Thou hast acted deceitfully to the end that thou mayest jump on to the pulpit and by thy palaver give this folk (the feeling of) regret.
شید کردی تا به منبر بر جهی ** تا ز لاف این خلق را حسرت دهی
Thou hast striven much, (but) thou hast not felt any (spiritual) ardour; hence from deceit thou hast exhibited a piece of impudence.”
بس بکوشیدی ندیدی گرمیی ** پس ز شید آورده‌ای بی‌شرمیی
(Spiritual) ardour belongs to the saints and prophets; on the other hand, impudence is the refuge of every impostor;730
گرمی آن اولیا و انبیاست ** باز بی‌شرمی پناه هر دغاست
For they draw the people's attention to themselves, saying, “We are happy (with God),” though within (at heart) they are exceedingly unhappy.
که التفات خلق سوی خود کشند ** که خوشیم و از درون بس ناخوشند
How a braggart greased his lips and moustache every morning with the skin of a fat sheep's tail and came amongst his companions, saying, “I have eaten such and such (viands).”
چرب کردن مرد لافی لب و سبلت خود را هر بامداد به پوست دنبه و بیرون آمدن میان حریفان کی من چنین خورده‌ام و چنان
A person, who (on account of his poverty) was lightly esteemed, used to grease his moustaches every morning
پوست دنبه یافت شخصی مستهان ** هر صباحی چرب کردی سبلتان
And go amongst the munificent (the rich), saying, “I have eaten some wellgreased food at the party.”
در میان منعمان رفتی که من ** لوت چربی خورده‌ام در انجمن
He would gaily put his hand on his moustache as a sign, meaning, “Look at my moustache!
دست بر سبلت نهادی در نوید ** رمز یعنی سوی سبلت بنگرید
For this is the witness to the truth of my words, and this is the token of my eating greasy and delicious food.”735
کین گواه صدق گفتار منست ** وین نشان چرب و شیرین خوردنست
His belly would say in soundless (mute) response, “May God destroy the plots of the liars!
اشکمش گفتی جواب بی‌طنین ** که اباد الله کید الکاذبین
Thy boasting hath set me on fire: may that greasy moustache of thine be torn out!
لاف تو ما را بر آتش بر نهاد ** کان سبال چرب تو بر کنده باد
Were it not for thy foul boasting, O beggar, some generous man would have taken pity on me;
گر نبودی لاف زشتت ای گدا ** یک کریمی رحم افکندی به ما
And if thou hadst shown the ailment and hadst not played false, some physician would have prepared a remedy for it.”
ور نمودی عیب و کژ کم باختی ** یک طبیبی داروی او ساختی
God hath said, “Do not move ear or tail crookedly:their veracity shall profit the veracious.”740
گفت حق که کژ مجنبان گوش و دم ** ینفعن الصادقین صدقهم
Ne recurvatus in antro dormiveris, O tu qui passus es nocturnam pollutionem: reveal that which you have, and act straight; [Do not sleep bent in a cave, O you (who have) soiled (yourself) in the night (with sperm): reveal that which you have, and act straight;]
گفت اندر کژ مخسپ ای محتلم ** آنچ داری وا نما و فاستقم
Or if you tell not your fault, at least refrain from (idle) talk: do not kill yourself by ostentation and trickery.
ور نگویی عیب خود باری خمش ** از نمایش وز دغل خود را مکش
If you have got any money, do not open your mouth: there are touchstones on the Way,
گر تو نقدی یافتی مگشا دهان ** هست در ره سنگهای امتحان
And for the touchstones too there are tests concerning their own (inward) states.
سنگهای امتحان را نیز پیش ** امتحانها هست در احوال خویش
God hath said, “From birth unto death they are tried every year twice.”745
گفت یزدان از ولادت تا بحین ** یفتنون کل عام مرتین
There is test upon test, O father: beware, do not (be ready to) buy yourself at the smallest test.
امتحان در امتحانست ای پدر ** هین به کمتر امتحان خود را مخر
How Bal‘am the son of Bá‘úr was (felt himself) secure, because the Lord had made (many) tests (of him) and he had come through them honourably.
آمن بودن بلعم باعور کی امتحانها کرد حضرت او را و از آنها روی سپید آمده بود
Bal‘am the son of Bá‘úr and the accursed Iblís were disgraced at the ultimate test.
بلعم باعور و ابلیس لعین ** ز امتحان آخرین گشته مهین
He (the boastful hypocrite), by his pretension, desires to be (reputed) rich, (but) his belly is execrating his moustache,
او بدعوی میل دولت می‌کند ** معده‌اش نفرین سبلت می‌کند
Crying, “Display that which he is hiding! He has consumed me (with anguish): O God, expose him!”
کانچ پنهان می‌کند پیدایش کن ** سوخت ما را ای خدا رسواش کن
All the members of his body are his adversaries, for he prates of spring (while) they are in December.750
جمله اجزای تنش خصم ویند ** کز بهاری لافد ایشان در دیند
Vain talk repels acts of kindness and tears off the bough of pity from the trunk of the tree.
لاف وا داد کرمها می‌کند ** شاخ رحمت را ز بن بر می‌کند
Bring forward (practise) honesty, or else be silent, and then behold pity and enjoy it.
