از بن دندان بگفتش بهر آن ** کردمت بیدار میدان ای فلان
That you might join the congregation (of Moslems) in praying after the Prophet of high estate.
تا رسی اندر جماعت در نماز ** از پی پیغمبر دولت فراز
If the time of prayers had passed, this world would have become dark to you and without a gleam of light;
گر نماز از وقت رفتی مر ترا ** این جهان تاریک گشتی بیضیا
(And then) from disappointment and grief tears would have flowed from your two eyes in the fashion of (water from) water-skins,
از غبین و درد رفتی اشکها ** از دو چشم تو مثال مشکها
(Because) every one has delight in some act of devotion and consequently cannot bear to miss it (even) for a short while.
ذوق دارد هر کسی در طاعتی ** لاجرم نشکیبد از وی ساعتی
That disappointment and grief would have been (as) a hundred prayers: what is (ritual) prayer in comparison with the (spiritual) glow of humble supplication?”2770
آن غبین و درد بودی صد نماز ** کو نماز و کو فروغ آن نیاز
The excellence of the remorse felt by one who was sincere (in his devotion) for having missed the congregational prayers.
فضیلت حسرت خوردن آن مخلص بر فوت نماز جماعت
A certain man was going into the mosque (when) the people were coming out of the mosque.
آن یکی میرفت در مسجد درون ** مردم از مسجد همیآمد برون
He began to ask (one of them), saying, “What ails the congregation that they are coming out of the mosque (so) soon?”
گفت پرسان که جماعت را چه بود ** که ز مسجد میبرون آیند زود
That person said to him, “The Prophet has prayed with the congregation and finished (his) communion.
آن یکی گفتش که پیغمبر نماز ** با جماعت کرد و فارغ شد ز راز
How art thou going in, O foolish man, when the Prophet has given the blessing?”
تو کجا در میروی ای مرد خام ** چون که پیغمبر بداده ست السلام
He cried, “Ah!” and smoke issued from that (burning) sigh: his sigh was giving forth the smell of blood from his heart.2775
گفت آه و دود از آن اه شد برون ** آه او میداد از دل بوی خون
A certain man said, “Give (me) that sigh and may this (ritual) prayer of mine be (bestowed) on thee as a gift!”
آن یکی از جمع گفت این آه را ** تو به من ده و آن نماز من ترا
He answered, “I give the sigh and accept the prayers.” He (the other) took that sigh with a hundred yearnings (towards God).
گفت دادم آه و پذرفتم نماز ** او ستد آن آه را با صد نیاز
At night, whilst (he was) asleep, a Voice said to him, “Thou hast bought the Water of Life and salvation.
شب به خواب اندر بگفتش هاتفی ** که خریدی آب حیوان و شفا
In honour of this choice and this appropriation the prayers of all the people have been accepted.”
حرمت این اختیار و این دخول ** شد نماز جملهی خلقان قبول
Conclusion of the confession made by Iblís to Mu‘áwiya of his deceit.
تتمهی اقرار ابلیس به معاویه مکر خود را
Then ‘Azázíl said to him, “O noble Amír, I must lay my deceit before (you).2780
پس عزازیلش به گفت ای میر راد ** مکر خود اندر میان باید نهاد
If you had missed the prayers, you would then from heartache have uttered sighs and lamentations,
گر نمازت فوت میشد آن زمان ** میزدی از درد دل آه و فغان
And that regret and that lamentation and that (sorrowful) yearning would have exceeded (in value) two hundred litanies and prayers.
آن تاسف و آن فغان و آن نیاز ** در گذشتی از دو صد ذکر و نماز
I awakened you in fear lest such a sigh might burn the veil (of formality),
من ترا بیدار کردم از نهیب ** تا بسوزاند چنان آهی حجاب
In order that such a sigh should not be yours; in order that you should not have any way to it.
تا چنان آهی نباشد مر ترا ** تا بدان راهی نباشد مر ترا
I am envious: from envy I acted thus. I am the enemy: my (proper) work is deceit and malice.”2785
من حسودم از حسد کردم چنین ** من عدویم کار من مکر است و کین
He (Mu‘áwiya) said, “Now you have told the truth, you are veracious. This (deceit) comes (naturally) from you: to this you are adapted.
گفت اکنون راست گفتی صادقی ** از تو این آید تو این را لایقی
You are a spider, you have flies as your prey; O cur, I am not a fly, (so) do not worry.
عنکبوتی تو مگس داری شکار ** من نیم ای سگ مگس زحمت میار
I am a white falcon: the King hunts me. How should a spider weave his web about me?
باز اسپیدم شکارم شه کند ** عنکبوتی کی بگرد ما تند
Go now, continue to catch flies as far as you can: invite the flies to (partake of) some buttermilk;
رو مگس میگیر تا تانی هلا ** سوی دوغی زن مگسها را صلا
And if you call (them) to honey, that too will certainly be lies and buttermilk (fraud).2790
ور بخوانی تو به سوی انگبین ** هم دروغ و دوغ باشد آن یقین
You awakened me, (but) it (that awakenment) was (really) slumber: you showed (me) a ship, (but) that was (really) a whirlpool.
تو مرا بیدار کردی خواب بود ** تو نمودی کشتی آن گرداب بود
You were calling me to good for the purpose that you might drive me away from the better good.”
تو مرا در خیر ز آن میخواندی ** تا مرا از خیر بهتر راندی
How a thief escaped because some one gave the alarm to the master of the house, who had nearly overtaken and caught the thief.
فوت شدن دزد به آواز دادن آن شخص صاحب خانه را که نزدیک آمده بود که دزد را دریابد و بگیرد
This (behaviour of Iblís) is like that (which is told in the following story), how a certain man saw a thief in the house and ran after him.
این بدان ماند که شخصی دزد دید ** در وثاق اندر پی او میدوید
He ran after him (the length of) two or three fields, till the fatigue threw him into a sweat.
تا دو سه میدان دوید اندر پیش ** تا در افگند آن تعب اندر خویش
At the moment when, rushing on, he had come so near to him that he might spring upon him and seize him,2795
اندر آن حمله که نزدیک آمدش ** تا بدو اندر جهد دریابدش
The second thief cried out to him, “Come, that you may see these signs of calamity.
دزد دیگر بانگ کردش که بیا ** تا ببینی این علامات بلا
Be quick and turn back, O man of (prompt) action, that you may see (how) very pitiable (is) the state of things here.”
زود باش و باز گرد ای مرد کار ** تا ببینی حال اینجا زار زار
He (the householder) said (to himself), “Maybe a thief is yonder: if I do not return at once, this (fate) will befall me.
گفت باشد کان طرف دزدی بود ** گر نگردم زود این بر من رود
He may lay hands upon my wife and child, (and in that case) how would it profit me to bind this thief (whom I am pursuing)?
در زن و فرزند من دستی زند ** بستن این دزد سودم کی کند
This Moslem is calling me in kindness: unless I return quickly, repentance will befall (me).”2800
این مسلمان از کرم میخواندم ** گر نگردم زود پیش آید ندم