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
Another laid his hand on its back: he said, “Truly, this elephant was like a throne.”1265
آن یکی بر پشت او بنهاد دست ** گفت خود این پیل چون تختی بدست
Similarly, whenever any one heard (a description of the elephant), he understood (it only in respect of) the part that he had touched.
همچنین هر یک به جزوی که رسید ** فهم آن می‌کرد هر جا می‌شنید
On account of the (diverse) place (object) of view, their statements differed: one man entitled it “dál,” another “alif.”
از نظرگه گفتشان شد مختلف ** آن یکی دالش لقب داد این الف
If there had been a candle in each one's hand, the difference would have gone out of their words.
در کف هر کس اگر شمعی بدی ** اختلاف از گفتشان بیرون شدی
The eye of sense-perception is only like the palm of the hand: the palm hath not power to reach the whole of him (the elephant).
چشم حس همچون کف دستست و بس ** نیست کف را بر همه‌ی او دست‌رس
The eye of the Sea is one thing, and the foam another: leave the foam and look with the eye of the Sea.1270
چشم دریا دیگرست و کف دگر ** کف بهل وز دیده‌ی دریا نگر
Day and night (there is) the movement of foam-flecks from the Sea: thou beholdest the foam, but not the Sea. Marvellous!
جنبش کفها ز دریا روز و شب ** کف همی‌بینی و دریا نه عجب
We are dashing against each other, like boats: our eyes are darkened, though we are in the clear water.
ما چو کشتیها بهم بر می‌زنیم ** تیره‌چشمیم و در آب روشنیم
O thou that hast gone to sleep in the body's boat, thou hast seen the water, (but) look on the Water of the water.
ای تو در کشتی تن رفته به خواب ** آب را دیدی نگر در آب آب
The water hath a Water that is driving it; the spirit hath a Spirit that is calling it.
آب را آبیست کو می‌راندش ** روح را روحیست کو می‌خواندش
Where were Moses and Jesus when the (Divine) Sun was giving water to the sown field of existent things?1275
موسی و عیسی کجا بد کفتاب ** کشت موجودات را می‌داد آب
Where were Adam and Eve at the time when God fitted this string to the bow?
آدم و حوا کجا بد آن زمان ** که خدا افکند این زه در کمان
This (manner of) speech, too, is imperfect and maimed; the speech that is not imperfect is Yonder.
این سخن هم ناقص است و ابترست ** آن سخن که نیست ناقص آن سرست
If he (the saint) speak from that (source), thy foot will stumble; and if he speak naught of that, oh, alas for thee!
گر بگوید زان بلغزد پای تو ** ور نگوید هیچ از آن ای وای تو
And if he speak in the likeness of a (material) form, thou wilt stick to that form, O youth.
ور بگوید در مثال صورتی ** بر همان صورت بچفسی ای فتی
Thou art foot-bound on the earth, like grass: thou noddest thy head at a (breath of) wind, (though thou art) without certainty.1280
بسته‌پایی چون گیا اندر زمین ** سر بجنبانی ببادی بی‌یقین
But thou hast no (spiritual) foot that thou shouldest make a departure or perchance drag thy foot out of this mud.
لیک پایت نیست تا نقلی کنی ** یا مگر پا را ازین گل بر کنی
How shouldest thou drag thy foot away? Thy life is from this mud: ’tis mighty hard for this life of thine to go (on the Way to God).
چون کنی پا را حیاتت زین گلست ** این حیاتت را روش بس مشکلست
(But) when thou receivest life from God, O dependent one, then thou wilt become independent of the mud and wilt go (aloft).
چون حیات از حق بگیری ای روی ** پس شوی مستغنی از گل می‌روی
When the sucking (babe) is separated from its nurse, it becomes an eater of morsels and abandons her.
شیر خواره چون ز دایه بسکلد ** لوت‌خواره شد مرورا می‌هلد
Thou, like seeds, art in bondage to the milk of earth: seek to wean thyself by (partaking of) the spiritual food.1285
بسته‌ی شیر زمینی چون حبوب ** جو فطام خویش از قوت القلوب
Drink the word of Wisdom, for it hath become a hidden (veiled) light, O thou who art unable to receive the unveiled Light,
حرف حکمت خور که شد نور ستیر ** ای تو نور بی‌حجب را ناپذیر
To the end that thou mayst become able, O Soul, to receive the Light, and that thou mayst behold without veils that which (now) is hidden,
تا پذیرا گردی ای جان نور را ** تا ببینی بی‌حجب مستور را
And traverse the sky like a star; nay, (that thou mayst) journey unconditioned, without (any) sky.
چون ستاره سیر بر گردون کنی ** بلک بی گردون سفر بی‌چون کنی
(’Twas) thus thou camest into being from non-existence. Say now, how didst thou come? Thou camest drunken (unconscious).
آنچنان کز نیست در هست آمدی ** هین بگو چون آمدی مست آمدی
The ways of thy coming are not remembered by thee, but we will recite to thee a hint (thereof).1290
راههای آمدن یادت نماند ** لیک رمزی بر تو بر خواهیم خواند
Let thy mind go, and then be mindful! Close thine ear, and then listen!
هوش را بگذار وانگه هوش‌دار ** گوش را بر بند وانگه گوش دار