“O soul of thy father, when a magician goes to sleep, his work becomes tarnished and dim.”1215
جان بابا چونک ساحر خواب شد ** کار او بی رونق و بی‌تاب شد
Both (the magician's sons) kissed his grave and turned away (and came) to Egypt for the purpose of this mighty struggle.
هر دو بوسیدند گورش را و تفت ** تا بمصر از بهر آن پیگار زفت
When they came to Egypt for the sake of that enterprise, they sought after Moses and his house.
چون به مصر از بهر آن کار آمدند ** طالب موسی و خانه‌ی او شدند
It chanced that on the day of their arrival Moses was asleep under a palm-tree,
اتفاق افتاد کان روز ورود ** موسی اندر زیر نخلی خفته بود
So the folk gave them a clue to him, saying, “Go, seek yonder in the direction of the palm-grove.”
پس نشان دادندشان مردم بدو ** که برو آن سوی نخلستان بجو
When he (the magician's son) came (thither), he espied amongst the date trees a sleeper who was the wake fullest man in the world.1220
چون بیامد دید در خرمابنان ** خفته‌ای که بود بیدار جهان
For pleasure's sake he had shut the two eyes of his head, (but) all Heaven and Earth were under his gaze.
بهر نازش بسته او دو چشم سر ** عرش و فرشش جمله در زیر نظر
Oh, (there is) many a one whose eye is awake and whose heart is asleep: what, in truth, should be seen by the eyes of creatures of water and clay?
ای بسا بیدارچشم و خفته‌دل ** خود چه بیند دید اهل آب و گل
(But) he that keeps his heart awake—though the eye of his head may sleep, it (his heart) will open a hundred eyes.
آنک دل بیدار دارد چشم سر ** گر بخسپد بر گشاید صد بصر
If you are not one of (illumined) heart, be awake (keep vigil), be a seeker of the (illumined) heart, and be (always) in strife (with your fleshly soul);
گر تو اهل دل نه‌ای بیدار باش ** طالب دل باش و در پیکار باش
But if your heart hath been awakened, sleep sound: thy (spiritual) eye is not absent from the seven (heavens) and the six (directions).1225
ور دلت بیدار شد می‌خسپ خوش ** نیست غایب ناظرت از هفت و شش
The Prophet said, “Mine eye slumbers, but when doth my heart slumber in drowsiness?”
گفت پیغامبر که خسپد چشم من ** لیک کی خسپد دلم اندر وسن
The King is awake: suppose the guardsman is asleep, (what does it matter?). May (my) soul be sacrificed to the sleepers whose hearts are seeing!
شاه بیدارست حارس خفته گیر ** جان فدای خفتگان دل‌بصیر
The description of the heart's wakefulness, O spiritual man, would not be contained in thousands of rhymed couplets.
وصف بیداری دل ای معنوی ** در نگنجد در هزاران مثنوی
When they (the magicians) saw that he was sleeping outstretched, they made preparations for stealing the rod.
چون بدیدندش که خفتست او دراز ** بهر دزدی عصا کردند ساز
The magicians quickly approached the rod, saying, “We must go behind him and then snatch it (from him).”1230
ساحران قصد عصا کردند زود ** کز پسش باید شدن وانگه ربود
When they prepared (to approach) a little nearer, the rod began to shake.
اندکی چون پیشتر کردند ساز ** اندر آمد آن عصا در اهتزاز
The rod quivered upon itself in such wise (that) both (magicians) on the spot became petrified by the shock (of terror).
آنچنان بر خود بلرزید آن عصا ** کان دو بر جا خشک گشتند از وجا
After that, it turned into a dragon and made a rush (at them): both fled, and pale of countenance
بعد از آن شد اژدها و حمله کرد ** هر دوان بگریختند و روی‌زرد
Began to fall on their faces from affright, tumbling panic-stricken down every slope.
رو در افتادن گرفتند از نهیب ** غلط غلطان منهزم در هر نشیب
Then to them it became certain that he (Moses) was from Heaven, since they were seeing the limit of (the power of) magicians.1235
پس یقینشان شد که هست از آسمان ** زانک می‌دیدند حد ساحران
Afterwards diarrhoea and fever appeared in them, and their case reached the last gasp and the death-agony.
بعد از آن اطلاق و تبشان شد پدید ** کارشان تا نزع و جان کندن رسید
Then at once they sent a man to Moses to excuse that (which they had done),
پس فرستادند مردی در زمان ** سوی موسی از برای عذر آن
Saying, “We have put (thee) to the test, and how should (the thought of) testing thee occur to us unless there be envy (as a motive)?
کامتحان کردیم و ما را کی رسد ** امتحان تو اگر نبود حسد
We are sinners against the King (God): do thou crave pardon for us, O thou that art the elect of the elect of the Court of God.”
