Oh, let not vain desire waylay you, or ye will fall into everlasting misery.
هین مبادا که هوستان ره زند ** که فتید اندر شقاوت تا ابد
’Tis a bounden duty to abstain from peril: hear disinterested advice from me.
از خطر پرهیز آمد مفترض ** بشنوید از من حدیث بی‌غرض
In seeking relief (from sorrow) ’tis better that one's wits should be sharp: ’tis better to abstain from (falling into) the ambuscade of tribulation.”
در فرج جویی خرد سر تیز به ** از کمین‌گاه بلا پرهیز به
If their father had not spoken these words and had not warned them against that fortress,
گر نمی‌گفت این سخن را آن پدر ** ور نمی‌فرمود زان قلعه حذر
Their party would never have approached the fortress, their desire would never have inclined towards it;3655
خود بدان قلعه نمی‌شد خیلشان ** خود نمی‌افتاد آن سو میلشان
For it was not well-known: it was exceedingly remote and aloof from the (other) fortresses and the highways.
کان نبد معروف بس مهجور بود ** از قلاع و از مناهج دور بود
(But) when he (the King) uttered that prohibition, their hearts were thrown by his speech into vain desire and into the quarter of phantasy,
چون بکرد آن منع دلشان زان مقال ** در هوس افتاد و در کوی خیال
And, because of this prohibition, a craving arose in their hearts to investigate the secret of that (fortress).
رغبتی زین منع در دلشان برست ** که بباید سر آن را باز جست
Who is (to be found) that will refrain from the forbidden thing, since man longs eagerly for what is forbidden?
کیست کز ممنوع گردد ممتنع ** چونک الانسان حریص ما منع
The veto causes the devout to hate (that which is vetoed); the veto incites the sensual to covet it.3660
نهی بر اهل تقی تبغیض شد ** نهی بر اهل هوا تحریض شد
Therefore He (God) leads many folk astray by this means, and by the same means He guides aright (many) a knowing heart.
پس ازین یغوی به قوما کثیر ** هم ازین یهدی به قلبا خبیر
How should the friendly dove be scared by the (fowler's) pipe? Nay, (only) the (wild) doves in the air are scared by that pipe.
کی رمد از نی حمام آشنا ** بل رمد زان نی حمامات هوا
Then they (the princes) said to him (the King), “We will perform the services (required of us), we will be intent on hearing and obeying (thy commands).
پس بگفتندش که خدمتها کنیم ** بر سمعنا و اطعناها تنیم
We will not turn aside from thy commands: ’twould be ingratitude to forget thy kindness”;
رو نگردانیم از فرمان تو ** کفر باشد غفلت از احسان تو
But, because of their reliance upon themselves, ’twas far from them to pronounce the saving clause and glorify God.3665
لیک استثنا و تسبیح خدا ** ز اعتماد خود بد از ایشان جدا
Mention of the saving clause and (of the need for) manifold precaution was made at the beginning of the Mathnawí.
ذکر استثنا و حزم ملتوی ** گفته شد در ابتدای مثنوی
If there are a hundred (religious) books, (yet) they are but one chapter: a hundred (different) regions seek but one place of worship.
صد کتاب ار هست جز یک باب نیست ** صد جهت را قصد جز محراب نیست
(All) these roads end in one House: (all) these thousand ears of corn are from one Seed.
این طرق را مخلصی یک خانه است ** این هزاران سنبل از یک دانه است
All the hundred thousand sorts of food and drink are (only) one thing in respect (of their final cause).
گونه‌گونه خوردنیها صد هزار ** جمله یک چیزست اندر اعتبار
When you are entirely satiated with one (kind of food), fifty (other) foods become cold (displeasing) to your heart.3670
از یکی چون سیر گشتی تو تمام ** سرد شد اندر دلت پنجه طعام
In hunger, then, you are seeing double, for you have regarded a single one as a hundred thousand.
در مجاعت پس تو احول دیده‌ای ** که یکی را صد هزاران دیده‌ای
We had (previously) told of the sickness of the handmaiden and (the story) of the physicians and also their lack of understanding—
گفته بودیم از سقام آن کنیز ** وز طبیبان و قصور فهم نیز
How those physicians were like an unbridled horse, heedless of the rider and having no profit (of him).
کان طبیبان هم‌چو اسپ بی‌عذار ** غافل و بی‌بهره بودند از سوار
(Though) their palates were covered with sores made by the impact of the bit, and their hooves wounded by (continually) changing step,
کامشان پر زخم از قرع لگام ** سمشان مجروح از تحویل گام
They had not become aware (of the truth and never said to themselves), “Lo, on our back is a nimble Trainer who displays masterly skill.3675
ناشده واقف که نک بر پشت ما ** رایض و چستیست استادی‌نما
Our turning the head to and fro is not caused by this bit, but only by the control of a successful Rider.
Since God is the Turner of eyes, who (else) should turn the heart and the thoughts?
چون مقلب حق بود ابصار را ** که بگرداند دل و افکار را
(Hence) you deem a pit to be a pleasant house, you deem a trap to be a dainty bait.3695
چاه را تو خانه‌ای بینی لطیف ** دام را تو دانه‌ای بینی ظریف
This is not sophistry (scepticism), it is God's turning: it shows where the realities are.
این تفسطط نیست تقلیب خداست ** می‌نماید که حقیقتها کجاست
He who denies the realities is wholly involved in a phantasy.
آنک انکار حقایق می‌کند ** جملگی او بر خیالی می‌تند
He does not say (to himself), “Thy thinking (that all is) phantasy (illusion) is also a phantasy: rub an eye (and see)!”
او نمی‌گوید که حسبان خیال ** هم خیالی باشدت چشمی به مال
How the Sultan's sons went to the forbidden fortress, inasmuch as man eagerly covets that which he is refused—“We rendered our service, but thy evil nature could not buy the servant (could not profit by the service that we rendered).” They trod all their father's injunctions and counsels underfoot, so that they fell into the pit of tribulation, and their reproachful souls (consciences) were saying to them, “Did not a warner come to you?” while they, weeping and contrite, replied, “If we had been wont to hearken or understand we should not have been among those who dwell in the flaming Fire.”
رفتن پسران سلطان به حکم آنک الانسان حریص علی ما منع ما بندگی خویش نمودیم ولیکن خوی بد تو بنده ندانست خریدن به سوی آن قلعه‌ی ممنوع عنه آن همه وصیت‌ها و اندرزهای پدر را زیر پا نهادند تا در چاه بلا افتادند و می‌گفتند ایشان را نفوس لوامه الم یاتکم نذیر ایشان می‌گفتند گریان و پشیمان لوکنا نسمع او نعقل ماکنا فی اصحاب السعیر
This discourse hath no end. The party (of travellers) took their way to seek that castle.
این سخن پایان ندارد آن فریق ** بر گرفتند از پی آن دز طریق
They approached the tree of the forbidden fruit, they went forth from the file of the sincere.3700
بر درخت گندم منهی زدند ** از طویله‌ی مخلصان بیرون شدند