مالک الملکی به حس چیزی دهی ** تا که بر حس‌ها کند آن حس شهی 2815
Thou art the Lord of the kingdom: Thou givest to the (spiritual) sense something (peculiar to itself), so that that sense exercises sovereignty over (all) the senses.
حکایت شب دزدان کی سلطان محمود شب در میان ایشان افتاد کی من یکی‌ام از شما و بر احوال ایشان مطلع شدن الی آخره
Story of the night-thieves with whom Sultan Mahmúd fell in during the night (and joined them), saying, “I am one of you”; and how he became acquainted with their affairs, etc.
شب چو شه محمود برمی‌گشت فرد ** با گروهی قوم دزدان باز خورد
While King Mahmúd was roaming about alone at night he encountered a band of thieves.
پس بگفتندش کیی ای بوالوفا ** گفت شه من هم یکی‌ام از شما
Thereupon they said to him, “Who art thou, O honest man?” “I am one of you,” replied the King.
آن یکی گفت ای گروه مکر کیش ** تا بگوید هر یکی فرهنگ خویش
One (of the thieves) said, “O company practised in cunning, let each of us declare his (special) talent;
تا بگوید با حریفان در سمر ** کو چه دارد در جبلت از هنر
Let him tell his comrades in the night-talk what (eminent) skill he possesses in his nature.”
آن یکی گفت ای گروه فن‌فروش ** هست خاصیت مرا اندر دو گوش 2820
One said, “O ye fellows who are exhibiting (your) cleverness, my specialty lies in my two ears.
که بدانم سگ چه می‌گوید به بانگ ** قوم گفتندش ز دیناری دو دانگ
(It is this), that I know what a dog is saying when it barks.” The (rest of the) party replied, “Two dángs of a dínár.”
آن دگر گفت ای گروه زرپرست ** جمله خاصیت مرا چشم اندرست
Another (thief) said, “O company of gold-worshippers, my specialty lies wholly in my eyes.
هر که را شب بینم اندر قیروان ** روز بشناسم من او را بی‌گمان
If I see any one in the world by night, I know him by day without (having any) doubt (as to his identity).”
گفت یک خاصیتم در بازو است ** که زنم من نقبها با زور دست
Another said, “My specialty lies in my arm: I make tunnels (through walls) by strength of hand.”
گفت یک خاصیتم در بینی است ** کار من در خاکها بوبینی است 2825
Another said, “My specialty lies in my nose: my business is to detect the (characteristic) smell in (different) earths (soils).
سرالناس معادن داد دست ** که رسول آن را پی چه گفته است
The secret of ‘men are mines’ has yielded itself (to me), so that (I know the reason) why the Prophet has said it.
من ز خاک تن بدانم کاندر آن ** چند نقدست و چه دارد او ز کان
From (smelling) the earth of the body I know how much good ore is (hidden) therein and what (sort of) mine it holds.
در یکی کان زر بی‌اندازه درج ** وان دگر دخلش بود کمتر ز خرج
In one mine is contained gold immeasurable, while (in the case of) another the revenue (derived) from it is less than the expenditure (cost of working it).
هم‌چو مجنون بو کنم من خاک را ** خاک لیلی را بیابم بی‌خطا
Like Majnún, I smell the soil and detect the soil (abode) of Laylá without mistake.
بو کنم دانم ز هر پیراهنی ** گر بود یوسف و گر آهرمنی 2830
I smell and know from (the scent of) every shirt whether ’tis (belongs to) a Joseph or an Ahriman (devil).
هم‌چو احمد که برد بو از یمن ** زان نصیبی یافت این بینی من
Like Ahmad (Mohammed), who catches scent from Yemen, this nose of mine has gained (been endowed with) some portion of that (spiritual faculty),
که کدامین خاک همسایه‌ی زرست ** یا کدامین خاک صفر و ابترست
(So that I can smell) which soil is a neighbour of gold, or which soil is empty and poor.”
گفت یک نک خاصیت در پنجه‌ام ** که کمندی افکنم طول علم
Another said, “Look here, my specialty lies in my fist: I can throw a lasso to the height of a mountain,
هم‌چو احمد که کمند انداخت جانش ** تا کمندش برد سوی آسمانش
Like Ahmad (Mohammed), whose spirit threw a lasso so (high) that his lasso bore him to Heaven,
گفت حقش ای کمندانداز بیت ** آن ز من دان ما رمیت اذ رمیت 2835
And God said to him, ‘O thrower of the lasso (of thy aspiration) at the (celestial) House, deem that (act of throwing) to be from Me: thou didst not throw when thou threwest.’”
پس بپرسیدند زان شه کای سند ** مر ترا خاصیت اندر چه بود
Then they (the thieves) asked the King, saying, “O man of authority, in what may thy special talent consist?”
گفت در ریشم بود خاصیتم ** که رهانم مجرمان را از نقم
He replied, “My specialty lies in my beard: I can save criminals from punishment.
مجرمان را چون به جلادان دهند ** چون بجنبد ریش من زیشان رهند
When criminals are handed over to the executioners, as soon as my beard moves they are saved.
چون بجنبانم به رحمت ریش را ** طی کنند آن قتل و آن تشویش را
When I move my beard in mercy, they (the executioners) put an end to the killing and (all) the trouble.”