My spirit has boasted that it is a water-bird: how should it lament the flood of tribulation?
دعوی مرغابی کردست جان ** کی ز طوفان بلا دارد فغان
What cares the duck for shipwreck? Her feet in the water are ship enough.
بط را ز اشکستن کشتی چه غم ** کشتی‌اش بر آب بس باشد قدم
My soul and body are (kept) alive by this boast: how should I refrain from making this boast?4065
زنده زین دعوی بود جان و تنم ** من ازین دعوی چگونه تن زنم
I am dreaming but I am not asleep; I am a boaster but I am not a liar.
خواب می‌بینم ولی در خواب نه ** مدعی هستم ولی کذاب نه
Though you behead me a hundred times, I am like a candle: I will burn brightly (still).
گر مرا صد بار تو گردن زنی ** هم‌چو شمعم بر فروزم روشنی
Though the stack (of my existence) catch fire (both) in front and behind, the stack (halo) of that Moon is enough for travellers in the night.
آتش ار خرمن بگیرد پیش و پس ** شب‌روان را خرمن آن ماه بس
Joseph was hidden and concealed from Jacob the prophet by the trickery of his brethren.
کرده یوسف را نهان و مختبی ** حیلت اخوان ز یعقوب نبی
They put him out of sight by an artifice, (but) at last his shirt gave an information.”4070
خفیه کردندش به حیلت‌سازیی ** کرد آخر پیرهن غمازیی
The two (brothers of the eldest prince) admonished him in converse, saying, “Do not ignore the dangers.
آن دو گفتندش نصیحت در سمر ** که مکن ز اخطار خود را بی‌خبر
Hark, do not put salt on our wounds! Beware, do not drink this poison rashly and in doubt (of the consequences).
هین منه بر ریش‌های ما نمک ** هین مخور این زهر بر جلدی و شک
How canst thou go without being counselled by a wise Shaykh, since thou hast not a discerning heart?
جز به تدبیر یکی شیخی خبیر ** چون روی چون نبودت قلبی بصیر
Woe to the unfledged bird that flies up to the zenith and falls into peril!”
وای آن مرغی که ناروییده پر ** بر پرد بر اوج و افتد در خطر
Intelligence is wings and feathers to a man: when he lacks intelligence, (he must rely on) the intelligence of a guide.4075
عقل باشد مرد را بال و پری ** چون ندارد عقل عقل رهبری
Either be victorious or in search of a victor: either have insight or be in search of one endowed with insight.
یا مظفر یا مظفرجوی باش ** یا نظرور یا نظرورجوی باش
Without (possession of) the key, namely, intelligence, this knocking at the door is prompted by self-will, not by right motives.
بی ز مفتاح خرد این قرع باب ** از هوا باشد نه از روی صواب
See a whole world ensnared by self-will and by wounds (harmful things) that look like remedies (beneficial things).
عالمی در دام می‌بین از هوا ** وز جراحت‌های هم‌رنگ دوا
The snake, (terrible) as death, stands (raises itself) on its breast, with a big leaf in its mouth in order to catch its prey.
مار استادست بر سینه چو مرگ ** در دهانش بهر صید اشگرف برگ
It stands erect, like a herb, amidst the herbage, (so that) the bird thinks it is the stalk of a plant.4080
در حشایش چون حشیشی او بپاست ** مرغ پندارد که او شاخ گیاست
When it (the bird) settles on the leaf for the purpose of eating, it falls into the mouth of the snake and (into the jaws of) death.
چون نشیند بهر خور بر روی برگ ** در فتد اندر دهان مار و مرگ
A crocodile opens its mouth: its teeth are surrounded by long worms.
کرده تمساحی دهان خویش باز ** گرد دندانهاش کرمان دراز
The worms were produced by the residue of food left in its teeth; and it gave them lodging there.
از بقیه‌ی خور که در دندانش ماند ** کرم‌ها رویید و بر دندان نشاند
The little birds see the worms and the food and imagine that coffin to be a meadow.
مرغکان بینند کرم و قوت را ** مرج پندارند آن تابوت را
When its mouth is filled with birds, it suddenly swallows them and closes its mouth (again).4085
چون دهان پر شد ز مرغ او ناگهان ** در کشدشان و فرو بندد دهان
Know that this world full of dessert (viands) and bread is like the open mouth of the crocodile.
