شاه خود این صالحست آزاد اوست ** نی اسیر حرص فرجست و گلوست
This righteous man is himself a king, he is free, he is not the prisoner of lust and gluttony.
مر اسیران را لقب کردند شاه ** عکس چون کافور نام آن سیاه
They (the people) have given (those) prisoners the title of “king” by inversion, just as Káfúr (Camphor) is the name of that negro.
شد مفازه بادیه‌ی خون‌خوار نام ** نیکبخت آن پیس را کردند عام
The blood-drinking (deadly) wilderness is named mafáza (place of safety); the vulgar call the leper Níkbakht (Fortunatus).
بر اسیر شهوت و حرص و امل ** بر نوشته میر یا صدر اجل3125
They have described the prisoner of lust and anger and ambition by the name of Mír or Sadr-i ajall (most honourable prince).
آن اسیران اجل را عام داد ** نام امیران اجل اندر بلاد
To those prisoners of Doom (asírán-i ajal) the vulgar in (all) the lands have given the title of “most honourable Amírs” (amírán-i ajall).
صدر خوانندش که در صف نعال ** جان او پستست یعنی جاه و مال
They call high-placed (Sadr) him whose soul is (placed) low in the vestibule, that is to say, (worldly) power and riches.
شاه چون با زاهدی خویشی گزید ** این خبر در گوش خاتونان رسید
When the king chose (matrimonial) relationship with an ascetic, this news came to the ears of (his) ladies.
اختیار کردن پادشاه دختر درویش زاهدی را از جهت پسر و اعتراض کردن اهل حرم و ننگ داشتن ایشان از پیوندی درویش
How the king chose the daughter of a poor ascetic for his son and how the ladies of the harem raised objections and disdained the (proposed) alliance with the dervish.
مادر شه‌زاده گفت از نقص عقل ** شرط کفویت بود در عقل نقل
The prince's mother, from deficiency of understanding, said, “According to reason and tradition equality (of rank) is requisite.
تو ز شح و بخل خواهی وز دها ** تا ببندی پور ما را بر گدا3130
Thou from stinginess and miserliness and shrewdness wishest to ally our son with a beggar.”
گفت صالح را گدا گفتن خطاست ** کو غنی القلب از داد خداست
He (the king) said, “It is a fault to call the righteous man a beggar, for through the grace of God he is spiritually rich.
در قناعت می‌گریزد از تقی ** نه از لیمی و کسل هم‌چون گدا
He is taking refuge in contentment because of piety, not because of meanness and laziness, like the beggar.
قلتی کان از قناعت وز تقاست ** آن ز فقر و قلت دونان جداست
The penury which arises from contentment and piety is distinct from the poverty and penury of the base.
حبه‌ای آن گر بیابد سر نهد ** وین ز گنج زر به همت می‌جهد
If that one (the beggar) find a single groat, he bows his head (in homage), while this one (the righteous man) in his lofty aspiration recoils from a treasure of gold.
شه که او از حرص قصد هر حرام ** می‌کند او را گدا گوید همام3135
The king who from cupidity is betaking himself to everything unlawful— the man of noble mind calls him a beggar.”
گفت کو شهر و قلاع او را جهاز ** یا نثار گوهر و دینار ریز
She (the prince's mother) said, “Where are his cities and castles (to furnish) the wedding-outfit, or (where are his means of) scattering gems and pieces of gold?”
گفت رو هر که غم دین برگزید ** باقی غمها خدا از وی برید
He (the king) said, “Begone! Whosoever prefers to care for religion, God cuts off from him all remaining cares.”
غالب آمد شاه و دادش دختری ** از نژاد صالحی خوش جوهری
The king prevailed and gave (in marriage) to him (his son) a maiden of goodly nature, belonging to the family of a righteous man.
در ملاحت خود نظیر خود نداشت ** چهره‌اش تابان‌تر از خورشید چاشت
Verily, she had none to rival her in loveliness: her face was brighter than the sun at morn.
حسن دختر این خصالش آنچنان ** کز نکویی می‌نگنجد در بیان3140
Such was the maiden's beauty; and her qualities were such that, on account of their excellence, they are not (to be) contained in (any) description.
صید دین کن تا رسد اندر تبع ** حسن و مال و جاه و بخت منتفع
Make religion thy prey, that in consequence (as a corollary) there may come (to thee) beauty and riches and power and advantageous fortune.
آخرت قطار اشتر دان به ملک ** در تبع دنیاش هم‌چون پشم و پشک
Know that the next world, in respect of ownership, is (like) files of camels: the present world is its corollary, like the (camels') hair and dung.
پشم بگزینی شتر نبود ترا ** ور بود اشتر چه قیمت پشم را
(If) thou choose the hair, the camel will not be thine, and if the camel be thine, what value has the hair?
چون بر آمد این نکاح آن شاه را ** با نژاد صالحان بی مرا
When the marriage (matrimonial alliance) with the family of the uncontentious righteous folk was achieved (successfully arranged) by the king,
از قضا کمپیرکی جادو که بود ** عاشق شه‌زاده‌ی با حسن و جود3145
By (Divine) destiny a decrepit old witch, who was in love with the handsome and generous prince—
An old woman of Kábul—bewitched him with a sorcery of which the magic of Babylon (itself) would be envious.
