The marks of the wholly intelligent and the half-intelligent and the whole man and the half-man and the deluded worthless wretch doomed to perdition. علامت عاقل تمام و نیم‌عاقل و مرد تمام و نیم‌مرد و علامت شقی مغرور لاشی
عاقل آن باشد که او با مشعله‌ست
او دلیل و پیشوای قافله‌ست
The intelligent man is he who hath the lamp: he is the guide and leader of the caravan.
پیرو نور خودست آن پیش‌رو
تابع خویشست آن بی‌خویش‌رو
That leader is one who goes after his own light: that selfless traveller is the follower of himself.
ممن خویشست و ایمان آورید
هم بدان نوری که جانش زو چرید
He is the one that puts faith in himself; and he also puts faith in the Light (Núr-i Mohammedí) by which his soul was fed.
دیگری که نیم‌عاقل آمد او
عاقلی را دیده‌ی خود داند او
The other, who is the half-intelligent, deems an (entirely) intelligent person to be his eye,
دست در وی زد چو کور اندر دلیل
تا بدو بینا شد و چست و جلیل
And has clutched him as the blind man clutches the guide, so that through him he has become seeing and active and illustrious.
وآن خری کز عقل جوسنگی نداشت
خود نبودش عقل و عاقل را گذاشت
But (as for) the ass who had not a single barley-corn’s weight of intelligence, who possessed no intelligence himself and forsook the intelligent (guide),
ره نداند نه کثیر و نه قلیل
ننگش آید آمدن خلف دلیل
(Who) knows neither much nor little of the way (and yet) disdains to go behind the guide,
می‌رود اندر بیابان دراز
گاه لنگان آیس و گاهی بتاز
He is journeying in a long wilderness, now limping in despair and now (advancing) at a run.
شمع نه تا پیشوای خود کند
نیم شمعی نه که نوری کد کند
He hath neither a candle, that he should make it his leader, nor half a candle, that he should beg a light.
نیست عقلش تا دم زنده زند
نیم‌عقلی نه که خود مرده کند
He hath neither (perfect) intelligence, that he should breathe the breath of the living, nor hath he a half-intelligence, that he should make himself dead.
مرده‌ی آن عاقل آید او تمام
تا برآید از نشیب خود به بام
He (the half-intelligent one) becomes wholly dead in (devotion to) the man of (perfect) intelligence, that he may ascend from his own low place to the (lofty) roof.
عقل کامل نیست خود را مرده کن
در پناه عاقلی زنده‌سخن
(If) you have not perfect intelligence, make yourself dead under the protection of an intelligent man whose words are living.
زنده نی تا همدم عیسی بود
مرده نی تا دمگه عیسی شود
He (the man devoid of intelligence) is not living, that he should breathe in accord with (a) Jesus, nor is he dead, that he should become a channel for the (life-giving) breath of (a) Jesus.
جان کورش گام هر سو می‌نهد
عاقبت نجهد ولی بر می‌جهد
His blind spirit is stepping in every direction: it will not escape in the end, but it is leaping up.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
Reza is an experienced Persian instructor who has been tutoring students since 2008. He is the founder of Learn Persian Online, a tutoring company that has helped many students learn Persian, this beautiful language. He works with students individually and in group settings, he tutors both live and online Persian courses. Reza provides an individualized custom learning plan and the personalized attention that makes a difference in how people view Persian learning process.
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