Or (for example) one whose mother-tongue is Arabic says in Arabic, “I know the language of the Arabs.”
یا به تازی گفت یک تازی زبان ** که همیدانم زبان تازیان
The very fact of his speaking in Arabic is (evidence of) the reality (of his assertion), although his saying (that he knows) Arabic is (only) an assertion.
عین تازی گفتنش معنی بود ** گر چه تازی گفتنش دعوی بود
Or a writer may write on a piece of paper, “I am a writer and a reader, and I am a most accomplished person.”
یا نویسد کاتبی بر کاغذی ** کاتب و خط خوانم و من ابجدی
Although this written (statement) itself is a (mere) assertion, still the script is evidence of the reality (of the assertion).3585
این نوشته گر چه خود دعوی بود ** هم نوشته شاهد معنی بود
Or a Súfí may say, “Last night, while asleep, you saw some one with a prayer carpet on his shoulder.
یا بگوید صوفیی دیدی تو دوش ** در میان خواب سجاده به دوش
That was I; and what I said to you in the dream, whilst you slumbered, in explanation of clairvoyance—
من بدم آن و آن چه گفتم خواب در ** با تو اندر خواب در شرح نظر
Give ear (to it), put it in your ear like an ear-ring: make those words (of mine) your mind's guide.”
گوش کن چون حلقه اندر گوش کن ** آن سخن را پیشوای هوش کن
When you recollect the dream, these words (of his) are (as real to you as) a new miracle or old gold.
چون ترا یاد آید آن خواب این سخن ** معجز نو باشد و زر کهن
Although this seems to be (mere) assertion (on his part), yet the soul of the dreamer says, “Yes, (it is true).”3590
گر چه دعوی مینماید این ولی ** جان صاحب واقعه گوید بلی
Therefore, since Wisdom is the faithful believer's stray camel, he knows it with certainty, from whomsoever he has heard it;
پس چو حکمت ضالهی مومن بود ** آن ز هر که بشنود موقن بود
And when he finds himself absolutely in front of it, how should there be doubt? How should he mistake it?
چون که خود را پیش او یابد فقط ** چون بود شک چون کند او را غلط
When you say to a thirsty man, “Make haste! there is water in the cup: take the water at once,”
تشنهای را چون بگویی تو شتاب ** در قدح آب است بستان زود آب
Will the thirsty man say in any event?—“This is (mere) assertion: go from my side, O pretender! Get thee far away!
هیچ گوید تشنه کاین دعوی است رو ** از برم ای مدعی مهجور شو
Or (else) produce some testimony and proof that this is of aqueous kind and consists of the water that runs from a spring.3595
یا گواه و حجتی بنما که این ** جنس آب است و از آن ماء معین
Or (suppose that) a mother cries to her suckling babe, “Come, I am mother: hark, my child!”—
یا به طفل شیر مادر بانگ زد ** که بیا من مادرم هان ای ولد
Will the babe say?—“O mother, bring the proof (of it), so that I may take comfort in thy milk.”
طفل گوید مادرا حجت بیار ** تا که با شیرت بگیرم من قرار
When in the heart of any community there is savour (spiritual perception) from God, the face and voice of the prophet are (as) an evidentiary miracle.
در دل هر امتی کز حق مزه ست ** روی و آواز پیمبر معجزه ست
When the prophet utters a cry from without, the soul of the community falls to worship within,
چون پیمبر از برون بانگی زند ** جان امت در درون سجده کند
Because never in the world will the soul's ear have heard from any one a cry of the same kind as his.3600
ز انکه جنس بانگ او اندر جهان ** از کسی نشنیده باشد گوش جان
That stranger (the soul), by immediate perception of the strange (wondrous) voice, has heard from God's tongue (the words), “Verily I am near.”
آن غریب از ذوق آواز غریب ** از زبان حق شنود انی قریب
How Yahyá, on whom be peace, in his mother's womb bowed in worship to the Messiah (Jesus), on whom be peace.
سجده کردن یحیی علیه السلام در شکم مادر مسیح را علیه السلام
The mother of Yahyá, before disburdening herself (of him), said in secret to Mary,
مادر یحیی به مریم در نهفت ** پیشتر از وضع حمل خویش گفت
“I see (it) with certainty, within thee is a King who is possessed of firm purpose and is an Apostle endowed with knowledge (of God).
که یقین دیدم درون تو شهی است ** کاو اولو العزم و رسول آگهی است
When I happened to meet thee, my burden (the unborn child) bowed in worship, O intelligent one.
چون برابر اوفتادم با تو من ** کرد سجده حمل من اندر زمن
This embryo bowed in worship to that embryo, so that pain arose in my body from its bowing.”3605
این جنین مر آن جنین را سجده کرد ** کز سجودش در تنم افتاد درد
Mary said, “I also felt within me a bowing performed by this babe in the womb.”
گفت مریم من درون خویش هم ** سجدهای دیدم از این طفل شکم
On raising a difficulty as to this story.
