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
The moon becomes able to see the sign in obedience to Ahmad (Mohammed), the fire becomes wild-roses for Abraham.
ماه با احمد اشارت‌بین شود ** نار ابراهیم را نسرین شود
The earth swallows Qárún (Korah) like a snake; the Moaning Pillar comes into (the way of) righteousness.
خاک قارون را چو ماری در کشد ** استن حنانه آید در رشد
The stone salaams to Ahmad (Mohammed); the mountain sends a message to Yahyá (John the Baptist).
سنگ بر احمد سلامی می‌کند ** کوه یحیی را پیامی می‌کند
(They all say), “We have hearing and sight and are happy, (although) with you, the uninitiated, we are mute.”
ما سمعیعیم و بصیریم و خوشیم ** با شما نامحرمان ما خامشیم
Forasmuch as ye are going towards (are inclined to) inanimateness (worldliness), how shall ye become familiar with the spiritual life of inanimate beings?1020
چون شما سوی جمادی می‌روید ** محرم جان جمادان چون شوید
Go (forth) from inanimateness into the world of spirits, hearken to the loud noise of the particles of the world.
از جمادی عالم جانها روید ** غلغل اجزای عالم بشنوید
The glorification of God by inanimate beings will become evident to thee; the doubts suggested by (false) interpretations will not carry thee away (from the truth).
فاش تسبیح جمادات آیدت ** وسوسه‌ی تاویلها نربایدت
Since thy soul hath not the lamps (the lights necessary) for seeing, thou hast made interpretations,
چون ندارد جان تو قندیلها ** بهر بینش کرده‌ای تاویلها
Saying, “How should visible glorification (of God) be the meaning intended? The claim to see (that glorification) is an erroneous fancy.
که غرض تسبیح ظاهر کی بود ** دعوی دیدن خیال غی بود
Nay, the sight of that (inanimate object) causes him that sees it to glorify God at the time when he regards its significance.1025
بلک مر بیننده را دیدار آن ** وقت عبرت می‌کند تسبیح‌خوان
Therefore, inasmuch as it reminds you of glorification, that indication (which it gives to you) is even as (equivalent to its) uttering (the words of glorification).”
پس چو از تسبیح یادت می‌دهد ** آن دلالت همچو گفتن می‌بود
This is the interpretation of the Mu‘tazilites and of those who do not possess the light of immediate (mystical) intuition.
این بود تاویل اهل اعتزال ** و آن آنکس کو ندارد نور حال
When a man has not escaped from sense-perception, he will be a stranger to the ideas of the unseen world.
چون ز حس بیرون نیامد آدمی ** باشد از تصویر غیبی اعجمی
This discourse hath no end. The snake-catcher, with a hundred pains, was bringing the snake along,
این سخن پایان ندارد مارگیر ** می‌کشید آن مار را با صد زحیر
Till (at last) the would-be showman arrived at Baghdád, that he might set up a public show at the cross-roads.1030
تا به بغداد آمد آن هنگامه‌جو ** تا نهد هنگامه‌ای بر چارسو
The man set up a show on the bank of the Tigris, and a hubbub arose in the city of Baghdád—
بر لب شط مرد هنگامه نهاد ** غلغله در شهر بغداد اوفتاد
“A snake-catcher has brought a dragon: he has captured a marvellous rare beast.”
مارگیری اژدها آورده است ** بوالعجب نادر شکاری کرده است
Myriads of simpletons assembled, who had become a prey to him as he (to it) in his folly.
جمع آمد صد هزاران خام‌ریش ** صید او گشته چو او از ابلهیش
They were waiting (to see the dragon), and he too was waiting for the scattered people to assemble.
منتظر ایشان و هم او منتظر ** تا که جمع آیند خلق منتشر
The greater the crowd, the better goes the begging and contributing (of money).1035
مردم هنگامه افزون‌تر شود ** کدیه و توزیع نیکوتر رود
Myriads of idle babblers assembled, forming a ring, sole against sole.
جمع آمد صد هزاران ژاژخا ** حلقه کرده پشت پا بر پشت پا
Man took no heed of woman: on account of the throng they were mingled together like nobles and common folk at the Resurrection.
مرد را از زن خبر نه ز ازدحام ** رفته درهم چون قیامت خاص و عام
When he (the snake-catcher) began to move the cloth (which covered the dragon), the people in the crowd strained their throats (necks),
چون همی حراقه جنبانید او ** می‌کشیدند اهل هنگامه گلو
And (saw that) the dragon, which had been frozen by intense cold, was underneath a hundred kinds of coarse woollen cloths and coverlets.
و اژدها کز زمهریر افسرده بود ** زیر صد گونه پلاس و پرده بود
He had bound it with thick ropes: that careful keeper had taken great precaution for it.1040
بسته بودش با رسنهای غلیظ ** احتیاطی کرده بودش آن حفیظ
During the delay (interval) of expectation and coming together, the sun of ‘Iráq shone upon the snake.
در درنگ انتظار و اتفاق ** تافت بر آن مار خورشید عراق
The sun of the hot country warmed it; the cold humours went out of its limbs.
آفتاب گرم‌سیرش گرم کرد ** رفت از اعضای او اخلاط سرد
It had been dead, and it revived: from astonishment (at feeling the sun's heat) the dragon began to uncoil itself.
مرده بود و زنده گشت او از شگفت ** اژدها بر خویش جنبیدن گرفت
By the stirring of that dead serpent the people's amazement was multiplied a hundred thousand fold.
خلق را از جنبش آن مرده مار ** گشتشان آن یک تحیر صد هزار