At the time when war is spoken Of, his (such a one’s) scimitar is long (drawn and extended); at the time of combat his sword is (sheathed) like an onion.
وقت ذکر غزو شمشیرش دراز ** وقت کر و فر تیغش چون پیاز
At the time of premeditation his heart is eager for wounds; then (in action) his bag is emptied (of air) by a single needle.
وقت اندیشه دل او زخم‌جو ** پس به یک سوزن تهی شد خیک او
I marvel at the seeker of purity who at the time of polishing shrinks from being handled roughly.
من عجب دارم ز جویای صفا ** کو رمد در وقت صیقل از جفا
Love is like the lawsuit; to suffer harsh treatment is (like) the evidence: when you have no evidence, the lawsuit is lost.
عشق چون دعوی جفا دیدن گواه ** چون گواهت نیست شد دعوی تباه
Do not be aggrieved when this Judge demands your evidence: kiss the snake in order that you may gain the treasure.4010
چون گواهت خواهد این قاضی مرنج ** بوسه ده بر مار تا یابی تو گنج
That harshness is not towards you, O son; nay, towards the evil qualities within you.
آن جفا با تو نباشد ای پسر ** بلک با وصف بدی اندر تو در
The blows of the stick with which a man beats a rug he inflicts, not on the rug, but on the dust (in the rug).
بر نمد چوبی که آن را مرد زد ** بر نمد آن را نزد بر گرد زد
If that vindictive fellow lashes the horse, he directs the blows, not at the horse, but at its stumbling,
گر بزد مر اسپ را آن کینه کش ** آن نزد بر اسپ زد بر سکسکش
In order that it may be delivered from (the vice of) stumbling and may move well: you imprison must (in the vat) in order that it may become wine.
تا ز سکسک وا رهد خوش‌پی شود ** شیره را زندان کنی تا می‌شود
He (some one) said, “Thou hast struck that little orphan so many blows: how wert not thou afraid of the Divine wrath?”4015
گفت چندان آن یتیمک را زدی ** چون نترسیدی ز قهر ایزدی
He (the striker) said, “O (dear) soul and friend, when did I strike him? I struck at the devil that is in him,”
گفت او را کی زدم ای جان و دوست ** من بر آن دیوی زدم کو اندروست
If your mother say to you, “Mayst thou die!” she wishes the death of that (evil) nature (of yours) and the death of iniquity.
مادر ار گوید ترا مرگ تو باد ** مرگ آن خو خواهد و مرگ فساد
The folk who fled from correction dishonoured’ their (own) manhood and (true) men.
آن گروهی کز ادب بگریختند ** آب مردی و آب مردان ریختند
The railers drove them back from the war, so that they remained so infamous and effeminate.
عاذلانشان از وغا وا راندند ** تا چنین حیز و مخنث ماندند
Do not thou hearken to the boasting and roaring of the driveller: do not go into the battle-line with such fellows.4020
لاف و غره‌ی ژاژخا را کم شنو ** با چنینها در صف هیجا مرو
Since they would have added to you (naught but) corruption, God said, “Turn the leaf (avert yourself) from pusillanimous comrades,
زانک زاد و کم خبالا گفت حق ** کز رفاق سست برگردان ورق
For if they go along with you, the warriors will become pith- less, like straw.
که گر ایشان با شما همره شوند ** غازیان بی‌مغز همچون که شوند
They put themselves in line with you (on the field of battle); then they flee and break the heart of the line.
خویشتن را با شما هم‌صف کنند ** پس گریزند و دل صف بشکنند
Therefore, better a little army without these persons than (that) it should be mustered (reinforced) with the Hypocrites.”
پس سپاهی اندکی بی این نفر ** به که با اهل نفاق آید حشر
A few well-sifted almonds are better than a great many (sweet ones) mixed with bitter..4025
هست بادام کم خوش بیخته ** به ز بسیاری به تلخ آمیخته
The bitter and the sweet are one thing (alike) in respect of rattling (against each other, when poured out); the defect arises from their not being the same at heart.
تلخ و شیرین در ژغاژغ یک شی‌اند ** نقص از آن افتاد که همدل نیند
The infidel is of timorous heart, for, (judging) from opinion, he lives in doubt as to the state of that (the other) world.
گبر ترسان دل بود کو از گمان ** می‌زید در شک ز حال آن جهان
He is going along the road, (but) he does not know any stage: one blind in heart steps timidly.
When the traveller does not know the way, how does he go? He goes with (many) hesitations, while his heart is full of blood (anguish).
چون نداند ره مسافر چون رود ** با ترددها و دل پرخون رود
If anyone says (to him), “Hey! this is not the way he will o halt there and stand still in affright.4030
هرکه گویدهای این‌سو راه نیست ** او کند از بیم آنجا وقف و ایست
But if his (the traveller’s) wise heart knows the way, how should every hey and ho go into his ear?
