A certain man caught a bird by guile and trap: the bird said to him, “O noble sire,2245
آن یکی مرغی گرفت از مکر و دام ** مرغ او را گفت ای خواجه‌ی همام
Thou hast eaten many oxen and sheep, thou hast sacrificed many camels;
به تو بسی گاوان و میشان خورده‌ای ** تو بسی اشتر به قربان کرده‌ای
Thou hast never in the world been sated by them, neither wilt thou be sated by my limbs.
تو نگشتی سیر زانها در زمن ** هم نگردی سیر از اجزای من
Let me go, that I may bestow on thee three counsels, that thou mayst perceive whether I am wise or foolish.
هل مرا تا که سه پندت بر دهم ** تا بدانی زیرکم یا ابلهم
(I will give thee) the first of those counsels on thy hand, the second of them on thy plastered roof,
اول آن پند هم در دست تو ** ثانیش بر بام کهگل بست تو
And the third counsel I will give thee on a tree. (Let me go), for thou wilt become fortunate through these three counsels.2250
وآن سوم پند دهم من بر درخت ** که ازین سه پند گردی نیکبخت
(As for) that saying which is (to be said) on thy hand, ’tis this: ‘do not believe an absurdity (when thou hearest it) from any one.’”
آنچ بر دستست اینست آن سخن ** که محالی را ز کس باور مکن
When it (the bird) had uttered the first grave counsel on his palm, it became free and went (to perch) on the wall (of his house),
بر کفش چون گفت اول پند زفت ** گشت آزاد و بر آن دیوار رفت
And said, “The second is, ‘do not grieve over (what is) past: when it has passed from thee, do not feel regret for it.’”
گفت دیگر بر گذشته غم مخور ** چون ز تو بگذشت زان حسرت مبر
After that, it said to him, “In my body is concealed a solitary (large and precious) pearl, ten dirhems in weight.
بعد از آن گفتش که در جسمم کتیم ** ده درمسنگست یک در یتیم
By thy soul's truth (as sure as thou livest), that jewel was thy fortune and the luck of thy children.2255
دولت تو بخت فرزندان تو ** بود آن گوهر به حق جان تو
Thou hast missed the pearl, for it was not thy appointed lot (to gain it)—a pearl the like of which is not in existence.”
فوت کردی در که روزی‌ات نبود ** که نباشد مثل آن در در وجود
Even as a woman big with child keeps wailing at the time of parturition, so the Khwája began to cry out clamorously.
آنچنان که وقت زادن حامله ** ناله دارد خواجه شد در غلغله
The bird said to him, “Did not I admonish thee, saying, ‘Let there be no grief in thee for what passed yesterday’?
مرغ گفتش نی نصیحت کردمت ** که مبادا بر گذشته‌ی دی غمت
Since it is past and gone, why art thou grieving? Either thou didst not understand my counsel or thou art deaf.
چون گذشت و رفت غم چون می‌خوری ** یا نکردی فهم پندم یا کری
And (as regards) the second counsel I gave thee, (namely), ‘Do not from misguidedness put any belief in an absurd statement,’2260
وان دوم پندت بگفتم کز ضلال ** هیچ تو باور مکن قول محال
O lion, I myself do not weigh ten dirhems: how should the weight of ten dirhems be within me?”
من نیم خود سه درمسنگ ای اسد ** ده درمسنگ اندرونم چون بود
The Khwája came back to himself (recovered his wits) and said, “Hark, disclose the third (piece of) excellent counsel.”
خواجه باز آمد به خود گفتا که هین ** باز گو آن پند خوب سیومین
“Yes,” said the bird, “thou hast made good use of those (former counsels), that I should tell (thee) the third counsel in vain!”
گفت آری خوش عمل کردی بدان ** تا بگویم پند ثالث رایگان
To give counsel to a sleepy ignoramus is to scatter seed in nitrous soil.
پند گفتن با جهول خوابناک ** تخت افکندن بود در شوره خاک
The rent of folly and ignorance does not admit of being patched up: do not give the seed of wisdom to him (the fool), O counsellor.2265
چاک حمق و جهل نپذیرد رفو ** تخم حکمت کم دهش ای پندگو
How the half-intelligent fish devised a means (of escape) and feigned to be dead.
چاره اندیشیدن آن ماهی نیم‌عاقل و خود را مرده کردن
The second fish said in the hour of tribulation, when he was left sundered from the shadow (protection) of the intelligent one,
گفت ماهی دگر وقت بلا ** چونک ماند از سایه‌ی عاقل جدا
“He hath gone towards the sea and is freed from sorrow: such a good comrade hath been lost to me!
