What loss was thine (what loss didst thou suffer) from those deaths, that thou hast clung (so tenaciously) to (this earthly) life, O rat?
زان فناها چه زیان بودت که تا ** بر بقا چفسیده‌ای ای نافقا
Since thy second (life) is better than thy first, therefore seek to die (to the world), and worship the Transmuter.
چون دوم از اولینت بهترست ** پس فنا جو و مبدل را پرست
O contumacious man, thou hast experienced a hundred thousand resurrections at every moment from the beginning of thy existence until now:
صد هزاران حشر دیدی ای عنود ** تاکنون هر لحظه از بدو وجود
From inanimateness (thou didst move) unconsciously towards (vegetal) growth, and from (vegetal) growth towards (animal) life and tribulation;800
از جماد بی‌خبر سوی نما ** وز نما سوی حیات و ابتلا
Again, towards reason and goodly discernments; again, towards (what lies) outside of these five (senses) and six (directions).
باز سوی عقل و تمییزات خوش ** باز سوی خارج این پنج و شش
These footprints are (extend) as far as the shore of the Ocean; then the footprints disappear in the Ocean;
تا لب بحر این نشان پایهاست ** پس نشان پا درون بحر لاست
Because, from (Divine) precaution, the resting-places (appointed for the traveller) on the dry land are (like) villages and dwellings and caravanserays,
زانک منزلهای خشکی ز احتیاط ** هست دهها و وطنها و رباط
(While) on the contrary the resting-places of the Ocean, when its billows swell, have no floor or roof (to shelter the traveller) during (his) stay and detention.
باز منزلهای دریا در وقوف ** وقت موج و حبس بی‌عرصه و سقوف
These (Oceanic) stages have no visible beacon: these resting-places have neither sign nor name.805
نیست پیدا آن مراحل را سنام ** نه نشانست آن منازل را نه نام
Between every two resting-places Yonder there is (a distance) a hundred times as much as from the vegetal state to the Essential Spirit.
هست صد چندان میان منزلین ** آن طرف که از نما تا روح عین
Thou hast seen this life (to be implicit) in (previous) deaths: how, (then), art thou (so) attached to the life of the body?
در فناها این بقاها دیده‌ای ** بر بقای جسم چون چفسیده‌ای
Come, O crow, give up this (animal) soul! Be a falcon, be self-sacrificing in the presence of the Divine transmutation.
هین بده ای زاغ این جان باز باش ** پیش تبدیل خدا جانباز باش
Take the new and surrender the old, for every “this year” of thine is superior to three “last years.”
تازه می‌گیر و کهن را می‌سپار ** که هر امسالت فزونست از سه پار
If thou wilt not be lavish (of thyself) like the date-palm, (then) pile old rags on old rags and make a heap,810
گر نباشی نخل‌وار ایثار کن ** کهنه بر کهنه نه و انبار کن
And offer the stinking and rotten old rags to every blind man.
کهنه و گندیده و پوسیده را ** تحفه می‌بر بهر هر نادیده را
He that hath seen the new is not thy customer: he is God's prey, he is not thy captive.
آنک نو دید او خریدار تو نیست ** صید حقست او گرفتار تو نیست
(But) wherever is a flock of blind birds, they will gather around thee, O brackish flood-water,
هر کجا باشند جوق مرغ کور ** بر تو جمع آیند ای سیلاب شور
That (their) blindness may be increased by (thy) brackish waters; for brackish water increases blindness.
تا فزاید کوری از شورابها ** زانک آب شور افزاید عمی
Hence the worldly are blind of heart: they are drinkers of the brackish water of clay.815
اهل دنیا زان سبب اعمی‌دل‌اند ** شارب شورابه‌ی آب و گل‌اند
Continue to give brackish water and buy (the favour of) the blind in the world, since thou hast not the Water of Life within thee.
شور می‌ده کور می‌خر در جهان ** چون نداری آب حیوان در نهان
In such a (despicable) state (as has been described) thou wouldst fain live and be remembered: in blackness of face (shame and opprobrium), like a negro, thou art rejoicing.
با چنین حالت بقا خواهی و یاد ** هم‌چو زنگی در سیه‌رویی تو شاد
The negro in (his) blackness is pleased (with himself), for he has (always) been a negro by birth and nature;
در سیاهی زنگی زان آسوده است ** کو ز زاد و اصل زنگی بوده است
(But) he that (even) for a day is beloved and beautiful, if he become black, will seek to repair (the misfortune).
آنک روزی شاهد و خوش‌رو بود ** گر سیه‌گردد تدارک‌جو بود
When the bird that can fly remains (helpless) on the earth, it is in anguish and grief and lamentation;820
مرغ پرنده چو ماند در زمین ** باشد اندر غصه و درد و حنین
(But) the domestic fowl walks complacently on the earth: it runs about picking grain and happy and bold,
مرغ خانه بر زمین خوش می‌رود ** دانه‌چین و شاد و شاطر می‌دود
Because by nature it was (always) without (the power of) flight, while the other (bird) was (naturally) a flier and open-winged.
زآنک او از اصل بی‌پرواز بود ** وآن دگر پرنده و پرواز بود
The Prophet, on whom be peace, said, “Pity three (classes of men): the mighty man of a people who is abased, and the rich man of a people who is impoverished, and a learned man whom the ignorant make sport of.”
قال النبی علیه‌السلام ارحموا ثلاثا عزیز قوم ذل و غنی قوم افتقر و عالما یلعب به الجهال
The Prophet said, “Take pity on the soul of him who was rich and then became poor,
گفت پیغامبر که رحم آرید بر ** جان من کان غنیا فافتقر
And on him who was mighty and became despised, or on one (who is) virtuous and learned (dwelling) amongst the (people of) Mudar.”
