وآنچ باشد طبع و خشم و عارضی ** می‌شتابد تا نگردد مرتضی
(But as regards) that (of) which (the motive) is (ill) humour and casual anger, he (the corrector) is in a hurry (for fear) lest he should become content (reconciled).
ترسد ار آید رضا خشمش رود ** انتقام و ذوق آن فایت شود 2585
He is afraid that, if contentment come and his anger go, his revenge and the pleasure of (taking) it will be lost.
شهوت کاذب شتابد در طعام ** خوف فوت ذوق هست آن خود سقام
False appetite makes haste to (devour) the food for fear of missing the pleasure: that is sickness indeed.
اشتها صادق بود تاخیر به ** تا گواریده شود آن بی‌گره
(If) the appetite be true, ’tis better to delay, in order that it (the food) may be digested without difficulty.
تو پی دفع بلایم می‌زنی ** تا ببینی رخنه را بندش کنی
Wilt thou beat me for the purpose of averting a (dreaded) calamity, to the end that thou mayst see the crevice and block it up,
تا از آن رخنه برون ناید بلا ** غیر آن رخنه بسی دارد قضا
So that the calamity will not issue from that crevice? Destiny hath many a crevice besides that one.
چاره‌ی دفع بلا نبود ستم ** چاره احسان باشد و عفو و کرم 2590
Violence is not the means of averting calamity: the means is beneficence and pardon and kindness.
گفت الصدقه مرد للبلا ** داو مرضاک به صدقه یا فتی
He (the Prophet) said, ‘Alms is a means of averting calamity: cure thy diseased ones by (giving) alms, O youth.’
صدقه نبود سوختن درویش را ** کور کردن چشم حلم‌اندیش را
’Tis not alms-giving to burn a poor man (in the fire of anger) and to blind the eye that meditates on forbearance.”
گفت شه نیکوست خیر و موقعش ** لیک چون خیری کنی در موضعش
The king replied, “Charity and the occasion for it are excellent (things), but (only) when you perform an act of charity in its (proper) place.