If one door is shut ten doors are opened: if a ram is gone, God gives a camel in compensation.”
گر دری بر بسته شد ده در گشاد ** گر قجی شد حق عوض اشتر بداد
He took off his clothes and went into the well: at once the thief carried away his clothes too.
جامه‌ها بر کند و اندر چاه رفت ** جامه‌ها را برد هم آن دزد تفت
A prudent man is needed to find the way to the village: (if) prudence be absent, cupidity brings calamity.475
حازمی باید که ره تا ده برد ** حزم نبود طمع طاعون آورد
He (the Devil) is a mischievous thief: like a phantom, he has (he appears in) a (different) shape at every moment.
او یکی دزدست فتنه‌سیرتی ** چون خیال او را بهر دم صورتی
None but God knows his cunning: take refuge with God and escape from that impostor.
کس نداند مکر او الا خدا ** در خدا بگریز و وا ره زان دغا
The bird's debate with the fowler concerning monasticism and about the meaning of the monasticism which Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, forbade his community to practise, saying, “There is no monkery in Islam.”
مناظره‌ی مرغ با صیاد در ترهب و در معنی ترهبی کی مصطفی علیه‌السلام نهی کرد از آن امت خود را کی لا رهبانیة فی الاسلام
The bird said to him, “O Khwája, don't stay in (monastic) seclusion: monasticism is not good in regard to the religion of Ahmad (Mohammed).
مرغ گفتش خواجه در خلوت مه‌ایست ** دین احمد را ترهب نیک نیست
The Prophet has forbidden monasticism: how have you embraced a heresy, O trifler?
از ترهب نهی کردست آن رسول ** بدعتی چون در گرفتی ای فضول
The conditions (imposed by Islam) are: (to take part in) the Friday worship and the public prayers, to enjoin good and shun evil,480
جمعه شرطست و جماعت در نماز ** امر معروف و ز منکر احتراز
To bear patiently affliction caused by the ill-natured, and to confer benefit on (God's) creatures as (bounteously as) the clouds.
رنج بدخویان کشیدن زیر صبر ** منفعت دادن به خلقان هم‌چو ابر
O father, the best of the people is he who benefits the people: if you are not a stone, why are you consorting with the clod?
خیر ناس آن ینفع الناس ای پدر ** گر نه سنگی چه حریفی با مدر
Live amongst the community that is the object of (Divine) mercy: do not forsake the religion of Ahmad (Mohammed), be ruled (by his practice).”
در میان امت مرحوم باش ** سنت احمد مهل محکوم باشد
He (the fowler) replied, “Any one whose intelligence is infirm, he in the opinion of the intelligent is like a stone and clod.
گفت عقل هر که را نبود رسوخ ** پیش عاقل او چو سنگست و کلوخ
One whose (only) wish is for bread resembles an ass: companionship with him is the essence of monkery.485
چون حمارست آنک نانش امنیتست ** صحبت او عین رهبانیتست
(Do not associate with him), for all except God crumbles away, (and) everything that is coming after a time will (inevitably) come.
زانک غیر حق همه گردد رفات ** کل آت بعد حین فهو آت
His predicament is the same as that of his qibla (object of desire): call him ‘dead’ inasmuch as he seeks the dead.
حکم او هم حکم قبله‌ی او بود ** مرده‌اش خوان چونک مرده‌جو بود
Any one who lives with these (worldly) people is a monk, for his companions are (like) clods and stones.
هر که با این قوم باشد راهبست ** که کلوخ و سنگ او را صاحبست
In sooth, (actual) clods and stones never waylaid (and ruined) any one, (while) from those clods come a hundred thousand corruptions.”
خود کلوخ و سنگ کس را ره نزد ** زین کلوخان صد هزار آفت رسد
The bird said to him, “(Well), then, the Jihád (spiritual war) is (waged) at the time when a brigand like this is on the road.490
گفت مرغش پس جهاد آنگه بود ** کین چنین ره‌زن میان ره بود
The valiant man enters on the unsafe road for the purpose of protecting and helping and fighting.
از برای حفظ و یاری و نبرد ** بر ره ناآمن آید شیرمرد
The root (innate quality) of manhood (only) becomes apparent at the time when the traveller meets his enemies on the road.
عرق مردی آنگهی پیدا شود ** که مسافر همره اعدا شود
Since the Messenger (of Allah) was the Prophet of the sword, (the people of) his community are heroes and champions.
چون نبی سیف بودست آن رسول ** امت او صفدرانند و فحول
In our religion the right thing is war and terror; in the religion of Jesus the right thing is (retirement to) cave and mountain.”
مصلحت در دین ما جنگ و شکوه ** مصلحت در دین عیسی غار و کوه
He (the fowler) said, “Yes; if one has help (from God) and strength to make a mighty attack on evil and mischief.495
گفت آری گر بود یاری و زور ** تا به قوت بر زند بر شر و شور
(But) when there is no strength, ’tis better to abstain: spring easily away in flight from what cannot be endured.”