کو سوی دریا شد و از غم عتیق ** فوت شد از من چنان نیکو رفیق
But I will not think of that and will attend to myself: at this (present) time I will feign to be dead.
لیک زان نندیشم و بر خود زنم ** خویشتن را این زمان مرده کنم
Then I will turn my belly upwards and my back downwards and will move on the water.
پس برآرم اشکم خود بر زبر ** پشت زیر و می‌روم بر آب بر
I will move upon it as weeds move, not by swimming as a person (swimmer) does.2270
می‌روم بر وی چنانک خس رود ** نی بسباحی چنانک کس رود
I will become dead, I will commit myself to the water: to die before death is to be safe from torment.”
مرده گردم خویش بسپارم به آب ** مرگ پیش از مرگ امنست از عذاب
To die before death is to be safe, O youth: even so hath Mustafa (Mohammad) commanded us.
مرگ پیش از مرگ امنست ای فتی ** این چنین فرمود ما را مصطفی
He said, “Die, all of you, ere death come, else ye will die with (the certainty of suffering) sore afflictions (hereafter).”
گفت موتواکلکم من قبل ان ** یاتی الموت تموتوا بالفتن
He (the fish) died in that manner and threw his belly upwards: the water was carrying him, now alow, now aloft.
هم‌چنان مرد و شکم بالا فکند ** آب می‌بردش نشیب و گه بلند
Every one of those pursuers (the fishermen) bore great vexation (in his heart), saying, “Alas, the best fish is dead.”2275
هر یکی زان قاصدان بس غصه برد ** که دریغا ماهی بهتر بمرد
He (the fish) was made glad by their saying “Alas”: (he said to himself), “This trick of mine has come off, I am delivered from the sword.”
شاد می‌شد او کز آن گفت دریغ ** پیش رفت این بازیم رستم ز تیغ
Then a worthy fisherman seized him and spat on him and flung him on the ground.
پس گرفتش یک صیاد ارجمند ** پس برو تف کرد و بر خاکش فکند
He (the half-intelligent fish), rolling over and over, went secretly into the water; the (entirely) foolish one remained (where he was), moving to and fro in agitation.
غلط غلطان رفت پنهان اندر آب ** ماند آن احمق همی‌کرد اضطراب
That simpleton kept leaping about, right and left, in order that he might save his skin by his own efforts.
از چپ و از راست می‌جست آن سلیم ** تا بجهد خویش برهاند گلیم
They cast the net, and he (at last) remained in the net: foolish ness ensconced him in that fire (of perdition).2280
دام افکندند و اندر دام ماند ** احمقی او را در آن آتش نشاند
On the top of the fire, on the surface of a frying-pan, he be came the bedfellow of Folly.
بر سر آتش به پشت تابه‌ای ** با حماقت گشت او همخوابه‌ایی
(There) he was seething from the heat of the flames Reason was saving to him, “Did not a warner come to thee?”
او همی جوشید از تف سعیر ** عقل می‌گفتش الم یاتک نذیر
He, from the rack of torture and tribulation, was replying like the souls of the unbelievers: they said, “Yea.”
او همی‌گفت از شکنجه وز بلا ** هم‌چو جان کافران قالوا بلی
Then again he was saying, “If this time I escape from this neck-breaking affliction,
باز می‌گفت او که گر این بار من ** وا رهم زین محنت گردن‌شکن
I will not make my home except in a sea: I will not make a lake my dwelling-place.2285
من نسازم جز به دریایی وطن ** آبگیری را نسازم من سکن
I will seek the boundless sea and become safe: I will go in safety and welfare for ever.”
آب بی‌حد جویم و آمن شوم ** تا ابد در امن و صحت می‌روم
Explaining that the promise made by the fool at the moment of seizure (punishment) and contrition is faithless, for though they should be sent back, they would surely return to that which they were forbidden to do, and verily they are liars. The false dawn keeps not faith.
بیان آنک عهد کردن احمق وقت گرفتاری و ندم هیچ وفایی ندارد کی لو ردوالعادوا لما نهوا عنه و انهم لکاذبون صبح کاذب وفا ندارد
Reason was saying to him, “Folly is with thee: with Folly (as thy companion), the promise will be broken.
عقل می‌گفتش حماقت با توست ** با حماقت عقل را آید شکست
The keeping of promises appertains to reason: thou hast not reason: begone, O thou whose value is that of an ass!
عقل را باشد وفای عهدها ** تو نداری عقل رو ای خربها
Reason remembers its covenant: understanding rends the veil of forgetfulness.
عقل را یاد آید از پیمان خود ** پرده‌ی نسیان بدراند خرد
Since thou hast not reason, forgetfulness is thy ruler: it is thy enemy and the bringer-to-naught of thy devising.”2290