مجرم شاهیم ما را عفو خواه ** ای تو خاص الخاص درگاه اله
He pardoned (them), and at once they became well; they were striking their heads upon the earth (prostrating themselves) in the presence of Moses.1240
عفو کرد و در زمان نیکو شدند ** پیش موسی بر زمین سر می‌زدند
Moses said, “I pardon (you), O nobles: your bodies and souls have become unlawful to (immune from) Hell.
گفت موسی عفو کردم ای کرام ** گشت بر دوزخ تن و جانتان حرام
Verily (’tis as though) I did not see you; O (my) two friends, make yourselves strangers to (refrain from) exculpation.
من شما را خود ندیدم ای دو یار ** اعجمی سازید خود را ز اعتذار
Come, even as ye are, alien in appearance (but) familiar (in reality), to combat for the King (God).”
همچنان بیگانه‌شکل و آشنا ** در نبرد آیید بهر پادشا
Then they kissed the earth and departed: they were waiting in expectation of the time and opportunity.
پس زمین را بوسه دادند و شدند ** انتظار وقت و فرصت می‌بدند
How the magicians from the cities assembled before Pharaoh and received robes of honour and laid their hands upon their breasts, (pledging themselves) to subdue his enemy (Moses), and saying, “Write this down against us.”
جمع آمدن ساحران از مداین پیش فرعون و تشریفها یافتن و دست بر سینه زدن در قهر خصم او کی این بر ما نویس
Those magicians came unto Pharaoh, and he gave them robes of honour exceedingly precious.1245
تا بفرعون آمدند آن ساحران ** دادشان تشریفهای بس گران
He made promises to them, and also gave them in advance slaves and horses and money and goods and provisions.
وعده‌هاشان کرد و پیشین هم بداد ** بندگان و اسپان و نقد و جنس و زاد
After that, he was saying, “Hark, O ye that are foremost (in your art), if ye prove superior in the trial,
بعد از آن می‌گفت هین ای سابقان ** گر فزون آیید اندر امتحان
I will scatter over you so many gifts that the veil of bounty and munificence will be rent.”
برفشانم بر شما چندان عطا ** که بدرد پرده‌ی جود و سخا
Then they said to him, “Through thy fortune, O King, we shall prevail, and his cause shall be ruined.
پس بگفتندش به اقبال تو شاه ** غالب آییم و شود کارش تباه
We are heroes and champions in this art: no one in the world can resist us.”1250
ما درین فن صفدریم و پهلوان ** کس ندارد پای ما اندر جهان
The mention of Moses has become a chain (obstruction) to the thoughts (of my readers), (for they think) that these are stories (of that) which happened long ago.
The mention of Moses serves for a mask, but the Light of Moses is thy actual concern, O good man.
ذکر موسی بهر روپوشست لیک ** نور موسی نقد تست ای مرد نیک
Moses and Pharaoh are in thy being: thou must seek these two adversaries in thyself.
موسی و فرعون در هستی تست ** باید این دو خصم را در خویش جست
The (process of) generation from Moses is (continuing) till the Resurrection: the Light is not different, (though) the lamp has become different.
تا قیامت هست از موسی نتاج ** نور دیگر نیست دیگر شد سراج
This earthenware lamp and this wick are different, but its light is not different: it is from Yonder.1255
این سفال و این پلیته دیگرست ** لیک نورش نیست دیگر زان سرست
If thou keep looking at the glass (lantern), thou wilt be lost, because from the glass arise the numbers of (the plurality inherent in) dualism;
گر نظر در شیشه داری گم شوی ** زانک از شیشه‌ست اعداد دوی
But if thou keep thy gaze (fixed) upon the Light, thou wilt be delivered from dualism and the numbers (plurality) of the finite body.
ور نظر بر نور داری وا رهی ** از دوی واعداد جسم منتهی
From the place (object) of view, O (thou who art the) kernel of Existence, there arises the difference between the true believer and the Zoroastrian and the Jew.
از نظرگاهست ای مغز وجود ** اختلاف مومن و گبر و جهود
The disagreement as to the description and shape of the elephant.
اختلاف کردن در چگونگی و شکل پیل
The elephant was in a dark house: some Hindús had brought it for exhibition.
پیل اندر خانه‌ی تاریک بود ** عرضه را آورده بودندش هنود
In order to see it, many people were going, every one, into that darkness.1260
از برای دیدنش مردم بسی ** اندر آن ظلمت همی‌شد هر کسی
As seeing it with the eye was impossible, (each one) was feeling it in the dark with the palm of his hand.
دیدنش با چشم چون ممکن نبود ** اندر آن تاریکیش کف می‌بسود
The hand of one fell on its trunk: he said, “This creature is like a water-pipe.”
آن یکی را کف به خرطوم اوفتاد ** گفت همچون ناودانست این نهاد
The hand of another touched its ear: to him it appeared to be like a fan.
آن یکی را دست بر گوشش رسید ** آن برو چون بادبیزن شد پدید
Since another handled its leg, he said, “I found the elephant's shape to be like a pillar.”
آن یکی را کف چو بر پایش بسود ** گفت شکل پیل دیدم چون عمود