ور بداند ره دل با هوش او ** کی رود هر های و هو در گوش او
Therefore do not journey with these camel-hearted (craven) ones, for in the hour of distress and danger they are the ones who sink;
پس مشو همراه این اشتردلان ** زانک وقت ضیق و بیمند آفلان
Then they flee and leave thee alone, though in boasting they are (powerful as) the magic of Babylon.
پس گریزند و ترا تنها هلند ** گرچه اندر لاف سحر بابلند
Beware! Do not thou request sybarites to fight; do not request peacocks to engage in the hunt and the chase.
تو ز رعنایان مجو هین کارزار ** تو ز طاوسان مجو صید و شکار
The carnal nature is a peacock: it tempts thee and talks idly, that it may remove thee from thy (spiritual) post.4035
طبع طاوسست و وسواست کند ** دم زند تا از مقامت بر کند
How Satan said to the Quraysh, “Go to war with Ahmad (Mohammed), for I will aid you and call my tribe to help”; and how, when the two battle-lines confronted each other, he fled.
گفتن شیطان قریش را کی به جنگ احمد آیید کی من یاریها کنم وقبیله‌ی خود را بیاری خوانم و وقت ملاقات صفین گریختن
As (for example) Satan became the hundred-and-first in the army (of the Quraysh) and spake beguiling words, saying, “Verily, I am a protector for you.”
همچو شیطان در سپه شد صد یکم ** خواند افسون که اننی جار لکم
When the Quraysh had assembled at his bidding, and the two armies confronted each other,
چون قریش از گفت او حاضر شدند ** هر دو لشکر در ملاقان آمدند
Satan espied a host of angels on a road beside the ranks of the Faithful.
دید شیطان از ملایک اسپهی ** سوی صف مومنان اندر رهی
(He espied) those troops that ye saw not, drawn up in ranks; and from terror his soul became (like) a fire-temple.
آن جنودا لم تروها صف زده ** گشت جان او ز بیم آتشکده
Turning on his heel, he began to retreat, saying, “I behold a marvellous host”—4040
پای خود وا پس کشیده می‌گرفت ** که همی‌بینم سپاهی من شگفت
That is, “I fear God: I have no help from Him. Get ye gone! Verily, I see what ye see not.”
ای اخاف الله ما لی منه عون ** اذهبوا انی اری ما لاترون
Hárith said, “Hey, O thou that hast the form of Suráqa, why wert not thou saying such-like words yesterday?”
گفت حارث ای سراقه شکل هین ** دی چرا تو می‌نگفتی اینچنین
He replied, “At this moment I see destruction (before me).” He (Hárith) said, “Thou seest the most puny of the Arabs.
گفت این دم من همی‌بینم حرب ** گفت می‌بینی جعاشیش عرب
Thou art seeing naught but this; but, O thou disgrace, that was the time of talk, and this is the time of battle.
می‌نبینی غیر این لیک ای تو ننگ ** آن زمان لاف بود این وقت جنگ
Yesterday thou wert saying, ‘I pledge myself that victory and Divine aid will always be yours.’4045
دی همی‌گفتی که پایندان شدم ** که بودتان فتح و نصرت دم‌بدم
Yesterday thou wert the surety for the army, O accursed one, and now thou art cowardly, good-for-nothing, and vile,
دی زعیم الجیش بودی ای لعین ** وین زمان نامرد و ناچیز و مهین
So that (after) we swallowed those (deceitful) words of thine and came (to battle), thou hast gone to the bath-stove and we have become the fuel.”
تا بخوردیم آن دم تو و آمدیم ** تو بتون رفتی و ما هیزم شدیم
When Hárith said this to Suráqa, that accursed one was enraged at his reproaches.
چونک حارث با سراقه گفت این ** از عتابش خشمگین شد آن لعین
He angrily withdrew his hand from his (Hárith's) hand, since his heart was pained by his words.
دست خود خشمین ز دست او کشید ** چون ز گفت اوش درد دل رسید
Satan smote his (Hárith's) breast and fled: by means of this plot he shed the blood of those wretched men.4050
سینه‌اش را کوفت شیطان و گریخت ** خون آن بیچارگان زین مکر ریخت
After he had ruined so great a multitude, he then said, “Lo, I am quit of you.”
چونک ویران کرد چندین عالم او ** پس بگفت این بری منکم
He smote him on the breast and overthrew him; then he turned to flee, since terror urged him on.
کوفت اندر سینه‌اش انداختش ** پس گریزان شد چو هیبت تاختش
The fleshly soul and the Devil both have (ever) been one person (essentially); (but) they have manifested themselves in two forms,
نفس و شیطان هر دو یک تن بوده‌اند ** در دو صورت خویش را بنموده‌اند
Like the angel and the intellect, which were (really) one, (but) became two forms for the sake of His (God's) wise purposes.
چون فرشته و عقل کایشان یک بدند ** بهر حکمتهاش دو صورت شدند
You have such an enemy as this in your inward part: he is the preventer of the intellect, and the adversary of the spirit and of religion.4055
دشمنی داری چنین در سر خویش ** مانع عقلست و خصم جان و کیش