هم‌چنانک ایاک نعبد در حنین ** در بلا از غیر تو لانستعین
Just as Thee we worship in yearning entreaty, (so) in tribulation we ask help of none but Thee.
هست این ایاک نعبد حصر را ** در لغت و آن از پی نفی ریا2930
This Thee we worship is (used) idiomatically for the purpose of (expressing) appropriation, and that (appropriation) is for the purpose of negating hypocrisy.
هست ایاک نستعین هم بهر حصر ** حصر کرده استعانت را و قصر
Of Thee we ask help also is for the purpose of appropriation: he (who recites these words) appropriates and restricts the asking of help,
که عبادت مر ترا آریم و بس ** طمع یاری هم ز تو داریم و بس
Meaning, “We perform worship to Thee alone; we have hope of help from Thee alone.”
خشم کردن پادشاه بر ندیم و شفاعت کردن شفیع آن مغضوب علیه را و از پادشاه درخواستن و پادشاه شفاعت او قبول کردن و رنجیدن ندیم از این شفیع کی چرا شفاعت کردی
How a king was enraged with his boon-companion, and an intercessor interceded on behalf of the object of (the king's) anger and begged the king (to pardon the offender); and how (when) the king accepted his intercession, the boon-companion resented the action of the intercessor and asked, "Why did you intercede?"
پادشاهی بر ندیمی خشم کرد ** خواست تا از وی برآرد دود و گرد
A king was enraged with a boon-companion and was about to reduce him to smoke and dust.
کرد شه شمشیر بیرون از غلاف ** تا زند بر وی جزای آن خلاف
The king drew his sword from the scabbard that he might inflict upon him the punishment for that disobedience.
هیچ کس را زهره نه تا دم زند ** یا شفیعی بر شفاعت بر تند2935
No one had the courage to utter a word nor any intercessor to venture on intercession,
جز عمادالملک نامی در خواص ** در شفاعت مصطفی‌وارانه خاص
Except one amongst the courtiers named ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk, (who was) privileged in respect of intercession, like Mustafá (Mohammed).
بر جهید و زود در سجده فتاد ** در زمان شه تیغ قهر از کف نهاد
He sprang up and at once prostrated himself: the king immediately put away from his hand the sword of vengeance,
گفت اگر دیوست من بخشیدمش ** ور بلیسی کرد من پوشیدمش
And said, “If he is the (very) Devil, I forgive him; and if he has done a satanic deed, I cover it up.
چونک آمد پای تو اندر میان ** راضیم گر کرد مجرم صد زیان
Since thou hast intervened, I am satisfied, (even) if the culprit has committed a hundred acts of harm.
صد هزاران خشم را توانم شکست ** که ترا آن فضل و آن مقدار هست2940
I can break (annul) a hundred thousand angers, seeing that thou hast such excellence and such worth;
لابه‌ات را هیچ نتوانم شکست ** زآنک لابه‌ی تو یقین لابه‌ی منست
(But) nowise can I break (annul) thy supplication, because thy supplication is assuredly my supplication.
گر زمین و آسمان بر هم زدی ** ز انتقام این مرد بیرون نامدی
(Even) if he had thrown earth and heaven into confusion, this man would not have escaped from (my) vengeance;
ور شدی ذره به ذره لابه‌گر ** او نبردی این زمان از تیغ سر
And if (the whole world) atom by atom had become a suppliant (for his release), he would not have saved his head from the sword at this moment.
بر تو می‌ننهیم منت ای کریم ** لیک شرح عزت تست ای ندیم
We confer no obligation on thee (by this), O noble one; but (on the contrary) ’tis (only) to explain thy honour (the honour in which I hold thee), O boon-companion.
این نکردی تو که من کردم یقین ** ایی صفاتت در صفات ما دفین2945
Thou didst not make this (intercession), for assuredly I made it, O thou whose qualities are buried in my qualities.
تو درین مستعملی نی عاملی ** زانک محمول منی نی حاملی
In this (matter) thou art the one employed to do the work, not the (prime) doer (of it), inasmuch as thou art borne by me and art not (thyself) the bearer.
ما رمیت اذ رمیت گشته‌ای ** خویشتن در موج چون کف هشته‌ای
Thou hast become (the instrument of my action, according to the text) Thou didst not throw when thou threwest: like the foam, thou hast abandoned thyself in the wave.
لا شدی پهلوی الا خانه‌گیر ** این عجب که هم اسیری هم امیر
Thou hast become ‘not’; (now) take up thy abode beside ‘except.’ This is wonderful, that thou art both a prisoner and a prince.
آنچ دادی تو ندای شاه داد ** اوست بس الله اعلم بالرشاد
Thou didst not give what thou gavest: the king gave it. He alone is. God best knoweth the right course.”
وآن ندیم رسته از زخم و بلا ** زین شفیع آزرد و برگشت از ولا2950
And the boon-companion who had been delivered from the stroke of calamity was offended with this intercessor and drew back from (his former) fealty.
دوستی ببرید زان مخلص تمام ** رو به حایط کرد تا نارد سلام
He cut off all (relations of) friendship with that sincere man, and turned his face to the wall in order that he might not give (him) the salaam.
زین شفیع خویشتن بیگانه شد ** زین تعجب خلق در افسانه شد
He became estranged from his intercessor; in astonishment at this the people began to talk,
که نه مجنونست یاری چون برید ** از کسی که جان او را وا خرید
Saying, “(If) he is not mad, how did he cut off friendly relations with the person who redeemed his life?