شه بچه شد عاشق کمپیر زشت ** تا عروس و آن عروسی را بهشت
The prince fell in love with the ugly hag, so that he abandoned his bride and the wedding.
یک سیه دیوی و کابولی زنی ** گشت به شه‌زاده ناگه ره‌زنی
A black devil and woman of Kábul suddenly waylaid (seduced) the prince.
آن نودساله عجوزی گنده کس ** نه خرد هشت آن ملک را و نه نس
That stinking ninety years old hag left to the prince neither wisdom nor understanding. [That ninety years old hag whose vulva is stinking left to the prince neither wisdom nor understanding.]
تا به سالی بود شه‌زاده اسیر ** بوسه‌جایش نعل کفش گنده پیر3150
For a (whole) year the prince was captivated: the sole of the hag's shoe was the place where he bestowed his kisses.
صحبت کمپیر او را می‌درود ** تا ز کاهش نیم‌جانی مانده بود
Association with the hag was mowing (consuming) him, till through wasting away (only) half a spirit remained (in him).
دیگران از ضعف وی با درد سر ** او ز سکر سحر از خود بی‌خبر
Others had the headache (were sorely grieved) on account of his weakness, (while) he, from the intoxicating effect of the sorcery, was unconscious of himself.
این جهان بر شاه چون زندان شده ** وین پسر بر گریه‌شان خندان شده
This world had become (as) a prison to the king, while this son (of his) was laughing at their tears.
شاه بس بیچاره شد در برد و مات ** روز و شب می‌کرد قربان و زکات
The king became exceedingly desperate in the struggle (to save his son): day and night he was offering sacrifice and giving alms (but without avail),
زانک هر چاره که می‌کرد آن پدر ** عشق کمپیرک همی‌شد بیشتر3155
For whatever remedy the father might apply, (the son's) love for the old hag would always increase.
پس یقین گشتش که مطلق آن سریست ** چاره او را بعد از این لابه گریست
Then it became clear to him that that (infatuation) was absolutely a (Divine) mystery, and that thenceforth his (only) remedy was supplication.
سجده می‌کرد او که هم فرمان تراست ** غیر حق بر ملک حق فرمان کراست
He was prostrating himself in prayer, saying, “It beseems Thee to command: to whom but God belongeth the command over God's kingdom?
لیک این مسکین همی‌سوزد چو عود ** دست گیرش ای رحیم و ای ودود
But this poor wretch is burning like aloes-wood: take his hand (help him), O Merciful and Loving One!”
تا ز یا رب یا رب و افغان شاه ** ساحری استاد پیش آمد ز راه
(So did he pray) until, because of the “O Lord! O Lord!” and lamentation of the king, a master-magician came from the road into his presence.
مستجاب شدن دعای پادشاه در خلاص پسرش از جادوی کابلی
How the king's prayer for the deliverance of his son from the witch of Kábul was granted.
او شنیده بود از دور این خبر ** که اسیر پیرزن گشت آن پسر3160
He had heard from afar the news that that boy had been captivated by an old woman,
کان عجوزه بود اندر جادوی ** بی‌نظیر و آمن از مثل و دوی
A crone who in witchery was unrivalled and secure from likeness and duality.
دست بر بالای دستست ای فتی ** در فن و در زور تا ذات خدا
Hand is above hand, O youth, in skill and in strength up to the Essence of God.
منتهای دستها دست خداست ** بحر بی‌شک منتهای سیلهاست
The ultimate end of (all) hands is the Hand of God: the ultimate end of (all) torrents is undoubtedly the sea.
هم ازو گیرند مایه ابرها ** هم بدو باشد نهایت سیل را
From it the clouds take their origin, and in it too the torrent hath an end.
گفت شاهش کین پسر از دست رفت ** گفت اینک آمدم درمان زفت3165
The king said to him, “This boy has passed out of control (has lost his wits).” He (the magician) said, “Look you, I am come as a potent remedy.
نیست همتا زال را زین ساحران ** جز من داهی رسیده زان کران
None of these sorcerers is equal to the old woman except me, the sagacious one, who have arrived from yonder shore.
چون کف موسی به امر کردگار ** نک برآرم من ز سحر او دمار
Lo, by command of the Creator, I, like the hand of Moses, will utterly destroy her sorcery;
که مرا این علم آمد زان طرف ** نه ز شاگردی سحر مستخف
For to me this knowledge hath come from yonder region, not from having been schooled in the sorcery which is held cheap (by the wise).
آمدم تا بر گشایم سحر او ** تا نماند شاه‌زاده زردرو
I am come to undo her sorcery, so that the prince may not remain pale-faced.
سوی گورستان برو وقت سحور ** پهلوی دیوار هست اسپید گور3170
Go to the graveyard at the hour of the meal taken before dawn: beside the wall is a whitened tomb.
سوی قبله باز کاو آنجای را ** تا ببینی قدرت و صنع خدا
Dig up that place in the direction of the qibla, that thou mayst behold the power and the working of God.”