- It (Pharaoh's craft) was a dragon: the rod (of Moses) became a dragon, and this devoured that by the aid of God.
- اژدها بود و عصا شد اژدها ** این بخورد آن را به توفیق خدا
- Hand is above hand: how far is this (series)? Up to God, for unto Him is the end.
- دست شد بالای دست این تا کجا ** تا بیزدان که الیه المنتهی
- For that (Omnipotence) is a sea without bottom or shore: beside it all the seas together are (but) as a torrent.
- کان یکی دریاست بی غور و کران ** جمله دریاها چو سیلی پیش آن
- If (human) devices and expedients are a dragon, (yet) beside (there is no god) except Allah they all are naught.
- حیلهها و چارهها گر اژدهاست ** پیش الا الله آنها جمله لاست
- Now that my exposition has reached this point, it lays down its head and expires; and God best knoweth the right course. 970
- چون رسید اینجا بیانم سر نهاد ** محو شد والله اعلم بالرشاد
- That which was in Pharaoh, the same is in thee, but thy dragon is confined in the pit.
- آنچ در فرعون بود اندر تو هست ** لیک اژدرهات محبوس چهست
- Alas, all this (concerning Pharaoh) is what passes in thee: thou wouldst fain fasten it on Pharaoh.
- ای دریغ این جمله احوال توست ** تو بر آن فرعون بر خواهیش بست
- If they say it of thee, there arises in thee a feeling of estrangement; and (if they tell it) of another, it seems to thee a fable.
- گر ز تو گویند وحشت زایدت ** ور ز دیگر آفسان بنمایدت
- What ruin is wrought in thee by the accursed sensual soul! This familiar casts thee exceeding far (from God).
- چه خرابت میکند نفس لعین ** دور میاندازدت سخت این قرین
- Thy fire hath not Pharaoh's fuel; otherwise, it is one that throws out flames like Pharaoh. 975
- آتشت را هیزم فرعون نیست ** ورنه چون فرعون او شعلهزنیست
- Story of the snake-catcher who thought the frozen serpent was dead and wound it in ropes and brought it to Baghdád.
- حکایت مارگیر کی اژدهای فسرده را مرده پنداشت در ریسمانهاش پیچید و آورد به بغداد
- Listen to a tale of the chronicler, in order that you may get an inkling of this veiled mystery.
- یک حکایت بشنو از تاریخگوی ** تا بری زین راز سرپوشیده بوی
- A snake-catcher went to the mountains to catch a snake by his incantations.
- مارگیری رفت سوی کوهسار ** تا بگیرد او به افسونهاش مار
- Whether one be slow or speedy (in movement), he that is a seeker will be a finder.
- گر گران و گر شتابنده بود ** آنک جویندست یابنده بود
- Always apply yourself with both hands (with all your might) to seeking, for search is an excellent guide on the way.
- در طلب زن دایما تو هر دو دست ** که طلب در راه نیکو رهبرست
- (Though you be) lame and limping and bent in figure and unmannerly, ever creep towards Him and be in quest of Him. 980
- لنگ و لوک و خفتهشکل و بیادب ** سوی او میغیژ و او را میطلب
- Now by speech and now by silence and now by smelling, catch in every quarter the scent of the King.
- گه بگفت و گه بخاموشی و گه ** بوی کردن گیر هر سو بوی شه
- Jacob said to his sons, “Make search for Joseph beyond (all) bounds.
- گفت آن یعقوب با اولاد خویش ** جستن یوسف کنید از حد بیش
- In this search earnestly direct your every sense towards every side, like one that is ready.”
- هر حس خود را درین جستن بجد ** هر طرف رانید شکل مستعد
- He (Jacob) said, “Do not despair of God's breath (mercy)”; go thou (also) to and fro as one that has lost his son.
- گفت از روح خدا لا تیاسوا ** همچو گم کرده پسر رو سو بسو
- Inquire by means of the sense of the mouth, and lay your ears on the four roads of that (which ye seek). 985
- از ره حس دهان پرسان شوید ** گوش را بر چار راه آن نهید
- Whenever a sweet scent comes, smell in the direction of that mystery, for ye are acquainted with that direction.
- هر کجا بوی خوش آید بو برید ** سوی آن سر کاشنای آن سرید
- Whenever thou art aware of a kindness from any one, ’tis possible thou mayst find the way to the source of the kindness.
- هر کجا لطفی ببینی از کسی ** سوی اصل لطف ره یابی عسی
- All these lovely things are from a deep Sea: leave the part and keep thine eye (fixed) upon the Whole.
- این همه خوشها ز دریاییست ژرف ** جزو را بگذار و بر کل دار طرف
- The wars of mankind are for the sake of Beauty; the garniture of ungarnishedness is the sign of the Túbá tree.