راستی پیش آر یا خاموش کن ** وانگهان رحمت ببین و نوش کن
That belly became the adversary of his moustache and secretly had recourse to prayer,
آن شکم خصم سبال او شده ** دست پنهان در دعا اندر زده
Crying, “O God, expose this idle brag of the base, in order that the pity of the noble may be moved towards me.”
کای خدا رسوا کن این لاف لام ** تا بجنبد سوی ما رحم کرام
The belly's prayer was answered: the ardency of need put out a flag.755
مستجاب آمد دعای آن شکم ** شورش حاجت بزد بیرون علم
God hath said, “Though thou be a profligate and idolater, I will answer when thou callest Me.”
گفت حق گر فاسقی و اهل صنم ** چون مرا خوانی اجابتها کنم
Do thou cleave fast unto prayer and ever cry out: in the end it will deliver thee from the hands of the ghoul.
تو دعا را سخت گیر و می‌شخول ** عاقبت برهاندت از دست غول
When the belly committed itself to God, the cat came and carried off the skin of that sheep's tail.
چون شکم خود را به حضرت در سپرد ** گربه آمد پوست آن دنبه ببرد
They ran after the cat, (but) she fled. The child (of the braggart), from fear of his scolding, changed colour (turned pale).
از پس گربه دویدند او گریخت ** کودک از ترس عتابش رنگ ریخت
The little child came into (the midst of) the company and took away the prestige of the boastful man.760
آمد اندر انجمن آن طفل خرد ** آب روی مرد لافی را ببرد
It said, “The sheep's tail with which every morning you greased your lips and moustaches—
گفت آن دنبه که هر صبحی بدان ** چرب می‌کردی لبان و سبلتان
The cat came and suddenly snatched it away: I ran hard, but the effort was of no use.”
گربه آمد ناگهانش در ربود ** بس دویدیم و نکرد آن جهد سود
Those who were present laughed from astonishment, and their feelings of pity began to be moved again.
خنده آمد حاضران را از شگفت ** رحمهاشان باز جنبیدن گرفت
They invited him (to eat) and kept him full-fed, they sowed the seed of pity in his soil.
دعوتش کردند و سیرش داشتند ** تخم رحمت در زمینش کاشتند
When he had tasted honesty from the noble, he without arrogance (humbly) became devoted to honesty.765
او چو ذوق راستی دید از کرام ** بی تکبر راستی را شد غلام
How the jackal which had fallen into the dyer’s vat pretended to be a peacock.
دعوی طاوسی کردن آن شغال کی در خم صباغ افتاده بود
(In the fashion) that parti-colored jackal came secretly and tapped on the lobe of the rebuker’s ear.
و آن شغال رنگ‌رنگ آمد نهفت ** بر بناگوش ملامت‌گر بکفت
“Prithee look at me and at my colour: truly the idolater possesses no idol like me.
بنگر آخر در من و در رنگ من ** یک صنم چون من ندارد خود شمن
Like the flower-garden I have become many-hued and lovely: bow in homage to me, do not withdraw from me (in aversion).
چون گلستان گشته‌ام صد رنگ و خوش ** مر مرا سجده کن از من سر مکش
Behold my glory and splendour and sheen and radiance and colour! Call me the Pride of the World and the Pillar of the Religion!
کر و فر و آب و تاب و رنگ بین ** فخر دنیا خوان مرا و رکن دین
I have become the theatre of the Divine Grace, I have become the tablet on which the Divine Majesty is unfolded.770
مظهر لطف خدایی گشته‌ام ** لوح شرح کبریایی گشته‌ام
O jackals, take heed, do not call me a jackal: how should a jackal have so much beauty?”
ای شغالان هین مخوانیدم شغال ** کی شغالی را بود چندین جمال
Those jackals came thither en masse, like moths around the candle.
آن شغالان آمدند آنجا بجمع ** همچو پروانه به گرداگرد شمع
“Say then, what shall we call thee, O creature of (pure) substance?” He replied, “ A peacock (brilliant) as Jupiter.”
پس چه خوانیمت بگو ای جوهری ** گفت طاوس نر چون مشتری
Then they said to him, “The spiritual peacocks have displays (with the Beloved) in the Rose-garden:
پس بگفتندش که طاوسان جان ** جلوه‌ها دارند اندر گلستان
Dost thou display thyself like that?” “No,” said he: “not having gone into the desert, how should I tread (the valley of) Mina?”775
تو چنان جلوه کنی گفتا که نی ** بادیه نارفته چون کوبم منی
“Dost thou utter the cry of peacocks?” “Nay,” said he. “Then, Master Bu’l-‘Alam thou art not a peacock.
بانگ طاووسان کنی گفتا که لا ** پس نه‌ای طاووس خواجه بوالعلا
The peacock’s garment of honour comes from Heaven: how wilt thou attain thereto by means of colours and pretences?”
خلعت طاووس آید ز آسمان ** کی رسی از رنگ و دعویها بدان
Comparison of Pharaoh and his pretence of divinity to the jackal which pretended to be a peacock.
تشبیه فرعون و دعوی الوهیت او بدان شغال کی دعوی طاوسی می‌کرد