Hark, you must not disdain them that have a bad name: you must set your mind on their inward parts (spiritual qualities).
هین ز بدنامان نباید ننگ داشت ** هوش بر اسرارشان باید گماشت
Whoever has once got a bad name must not seek (to win) a (good) name and (thereby) become half-baked.2920
هر که او یک‌بار خود بدنام شد ** خود نباید نام جست و خام شد
Oh, many a (piece of) gold is made (like) black polished iron in order that it may be saved from pillage and calamity.
ای بسا زر که سیه‌تابش کنند ** تا شود آمن ز تاراج و گزند
Story of the sea-cow: how it brings up the royal pearl from the depths of the ocean and at night lays it on the seashore and feeds in the resplendence and lustre thereof; and how the trader comes forth from his hiding-place and, when the cow has gone some distance away from the pearl, covers the pearl with loam and black clay and runs off and climbs a tree; and so on to the end of the story and exposition.
قصه‌ی آنک گاو بحری گوهر کاویان از قعر دریا بر آورد شب بر ساحل دریا نهد در درخش و تاب آن می‌چرد بازرگان از کمین برون آید چون گاو از گوهر دورتر رفته باشد بازرگان به لجم و گل تیره گوهر را بپوشاند و بر درخت گریزد الی آخر القصه و التقریب
The water-cow fetches a pearl out of the sea, lays it on the meadow, and grazes around it.
گاو آبی گوهر از بحر آورد ** بنهد اندر مرج و گردش می‌چرد
In the radiance of the light of the pearl the water-cow feeds hurriedly on hyacinths and lilies.
در شعاع نور گوهر گاو آب ** می‌چرد از سنبل و سوسن شتاب
The excrement of the water-cow is ambergris because its food is narcissus and nenuphar.
زان فکنده‌ی گاو آبی عنبرست ** که غذااش نرگس و نیلوفرست
Any one whose food is the Light of (Divine) Majesty, how should not lawful magic (wondrous eloquence) spring from his lips?2925
هرکه باشد قوت او نور جلال ** چون نزاید از لبش سحر حلال
Any one who, like the bee, has been given (Divine) inspiration as a prize, how should not his house be full of honey?
هرکه چون زنبور وحیستش نفل ** چون نباشد خانه‌ی او پر عسل
The cow grazes in the light of the pearl; (then) suddenly it moves some distance away from the pearl.
می‌چرد در نور گوهر آن بقر ** ناگهان گردد ز گوهر دورتر
A trader (appears and) puts black loam on the pearl, so that the meadow and verdant ground becomes dark.
تاجری بر در نهد لجم سیاه ** تا شود تاریک مرج و سبزه‌گاه
Then the trader takes refuge on a tree, while the cow seeks the man with its hard horn.
پس گریزد مرد تاجر بر درخت ** گاوجویان مرد را با شاخ سخت
Twenty times the cow runs about the meadow, in order to impale its enemy on its horn.2930
بیست بار آن گاو تازد گرد مرج ** تا کند آن خصم را در شاخ درج
When the fierce cow despairs of (finding) him, it comes to the place where the pearl was laid
چون ازو نومید گردد گاو نر ** آید آنجا که نهاده بد گهر
And sees the loam (spread) over the royal pearl; then it runs away from the clay, like Iblís.
لجم بیند فوق در شاه‌وار ** پس ز طین بگریزد او ابلیس‌وار
(Since) Iblís is blind and deaf to the gist (spiritual content) of the clay (of Adam), how should the cow know that the pearl is in the clay?
کان بلیس از متن طین کور و کرست ** گاو کی داند که در گل گوهرست
(The Divine command) fall ye cast the spirit into abasement: this menstruation excluded it from prayer (communion with God).
اهبطوا افکند جان را در حضیض ** از نمازش کرد محروم این محیض
O comrades, beware of this resting-place and of that (idle) talk: verily, sensuality is the menstruation of men.2935
ای رفیقان زین مقیل و زان مقال ** اتقوا ان الهوی حیض الرجال
(The Divine command) fall ye cast the spirit into the body, that the pearl of Aden might be hidden in clay.
اهبطوا افکند جان را در بدن ** تا به گل پنهان بود در عدن
The trader knows it, but the cow does not: the spiritual know, but not any clay-digger.
تاجرش داند ولیکن گاو نی ** اهل دل دانند و هر گل‌کاو نی
Every piece of clay in the heart of which there is a pearl—its pearl can tell the secrets of another (piece of) clay;
هر گلی که اندر دل او گوهریست ** گوهرش غماز طین دیگریست
While the clay that has not been illumined by God's sprinkling (of light) cannot bear the companionship of the pieces of clay that are filled with pearls.
وان گلی کز رش حق نوری نیافت ** صحبت گلهای پر در بر نتافت
This topic is endless, (and meanwhile) our mouse on the bank of the river is (waiting) on our ear (attention).2940
این سخن پایان ندارد موش ما ** هست بر لبهای جو بر گوش ما
Return to the Story of the mouse seeking the frog on the river-bank and pulling the string in order that the frog in the water might become aware of his seeking him.
رجوع کردن به قصه‌ی طلب کردن آن موش آن چغز را لب‌لب جو و کشیدن سر رشته تا چغز را در آب خبر شود از طلب او
That (creature) moulded of love is pulling the string in hope of being united with the righteous frog.
