They are very weak and tender and very fat, but their mother is searching (after them and) lying in wait.
بس ضعیف‌اند و لطیف و بس سمین ** لیک مادر هست طالب در کمین
She will roam a hundred leagues' distance in quest of her children, moaning and making lament.
از پی فرزند صد فرسنگ راه ** او بگردد در حنین و آه آه
Fire and smoke issue from her trunk: beware of (hurting) those pitied (cherished) children of hers!”
آتش و دود آید از خرطوم او ** الحذر زان کودک مرحوم او
O son, the saints are God's children: (both) in (their) absence and presence (He is) well aware (of what befalls them).
اولیا اطفال حق‌اند ای پسر ** غایبی و حاضری بس با خبر
Do not deem absence (from Him) to be the result of imperfection on their part, for He takes vengeance for the sake of their spirits (which are one with Him).80
غایبی مندیش از نقصانشان ** کو کشد کین از برای جانشان
He said, “These saints are My children in exile, sundered from (My) dominion and glory;
گفت اطفال من‌اند این اولیا ** در غریبی فرد از کار و کیا
(They are) despised and orphaned for the sake of probation, but secretly I am their friend and intimate.
از برای امتحان خوار و یتیم ** لیک اندر سر منم یار و ندیم
All of them are supported by My protections: you may say they are in sooth parts of Me.
پشت‌دار جمله عصمتهای من ** گوییا هستند خود اجزای من
Take heed! Take heed! These are My dervishes; they are a hundred thousand thousand and (yet) they are one body.”
هان و هان این دلق‌پوشان من‌اند ** صد هزار اندر هزار و یک تن‌اند
Else, how should a Moses have overthrown Pharaoh by means of one goodly rod?85
ورنه کی کردی به یک چوبی هنر ** موسیی فرعون را زیر و زبر
Else, how should Noah have submerged East and West in his Flood by means of one evil curse?
ورنه کی کردی به یک نفرین بد ** نوح شرق و غرب را غرقاب خود
One prayer of the generous Lot would not have rased (to the ground) all their (his people's) city (and left them) in despair.
بر نکندی یک دعای لوط راد ** جمله شهرستانشان را بی مراد
Their city, resembling Paradise, became a lake of black water: go, behold the sign!
گشت شهرستان چون فردوسشان ** دجله‌ی آب سیه رو بین نشان
This sign and this information (admonition) lies in the direction of Syria: you will see it as you pass on the way to Jerusalem.
سوی شامست این نشان و این خبر ** در ره قدسش ببینی در گذر
Hundreds of thousands of prophets who worshipped God— truly there have been chastisements (inflicted by them) in every generation.90
صد هزاران ز انبیای حق‌پرست ** خود بهر قرنی سیاستها بدست
If I should tell on and if this narration should increase (in length), not only (men's) hearts but the (very) mountains would bleed.
گر بگویم وین بیان افزون شود ** خود جگر چه بود که کهها خون شود
The mountains bleed and again become solid, (but) you do not see them bleed: you are blind and reprobate.
خون شود کهها و باز آن بفسرد ** تو نبینی خون شدن کوری و رد
A marvellous blind man, (who is) far-sighted and keen-eyed, but sees naught of the camel except the hair!
طرفه کوری دوربین تیزچشم ** لیک از اشتر نبیند غیر پشم
Man, from the parsimony of greed, inspects hair by hair: like a bear, he keeps dancing to no purpose.
مو بمو بیند ز صرفه حرص انس ** رقص بی مقصود دارد همچو خرس
Dance (only) where you break (mortify) yourself and (when you) tear away the cotton from the sore of lust.95
رقص آنجا کن که خود را بشکنی ** پنبه را از ریش شهوت بر کنی
(Holy) men dance and wheel on the (spiritual) battle-field: they dance in their own blood.
رقص و جولان بر سر میدان کنند ** رقص اندر خون خود مردان کنند
When they are freed from the hand (dominion) of self, they clap a hand; when they escape from their own imperfection, they make a dance.
چون رهند از دست خود دستی زنند ** چون جهند از نقص خود رقصی کنند
From within them musicians strike the tambourine; at their ecstasy the seas burst into foam.
مطربانشان از درون دف می‌زنند ** بحرها در شورشان کف می‌زنند
You see it not, but for their ears the leaves too on the boughs are clapping hands.
تو نبینی لیک بهر گوششان ** برگها بر شاخها هم کف‌زنان
You do not see the clapping of the leaves: one must have the spiritual ear, not this ear of the body.100
تو نبینی برگها را کف زدن ** گوش دل باید نه این گوش بدن
Close the ear of the head to jesting and lying, that you may see the resplendent city of the soul.
گوش سر بر بند از هزل و دروغ ** تا ببینی شهر جان با فروغ
The ear of Mohammed draws out the hidden meaning in the words (of the religious hypocrites), for God saith of him in the Qur’án, “He is an ear.”
سر کشد گوش محمد در سخن ** کش بگوید در نبی حق هو اذن
This Prophet is entirely ear and eye; we are refreshed by him: he is (as) the suckler and we (as) the (infant) boy.
سر به سر گوشست و چشم است این نبی ** تازه زو ما مرضعست او ما صبی
This discourse hath no end. Go back to those who had to do with the elephant, and start at the beginning.
این سخن پایان ندارد باز ران ** سوی اهل پیل و بر آغاز ران
The remainder of the Story of those who molested the young elephants.