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
At one moment he dashes forward like the Libyan lizard; then (again) in flight he darts away into a hole.
یکنفس حمله کند چون سوسمار ** پس بسوراخی گریزد در فرار
Just now he has (many) holes in the (human) heart, and from every hole he is putting out his head.
در دل او سوراخها دارد کنون ** سر ز هر سوراخ می‌آرد برون
The name that denotes the Devil's becoming hidden from (men's) souls and going into that hole is khunús (slinking back),
نام پنهان گشتن دیو از نفوس ** واندر آن سوراخ رفتن شد خنوس
For his khunús is like the khunús of the hedgehog: like the head of the hedgehog, he pops in and out;
که خنوسش چون خنوس قنفذست ** چون سر قنفذ ورا آمد شذست
For God hath called the Devil Khannás (the slinker), because he resembles the head of the little hedgehog.4060
که خدا آن دیو را خناس خواند ** کو سر آن خارپشتک را بماند
The head of the hedgehog is continually being hidden because of its fear of the cruel hunter,
می نهان گردد سر آن خارپشت ** دم‌بدم از بیم صیاد درشت
Until, when it has found an opportunity, it puts out its head: by such a stratagem the snake becomes its prey.
تا چو فرصت یافت سر آرد برون ** زین چنین مکری شود مارش زبون
If the fleshly soul had not waylaid you from within, how would the brigands have any power to lay a hand upon you?
گرنه نفس از اندرون راهت زدی ** ره‌زنان را بر تو دستی کی بدی
On account of the exigent myrmidon, who is Lust, the heart is captive to greed and cupidity and bane.
زان عوان مقتضی که شهوتست ** دل اسیر حرص و آز و آفتست
On account of that inward myrmidon you have become thievish and depraved, so that the way is (open) for the (external) myrmidons to coerce you.4065
زان عوان سر شدی دزد و تباه ** تا عوانان را به قهر تست راه
Hearken to this good counsel in the Traditions (of the Prophet)—“Your worst enemy is between your two sides.”
در خبر بشنو تو این پند نکو ** بیم جنبیکم لکم اعدی عدو
Do not listen to the pompous talk of this enemy, (but) flee, for she is like Iblís in obstinately wrangling and quarrelling.
طمطراق این عدو مشنو گریز ** کو چو ابلیسست در لج و ستیز
For the sake of this world and for contention's sake she has made the everlasting torment (seem) easy (of small account) to you.
بر تو او از بهر دنیا و نبرد ** آن عذاب سرمدی را سهل کرد
What wonder, if she makes death (seem) easy? By her magic she does a hundred times as much (as this).
چه عجب گر مرگ را آسان کند ** او ز سحر خویش صد چندان کند
Magic makes a straw a mountain by artifice; (or) again, it weaves a mountain like a straw.4070
سحر کاهی را به صنعت که کند ** باز کوهی را چو کاهی می‌تند
It makes ugly things beautiful by means of sleight; it makes beautiful things ugly by means of (false) opinion.
زشتها را نغز گرداند به فن ** نغزها را زشت گرداند به ظن
The work of magic is this, that it breathes (incantations) and at every breath (moment) transforms realities.
کار سحر اینست کو دم می‌زند ** هر نفس قلب حقایق می‌کند
At one time it shows a man in the guise of an ass, (at another time) it makes an ass (look like) a man and a notable.
آدمی را خر نماید ساعتی ** آدمی سازد خری را وآیتی
Such a magician is within you and latent: truly, there is a concealed magic in temptation (exerted by the fleshly soul);
این چنین ساحر درون تست و سر ** ان فی الوسواس سحرا مستتر
(But) in the world in which are these magic arts, there are magicians who defeat sorcery.4075
اندر آن عالم که هست این سحرها ** ساحران هستند جادویی‌گشا
In the plain where this fresh (virulent) poison grew, there has also grown the antidote, O son.
اندر آن صحرا که رست این زهر تر ** نیز روییدست تریاق ای پسر
The antidote says to you, “Seek from me a shield, for I am nearer than the poison to thee.
گویدت تریاق از من جو سپر ** که ز زهرم من به تو نزدیکتر
Her (the fleshly soul's) words are magic and thy ruin; my words are (lawful) magic and the counter-charm to her magic.”
گفت او سحرست و ویرانی تو ** گفت من سحرست و دفع سحر او
How the fault-finders repeated their advice to the guest of the guest-killing mosque.
مکرر کردن عاذلان پند را بر آن مهمان آن مسجد مهمان کش
The Prophet said, “Verily, there is a magic in eloquence”; and that goodly hero spake the truth.
گفت پیغامبر که ان فی البیان ** سحرا و حق گفت آن خوش پهلوان
“Hey, do not commit a foolhardy act, (but) depart, O generous man, and do not make the mosque and us suspected on this account;4080
هین مکن جلدی برو ای بوالکرم ** مسجد و ما را مکن زین متهم