والذی کان عزیزا فاحتقر ** او صفیا عالما بین المضر
The Prophet said, “Show pity to these three classes (of men), (even) if ye are of (the hardness of) rock and mountain:825
گفت پیغامبر که با این سه گروه ** رحم آرید ار ز سنگید و ز کوه
(Namely), him who was made lowly after having been a chief, and the rich man, too, who became impecunious,
آنک او بعد از رئیسی خوار شد ** وآن توانگر هم که بی‌دینار شد
And, thirdly, the learned man who in this world becomes afflicted (by living amongst) the foolish;
وآن سوم آن عالمی که اندر جهان ** مبتلی گردد میان ابلهان
For to come (fall) from high to low estate is like the amputation of a limb from the body.”
زانک از عزت به خواری آمدن ** هم‌چو قطع عضو باشد از بدن
The limb that is cut off from the body becomes dead: (when) newly cut off, it moves, but not for long.
عضو گردد مرده کز تن وا برید ** نو بریده جنبد اما نی مدید
(Similarly) he who drank of the cup of Alast last year, this year he suffers the pain and headache (in consequence of having drunk),830
هر که از جام الست او خورد پار ** هستش امسال آفت رنج و خمار
While he who, like a dog, is by nature attached to the kennel —how should he have the desire for (spiritual) sovereignty?
وآنک چون سگ ز اصل کهدانی بود ** کی مرورا حرص سلطانی بود
(Only) he that has sinned seeks to repent; (only) he that has lost the (right) way cries “Alas!”
توبه او جوید که کردست او گناه ** آه او گوید که گم کردست راه
Story of the young gazelle being confined in the donkey-stable, and how the donkey assailed the stranger, now with hostility and now with mockery, and how it was afflicted by (having to eat) dry straw which is not its (proper) food. And this is a description of the chosen servant of God amongst worldlings and those addicted to passion and sensuality; for “Islam (was) strange (when it first) appeared, and will become strange again, and blessed are the strangers.” The Messenger of Allah spake the truth.
قصه‌ی محبوس شدن آن آهوبچه در آخر خران و طعنه‌ی آن خران ببر آن غریب گاه به جنگ و گاه به تسخر و مبتلی گشتن او به کاه خشک کی غذای او نیست و این صفت بنده‌ی خاص خداست میان اهل دنیا و اهل هوا و شهوت کی الاسلام بدا غریبا و سیعود غریبا فطوبی للغرباء صدق رسول الله
A hunter captured a gazelle: the merciless man put it into a stable.
آهوی را کرد صیادی شکار ** اندر آخر کردش آن بی‌زینهار
(Acting) like oppressors, he made a stable full of cows and donkeys the prison of the gazelle.
آخری را پر ز گاوان و خران ** حبس آهو کرد چون استمگران
The gazelle, wild with terror, was fleeing in every direction: at night he (the hunter) poured (pieces of chopped) straw before the donkeys.835
آهو از وحشت به هر سو می‌گریخت ** او به پیش آن خران شب کاه ریخت
(Moved) by hunger and (ravenous) appetite, every cow and donkey was devouring the straw, (as though it were) sweeter than sugar.
از مجاعت و اشتها هر گاو و خر ** کاه را می‌خورد خوشتر از شکر
Now the gazelle would run in fright from side to side, now it would turn its face away from the smoke and dust of the straw.
گاه آهو می‌رمید از سو به سو ** گه ز دود و گرد که می‌تافت رو
Whosoever is left (in company) with his opposite, they (who are wise) have deemed that punishment (terrible) as death,
هرکرا با ضد خود بگذاشتند ** آن عقوبت را چو مرگ انگاشتند
So that Solomon said, “Unless the hoopoe make a respectable excuse for his absence,
تا سلیمان گفت که آن هدهد اگر ** هجر را عذری نگوید معتبر
I will kill him or inflict upon him a torment, a torment severe beyond (all) calculation.”840
بکشمش یا خود دهم او را عذاب ** یک عذاب سخت بیرون از حساب
Hark, what is that torment, O trusted (friend)? To be in a cage without thy congener.
هان کدامست آن عذاب این معتمد ** در قفص بودن به غیر جنس خود
O Man, thou art in torment on account of this body: the bird, thy spirit, is imprisoned with one of another kind.
زین بدن اندر عذابی ای بشر ** مرغ روحت بسته با جنسی دگر
The spirit is a falcon, and the (bodily) properties are crows: it has (receives) painful brands from the crows and owls.
روح بازست و طبایع زاغها ** دارد از زاغان و چغدان داغها
It remains amongst them in sore misery, like an Abú Bakr in the city of Sabzawár.
او بمانده در میانشان زارزار ** هم‌چو بوبکری به شهر سبزوار
Story of Mohammed Khwárizmsháh who took by war (force) the city of Sabzawár, where all (the inhabitants) are Ráfizís (extreme Shí‘ites). (When) they begged him to spare their lives, he said, “I will grant (you) security as soon as ye produce from this city a man named Abú Bakr and present him to me.”
حکایت محمد خوارزمشاه کی شهر سبزوار کی همه رافضی باشند به جنگ بگرفت اما جان خواستند گفت آنگه امان دهم کی ازین شهر پیش من به هدیه ابوبکر نامی بیارید
Mohammed Alp Ulugh Khwárizmsháh marched to battle against Sabzawár, (the city) full of refuge (for the wicked).845
شد محمد الپ الغ خوارزمشاه ** در قتال سبزوار پر پناه
His troops reduced them (the inhabitants) to straits; his army fell to killing the foe.