- جنگهای خلق بهر خوبیست ** برگ بی برگی نشان طوبیست
- The angers of mankind are for the sake of Peace; restlessness is ever the snare for Rest. 990
- خشمهای خلق بهر آشتیست ** دام راحت دایما بیراحتیست
- Every blow is for the sake of fondness; every complaint makes (thee) aware of gratitude (due for benefits received).
- هر زدن بهر نوازش را بود ** هر گله از شکر آگه میکند
- Smell (all the way) from the part to the Whole, O noble one; smell (all the way) from opposite to opposite, O wise one.
- بوی بر از جزو تا کل ای کریم ** بوی بر از ضد تا ضد ای حکیم
- Assuredly wars bring peace; the snake-catcher sought the snake for the purpose of friendship.
- جنگها می آشتی آرد درست ** مار گیر از بهر یاری مار جست
- Man seeks a snake for the purpose of friendship and cares for one that is without care (for him).
- بهر یاری مار جوید آدمی ** غم خورد بهر حریف بیغمی
- He (the snake-catcher) was searching for a big snake round about the mountains and in the days of snow. 995
- او همیجستی یکی ماری شگرف ** گرد کوهستان و در ایام برف
- He espied there a huge dead dragon, at the aspect whereof his heart was filled with fear.
- اژدهایی مرده دید آنجا عظیم ** که دلش از شکل او شد پر ز بیم
- (Whilst) the snake-catcher was looking for snakes in the hard winter, he espied a dead dragon.
- مارگیر اندر زمستان شدید ** مار میجست اژدهایی مرده دید
- The snake-catcher catches snakes in order to amaze the people—behold the foolishness of the people!
- مارگیر از بهر حیرانی خلق ** مار گیرد اینت نادانی خلق
- Man is a mountain: how should he be led into temptation? How should a mountain become amazed at a snake?
- آدمی کوهیست چون مفتون شود ** کوه اندر مار حیران چون شود
- Wretched Man does not know himself: he has come from a high estate and fallen into lowlihood. 1000
- خویشتن نشناخت مسکین آدمی ** از فزونی آمد و شد در کمی
- Man has sold himself cheaply: he was satin, he has sewn himself on (become attached) to a tattered cloak.
- خویشتن را آدمی ارزان فروخت ** بود اطلس خویش بر دلقی بدوخت
- Hundreds of thousands of snakes and mountains are amazed at him: why (then) has he become amazed and fond of a snake?
- صد هزاران مار و که حیران اوست ** او چرا حیران شدست و ماردوست
- The snake-catcher took up that snake and came to Baghdád for the sake of (exciting) astonishment.
- مارگیر آن اژدها را بر گرفت ** سوی بغداد آمد از بهر شگفت
- In quest of a paltry fee he carried along a dragon like the pillar of a house,
- اژدهایی چون ستون خانهای ** میکشیدش از پی دانگانهای
- Saying, “I have brought a dead dragon: I have suffered agonies in hunting it.” 1005
- کاژدهای مردهای آوردهام ** در شکارش من جگرها خوردهام
- He thought it was dead, but it was living, and he did not see it very well.
- او همی مرده گمان بردش ولیک ** زنده بود و او ندیدش نیک نیک
- It was frozen by frosts and snow: it was alive, but it presented the appearance of the dead.
- او ز سرماها و برف افسرده بود ** زنده بود و شکل مرده مینمود
- The world is frozen: its name is jamád (inanimate): jámid is (means) “frozen,” O master.
- عالم افسردست و نام او جماد ** جامد افسرده بود ای اوستاد
- Wait till the sun of the Resurrection shall become manifest, that thou mayst see the movement of the world's body.
- باش تا خورشید حشر آید عیان ** تا ببینی جنبش جسم جهان
- When here (in this world) the rod of Moses became a snake, information was given to the intellect concerning motionless (inanimate) beings. 1010
- چون عصای موسی اینجا مار شد ** عقل را از ساکنان اخبار شد
- Since He (God) made thy piece of earth a man, thou shouldst recognise (the real nature of) the entire sum of the particles of earth:
- پارهی خاک ترا چون مرد ساخت ** خاکها را جملگی شاید شناخت
- (That) from this standpoint they are dead and from that standpoint they are living; (that they are) silent here and speaking yonder.
- مرده زین سو اند و زان سو زندهاند ** خامش اینجا و آن طرف گویندهاند
- When He sends them from that quarter towards us, the rod becomes a dragon in relation to us.
- چون از آن سوشان فرستد سوی ما ** آن عصا گردد سوی ما اژدها
- The mountains too make a song like that of David, and the substance of iron is (as) wax in the hand.
- کوهها هم لحن داودی کند ** جوهر آهن بکف مومی بود
- The wind becomes a bearer for Solomon, the sea becomes capable of understanding words in regard to Moses. 1015
- باد حمال سلیمانی شود ** بحر با موسی سخندانی شود