(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
A single tribulation redeems him from a hundred tribulations, a single fall takes him (high) up on the ladders (of spiritual ascent).2765
یک بلا از صد بلااش وا خرد ** یک هبوطش بر معارجها برد
The half-baked saucy fellow, whom the wine (of Love) has relieved from the surfeit of intoxication with a hundred thousand wicked half-baked (persons like himself),
خام شوخی که رهانیدش مدام ** از خمار صد هزاران زشت خام
Finally becomes mature and adept: he escapes from enslavement to this world and is made free.
عاقبت او پخته و استاد شد ** جست از رق جهان و آزاد شد
He is made drunken with the everlasting wine, he becomes (spiritually) discerning, and is delivered from created beings,
از شراب لایزالی گشت مست ** شد ممیز از خلایق باز رست
From their weak conventional faith and from the illusions of their unseeing eyes.
ز اعتقاد سست پر تقلیدشان ** وز خیال دیده‌ی بی‌دیدشان
Oh, what device can their mental perception employ, I wonder, against the ebb and flow of the trackless Sea?2770
ای عجب چه فن زند ادراکشان ** پیش جزر و مد بحر بی‌نشان
From that Desert came (all) these signs of cultivation and prosperity; (thence) came (all) empires and kingships and vizierates.
زان بیابان این عمارت‌ها رسید ** ملک و شاهی و وزارتها رسید
Yearning with desire they (phenomenal ideas) come in troops from the Desert of Non-existence into the visible (material) world.
Caravan on caravan, they arrive from this Desert every evening and morning.
کاروان بر کاروان زین بادیه ** می‌رسد در هر مسا و غادیه
They come and seize our houses in distraint, (each one) saying, “I have arrived, ’tis my turn, do thou begone!”
آید و گیرد وثاق ما گرو ** که رسیدم نوبت ما شد تو رو
When the son has opened the eye of reason (attained to years of discretion), the father at once puts his (own) baggage in the cart.2775
چون پسر چشم خرد را بر گشاد ** زود بابا رخت بر گردون نهاد
’Tis (like) the King's highway—(travellers) departing and arriving, one going in this direction, another in that direction.
جاده‌ی شاهست آن زین سو روان ** وآن از آن سو صادران و واردان
Consider well! We, (though apparently) sitting still, are (really) marching: don't you see that we are bound for a new place (of abode)?
نیک بنگر ما نشسته می‌رویم ** می‌نبینی قاصد جای نویم
You do not get (and spend) your capital for any present need; nay, but (you keep it) for your ultimate purposes.
بهر حالی می‌نگیری راس مال ** بلک از بهر غرض‌ها در مل
The traveller, then, O devotee of the Way, is he whose march and face are towards the future,
پس مسافر این بود ای ره‌پرست ** که مسیر و روش در مستقبلست
Even as the troops of Phantasy are at every moment arriving (and passing) unweariedly through the curtains of the heart.2780
هم‌چنانک از پرده‌ی دل بی‌کلال ** دم به دم در می‌رسد خیل خیال
If (these) ideas are not (sprung) from one (and the same) Plantation, how are they coming to the heart on each other's heels?
گر نه تصویرات از یک مغرس‌اند ** در پی هم سوی دل چون می‌رسند
Company after company, the army of our ideas, (impelled) by thirst, is speeding towards the fountain of the heart.
جوق جوق اسپاه تصویرات ما ** سوی چشمه‌ی دل شتابان از ظما
They fill their jars and go: they are continually appearing and vanishing.
جره‌ها پر می‌کنند و می‌روند ** دایما پیدا و پنهان می‌شوند
Regard (your) thoughts as stars of the sky (which are) revolving in the sphere of another heaven.
فکرها را اختران چرخ دان ** دایر اندر چرخ دیگر آسمان
(If) you have experienced good fortune (spiritual thoughts), give thanks (to God) and do works of charity; (if) you have experienced bad fortune (sensual thoughts), give alms and ask pardon (of God).2785
سعد دیدی شکر کن ایثار کن ** نحس دیدی صدقه و استغفار کن
Who am I in relation to this? Come, O my King, make my ruling star auspicious and wheel once (towards me).
ما کییم این را بیا ای شاه من ** طالعم مقبل کن و چرخی بزن
Illumine my spirit with moonbeams, for my soul is blackened (eclipsed) by contact with the (Dragon's) Tail.
روح را تابان کن از انوار ماه ** که ز آسیب ذنب جان شد سیاه
Deliver it from fancy and vain imagination and opinion, deliver it from the well and the tyranny of the rope,
از خیال و وهم و ظن بازش رهان ** از چه و جور رسن بازش رهان
In order that through Thy goodly lovingkindness a heart (such as mine) may lift its wings and soar up from a (body of) water and earth.
تا ز دلداری خوب تو دلی ** پر بر آرد بر پرد ز آب و گلی