In the world there are invisible ladders, (leading) step by step up to the summit of heaven.
نردبانهاییست پنهان در جهان ** پایه پایه تا عنان آسمان
There is a different ladder for every class, there is a different heaven for every (traveller's) way.
هر گره را نردبانی دیگرست ** هر روش را آسمانی دیگرست
Every one is ignorant of another's condition (in) the kingdom (which is) wide and without end or beginning.
هر یکی از حال دیگر بی‌خبر ** ملک با پهنا و بی‌پایان و سر
This one is amazed at that one and asks wherefore he is happy, while that one is astounded at this one and asks why he is amazed.
این در آن حیران که او از چیست خوش ** وآن درین خیره که حیرت چیستش
The area of God's earth is spacious: every tree springs up from a certain soil.2560
صحن ارض الله واسع آمده ** هر درختی از زمینی سر زده
The leaves and boughs on the trees are giving thanks (to God), crying, “Oh, what a fine kingdom! Oh, what a broad expanse!”
بر درختان شکر گویان برگ و شاخ ** که زهی ملک و زهی عرصه‌ی فراخ
The nightingales are (flying) round the knobby blossom, saying, “Give us some of that which thou drinkest.”
بلبلان گرد شکوفه‌ی پر گره ** که از آنچ می‌خوری ما را بده
This discourse hath no end: return to the fox and the lion and the (lion's) sickness and hunger.
این سخن پایان ندارد کن رجوع ** سوی آن روباه و شیر و سقم و جوع
How the fox brought the ass to the lion, and how the ass jumped away from the lion, and how the fox reproached the lion, saying, “The ass was still far off: you were too hasty”; and how the lion made excuses and entreated the fox to go and trick him a second time.
بردن روبه خر را پیش شیر و جستن خر از شیر و عتاب کردن روباه با شیر کی هنوز خر دور بود تعجیل کردی و عذر گفتن شیر و لابه کردن روبه را شیر کی برو بار دگرش به فریب
When he (the fox) brought him (the ass) up the hill towards the meadow, in order that the lion might pulverise him with a (sudden) charge,
چونک بر کوهش بسوی مرج برد ** تا کند شیرش به حمله خرد و مرد
He (the ass) was (still) far from the lion, but the lion would not wait for him to come near before attacking.2565
دور بود از شیر و آن شیر از نبرد ** تا به نزدیک آمدن صبری نکرد
The terrible lion made a spring from an eminence, (though) indeed he had not the strength and power to move (effectively).
گنبدی کرد از بلندی شیر هول ** خود نبودش قوت و امکان حول
The ass saw him from afar and turned and fled to the bottom of the hill, dropping his shoes as he ran.
خر ز دورش دید و برگشت و گریز ** تا به زیر کوه تازان نعل ریز
“O king of us (all),” said the fox to the lion, “why didst not thou restrain thyself in the hour of battle,
گفت روبه شیر را ای شاه ما ** چون نکردی صبر در وقت وغا
In order that that misguided (creature) might come near thee and that thou might’st vanquish him with a small attack?
تا به نزدیک تو آید آن غوی ** تا باندک حمله‌ای غالب شوی
Precipitation and haste is the Devil's wile; patience and calculation is God's grace.2570
مکر شیطانست تعجیل و شتاب ** لطف رحمانست صبر و احتساب
He (the ass) was far off and saw the attack and fled: thy weakness is made manifest and thy prestige is destroyed.”
دور بود و حمله را دید و گریخت ** ضعف تو ظاهر شد و آب تو ریخت
He (the lion) replied, “I thought my strength was restored: I did not know my feebleness was so great.
گفت من پنداشتم بر جاست زور ** تا بدین حد می‌ندانستم فتور
Moreover, my hunger and need had passed beyond bounds: through starvation my patience and understanding had been lost.
نیز جوع و حاجتم از حد گذشت ** صبر و عقلم از تجوع یاوه گشت
If by (using) your wits you can reclaim him and bring him back once more,
گر توانی بار دیگر از خرد ** باز آوردن مر او را مسترد
I shall be much obliged to you: try hard, maybe you will fetch him by cunning.”2575
منت بسیار دارم از تو من ** جهد کن باشد بیاری‌اش به فن
“Yes,” said the fox, “if God should give (me) help and set a seal of blindness on his heart
گفت آری گر خدا یاری دهد ** بر دل او از عمی مهری نهد
(For) then he will forget the terror which he felt on seeing (thee): this will not be alien to his asininity.
پس فراموشش شود هولی که دید ** از خری او نباشد این بعید
But when I bring him, do not thou rush (at him), lest thou lose him again by overhaste.”
لیک چون آرم من او را بر متاز ** تا ببادش ندهی از تعجیل باز
“Yes,” replied the lion; “I have found by experience that I am very ill and that my body has become shaky.
گفت آری تجربه کردم که من ** سخت رنجورم مخلخل گشته تن
Until the ass comes quite near to me, I will not move, I will (apparently) be sound asleep.”2580
تا به نزدیکم نیاید خر تمام ** من نجنبم خفته باشم در قوام
(Thereupon) the fox departed, saying, “O king, (offer) a prayer that a (great) heedlessness may muffle his reason.
رفت روبه گفت ای شه همتی ** تا بپوشد عقل او را غفلتی
The ass has made vows of repentance to the Creator (and resolved) that he will not be duped by any ne’er-do-well.
