چون دمی حیران شد از وی شاه فرد ** روی خود سوی عماد الملک کرد 3455
After the peerless king had been astounded by (gazing at) it (the horse) for a moment, he turned his face to the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk,
کای اچی بس خوب اسپی نیست این ** از بهشتست این مگر نه از زمین
Saying, “O vizier, is not this an exceedingly beautiful horse? Surely it belongs to Paradise, not to the earth.”
پس عماد الملک گفتش ای خدیو ** چون فرشته گردد از میل تو دیو
Thereupon the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk said to him, “O emperor, a demon is made angelic by thy (fond) inclination.
در نظر آنچ آوری گردید نیک ** بس گش و رعناست این مرکب ولیک
That on which thou lookest (fondly) becomes (appears good (to thee). This steed is very handsome and graceful, and yet
هست ناقص آن سر اندر پیکرش ** چون سر گاوست گویی آن سرش
The head is a blemish in its (elegant) form: you might say that its head is like the head of an ox.”
در دل خوارمشه این دم کار کرد ** اسپ را در منظر شه خوار کرد 3460
These words worked on the heart of the Khwárizmsháh and caused the horse to be cheap in the king's sight.
چون غرض دلاله گشت و واصفی ** از سه گز کرباس یابی یوسفی
When prejudice becomes a go-between and describer (of beauty), you may get (buy) a Joseph for three ells of linen.
چونک هنگام فراق جان شود ** دیو دلال در ایمان شود
When the hour arrives for the spirit's parting (from the body), the Devil becomes a broker (depreciator) of the pearl of Faith,
پس فروشد ابله ایمان را شتاب ** اندر آن تنگی به یک ابریق آب
And then in that (moment of) sore distress the fool hastily sells his faith for a jug of water;
وان خیالی باشد و ابریق نی ** قصد آن دلال جز تخریق نی
But ’tis a (mere) phantom and not (really) a jug: the aim of the broker (the Devil) is naught but trickery.
این زمان که تو صحیح و فربهی ** صدق را بهر خیالی می‌دهی 3465
At this (present) time, when you are healthy and fat, you are giving up the Truth for a phantom.
می‌فروشی هر زمانی در کان ** هم‌چو طفلی می‌ستانی گردگان
You are constantly selling the pearls of the (spiritual) mine and taking walnuts (in exchange), like a child;
پس در آن رنجوری روز اجل ** نیست نادر گر بود اینت عمل
Therefore it is no wonder if you act in this (same) way in the (mortal) sickness of your day of doom (death).
در خیالت صورتی جوشیده‌ای ** هم‌چو جوزی وقت دق پوسیده‌ای
You have concocted an idea (a vain notion) in your fancy: when you are rattled (tested) like a walnut, you are (proved to be) rotten.
هست از آغاز چون بدر آن خیال ** لیک آخر می‌شود هم‌چون هلال
In the beginning that phantom resembles the full-moon, but in the end it will become like the new-moon.
گر تو اول بنگری چون آخرش ** فارغ آیی از فریب فاترش 3470
If you regard its first (state) as being (really) like its last (state), you will be quit of its feeble deception.
جوز پوسیده‌ست دنیا ای امین ** امتحانش کم کن از دورش ببین
This world is a rotten walnut: O man of trust, do not make trial of it, (but) behold it from afar.
شاه دید آن اسپ را با چشم حال ** وآن عمادالملک با چشم مل
The king viewed the horse with regard to the present, while the ‘Imádu ’l- Mulk (viewed it) with regard to the future.
چشم شه دو گز همی دید از لغز ** چشم آن پایان‌نگر پنجاه گز
The king's eye, because of (its) distortion, saw (only) two ells, (but) the eye of him who regarded the end saw fifty ells.
آن چه سرمه‌ست آنک یزدان می‌کشد ** کز پس صد پرده بیند جان رشد
What a (wondrous) collyrium is that which God applies (to the spiritual eye), so that the spirit discerns the truth behind a hundred curtains!
چشم مهتر چون به آخر بود جفت ** پس بدان دیده جهان را جیفه گفت 3475
Since the Chief's (the Prophet's) eye was ever fixed on the end, by reason of (seeing with) that eye he called the world a carcase.
زین یکی ذمش که بشنود او وحسپ ** پس فسرد اندر دل شه مهر اسپ
On hearing only this single (word of) blame from him (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk), the love (that was) in the king's heart for the horse became chilled.
چشم خود بگذاشت و چشم او گزید ** هوش خود بگذاشت و قول او شنید
He abandoned his own eye and preferred his (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk's) eye: he abandoned his own intelligence and hearkened to his (the other's) words.
این بهانه بود و آن دیان فرد ** از نیاز آن در دل شه سرد کرد
This (speech of the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) was (only) the pretext, and (in reality) at (his) entreaty the unique Judge caused it (the horse) to be cold (despicable) in the king's heart.
در ببست از حسن او پیش بصر ** آن سخن بد در میان چون بانگ در
He (God) shut the door on its beauty (made its beauty invisible) to the eye (of the king): those words (of the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) intervened (between the king's eye and the horse) like the sound of the door.