Would you like one dirhem to-day, my king, or three dirhems at breakfast-time to-morrow?”2715
یک درم خواهی تو امروز ای شهم ** یا که فردا چاشتگاهی سه درم
He replied, “I am more pleased with (the possession of) half a dirhem yesterday than with (the promise of) this (one dirhem) to-day and a hundred dirhems to-morrow.”
گفت دی نیم درم راضی‌ترم ** زانک امروز این و فردا صد درم
(The mouse said), “A slap (given) in cash (immediately) is better than a donation (paid) on credit (hereafter): lo, I put the nape of my neck before thee: give (me) the cash!
سیلی نقد از عطاء نسیه به ** نک قفا پیشت کشیدم نقد ده
Especially as the slap is from thy hand, for both the nape and the slap inflicted on it are intoxicated (enraptured) with thee.
خاصه آن سیلی که از دست توست ** که قفا و سیلیش مست توست
Hark, come, O soul of my soul and (O thou who art the soul) of a hundred worlds, gladly take the opportunity of (seizing) the cash of this (present) moment.
هین بیا ای جان جان و صد جهان ** خوش غنیمت دار نقد این زمان
Do not stealthily remove thy moon-like face from the night-travellers, do not withdraw thyself from this river-bed, O flowing water,2720
در مدزد آن روی مه از شب روان ** سرمکش زین جوی ای آب روان
(But flow) in order that the river-bank may laugh (may be made to blossom) by the running water, and that jasmines may rear their heads on each brim of the river.”
تا لب جو خندد از آب معین ** لب لب جو سر برآرد یاسمین
When you see that verdure is fresh on the river-brim, then (you may) know (even) from afar that water is there.
چون ببینی بر لب جو سبزه مست ** پس بدان از دور که آنجا آب هست
The Maker hath said, “Their mark is (on) their faces,” for the verdant orchard tells a tale of rain.
گفت سیماهم وجوه کردگار ** که بود غماز باران سبزه‌زار
If it rains during the night, no one sees (the rain), for (then) every soul and breath is asleep;
گر ببارد شب نبیند هیچ کس ** که بود در خواب هر نفس و نفس
(But) the freshness of every beauteous rose-garden is (clear) evidence of the rain (that was) hidden (from view).2725
تازگی هر گلستان جمیل ** هست بر باران پنهانی دلیل
(The mouse said), “O comrade, I am of the earth, thou art of the water; but thou art the king of mercy and munificence.
ای اخی من خاکیم تو آبیی ** لیک شاه رحمت و وهابیی
By way of (conferring) bounty and dispensing (favour) so act that I may attain to (the privilege of) serving thee early and late.
آن‌چنان کن از عطا و از قسم ** که گه و بی‌گه به خدمت می‌رسم
I am always calling thee on the river-bank with (all) my soul, (but) I never experience the mercy of response.
بر لب جو من به جان می‌خوانمت ** می‌نبینم از اجابت مرحمت
Entrance into the water is barred against me because my (bodily) frame has grown from a piece of earth.
آمدن در آب بر من بسته شد ** زانک ترکیبم ز خاکی رسته شد
Use the aid either of a messenger or a token to make thee aware of my (piteous) cry.”2730
یا رسولی یا نشانی کن مدد ** تا ترا از بانگ من آگه کند
The two friends debated on this (matter): at the close of the debate it was settled
بحث کردند اندرین کار آن دو یار ** آخر آن بحث آن آمد قرار
That they should procure a long string, in order that by pulling the string the secret should be revealed.
که به دست آرند یک رشته‌ی دراز ** تا ز جذب رشته گردد کشف راز
(The mouse said), “One end must be tied to the foot of this slave (who is bent) double, and the other (end) to thy foot,
یک سری بر پای این بنده‌ی دوتو ** بست باید دیگرش بر پای تو
That by this device we two persons may come together and mingle as the soul with the body.”
تا به هم آییم زین فن ما دو تن ** اندر آمیزیم چون جان با بدن
The body is like a string (tied) on the foot of the soul, drawing it (down) from Heaven to earth.2735
هست تن چون ریسمان بر پای جان ** می‌کشاند بر زمینش ز آسمان
When the frog-like soul escapes from the mouse-like body into the water, (which is) the sleep of unconsciousness, it enters into a happy state;
چغز جان در آب خواب بیهشی ** رسته از موش تن آید در خوشی
(But) the mouse-like body pulls it back with that string: how much bitterness does the soul taste from this pulling!
موش تن زان ریسمان بازش کشد ** چند تلخی زین کشش جان می‌چشد
Were it not for the pulling of the scatter-brained mouse, the frog would have enjoyed himself in the water.
You will hear the rest of it from the light-giving (illumination) of the Sun when you rise from slumber on the Day (of Resurrection).
باقیش چون روز برخیزی ز خواب ** بشنوی از نوربخش آفتاب
(The mouse said), “Knot one end of the string on my foot and the other end on thine,2740
یک سر رشته گره بر پای من ** زان سر دیگر تو پا بر عقده زن
That I may be able to pull thee to this dry land: lo, the end of the string (the object of my plan) is (now) clear (to thee).”