توبه‌ها کردست خر با کردگار ** که نگردد غره‌ی هر نابکار
We by cunning will cause his vows to collapse, (for) we are the enemy of reason and of the splendid covenant (with God).
توبه‌هااش را به فن بر هم زنیم ** ما عدوی عقل و عهد روشنیم
The ass's head is a ball for our children: his thought is a plaything for our guile.”
The reason that belongs to (is affected by) the revolution of Saturn hath no position (of honour) in the sight of Universal Reason.2585
عقل که آن باشد ز دوران زحل ** پیش عقل کل ندارد آن محل
It is made knowing by Mercury and Saturn; we (organs of Universal Reason) by the bounty of the gracious Creator.
از عطارد وز زحل دانا شد او ** ما ز داد کردگار لطف‌خو
The twisted script of our sign-manual is He taught Man: our aims are (expressed in the words) the knowledge is with God.
علم الانسان خم طغرای ماست ** علم عند الله مقصدهای ماست
We are (the object of) the nurture of that resplendent Sun: on that account we are crying, “(Glory to) my Lord the Supreme!”
تربیه‌ی آن آفتاب روشنیم ** ربی الاعلی از آن رو می‌زنیم
(The fox said), “If he (the ass) possesses experience, nevertheless a hundred experiences will be shattered by this deceitful palaver (of mine).
تجربه گر دارد او با این همه ** بشکند صد تجربه زین دمدمه
Maybe that weak-natured one will break his (vow of) repentance, and the bad luck of his breaking it will overtake him.”2590
بوک توبه بشکند آن سست‌خو ** در رسد شومی اشکستن درو
Explaining that the violation of a covenant and (vow of) repentance is the cause of affliction; nay, it is the cause of metamorphosis, as in the case of the “Fellows of the Sabbath” and in the case of the “Fellows (who disbelieved in the miracle) of the Table of Jesus,” for (God hath said), “And He turned them into apes and swine.” And in this community there is (only) metamorphosis of the spirit, but at the Resurrection the form of the spirit will be given to the body.
در بیان آنک نقض عهد و توبه موجب بلا بود بلک موجب مسخ است چنانک در حق اصحاب سبت و در حق اصحاب مایده‌ی عیسی و جعل منهم القردة و الخنازیر و اندرین امت مسخ دل باشد و به قیامت تن را صورت دل دهند نعوذ بالله
To violate a pact and break vows of repentance becomes the cause of accursedness in the end.
نقض میثاق و شکست توبه‌ها ** موجب لعنت شود در انتها
The violation of vows of repentance by the “Fellows of the Sabbath” became the cause of their metamorphosis and destruction and abomination.
نقض توبه و عهد آن اصحاب سبت ** موجب مسخ آمد و اهلاک و مقت
Therefore God turned those people into apes, since they rebelliously broke their covenant with God.
پس خدا آن قوم را بوزینه کرد ** چونک عهد حق شکستند از نبرد
In this community there has never been metamorphosis of the body, but there is metamorphosis of the spirit, O man endowed with perception.
اندرین امت نبد مسخ بدن ** لیک مسخ دل بود ای بوالفطن
When his spirit becomes the ape-spirit, his clay (body) is debased by the ape-spirit.2595
چون دل بوزینه گردد آن دلش ** از دل بوزینه شد خوار آن گلش
How should the ass be debased by his (bodily) form, if his spirit had possessed the virtue (that is derived) from (rational) experience?
گر هنر بودی دلش را ز اختبار ** خوار کی بودی ز صورت آن حمار
The dog of the Companions (of the Cave) had a goodly character: was he any the worse on account of his (bodily) form?
آن سگ اصحاب خوش بد سیرتش ** هیچ بودش منقصت زان صورتش
The “Fellows of the Sabbath” suffered outward metamorphosis, in order that the people might behold outwardly their ignominious fall.
مسخ ظاهر بود اهل سبت را ** تا ببیند خلق ظاهر کبت را
Through breaking (vows of) repentance a hundred thousand others have become hogs and asses inwardly.
از ره سر صد هزاران دگر ** گشته از توبه شکستن خوک و خر
How the fox approached the runaway ass a second time in order to beguile him once more.
دوم بار آمدن روبه بر این خر گریخته تا باز بفریبدش
Then the fox came quickly towards the ass: the ass said, “One must beware of a friend like you.2600
پس بیامد زود روبه سوی خر ** گفت خر از چون تو یاری الحذر
Ignoble creature, what did I do to you that you brought me into the presence of a dragon?
ناجوامردا چه کردم من ترا ** که به پیش اژدها بردی مرا
What but the malignity of your nature was the cause of your enmity to my life, O perverse one?”—
موجب کین تو با جانم چه بود ** غیر خبث جوهر تو ای عنود
Like the scorpion, which bites a man's foot though no inconvenience has come to it from him,
هم‌چو کزدم کو گزد پای فتی ** نارسیده از وی او را زحمتی
Or like the Devil who is the enemy of our souls, though no inconvenience or injury has befallen him from us;
یا چو دیوی کو عدوی جان ماست ** نارسیده زحمتش از ما و کاست
Nay, but he is naturally the adversary of the human soul and rejoices at the destruction of Man;2605