If my passing (from the world) had taken place sooner, this screen and veil of mine would have been less.’
گر ازین زودتر مرا معبر بدی ** این حجاب و پرده‌ام کمتر بدی
Do not in covetousness rend the face of contentment, and do not in pride rend the visage of humility.610
از حریصی کم دران روی قنوع ** وز تکبر کم دران چهره‌ی خشوع
Likewise do not in avarice rend the face of munificence, and in devilishness the beauteous countenance of worship.
هم‌چنین از بخل کم در روی جود ** وز بلیسی چهره‌ی خوب سجود
Do not tear out those feathers which are an ornament to Paradise: do not tear out those feathers which (enable thee to) traverse the Way.”
بر مکن آن پر خلد آرای را ** بر مکن آن پر ره‌پیمای را
When he (the peacock) heard this counsel, he looked at him (the Sage) and, after that, began to lament and weep.
چون شنید این پند در وی بنگریست ** بعد از آن در نوحه آمد می‌گریست
The long lamentation and weeping of the sorrowful (peacock) caused every one who was there to fall a-weeping;
نوحه و گریه‌ی دراز دردمند ** هر که آنجا بود بر گریه‌ش فکند
And he who was asking the reason of (the peacock's) tearing out his feathers, (he too being left) without an answer repented (of having asked) and wept,615
وآنک می‌پرسید پر کندن ز چیست ** بی‌جوابی شد پشیمان می‌گریست
Saying, “Why did I impertinently ask him (that question)? He was full of grief: I made him distraught.”
کز فضولی من چرا پرسیدمش ** او ز غم پر بود شورانیدمش
From his (the peacock's) moist eyes the water (of tears) was trickling to the earth: in every drop were contained a hundred answers.
می‌چکید از چشم تر بر خاک آب ** اندر آن هر قطره مدرج صد جواب
Sincere weeping touches the souls (of all), so that it makes (even) the sky and heaven to weep.
گریه‌ی با صدق بر جانها زند ** تا که چرخ و عرش را گریان کند
Without any doubt, intellects and hearts (spirits) are celestial, (though) they live debarred from the celestial light.
عقل و دلها بی‌گمان عرشی‌اند ** در حجاب از نور عرشی می‌زیند
Explaining that the intellect and spirit are imprisoned in clay, like Hárút and Márút in the pit of Babylon.
در بیان آنک عقل و روح در آب و گل محبوس‌اند هم‌چون هاروت و ماروت در چاه بابل
Like Hárút and Márút, those two pure ones (the intellect and spirit) have been confined here (in this world) in a horrible pit.620
هم‌چو هاروت و چو ماروت آن دو پاک ** بسته‌اند اینجا به چاه سهمناک
They are in the low and sensual world: they have been confined in this pit on account of sin.
عالم سفلی و شهوانی درند ** اندرین چه گشته‌اند از جرم‌بند
The good and the evil (alike) learn magic and the opposite of magic from these twain involuntarily;
سحر و ضد سحر را بی‌اختیار ** زین دو آموزند نیکان و شرار
But first they admonish him, saying, “Beware, do not learn and pick up magic from us:
لیک اول پند بدهندش که هین ** سحر را از ما میاموز و مچین
We teach this magic, O such and such, for the purpose of trial and probation;
ما بیاموزیم این سحر ای فلان ** از برای ابتلا و امتحان
(But thou art free to choose), for probation necessarily involves free-will, and thou canst not have any (effective) free-will without the power (of action).”625
که امتحان را شرط باشد اختیار ** اختیاری نبودت بی‌اقتدار
Desires are like sleeping dogs: good and evil are hidden in them.
میلها هم‌چون سگان خفته‌اند ** اندریشان خیر و شر بنهفته‌اند
When there is no power (of action), this troop (of desires) are asleep and silent like faggots (smouldering in the fire),
چونک قدرت نیست خفتند این رده ** هم‌چو هیزم‌پاره‌ها و تن‌زده
Until (when) a carcase comes into view, the blast of the trumpet of greed strikes on (suddenly rouses) the dogs.
تا که مرداری در آید در میان ** نفخ صور حرص کوبد بر سگان
When the carcase of a donkey appears in the parish, a hundred sleeping dogs are awakened by it.
چون در آن کوچه خری مردار شد ** صد سگ خفته بدان بیدار شد
The greedy desires that had gone into the concealment of the Unseen rush out and display themselves.630
حرصهای رفته اندر کتم غیب ** تاختن آورد سر بر زد ز جیب
Every hair on every dog becomes (like) a tooth, though they wag their tails (fawningly) for the sake of gaining their object.
موبه موی هر سگی دندان شده ** وز برای حیله دم جنبان شده
His (the dog's) under-half is cunning, (while) the upper (half) is anger, like a poor fire that gets faggots (fuel);
نیم زیرش حیله بالا آن غضب ** چون ضعیف آتش که یابد او حطب
Flame on flame reaches (it) from (the realm of) non-spatiality: the smoke of its blaze goes up to the sky.
شعله شعله می‌رسد از لامکان ** می‌رود دود لهب تا آسمان
In this body (of ours) a hundred such dogs are sleeping: when they have no prey (in sight), they are hidden.
