آنک معرض را ز زر قارون کند ** رو بدو آری به طاعت چون کند
He who with gold makes one that turns away (from Him in disobedience) a Qárún (Korah), how (much more) will He do (if) you turn your face towards Him in obedience!
بار دیگر شاعر از سودای داد ** روی سوی آن شه محسن نهاد1185
The poet, from passionate desire for bounty, set his face a second time towards that beneficent king.
هدیه‌ی شاعر چه باشد شعر نو ** پیش محسن آرد و بنهد گرو
What is the poet's offering? A new poem: he brings it to the beneficent (patron) and deposits it as his stake.
محسنان با صد عطا و جود و بر ** زر نهاده شاعران را منتظر
The beneficent (on their part) have deposited gold and are waiting for the poets with a hundred gifts and liberalities and kindnesses.
پیششان شعری به از صدتنگ شعر ** خاصه شاعر کو گهر آرد ز قعر
In their eyes a poem (shi‘r) is better than a hundred bales of silk robes (sha‘r), especially (when it is composed by) a poet who fetches pearls from the depths.
آدمی اول حریص نان بود ** زانک قوت و نان ستون جان بود
At first a man is greedy for bread, because food and bread are the pillar (support) of life.
سوی کسب و سوی غصب و صد حیل ** جان نهاده بر کف از حرص و امل1190
On account of greed and expectation he runs every risk in the way of earning his livelihood and seizing property by violence and (employing) a hundred devices.
چون بنادر گشت مستغنی ز نان ** عاشق نامست و مدح شاعران
When, (as happens) rarely, he becomes independent of (earning his) bread, he is in love with fame and the praise of poets,
تا که اصل و فصل او را بر دهند ** در بیان فضل او منبر نهند
In order that they may give fruit to (may adorn) his root and branch and may set up a pulpit to declare his excellence,
تا که کر و فر و زر بخشی او ** هم‌چو عنبر بو دهد در گفت و گو
So that his pomp and magnificence and lavishing of gold may yield a perfume, like (that of) ambergris, in (their) song.