آن سرشته‌ی عشق رشته می‌کشد ** بر امید وصل چغز با رشد
He is perpetually harping on the heart-string, saying, “I have got the end of the string in my paw.
می‌تند بر رشته‌ی دل دم به دم ** که سر رشته به دست آورده‌ام
My heart and soul have become as (frail as) a thread in contemplation, ever since the end of the string (the prospect of success) showed itself to me.”
هم‌چو تاری شد دل و جان در شهود ** تا سر رشته به من رویی نمود
But suddenly the raven of separation came to chase the mouse and carried it off from that spot.
خود غراب البین آمد ناگهان ** بر شکار موش و بردش زان مکان
When the mouse was taken up into the air by the raven, the frog too was dragged from the bottom of the water.2945
چون بر آمد بر هوا موش از غراب ** منسحب شد چغز نیز از قعر آب
The mouse (was) in the raven's beak, and the frog likewise (was) suspended in the air, (with) its foot (entangled) in the string.
موش در منقار زاغ و چغز هم ** در هوا آویخته پا در رتم
The people were saying, “How could the raven make the water-frog its prey by craft and cunning?
خلق می‌گفتند زاغ از مکر و کید ** چغز آبی را چگونه کرد صید
How could it go into the water, and how could it carry him off? When was the water-frog (ever) the raven's prey?”
چون شد اندر آب و چونش در ربود ** چغز آبی کی شکار زاغ بود
“This,” said the frog, “is the fit punishment for that one who, like persons devoid of honour, consorts with a rascal.”
چغز گفتا این سزای آن کسی ** کو چو بی‌آبان شود جفت خسی
Oh, alas, alas for the sorrow caused by a base friend! O sirs, seek ye a good companion.2950
ای فغان از یار ناجنس ای فغان ** هم‌نشین نیک جویید ای مهان
Reason complains bitterly of the vicious carnal soul: (they are as discordant) as an ugly nose on a beautiful face.
عقل را افغان ز نفس پر عیوب ** هم‌چو بینی بدی بر روی خوب
Reason was saying to him (the frog), “’Tis certain that congeniality is spiritual in origin and is not (derived) from water and clay (the outward form).”
عقل می‌گفتش که جنسیت یقین ** از ره معنیست نی از آب و طین
Take heed, do not become a worshipper of form and do not say this. Do not seek (to discover) the secret of congeniality in the (outward) form.
هین مشو صورت‌پرست و این مگو ** سر جنسیت به صورت در مجو
Form resembles the mineral and the stone: an inorganic thing has no knowledge of congeniality.
صورت آمد چون جماد و چون حجر ** نیست جامد را ز جنسیت خبر
The spirit is like an ant, and the body like a grain of wheat which it (the ant) carries to and fro continually.2955
جان چو مور و تن چو دانه‌ی گندمی ** می‌کشاند سو به سویش هر دمی
The ant knows that the grains of which it has taken charge will be changed and become homogeneous with it.
مور داند کان حبوب مرتهن ** مستحیل و جنس من خواهد شدن
One ant picks up (a grain of) barley on the road, another ant picks up a grain of wheat and runs away.
آن یکی موری گرفت از راه جو ** مور دیگر گندمی بگرفت و دو
The barley does not hurry to the wheat, but the ant comes to the ant; yes (it does).
جو سوی گندم نمی‌تازد ولی ** مور سوی مور می‌آید بلی
The going of the barley to the wheat is (merely) consequential: (’tis) the ant, mark you, (that) returns to its congener.
رفتن جو سوی گندم تابعست ** مور را بین که به جنسش راجعست
Do not say, “Why did the wheat go to the barley?” Fix your eye on the holder, not on that which he holds in pawn.2960
تو مگو گندم چرا شد سوی جو ** چشم را بر خصم نه نی بر گرو
(As when) a black ant (moves along) on a black felt cloth: the ant is hidden (from view), (only) the grain is visible on its way,
مور اسود بر سر لبد سیاه ** مور پنهان دانه پیدا پیش راه
(But) Reason says, “Look well to your eye: when does a grain ever go along without a grain-bearer?”
عقل گوید چشم را نیکو نگر ** دانه هرگز کی رود بی دانه‌بر
(’Twas) on this account (that) the dog came to the Companions (of the Cave): the (outward) forms are (like) the grains, while the heart (spirit) is (like) the ant.
زین سبب آمد سوی اصحاب کلب ** هست صورتها حبوب و مور قلب
Hence Jesus goes (ascends) to the holy ones of Heaven: the cages (bodies) were diverse, (but) the young birds (spirits) were of the same kind.
زان شود عیسی سوی پاکان چرخ ** بد قفس‌ها مختلف یک جنس فرخ
This cage is visible, but the young bird in it is hidden (from sight): how should the cage be moving without a cage-carrier?2965
این قفس پیدا و آن فرخش نهان ** بی‌قفس کش کی قفس باشد روان
Oh, blessed is the eye that is ruled by reason, (the eye) that discerns the end and is wise and cool.
ای خنک چشمی که عقلستش امیر ** عاقبت‌بین باشد و حبر و قریر
Get (learn) the distinction between evil and good from reason, not from the eye that tells (only) of black and white.
فرق زشت و نغز از عقل آورید ** نی ز چشمی کز سیه گفت و سپید