چون نباشد قوتی پرهیز به ** در فرار لا یطاق آسان بجه
It (the bird) replied, “Firmness of heart is needed for achievement, but a (firm) friend does not lack friends.
گفت صدق دل بباید کار را ** ورنه یاران کم نیاید یار را
Be a (firm) friend, that you may find friends innumerable; for without friends you will be left helpless.
The Devil is a wolf, and you are like Joseph: do not let go Jacob's skirt, O excellent one.
دیو گرگست و تو هم‌چون یوسفی ** دامن یعقوب مگذار ای صفی
Generally the wolf seizes (his prey) at the moment when a year-old sheep strays alone by itself from the flock.500
گرگ اغلب آنگهی گیرا بود ** کز رمه شیشک به خود تنها رود
He who has abandoned (the performance of) the Sunna with the (Moslem) community, has not he drunk his own blood (exposed himself to destruction) in such a haunt of wild beasts?
آنک سنت یا جماعت ترک کرد ** در چنین مسبع نه خون خویش خورد
The Sunna is the (safe) road, and the community are like (your) companions (on the road): without the road and without comrades you will fall into (sore) straits;
هست سنت ره جماعت چون رفیق ** بی‌ره و بی‌یار افتی در مضیق
(But) not the fellow-traveller who is an enemy to Reason and seeks an opportunity to carry off your clothes,
همرهی نه کو بود خصم خرد ** فرصتی جوید که جامه‌ی تو برد
(And only) goes about with you in order to find a mountain-pass where he can plunder you!
می‌رود با تو که یابد عقبه‌ای ** که تواند کردت آنجا نهبه‌ای
Nor one who has the (timorous) heart of a camel and, when he feels afraid, instructs (you) to turn back on the road!505
یا بود اشتردلی چون دید ترس ** گوید او بهر رجوع از راه درس
By his camel's courage he frightens his comrade: know that such a fellow-traveller is an enemy, not a friend.
یار را ترسان کند ز اشتردلی ** این چنین همره عدو دان نه ولی
The road (to God) is self-sacrifice, and in every thicket is a bane to drive back any one whose soul is (brittle) as a glass bottle.
راه جان‌بازیست و در هر غیشه‌ای ** آفتی در دفع هر جان‌شیشه‌ای
The road of religion is full of trouble and bale for the reason that it is not the road for any one whose nature is effeminate.
راه دین زان رو پر از شور و شرست ** که نه راه هر مخنث گوهرست
On this road (men's) souls are tried by terror as a sieve (is used) for sifting bran.
در ره این ترس امتحانهای نفوس ** هم‌چو پرویزن به تمییز سبوس
What is the road? Full of footprints. What is the comrade? The ladder whereby minds ascend.510
راه چه بود پر نشان پایها ** یار چه بود نردبان رایها
I grant that, through (your) taking precautions, the wolf may not find you, (but) without company you will not find that (spiritual) alacrity.
گیرم آن گرگت نیابد ز احتیاط ** بی ز جمعیت نیابی آن نشاط
He who cheerfully goes alone on a journey—(if he goes) with companions his progress is increased a hundredfold.
آنک تنها در رهی او خوش رود ** با رفیقان سیر او صدتو شود
Notwithstanding the grossness of the ass, it (the ass) is exhilarated, O dervish, by comrades (of its own kind) and becomes capable of (exerting) strength.
با غلیظی خر ز یاران ای فقیر ** در نشاط آید شود قوت‌پذیر
To any ass that goes alone (and away) from the caravan the road is (made) a hundredfold (longer) by fatigue.
هر خری کز کاروان تنها رود ** بر وی آن راه از تعب صدتو شود
How many more goadings and cudgellings does it suffer that it may cross the desert (unaccompanied and) alone!515
چند سیخ و چند چوب افزون خورد ** تا که تنها آن بیابان را برد
That ass is saying to you (implicitly), ‘Take good heed! Don't travel alone like this, unless you are an ass!’
مر ترا می‌گوید آن خر خوش شنو ** گر نه‌ای خر هم‌چنین تنها مرو
Beyond doubt he who cheerfully goes alone into the custom-house will go more cheerfully (when he is) with companions.
آنک تنها خوش رود اندر رصد ** با رفیقان بی‌گمان خوشتر رود
Every prophet (that walked) on this straight road produced evidentiary miracles and sought fellow-travellers.
هر نبیی اندرین راه درست ** معجزه بنمود و همراهان بجست
Were it not for the help given by the walls, how should houses and magazines arise?
گر نباشد یاری دیوارها ** کی برآید خانه و انبارها
If each wall be separated (from the others), how shall the roof remain suspended in the air?520
هر یکی دیوار اگر باشد جدا ** سقف چون باشد معلق در هوا
If no help be given by ink and pen, how shall the writing come on to the surface of the paper?
گر نباشد یاری حبر و قلم ** کی فتد بر روی کاغذها رقم
If this rush-mat which some one is spreading were not joined together (interwoven), the wind would carry it away.
این حصیری که کسی می‌گسترد ** گر نپیوندد به هم بادش برد