(He is) like a lion in the shape of a cow: behold him from afar but do not investigate him!
هم‌چو شیری در میان نقش گاو ** دور می‌بینش ولی او را مکاو
And if you investigate, take leave of the cow, (which is) the body; for that lion natured one will tear the cow to pieces.
ور بکاوی ترک گاو تن بگو ** که بدرد گاو را آن شیرخو
He will expel the bovine nature from your head, he will uproot animality from the animal (soul).930
طبع گاوی از سرت بیرون کند ** خوی حیوانی ز حیوان بر کند
(If) you are a cow, you will become a lion (when) near him; (but) if you are glad to be a cow, do not seek to be a lion.
گاو باشی شیر گردی نزد او ** گر تو با گاوی خوشی شیری مجو
Commentary on “Verily I saw seven fat kine which seven lean kine devoured.” God had created those lean kine with the qualities of hungry lions, to the end that they might devour the seven fat ones with avidity. Although (only) the forms of those kine were shown as phantoms in the mirror of dream, do thou regard the reality!
تفسیر انی اری سبع بقرات سمان یاکلهن سبع عجاف آن گاوان لاغر را خدا به صفت شیران گرسنه آفریده بود تا آن هفت گاو فربه را به اشتها می‌خوردند اگر چه آن خیالات صور گاوان در آینه‌ی خواب نمودند تو معنی بگیر
The Lord of Egypt saw in dream, when the door of his inward eye was opened,
آن عزیز مصر می‌دیدی به خواب ** چونک چشم غیب را شد فتح باب
Seven fat kine, exceedingly well-nourished: the seven lean kine devoured them.
هفت گاو فربه بس پروری ** خوردشان آن هفت گاو لاغری
The lean ones were lions within; else they would not have been devouring the (fat) kine.
در درون شیران بدند آن لاغران ** ورنه گاوان را نبودندی خوران
The man of (holy) works, then, is human in appearance, but in him is concealed a man-eating lion.935
پس بشر آمد به صورت مرد کار ** لیک در وی شیر پنهان مردخوار
He (the lion) heartily devours the (carnal) man and makes him single: his dregs become pure if he (the lion) inflict pain upon him.
مرد را خوش وا خورد فردش کند ** صاف گردد دردش ار دردش کند
By that one pain he is delivered from all dregs: he sets his foot upon Suhá.
زان یکی درد او ز جمله دردها ** وا رهد پا بر نهد او بر سها
How long wilt thou speak (caw) like the ill-omened crow? (Let me return to the parable and ask), “O Khalíl, wherefore didst thou kill the cock?”
چند گویی هم‌چو زاغ پر نحوس ** ای خلیل از بهر چه کشتی خروس
He replied, “(Because of) the (Divine) command.” “Tell (me) the wisdom of the (Divine) command, that I may glorify that (wisdom) punctiliously.”
گفت فرمان حکمت فرمان بگو ** تا مسبح گردم آن را مو به مو
Explaining that the killing of the cock by Abraham, on whom be peace, signifies the subdual and subjugation of certain blameworthy and pernicious qualities in the heart of the disciple.
بیان آنک کشتن خلیل علیه‌السلام خروس را اشارت به قمع و قهر کدام صفت بود از صفات مذمومات مهلکان در باطن مرید
He (the cock) is lustful and much addicted to lust, intoxicated by that poisonous insipid wine.940
شهوتی است او و بس شهوت‌پرست ** زان شراب زهرناک ژاژ مست
Had not it (lust) been (necessary) for the sake of procreation, O executor, Adam for shame of it would have made himself a eunuch.
گرنه بهر نسل بود ای وصی ** آدم از ننگش بکردی خود خصی
The accursed Iblís said to (God) the Dispenser of justice, “I want a powerful snare for this prey.”
گفت ابلیس لعین دادار را ** دام زفتی خواهم این اشکار را
He (God) showed to him gold and silver and herds of horses, saying, “By means of this thou canst seduce mankind.”
زر و سیم و گله‌ی اسپش نمود ** که بدین تانی خلایق را ربود
He (Iblís) cried “Bravo!” but let his lip drop sourly: he became wrinkled and sour like a lemon.
گفت شاباش و ترش آویخت لنج ** شد ترنجیده ترش هم‌چون ترنج
Then God offered to that fallen one gold and jewels from His goodly mines,945
پس زر و گوهر ز معدنهای خوش ** کرد آن پس‌مانده را حق پیش‌کش
Saying, “Take this other snare, O accursed one.” He replied, “Give more than this, O most excellent Helper.”
گیر این دام دگر را ای لعین ** گفت زین افزون ده ای نعم‌المعین
(Then) He gave him oily and sweet (viands) and costly sherbets and many silken robes.
چرب و شیرین و شرابات ثمین ** دادش و بس جامه‌ی ابریشمین
He (Iblís) said, “O Lord, I want more assistance than this, to bind them with a cord of palm-fibre.
گفت یا رب بیش ازین خواهم مدد ** تا ببندمشان به حبل من مسد
In order that Thy intoxicated (devotees), who are fierce and courageous, may manfully burst those bonds,
تا که مستانت که نر و پر دلند ** مردوار آن بندها را بسکلند
And that by means of this snare and (these) cords of sensuality Thy (holy) man may be separated from the unmanly,950
تا بدین دام و رسنهای هوا ** مرد تو گردد ز نامردان جدا
I want another snare, O Sovereign of the throne—a mighty cunning snare that will lay men low.”
دام دیگر خواهم ای سلطان تخت ** دام مردانداز و حیلت‌ساز سخت
He (God) brought and placed before him wine and harp: thereat he smiled faintly and was moderately pleased.
