لیک بی‌اصلی نباشدت این جزا ** بی‌گناهی کی برنجاند خدا
But this punishment is not without an origin: how should God inflict pain without any sin (having been committed)?
آنچ اصلست و کشنده‌ی آن شی است ** گر نمی‌ماند بوی هم از وی است
That which is the origin and bringer-on of that (painful) thing—if it (the painful thing) does not resemble it, still it is (produced) from it.
پس بدان رنجت نتیجه‌ی زلتیست ** آفت این ضربتت از شهوتیست
Know, then, that thy pain is the result of some lapse (and that) this woe with which thou art stricken arises from some lust.
گر ندانی آن گنه را ز اعتبار ** زود زاری کن طلب کن اغتفار
If thou canst not discern that sin by means of consideration, at once make humble entreaty and seek pardon (from God).
سجده کن صد بار می‌گوی ای خدا ** نیست این غم غیر درخورد و سزا 3990
Prostrate thyself a hundred times and keep saying, “O God, this pain is nothing but my due and desert.
ای تو سبحان پاک از ظلم و ستم ** کی دهی بی‌جرم جان را درد و غم
O Thou who art transcendent in holiness and free from (all) injustice and oppression, how shouldst Thou inflict grief and pain upon the soul when it has not sinned?
من معین می‌ندانم جرم را ** لیک هم جرمی بباید گرم را
I do not know my sin definitely, but (I know that) there must be a sin (to account) for the anguish.
چون بپوشیدی سبب را ز اعتبار ** دایما آن جرم را پوشیده دار
Since Thou hast concealed the cause from my consideration, do Thou always keep my sin concealed (from others);
که جزا اظهار جرم من بود ** کز سیاست دزدیم ظاهر شود
For it would be retribution to disclose my sin, so that my thievery (rascality) should be made manifest by punishment.”
عزم کردن شاه چون واقف شد بر آن خیانت کی بپوشاند و عفو کند و او را به او دهد و دانست کی آن فتنه جزای او بود و قصد او بود و ظلم او بر صاحب موصل کی و من اساء فعلیها و ان ربک لبالمرصاد و ترسیدن کی اگر انتقام کشد آن انتقام هم بر سر او آید چنانک این ظلم و طمع بر سرش آمد
How the monarch, on being acquainted with that act of treachery, resolved to conceal and pardon it and give her (the slave-girl) to him (the captain), and recognised that the tribulation was a punishment inflicted on him and was (the result of) his attempt (to obtain the slave-girl) and the wrong which he had done to the lord of Mawsil; for “and whoso doeth evil, it is against himself” and “lo, thy Lord is on the watch”; and how he feared that, if he should avenge himself, the vengeance would recoil on his own head, as this injustice and greed (of his) had (already) recoiled upon him.
شاه با خود آمد استغفار کرد ** یاد جرم و زلت و اصرار کرد 3995
The monarch came to himself. He asked pardon (of God) and confessed his sin and lapse and persistence (in wrong-doing).
گفت با خود آنچ کردم با کسان ** شد جزای آن به جان من رسان
He said to himself, “The retribution for what I did to certain persons has reached (overtaken) my soul.
قصد جفت دیگران کردم ز جاه ** بر من آمد آن و افتادم به چاه
From (pride of) power I made an attempt on the concubine of another: that (injustice) recoiled upon me and I fell into the pit (which I had dug).
من در خانه‌ی کسی دیگر زدم ** او در خانه‌ی مرا زد لاجرم
I knocked at the door of another person's house: consequently he knocked at the door of my house.”
هر که با اهل کسان شد فسق‌جو ** اهل خود را دان که قوادست او
Whoever seeks to commit adultery with (other) people's wives, know that he is a pimp to his own wife;
زانک مثل آن جزای آن شود ** چون جزای سیه مثلش بود 4000
For that (adultery) is requited by the like, since the retribution for an evil act is an act like unto it.
چون سبب کردی کشیدی سوی خویش ** مثل آن را پس تو دیوثی و بیش
Inasmuch as you have made a cord and pulled one like it towards yourself, you are a wittol and worse.
غصب کردم از شه موصل کنیز ** غصب کردند از من او را زود نیز
“I took the king of Mawsil's concubine from him by force, (so) she was soon taken by force from me too.
او کامین من بد و لالای من ** خاینش کرد آن خیانتهای من
My treacherous deeds made a traitor of him who was my trusted friend and servant.
نیست وقت کین‌گزاری و انتقام ** من به دست خویش کردم کار خام
’Tis no time to inflict punishment (for the injury) and avenge myself: I prepared the disaster with my own hand.
گر کشم کینه بر آن میر و حرم ** آن تعدی هم بیاید بر سرم 4005
If I wreak vengeance on the Amír and the woman, that trespass also will come (recoil) on my head,
هم‌چنانک این یک بیامد در جزا ** آزمودم باز نزمایم ورا
Just as this (other) one has (already) come (upon me) in retribution: I have tried Him (God), I will not try Him again.
درد صاحب موصلم گردن شکست ** من نیارم این دگر را نیز خست
The grief of the lord of Mawsil has broken my neck: I dare not wound this other man as well.
داد حق‌مان از مکافات آگهی ** گفت ان عدتم به عدنا به
God hath given us information concerning retribution: He hath said, ‘If ye repeat it (the offence), We shall repeat it (the punishment).’
چون فزونی کردن اینجا سود نیست ** غیر صبر و مرحمت محمود نیست
Since in this case it is useless to commit excess (to transgress further), nothing but patience and mercy is praiseworthy.