نه از طریق گوش بل از وحی هوش ** رازها بد پیش او بی روی‌پوش
Not (verbally) by way of the ear, but (silently) by inspiration (derived) from Reason: to him (all) mysteries were unveiled.
گفت نقش رشک پروینست این ** صورت شه‌زاده‌ی چینست این
He said, “This is the portrait of (her who is) an object of envy to the Pleiades: this is the picture of the Princess of China.
هم‌چو جان و چون جنین پنهانست او ** در مکتم پرده و ایوانست او 3790
She is hidden like the spirit and like the embryo: she is (kept) in a secret bower and palace.
سوی او نه مرد ره دارد نه زن ** شاه پنهان کرد او را از فتن
Neither man nor woman is admitted to her (presence): the King has concealed her on account of her fascinations.
غیرتی دارد ملک بر نام او ** که نپرد مرغ هم بر بام او
The King has a (great) jealousy for her (good) name, so that not even a bird flies above her roof.”
وای آن دل کش چنین سودا فتاد ** هیچ کس را این چنین سودا مباد
Alas for the heart that such an insane passion has stricken: may no one feel a passion like this!
این سزای آنک تخم جهل کاشت ** وآن نصیحت را کساد و سهل داشت
This is the retribution due to him who sowed the seed of ignorance and held light and cheap that (precious) counsel,
اعتمادی کرد بر تدبیر خویش ** که برم من کار خود با عقل پیش 3795
And put a (great) trust in his own management, saying, “By dint of intelligence I will carry my affair to success.”
نیم ذره زان عنایت به بود ** که ز تدبیر خرد سیصد رصد
Half a mite of the (King's) favour is better than three hundred spells (expedients) devised by the intellect.
ترک مکر خویشتن گیر ای امیر ** پا بکش پیش عنایت خوش بمیر
Abandon your own cunning, O Amír: draw back your foot before the (Divine) favour and gladly die.
این به قدر حیله‌ی معدود نیست ** زین حیل تا تو نمیری سود نیست
This is not (to be gained) by a certain amount of contrivance: nothing avails until you die to (all) these contrivings.
حکایت صدر جهان بخارا کی هر سایلی کی به زبان بخواستی از صدقه‌ی عام بی‌دریغ او محروم شدی و آن دانشمند درویش به فراموشی و فرط حرص و تعجیل به زبان بخواست در موکب صدر جهان از وی رو بگردانید و او هر روز حیله‌ی نو ساختی و خود را گاه زن کردی زیر چادر وگاه نابینا کردی و چشم و روی خود بسته به فراستش بشناختی الی آخره
Story of the Sadr-i Jahán of Bukhárá. (It was his custom that) any beggar who begged with his tongue was excluded from his universal and unstinted charity. A certain poor savant, forgetting (this rule) and being excessively eager and in a hurry, begged (alms) with his tongue (while the Sadr was passing) amidst his cavalcade. The Sadr-i Jahán averted his face from him, and (though) he contrived a new trick every day and disguised himself, now as a woman veiled in a chádar and now as a blind man with bandaged eyes and face, he (the Sadr) always had discernment enough to recognize him, etc.
در بخارا خوی آن خواجیم اجل ** بود با خواهندگان حسن عمل
It was the habit of that most noble lord in Bukhárá to deal kindly with beggars.
داد بسیار و عطای بی‌شمار ** تا به شب بودی ز جودش زر نثار 3800
His great bounty and immeasurable munificence were always scattering gold till nightfall.
زر به کاغذپاره‌ها پیچیده بود ** تا وجودش بود می‌افشاند جود
The gold was wrapped in bits of paper: he continued to lavish bounty as long as he lived.
هم‌چو خورشید و چو ماه پاک‌باز ** آنچ گیرند از ضیا بدهند باز
(He was) like the sun and the spendthrift moon; (for) they give back (all) the radiance that they receive (from God).
خاک را زربخش کی بود آفتاب ** زر ازو در کان و گنج اندر خراب
Who bestows gold on the earth? The sun. Through him, gold is in the mine and treasure in the ruin.
هر صباحی یک گره را راتبه ** تا نماند امتی زو خایبه
Every morning an allowance (was distributed) to a (different) set of people, in order that no class should be left disappointed by him.
مبتلایان را بدی روزی عطا ** روز دیگر بیوگان را آن سخا 3805
On one day his gifts were made to those afflicted (by disease); next day the same generosity (was shown) to widows;
روز دیگر بر علویان مقل ** با فقیهان فقیر مشتغل
Next day to impoverished descendants of ‘Alí together with poor jurists engaged in study (of the canon-law);
روز دیگر بر تهی‌دستان عام ** روز دیگر بر گرفتاران وام
Next day to empty-handed common folk; next day to persons fallen into debt.
شرط او آن بود که کس با زبان ** زر نخواهد هیچ نگشاید لبان
His rule (in giving alms) was that no one should beg for gold with his tongue or open his lips at all;
لیک خامش بر حوالی رهش ** ایستاده مفلسان دیواروش
But the paupers stood in silence, like a wall, on the outskirts of his path,
هر که کردی ناگهان با لب سال ** زو نبردی زین گنه یک حبه مال 3810
And any one who suddenly begged with his lips was punished for this offence by not getting from him (even) a mite of money.
من صمت منکم نجا بد یاسه‌اش ** خامشان را بود کیسه و کاسه‌اش
His maxim was “Those of you who keep silence are saved”: his purses and bowls (of food) were (reserved) for the silent.
نادرا روزی یکی پیری بگفت ** ده زکاتم که منم با جوع جفت
One day (it happened) extraordinarily (that) an old man said, “Give me alms, for I am hungry.”