They have a haughtiness and pride like (that of) kings: they require service from the people of the world.
نخوتی دارند و کبری چون شهان ** چاکری خواهند از اهل جهان
Until you perform the observances due to them, how will you gain profit from their message?
تا ادبهاشان بجاگه ناوری ** از رسالتشان چگونه بر خوری
How will they deliver that deposit to you till you are bowed double before them?
کی رسانند آن امانت را بتو ** تا نباشی پیششان راکع دوتو
How is every (kind of) observance acceptable to them?—for they have come from the Sublime Palace.
هر ادبشان کی همی‌آید پسند ** کامدند ایشان ز ایوان بلند
They are not beggars, that they should be grateful to you, O impostor, for every service.3610
نه گدایانند کز هر خدمتی ** از تو دارند ای مزور منتی
But, O (thou who art the) inmost consciousness (of God), notwithstanding (their) lack of desire (to hear thy message), scatter the (Divine) Sultan's charity: do not withhold it!
لیک با بی‌رغبتیها ای ضمیر ** صدقه‌ی سلطان بیفشان وا مگیر
O heavenly Messenger, do not regard the disgusted ones and let thy horse bound onward!
اسپ خود را ای رسول آسمان ** در ملولان منگر و اندر جهان
Blest is the Turcoman who lays contention aside and whose horse gallops into the moat of fire—
فرخ آن ترکی که استیزه نهد ** اسپش اندر خندق آتش جهد
(Who) makes his horse so hot (in the race) that it seeks to mount to the zenith of the sky;
گرم گرداند فرس را آنچنان ** که کند آهنگ اوج آسمان
(Who) has shut his eyes to other (than God) and to jealousy; (who), like fire, has consumed (both) dry and wet.3615
چشم را از غیر و غیرت دوخته ** همچو آتش خشک و تر را سوخته
If repentance find fault with him, he first sets fire to repentance.
گر پشیمانی برو عیبی کند ** آتش اول در پشیمانی زند
Verily, repentance does not spring forth from non-existence (does not show itself at all), when it sees the ardour of him whose presence brings fortune.
خود پشیمانی نروید از عدم ** چون ببیند گرمی صاحب‌قدم
How every animal knows the smell of its enemy and takes precaution. The folly and perdition of him that is the enemy of that One against whom precaution is impossible, and flight is impossible, and resistance is impossible.
شناختن هر حیوانی بوی عدو خود را و حذر کردن و بطالت و خسارت آنکس کی عدو کسی بود کی ازو حذر ممکن نیست و فرار ممکن نی و مقابله ممکن نی
The horse, though it is an animal, knows the roar and smell of the lion except in rare instances;
اسپ داند بانگ و بوی شیر را ** گر چه حیوانست الا نادرا
Nay, every animal indeed knows its own enemy by sign and mark.
بل عدو خویش را هر جانور ** خود بداند از نشان و از اثر
The little bat durst not fly in the daytime: it came out at night, like thieves, and pastured (got food for itself).3620
روز خفاشک نیارد بر پرید ** شب برون آمد چو دزدان و چرید
The bat (bat-like man) was more damned than all (others), because he was the enemy of the manifest Sun.
از همه محروم‌تر خفاش بود ** که عدو آفتاب فاش بود
He cannot be wounded in battle with him (the Sun), nor can he drive him (the Sun) away by cursing.
نه تواند در مصافش زخم خورد ** نه بنفرین تاندش مهجور کرد
The Sun who turns his back on account of the rage and violence of the bat—
آفتابی که بگرداند قفاش ** از برای غصه و قهر خفاش
’Tis the extreme of kindness and perfection on his part; otherwise, how should the bat prevent him (from exacting vengeance)?
غایت لطف و کمال او بود ** گرنه خفاشش کجا مانع شود
(If) you take (any one as) an enemy, take within your limit (capacity), so that it may be possible for you to make (him your) prisoner.3625
دشمنی گیری بحد خویش گیر ** تا بود ممکن که گردانی اسیر
When (one like) a drop of water contends with the Ocean, he is a fool: he is tearing out his own beard.
قطره با قلزم چو استیزه کند ** ابلهست او ریش خود بر می‌کند
His cunning does not pass beyond his moustache: how should it penetrate the vaulted chamber of the Moon?
حیلت او از سبالش نگذرد ** چنبره‌ی حجره‌ی قمر چون بر درد
This (preceding discourse) was a rebuke (addressed) to the enemy of the Sun, O enemy of the Sun of the Sun.
با عدو آفتاب این بد عتاب ** ای عدو آفتاب آفتاب
O enemy of the Sun at whose glory His sun and stars tremble,
ای عدو آفتابی کز فرش ** می‌بلرزد آفتاب و اخترش
You are not His enemy, you are the adversary of yourself: what does the Fire care that you have become firewood?3630
تو عدو او نه‌ای خصم خودی ** چه غم آتش را که تو هیزم شدی