Nay, the sight of that (inanimate object) causes him that sees it to glorify God at the time when he regards its significance.1025
بلک مر بیننده را دیدار آن ** وقت عبرت میکند تسبیحخوان
Therefore, inasmuch as it reminds you of glorification, that indication (which it gives to you) is even as (equivalent to its) uttering (the words of glorification).”
پس چو از تسبیح یادت میدهد ** آن دلالت همچو گفتن میبود
This is the interpretation of the Mu‘tazilites and of those who do not possess the light of immediate (mystical) intuition.
این بود تاویل اهل اعتزال ** و آن آنکس کو ندارد نور حال
When a man has not escaped from sense-perception, he will be a stranger to the ideas of the unseen world.
چون ز حس بیرون نیامد آدمی ** باشد از تصویر غیبی اعجمی
This discourse hath no end. The snake-catcher, with a hundred pains, was bringing the snake along,
این سخن پایان ندارد مارگیر ** میکشید آن مار را با صد زحیر
Till (at last) the would-be showman arrived at Baghdád, that he might set up a public show at the cross-roads.1030
تا به بغداد آمد آن هنگامهجو ** تا نهد هنگامهای بر چارسو
The man set up a show on the bank of the Tigris, and a hubbub arose in the city of Baghdád—
بر لب شط مرد هنگامه نهاد ** غلغله در شهر بغداد اوفتاد
“A snake-catcher has brought a dragon: he has captured a marvellous rare beast.”
مارگیری اژدها آورده است ** بوالعجب نادر شکاری کرده است
Myriads of simpletons assembled, who had become a prey to him as he (to it) in his folly.
جمع آمد صد هزاران خامریش ** صید او گشته چو او از ابلهیش
They were waiting (to see the dragon), and he too was waiting for the scattered people to assemble.
منتظر ایشان و هم او منتظر ** تا که جمع آیند خلق منتشر
The greater the crowd, the better goes the begging and contributing (of money).1035
مردم هنگامه افزونتر شود ** کدیه و توزیع نیکوتر رود
Myriads of idle babblers assembled, forming a ring, sole against sole.
جمع آمد صد هزاران ژاژخا ** حلقه کرده پشت پا بر پشت پا
Man took no heed of woman: on account of the throng they were mingled together like nobles and common folk at the Resurrection.
مرد را از زن خبر نه ز ازدحام ** رفته درهم چون قیامت خاص و عام
When he (the snake-catcher) began to move the cloth (which covered the dragon), the people in the crowd strained their throats (necks),
چون همی حراقه جنبانید او ** میکشیدند اهل هنگامه گلو
And (saw that) the dragon, which had been frozen by intense cold, was underneath a hundred kinds of coarse woollen cloths and coverlets.
و اژدها کز زمهریر افسرده بود ** زیر صد گونه پلاس و پرده بود
He had bound it with thick ropes: that careful keeper had taken great precaution for it.1040
بسته بودش با رسنهای غلیظ ** احتیاطی کرده بودش آن حفیظ
During the delay (interval) of expectation and coming together, the sun of ‘Iráq shone upon the snake.
در درنگ انتظار و اتفاق ** تافت بر آن مار خورشید عراق
The sun of the hot country warmed it; the cold humours went out of its limbs.
آفتاب گرمسیرش گرم کرد ** رفت از اعضای او اخلاط سرد
It had been dead, and it revived: from astonishment (at feeling the sun's heat) the dragon began to uncoil itself.
مرده بود و زنده گشت او از شگفت ** اژدها بر خویش جنبیدن گرفت
By the stirring of that dead serpent the people's amazement was multiplied a hundred thousand fold.
خلق را از جنبش آن مرده مار ** گشتشان آن یک تحیر صد هزار
With amazement they started shrieking and fled en masse from its motion.1045
با تحیر نعرهها انگیختند ** جملگان از جنبشش بگریختند
It set about bursting the bonds, and at that loud outcry (of the people) the bonds on every side went crack, crack.
میسکست او بند و زان بانگ بلند ** هر طرف میرفت چاقاچاق بند
It burst the bonds and glided out from beneath—a hideous dragon roaring like a lion.
بندها بسکست و بیرون شد ز زیر ** اژدهایی زشت غران همچو شیر
Many people were killed in the rout: a hundred heaps were made of the fallen slain.
در هزیمت بس خلایق کشته شد ** از فتاده و کشتگان صد پشته شد
The snake-catcher became paralysed with fear on the spot, crying, “What have I brought from the mountains and the desert?”
مارگیر از ترس بر جا خشک گشت ** که چه آوردم من از کهسار و دشت