خمر و چنگ آورد پیش او نهاد ** نیم‌خنده زد بدان شد نیم‌شاد
He (Iblís) sent a message to the eternal Foreordainment of perdition, saying, “Raise dust from the bottom of the sea of temptation.
سوی اضلال ازل پیغام کرد ** که بر آر از قعر بحر فتنه گرد
Is not Moses one of Thy servants? He tied veils of dust on the sea.
نی یکی از بندگانت موسی است ** پرده‌ها در بحر او از گرد بست
The water retreated on every side: from the bottom of the sea a (cloud of) dust shot up.”955
آب از هر سو عنان را واکشید ** از تگ دریا غباری برجهید
When He (God) showed unto him (Iblís) the beauty of women that was prevailing over the reason and self-restraint of men,
چونک خوبی زنان فا او نمود ** که ز عقل و صبر مردان می‌فزود
Then he snapped his fingers (in glee) and began to dance, crying, “Give me (these) as quickly as possible: I have attained to my desire.”
پس زد انگشتک به رقص اندر فتاد ** که بده زوتر رسیدم در مراد
When he saw those languorous eyes which make the reason and understanding unquiet,
چون بدید آن چشمهای پرخمار ** که کند عقل و خرد را بی‌قرار
And the loveliness of that fascinating cheek on which this heart (of man) burns like rue-seed (on the fire),
وآن صفای عارض آن دلبران ** که بسوزد چون سپند این دل بر آن
Face and mole and eyebrow and lip like cornelian, ’twas as though God shone forth through a subtile veil.960
رو و خال و ابرو و لب چون عقیق ** گوییا حق تافت از پرده‌ی رقیق
He (Iblís) deemed that coquetry and light springing gait to be like the revelation of Divine glory through a thin veil.
دید او آن غنج و برجست سبک ** چون تجلی حق از پرده‌ی تنک
Commentary on “We created Man in the best (physical and mental) proportion, then We reduced him to the lowest of the low”; and on “And to whomsoever We grant long life, We cause him to relapse in constitution.”
تفسیر خلقنا الانسان فی احسن تقویم ثم رددناه اسفل سافلین و تفسیر و من نعمره ننکسه فی الخلق
The beauty personified in Adam, to which the angels bow down, is afterwards deposed (from its former perfection), like Adam (when he fell from Paradise).
آدم حسن و ملک ساجد شده ** هم‌چو آدم باز معزول آمده
It cries, “Alas, after existence non-existence!” He (God) says, “Thy crime is this, that thou hast lived too long.”
گفت آوه بعد هستی نیستی ** گفت جرمت این که افزون زیستی
Gabriel, dragging it by the hair, leads it away, saying, "Begone from this Paradise and from the company of the fair ones."
جبرئیلش می‌کشاند مو کشان ** که برو زین خلد و از جوق خوشان
It says, “What is (the meaning of) this abasement after exaltation?” He (Gabriel) replies, “That (exaltation) is a gift (of God), and this (abasement) is (His) judgement on thee.”965
گفت بعد از عز این اذلال چیست ** گفت آن دادست و اینت داوریست
(It cries), “O Gabriel, thou didst (formerly) bow down (to me) with (all) thy soul: why art thou now driving me from Paradise?
جبرئیلا سجده می‌کردی به جان ** چون کنون می‌رانیم تو از جنان
My robes are flying from me in (this hour of) tribulation, like leaves from the date-palm in the season of autumn.”
حله می‌پرد ز من در امتحان ** هم‌چو برگ از نخ در فصل خزان
The countenance whose splendour was moon-like becomes with old age like the back of the Libyan lizard;
آن رخی که تاب او بد ماه‌وار ** شد به پیری هم‌چو پشت سوسمار
And the fair head and crown (of the head) that once were radiant become ugly and bald at the time of eld;
وان سر و فرق گش شعشع شده ** وقت پیری ناخوش و اصلع شده
And the tall proud figure, piercing the ranks like a spear-point, in old age is bent double like a bow.970
وان قد صف در نازان چون سنان ** گشته در پیری دو تا هم‌چون کمان
The colour of red anemone becomes the colour of saffron; his lion-like strength becomes as the courage of women.
رنگ لاله گشته رنگ زعفران ** زور شیرش گشته چون زهره‌ی زنان
He that used to grip a man in his arms by skill (in wrestling), (now) they take hold of his arms (to support him) at the time of departure.
آنک مردی در بغل کردی به فن ** می‌بگیرندش بغل وقت شدن
Truly these are marks of pain and decay: every one of them is a messenger of death.
این خود آثار غم و پژمردگیست ** هر یکی زینها رسول مردگیست
Commentary on “The lowest of the low, except those who have believed and wrought good works; for they shall have a reward that is not cut off.”
تفسیر اسفل سافلین الا الذین آمنوا و عملوا الصالحات فلهم اجر غیر مومنون
But if his physician be the Light of God, there is no loss or crushing blow (that he will suffer) from old age and fever.
لیک گر باشد طبیبش نور حق ** نیست از پیری و تب نقصان و دق
His weakness is like the weakness of the intoxicated, for in his weakness he is the envy of a Rustam.975
سستی او هست چون سستی مست ** که اندر آن سستیش رشک رستمست
If he die, his bones are drowned in (spiritual) savour; every mote of him is (floating) in the beams of the light of love-desire.
گر بمیرد استخوانش غرق ذوق ** ذره ذره‌ش در شعاع نور شوق
And he who hath not that (Light) is an orchard without fruit, which the autumn brings to ruin.
وآنک آنش نیست باغ بی‌ثمر ** که خزانش می‌کند زیر و زبر