اشکال آوردن بر این قصه
The foolish say, “Cancel this tale, because it is false and erroneous.
ابلهان گویند کاین افسانه را ** خط بکش زیرا دروغ است و خطا
Because Mary at the time of her delivery was far away both from strangers and kinfolk.
ز انکه مریم وقت وضع حمل خویش ** بود از بیگانه دور و هم ز خویش
Until that woman of sweet address was delivered outside of the town, she indeed came not into it.
از برون شهر آن شیرین فسون ** تا نشد فارغ نیامد خود درون
When she had given birth to him, she then took him up in her lap and carried him to her kinsfolk.3610
چون بزادش آن گهانش بر کنار ** بر گرفت و برد تا پیش تبار
Where did the mother of Yahyá see her to speak these words to her about what had happened?”
مادر یحیی کجا دیدش که تا ** گوید او را این سخن در ماجرا
The answer to the difficulty.
جواب اشکال
Let him (the objector) know that to one who receives ideas (from God) all that is absent in the world is present.
این بداند کان که اهل خاطر است ** غایب آفاق او را حاضر است
To Mary, the mother of Yahyá would appear present, though she was far from her (bodily) sight.
پیش مریم حاضر آید در نظر ** مادر یحیی که دور است از بصر
One may see a friend (even) with eyes shut, when one has made the skin (the bodily envelope) a lattice (to let in spiritual ideas).
دیدهها بسته ببیند دوست را ** چون مشبک کرده باشد پوست را
And if she saw her neither from without nor from within, take the (essential) meaning of the story, O imbecile!3615
ور ندیدش نه از برون نز اندرون ** از حکایت گیر معنی ای زبون
Not like him who had heard (some) fables, and like sh stuck to the (literal) shape of them,
نه چنان کافسانهها بشنیده بود ** همچو شین بر نقش آن چسبیده بود
So that he would say, “How should Kalíla, having no language, hear words from Dimna who had no power of expression?
تا همیگفت آن کلیله بیزبان ** چون سخن نوشد ز دمنه بیبیان
And (even) if they knew each other's accents, how should man understand it (their talk), (since it was) without any articulation?
ور بدانستند لحن همدگر ** فهم آن چون کرد بینطقی بشر
How did Dimna become a messenger between the lion and the ox, and cajole them both with his palaver?
در میان شیر و گاو آن دمنه چون ** شد رسول و خواند بر هر دو فسون
How did the noble ox become the vizier of the lion? How was the elephant terrified by the reflection of the moon?3620
چون وزیر شیر شد گاو نبیل ** چون ز عکس ماه ترسان گشت پیل
This Kalíla and Dimna is entirely fiction, or else how has the stork a quarrel with the crow?”
این کلیله و دمنه جمله افتری است ** ور نه کی با زاغ لکلک را مری است
O brother, the story is like a measure: the real meaning in it resembles grain (in the measure).
ای برادر قصه چون پیمانهای است ** معنی اندر وی مثال دانهای است
The man of intelligence will take the grain of meaning: he will not pay any regard to the measure, (even) if it is removed (altogether).
دانهی معنی بگیرد مرد عقل ** ننگرد پیمانه را گر گشت نقل
Listen to what passes between the rose and the nightingale, though in that case there is no overt speech.
ماجرای بلبل و گل گوش دار ** گر چه گفتی نیست آن جا آشکار
On mute eloquence and the understanding of it.
سخن گفتن به زبان حال و فهم کردن آن
Listen to what passes between the moth and the candle, and pick out the meaning from the tale.3625
ماجرای شمع با پروانه نیز ** بشنو و معنی گزین کن ای عزیز
Albeit there is no speech, there is the inmost soul of speech. Come, fly aloft, do not fly low, like the owl.
گر چه گفتی نیست سر گفت هست ** هین ببالا پر مپر چون جغد پست
He (the player) at chess said, “This is the house of the rook.” “By what way,” said he (the literalist), “did the house come into its hands?
گفت در شطرنج کاین خانهی رخ است ** گفت خانه از کجاش آمد بدست
Did it buy the house, or inherit it?”—Happy is he that sped towards the (real) meaning!
خانه را بخرید یا میراث یافت ** فرخ آن کس کاو سوی معنی شتافت
A grammarian said, “Zayd has struck ‘Amr.” Said (the fool), “How did he chastise him without any offence (on his part)?
گفت نحوی زید عمرا قد ضرب ** گفت چونش کرد بیجرمی ادب
What was ‘Amr's offence, that that rude Zayd struck him, innocent (though he was), as (if he were) a slave?”3630
عمرو را جرمش چه بد کان زید خام ** بیگنه او را بزد همچون غلام
He (the grammarian) replied, “This (form of words) is (only) the measure (container) of the meaning signified: take some wheat, for the measure is (to be) rejected.
گفت این پیمانهی معنی بود ** گندمی بستان که پیمانه است رد