I pronounced them lovingly over the heart of the fool hundreds of thousands of times, and ’twas no cure (for his folly).
خواندم آن را بر دل احمق بود ** صد هزاران بار و درمانی نشد
He became hard rock and changed not from that disposition; he became sand from which no produce grows.”
سنگ خارا گشت و زان خو بر نگشت ** ریگ شد کز وی نروید هیچ کشت
Said the other, “What is the reason that the Name of God availed there, (while) it had no advantage (good effect) here?2590
گفت حکمت چیست کنجا اسم حق ** سود کرد اینجا نبود آن را سبق
That (physical infirmity) is disease too, and this (folly) is a disease: why did it (the Name of God) not become a cure for this, since it cured that?”
آن همان رنجست و این رنجی چرا ** او نشد این را و آن را شد دوا
He (Jesus) said, “The disease of folly is (the result of) the wrath of God; (physical) disease and blindness are not (the result of Divine) wrath: they are (a means of) probation.”
گفت رنج احمقی قهر خداست ** رنج و کوری نیست قهر آن ابتلاست
Probation is a disease that brings (Divine) mercy (in its train); folly is a disease that brings (Divine) rejection.
That which is branded on him (the fool) He (God) hath sealed: no hand can apply a remedy to it.
آنچ داغ اوست مهر او کرده است ** چاره‌ای بر وی نیارد برد دست
Flee from the foolish, seeing that (even) Jesus fled (from them): how much blood has been shed by companionship with fools!2595
ز احمقان بگریز چون عیسی گریخت ** صحبت احمق بسی خونها که ریخت
The air steals away (absorbs) water little by little: so too does the fool steal away religion from you.
اندک اندک آب را دزدد هوا ** دین چنین دزدد هم احمق از شما
He steals away your heat and gives you cold, like one who puts a stone under your rump.
گرمیت را دزدد و سردی دهد ** همچو آن کو زیر کون سنگی نهد
The flight of Jesus was not caused by fear, (for) he is safe (from the mischief done by fools): it was for the purpose of teaching (others).
آن گریز عیسی نه از بیم بود ** آمنست او آن پی تعلیم بود
Though intense frost fill the world from end to end, what harm (would it do) to the radiant sun?
زمهریر ار پر کند آفاق را ** چه غم آن خورشید با اشراق را
The story of the people of Sabá and their folly, and how the admonition of the prophets produces no effect upon the foolish.
قصه‌ی اهل سبا و حماقت ایشان و اثر ناکردن نصیحت انبیا در احمقان
I am reminded of the story of the people of Sabá—how their (balmy) zephyr (sabá) was turned into pestilence (wabá) by the words of the foolish.2600
یادم آمد قصه‌ی اهل سبا ** کز دم احمق صباشان شد وبا
That (kingdom of) Sabá resembles the great big city (which) you may hear of from children in (their) tales.
آن سبا ماند به شهر بس کلان ** در فسانه بشنوی از کودکان
The children relate tales, (but) in their tales there is enfolded many a mystery and (moral) lesson.
کودکان افسانه‌ها می‌آورند ** درج در افسانه‌شان بس سر و پند
(Though) in (their) tales they say (many) ridiculous things, (yet) in all ruined places do thou ever seek the treasure.
هزلها گویند در افسانه‌ها ** گنج می‌جو در همه ویرانه‌ها
(Once) there was a city very huge and great, but its size was the size of a saucer, no more (than that).
بود شهری بس عظیم و مه ولی ** قدر او قدر سکره بیش نی
(It was) very huge and very broad and very long, ever so big, as big as an onion.2605
بس عظیم و بس فراخ و بس دراز ** سخت زفت زفت اندازه‌ی پیاز
The people of ten cities were assembled within it, but the whole (amounted to) three fellows with unwashed (dirty) faces.
مردم ده شهر مجموع اندرو ** لیک جمله سه تن ناشسته‌رو
Within it there were numberless people and folk, but the whole of them (amounted to) three beggarly fools.
اندرو خلق و خلایق بی‌شمار ** لیک آن جمله سه خام پخته‌خوار
The soul that has not made haste towards the Beloved— (even) if it is thousands, (yet) it is (only) half a body.
جان ناکرده به جانان تاختن ** گر هزارانست باشد نیم تن
One (of the three) was very far-sighted and blind-eyed— blind to Solomon and seeing the leg of the ant;
آن یکی بس دور بین و دیده‌کور ** از سلیمان کور و دیده پای مور
And the second was very sharp of hearing and extremely deaf—a treasure in which there is not a barleycorn's weight of gold;2610
و آن دگر بس تیزگوش و سخت کر ** گنج و در وی نیست یک جو سنگ زر
And the other (the third) was naked and bare, pudendo patefacto, but the skirts of his raiment were long. [And the other (the third) was naked and bare, (the private parts of his) body exposed, but the skirts of his raiment were long.]
وآن دگر عور و برهنه لاشه‌باز ** لیک دامنهای جامه‌ی او دراز
The blind man said, “Look, an army is approaching: I see what people they are and how many.”
گفت کور اینک سپاهی می‌رسند ** من همی‌بینم که چه قومند و چند