سعد دارش این جهان و آن جهان ** از عوانی و سگی‌اش وا رهان
Keep him blest in this world and in that world, deliver him from policing and currishness—
گرچه خوی آن عوان هست ای خدا ** که هماره خلق را خواهد بلا
Though it is the nature of that policeman, O God, that he always desires the people to be afflicted.”
گر خبر آید که شه جرمی نهاد ** بر مسلمانان شود او زفت و شاد60
If news come that the king has imposed a fine upon the Moslems, he (the policeman) waxes big and exultant;
ور خبر آید که شه رحمت نمود ** از مسلمانان فکند آن را به جود
And if news come that the king has shown mercy and has generously taken off that (penalty) from the Moslems,
ماتمی در جان او افتد از آن ** صد چنین ادبارها دارد عوان
A mournfulness falls upon his soul thereat: the policeman hath a hundred such depravities.
او عوان را در دعا در می‌کشید ** کز عوان او را چنان راحت رسید
He (the lover) was bringing the policeman into the prayer (of benediction), because such solace had come to him from the policeman.
بر همه زهر و برو تریاق بود ** آن عوان پیوند آن مشتاق بود
He (the policeman) was poison to all (others), but to him (he was) the antidote: the policeman was the means of uniting that longing lover (with the object of his desire).
پس بد مطلق نباشد در جهان ** بد به نسبت باشد این را هم بدان65
Hence there is no absolute evil in the world: evil is relative. Know this (truth) also.
در زمانه هیچ زهر و قند نیست ** که یکی را پا دگر را بند نیست
In (the realm of) Time there is no poison or sugar that is not a foot (support) to one and a fetter (injury) to another—
مر یکی را پا دگر را پای‌بند ** مر یکی را زهر و بر دیگر چو قند
To one a foot, to another a fetter; to one a poison and to another (sweet and wholesome) like sugar.