تا توانم من درین خشکی کشید ** مر ترا نک شد سر رشته پدید
This news (proposal) was disagreeable to the heart of the frog, (who thought to himself), “This wicked fellow will bring me into a tangle.”
تلخ آمد بر دل چغز این حدیث ** که مرا در عقده آرد این خبیث
Whenever a feeling of repugnance comes into the heart of a good man, ’tis not devoid of some significance.
هر کراهت در دل مرد بهی ** چون در آید از فنی نبود تهی
Deem that (intuitive) sagacity to be a Divine attribute, not a (vain) suspicion: the light of the heart has apprehended (by intuitive perception) from the Universal Tablet.
وصف حق دان آن فراست را نه وهم ** نور دل از لوح کل کردست فهم
(For example) the refusal of the Elephant to march against the House (of Allah) notwithstanding the driver's efforts and cries of “Come on!”2745
امتناع پیل از سیران ببیت ** با جد آن پیلبان و بانگ هیت
In spite of all blows the Elephant's feet would not move, either much or little, towards the Ka‘ba.
جانب کعبه نرفتی پای پیل ** با همه لت نه کثیر و نه قلیل
You would have said that its legs were paralysed or that its impetuous spirit was dead.
گفتیی خود خشک شد پاهای او ** یا بمرد آن جان صول‌افزای او
(But) whenever they turned its head towards Yemen, the fierce Elephant would begin to stride (forward) with the speed of a hundred horses.
چونک کردندی سرش سوی یمن ** پیل نر صد اسپه گشتی گام‌زن
(Since) the Elephant's perception was aware of the blow (coming) from the Unseen, how (much more) must the perception of the saint (endowed) with (the Divine) afflatus be (aware)!
حس پیل از زخم غیب آگاه بود ** چون بود حس ولی با ورود
Is it not (the case) that the prophet Jacob, that man of holy nature, (said) for Joseph's sake to all his (Joseph's) brethren—2750
نه که یعقوب نبی آن پاک‌خو ** بهر یوسف با همه اخوان او
When the brothers begged their father to give him to them, that they might take him to the country for a while,
از پدر چون خواستندش دادران ** تا برندش سوی صحرا یک زمان
(And) they all said to him, “Do not be afraid of harm (befalling him): give him one or two days' time, O father;
جمله گفتندش میندیش از ضرر ** یک دو روزش مهلتی ده ای پدر
For why wilt not thou entrust thy Joseph to us in going about and travelling (for pleasure),
که چرا ما را نمی داری امین ** یوسف خود را به سیران و ظعین
That we may play together in the meadows? In (making) this request we are trustworthy and beneficent”—
تا به هم در مرجها بازی کنیم ** ما درین دعوت امین و محسنیم
Did not he (Jacob) say (to them), “I know this, that (the thought of) his being removed from me is kindling grief and sickness in my heart;2755
گفت این دانم که نقلش از برم ** می‌فروزد در دلم درد و سقم
This heart of mine never lies, for my heart is illumined by the light of the highest heaven”?
این دلم هرگز نمی‌گوید دروغ ** که ز نور عرش دارد دل فروغ
That (foreboding) was a decisive proof of (their) wickedness, but by (Divine) destiny he took no account (of it).
آن دلیل قاطعی بد بر فساد ** وز قضا آن را نکرد او اعتداد
An intimation like that passed away from him (from his mind), because Destiny was at that moment (engaged) in (putting into operation the Divine) philosophy.
در گذشت از وی نشانی آن‌چنان ** که قضا در فلسفه بود آن زمان
’Tis no wonder that a blind man should fall into a pit, (but) the falling of one who can see the way is beyond all wonder.
این عجب نبود که کور افتد به چاه ** بوالعجب افتادن بینای راه
This Destiny employs diverse shifts: its eye-binding spell is God doeth what He pleaseth.2760
این قضا را گونه گون تصریفهاست ** چشم‌بندش یفعل‌الله ما یشاست
The heart knows and yet knows not its (Destiny's) artfulness: its (hard) iron becomes (soft) as wax for the seal.
هم بداند هم نداند دل فنش ** موم گردد بهر آن مهر آهنش
’Tis as though the heart should say (to itself), “Since its (Destiny's) inclination is turned to (bringing) this (to pass), whatever may happen, let it come!”
گوییی دل گویدی که میل او ** چون درین شد هرچه افتد باش گو
Accordingly it makes itself heedless of this (happening) and binds its soul fast in the shackle thereof.
خویش را زین هم مغفل می‌کند ** در عقالش جان معقل می‌کند
If that exalted one (the prophet or saint) is checkmated (worsted) in this (matter), ’tis not (really) checkmate, ’tis tribulation.
گر شود مات اندرین آن بوالعلا ** آن نباشد مات باشد ابتلا