صد چنین سگ اندرین تن خفته‌اند ** چون شکاری نیستشان بنهفته‌اند
Or they resemble falcons with eyes sealed (covered); (yet) in the veil (hood) consumed with passion for a prey,635
یا چو بازانند و دیده دوخته ** در حجاب از عشق صیدی سوخته
Till he (the Falconer) lifts the hood and it (the falcon) sees the prey: then it circles the mountains (in pursuit).
تا کله بردارد و بیند شکار ** آنگهان سازد طواف کوهسار
The appetite of the sick man is quiescent: his thoughts are going (are turned) towards health.
شهوت رنجور ساکن می‌بود ** خاطر او سوی صحت می‌رود
When he sees bread and apples and water-melons, his relish and his fear of injury (to himself) come into conflict.
چون ببیند نان و سیب و خربزه ** در مصاف آید مزه و خوف بزه
If he be very self-restrained, the sight (of the food) is a benefit to him: that stimulation (of appetite) is good for his enfeebled constitution;
گر بود صبار دیدن سود اوست ** آن تهیج طبع سستش را نکوست
But if he have not self-restraint, then it were better he had not seen (the food): ’tis better the arrow should be far from the man who is without a coat of mail.640
ور نباشد صبر پس نادیده به ** تیر دور اولی ز مرد بی‌زره
The answer of the peacock to his interrogator.
جواب گفتن طاوس آن سایل را
When he (the peacock) had finished weeping, he said, “Begone, for thou art in pawn (bondage) to colour and perfume.
چون ز گریه فارغ آمد گفت رو ** که تو رنگ و بوی را هستی گرو
Dost not thou perceive that on account of these feathers a hundred afflictions approach me on every side?
آن نمی‌بینی که هر سو صد بلا ** سوی من آید پی این بالها
Oh, many a pitiless fowler always lays a trap for me everywhere for the sake of these feathers.
ای بسا صیاد بی‌رحمت مدام ** بهر این پرها نهد هر سوم دام
How many an archer, for the sake of my plumage, shoots arrows at me (when I am) in the air!
چند تیرانداز بهر بالها ** تیر سوی من کشد اندر هوا
Since I have not strength and self-control (to preserve me) from this destiny and this affliction and these tribulations,645
چون ندارم زور و ضبط خویشتن ** زین قضا و زین بلا و زین فتن
’Tis better I should be ugly and hideous, that I may be safe amidst these mountains and deserts.
آن به آید که شوم زشت و کریه ** تا بوم آمن درین کهسار و تیه
These (feathers) are the weapons of my pride, O noble sir: pride brings a hundred afflictions on the proud.
این سلاح عجب من شد ای فتی ** عجب آرد معجبان را صد بلا
Explaining that accomplishments and intellectual abilities and worldly wealth are enemies to (spiritual) life, like the peacock's feathers.
بیان آنک هنرها و زیرکیها و مال دنیا هم‌چون پرهای طاوس عدو جانست
Accomplishments, then, are a destruction to the (spiritually) ignorant man, for in his pursuit of the bait he does not see the trap.
پس هنر آمد هلاکت خام را ** کز پی دانه نبیند دام را
Free-will is good for him (alone) who is master of himself in (respect of obeying the command) ‘Fear ye (God).’
اختیار آن را نکو باشد که او ** مالک خود باشد اندر اتقوا
When there is no safeguarding (of one's self) and piety, beware, put far (from thee) the instrument (that serves as a means to sin): drop free-will.650
چون نباشد حفظ و تقوی زینهار ** دور کن آلت بینداز اختیار
Those feathers are the object of my display (pride) and freewill: I will tear out the feathers, for they are in quest of my head.
جلوه‌گاه و اختیارم آن پرست ** بر کنم پر را که در قصد سرست
The self-restrained man deems his feathers to be naught, in order that his feathers may not cast him into calamity and bale.
نیست انگارد پر خود را صبور ** تا پرش در نفکند در شر و شور
Therefore his feathers are no harm to him: let him not tear them out, (for) if an arrow (of temptation) come (against him) he will present the shield (of self-restraint).
پس زیانش نیست پر گو بر مکن ** گر رسد تیری به پیش آرد مجن
But to me my beauteous feathers are an enemy, since I cannot restrain myself from making a display.
لیک بر من پر زیبا دشمنیست ** چونک از جلوه‌گری صبریم نیست
If self-restraint and safeguarding had been my guide, my (spiritual) conquest would have been increased by (the exercise of) free-will;655
گر بدی صبر و حفاظم راه‌بر ** بر فزودی ز اختیارم کر و فر
(But) in (the case of) temptations I am like a child or a drunken man: the sword is unsuitable (out of place) in my hand.
هم‌چو طفلم یا چو مست اندر فتن ** نیست لایق تیغ اندر دست من
Had I possessed an intellect and conscience (to restrain me), the sword in my hand would have been (a means of gaining) victory.
گر مرا عقلی بدی و منزجر ** تیغ اندر دست من بودی ظفر
An intellect giving light like the sun is needed to wield the sword that never misses the right direction.
عقل باید نورده چون آفتاب ** تا زند تیغی که نبود جز صواب