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3
2749-2773

  • چونک هفت و هشت از مه بگذرید ** شاه‌پیل آمد ز چشمه می‌چرید
  • When seven and eight (fifteen nights) of the month had passed, the king elephant came to drink from the spring.

  • چونک زد خرطوم پیل آن شب درآب ** مضطرب شد آب ومه کرد اضطراب 2750
  • When on that night the elephant put his trunk in the water, the water was disturbed, and the Moon showed disturbance.

  • پیل باور کرد از وی آن خطاب ** چون درون چشمه مه کرد اضطراب
  • The elephant believed that speech of his (the hare's), when the Moon in the spring showed disturbance.

  • مانه زان پیلان گولیم ای گروه ** که اضطراب ماه آردمان شکوه
  • O company (of prophets), we are not (to be reckoned) among those stupid elephants who are terrified by the disturbance of the Moon.”

  • انبیا گفتند آوه پند جان ** سخت‌تر کرد ای سفیهان بندتان
  • The prophets said, “Ah, (our) spiritual admonition has (only) made your (carnal) bondage more grievous, O ye fools!

  • جواب گفتن انبیا طعن ایشان را و مثل زدن ایشان را
  • How the prophets answered their sneers and uttered parables unto them.

  • ای دریغا که دوا در رنجتان ** گشت زهر قهر جان آهنجتان
  • Oh, alas that in (the case of) your disease the remedy has become for you the poison of soul-wringing (Divine) vengeance.

  • ظلمت افزود این چراغ آن چشم را ** چون خدا بگماشت پرده‌ی خشم را 2755
  • This lamp (of spiritual admonition) has increased the darkness of that (diseased) eye, since God has set (over it) the veil of wrath.

  • چه رئیسی جست خواهیم از شما ** که ریاستمان فزونست از سما
  • What dominion shall we crave from you? for our dominion is greater than the sky.”

  • چه شرف یابد ز کشتی بحر در ** خاصه کشتیی ز سرگین گشته پر
  • What glory should the sea of pearls acquire from the ship— especially a ship that has been filled with dung?

  • ای دریغ آن دیده‌ی کور و کبود ** آفتابی اندرو ذره نمود
  • Oh, alas for that eye blind and blear! Therein a sun seemed as (insignificant as) a mote.

  • ز آدمی که بود بی مثل و ندید ** دیده ابلیس جز طینی ندید
  • In an Adam who was without like or equal the eye of Iblís discerned naught but a piece of clay.

  • چشم دیوانه بهارش دی نمود ** زان طرف جنبید کو را خانه بود 2760
  • The devilish eye showed (saw) his (Adam's) spring as winter: it moved in the direction where its (original) home was.

  • ای بسا دولت که آید گاه گاه ** پیش بی‌دولت بگردد او ز راه
  • Oh, many a fortune that comes now and then to the unfortunate one, and he turns away (from it)!

  • ای بسا معشوق کاید ناشناخت ** پیش بدبختی نداند عشق باخت
  • Oh, many a beloved who comes unbeknown to an ill-starred one, and he knows not how to make love!

  • این غلط‌ده دیده را حرمان ماست ** وین مقلب قلب را س القضاست
  • This that misleads the eye is our (original) damnation, and this that turns the heart (from seeing the truth) is (our) evil destiny.

  • چون بت سنگین شما را قبله شد ** لعنت و کوری شما را ظله شد
  • Since to you the idol of stone has become an object of adoration, the curse (of God) and blindness have o’ershadowed you.

  • چون بشاید سنگتان انباز حق ** چون نشاید عقل و جان همراز حق 2765
  • When your stone is a fitting partner for God, how are not intellect and spirit fitting confidants of God?

  • پشه‌ی مرده هما را شد شریک ** چون نشاید زنده همراز ملیک
  • The dead gnat has become the consort of the humá: how (then) is the living one not fit to be the confidant of the King?

  • یا مگر مرده تراشیده‌ی شماست ** پشه‌ی زنده تراشیده‌ی خداست
  • Or, maybe, (’tis because) the dead one is fashioned by you, (whereas) the living gnat is fashioned by God.

  • عاشق خویشید و صنعت‌کرد خویش ** دم ماران را سر مارست کیش
  • Ye are in love with yourselves and the thing manufactured by yourselves: to serpents' tails the serpent's head is a law.

  • نه در آن دم دولتی و نعمتی ** نه در آن سر راحتی و لذتی
  • In that tail there is no fortune or happiness; in that head there is no pleasure or delight.

  • گرد سر گردان بود آن دم مار ** لایق‌اند و درخورند آن هر دو یار 2770
  • That serpent's tail is circling around the head: both those friends are fit and suited (to each other).

  • آنچنان گوید حکیم غزنوی ** در الهی‌نامه گر خوش بشنوی
  • So says the Sage of Ghazna in the Iláhí-náma, if thou wilt hearken well—

  • کم فضولی کن تو در حکم قدر ** درخور آمد شخص خر با گوش خر
  • “Do not behave as a (presumptuous) meddler in the decree of (Divine) fore-ordainment: the ass's shape is suited to the ass's ear.”

  • شد مناسب عضوها و ابدانها ** شد مناسب وصفها با جانها
  • Limbs and bodies are congruous; qualities are congruous with souls.