این جهان پر ز نقل و پر ز نان ** چون دهان باز آن تمساح دان
O thou who scrapest together the means of livelihood, (in thy desire) for worms and morsels do not feel secure from the artfulness of the crocodile, (which is) Time.
بهر کرم و طعمه ای روزی‌تراش ** از فن تمساح دهر آمن مباش
A fox falls (and lies) flat under his earth: above his earth are deceptive grains,
روبه افتد پهن اندر زیر خاک ** بر سر خاکش حبوب مکرناک
In order that the heedless crow may approach them and the crafty one cunningly seize her by the leg.
تا بیاید زاغ غافل سوی آن ** پای او گیرد به مکر آن مکردان
Since there are a hundred thousand cunning tricks in animals, how (great) must be the cunning of Man who is superior (to all other animals)!4090
صدهزاران مکر در حیوان چو هست ** چون بود مکر بشر کو مهترست
In his hand (he carries) a copy of the Holy Book as (though he were) Zaynu ’l- ‘Ábidín; (but) in his sleeve a vengeful dagger.
مصحفی در کف چو زین‌العابدین ** خنجری پر قهر اندر آستین
He addresses thee smilingly—“O my lord,” (while) in his heart there is a Babylon of sorcery and guileful spells.
گویدت خندان کای مولای من ** در دل او بابلی پر سحر و فن
(He is) deadly poison, (though) in appearance he is honey and milk. Beware, do not go (on thy way) save in company with a wise (spiritual) preceptor.
Now thou fallest on a mountain, now into a river; now thou wanderest in this direction, now in that.
بر که افتی گاه و در جوی اوفتی ** گه بدین سو گه بدان سوی اوفتی
O seeker of worldly estate, thou wilt never find the guide; and if thou find him, thou wilt avert thy face from him,4100
خود نبینی تو دلیل ای جاه‌جو ** ور ببینی رو بگردانی ازو
Saying, “I have travelled sixty miles on this road, and (now) this guide tells me I have lost my way.
که سفر کردم درین ره شصت میل ** مر مرا گمراه گوید این دلیل
If I give ear to this marvel, I must begin my journey again under his authority.
گر نهم من گوش سوی این شگفت ** ز امر او راهم ز سر باید گرفت
I have devoted my life to this journey: (I will pursue it) come what may. Begone, O Khwája!”
من درین ره عمر خود کردم گرو ** هرچه بادا باد ای خواجه برو
“(Yes), thou hast journeyed (far), but (only) in opinion (unsubstantial) as lightning: (come), make a tenth part of that journey for the sake of (Divine) inspiration (glorious) as the sunrise.
راه کردی لیک در ظن چو برق ** عشر آن ره کن پی وحی چو شرق
Thou hast read (the Verse), Opinion cannot serve instead of truth, and (yet) by a lightning-flash like that thou hast been blinded to a rising sun.4105
ظن لایغنی من الحق خوانده‌ای ** وز چنان برقی ز شرقی مانده‌ای
Hark, come into our boat, O wretched man, or (at least) tie that boat (of thine) to this boat (of ours).”
هی در آ در کشتی ما ای نژند ** یا تو آن کشتی برین کشتی ببند
He replies, “How should I abandon power and dominion? How should I follow thee blindly?”
گوید او چون ترک گیرم گیر و دار ** چون روم من در طفیلت کوروار
A blind man is certainly better off with a guide than (when he goes) alone: in the former case there is (only) one ignominy, while in the latter there are a hundred.
کور با رهبر به از تنها یقین ** زان یکی ننگست و صد ننگست ازین
Thou art fleeing from a gnat to a scorpion, thou art fleeing from a dewdrop into an ocean.
می‌گریزی از پشه در کزدمی ** می‌گریزی در یمی تو از نمی
Thou art fleeing from thy father's unkindnesses into the midst of scoundrels and mischief and trouble.4110
می‌گریزی از جفاهای پدر ** در میان لوطیان و شور و شر
Like Joseph, thou art fleeing from one sorrow to fall into a well (of woe) through (being beguiled by) “let us frolic and play.”
می‌گریزی هم‌چو یوسف ز اندهی ** تا ز نرتع نلعب افتی در چهی
Because of this pastime thou fallest into a well, like him; but where is the (Divine) favour to help thee (as it helped him)?
در چه افتی زین تفرج هم‌چو او ** مر ترا لیک آن عنایت یار کو