تاج شیخ اسلام دار الملک بلخ ** بود کوته‌قد و کوچک هم‌چو فرخ
Táj, the Shaykhu ’l-Islám of the imperial city of Balkh, was short of stature and small as a chick.
گرچه فاضل بود و فحل و ذو فنون ** این ضیا اندر ظرافت بد فزون
Though he was learned and eminent and accomplished, (his brother) this Ziyá was superior in wit.
او بسی کوته ضیا بی‌حد دراز ** بود شیخ اسلام را صد کبر و ناز 3475
He (Táj) was very short, while Ziyá was tall beyond measure: the Shaykh of Islam had a hundred arrogances and haughty airs.
زین برادر عار و ننگش آمدی ** آن ضیا هم واعظی بد با هدی
He felt ashamed of this brother and disgraced (by him); yet Ziyá was a preacher in the way of salvation.
روز محفل اندر آمد آن ضیا ** بارگه پر قاضیان و اصفیا
On the day of congregation Ziyá came in: the hall was filled with cadis and men distinguished (for piety).
کرد شیخ اسلام از کبر تمام ** این برادر را چنین نصف القیام
In his complete arrogance the Shaykh of Islam (only) half rose (from his seat), in such a (careless) fashion, to (salute) his brother.
گفت او را بس درازی بهر مزد ** اندکی زان قد سروت هم بدزد
He (Ziyá) said to him, “Thou art very tall: take a little off thy cypress-like stature in order to gain the (Divine) reward.”
پس ترا خود هوش کو یا عقل کو ** تا خوری می ای تو دانش را عدو 3480
(The ascetic said), “How, then, have you the intelligence, how have you the (necessary) understanding to drink wine, O enemy of knowledge?
روت بس زیباست نیلی هم بکش ** ضحکه باشد نیل بر روی حبش
(If) your face is very beautiful, put some indigo on it (as an ornament); (but) indigo on the face of an Abyssinian (negro) would be a laughing-stock.
در تو نوری کی درآمد ای غوی ** تا تو بیهوشی و ظلمت‌جو شوی
When did any (spiritual) light enter into you, O misguided man, that you should become a seeker of unconsciousness and darkness?
سایه در روزست جستن قاعده ** در شب ابری تو سایه‌جو شده
’Tis the (approved) rule to seek the shadow during the day; (but) you seek the shadow on a cloudy night.
گر حلال آمد پی قوت عوام ** طالبان دوست را آمد حرام
If it (wine) is lawful as sustenance for the common folk, (yet) it is unlawful to those who seek the Beloved.
عاشقان را باده خون دل بود ** چشمشان بر راه و بر منزل بود 3485
The wine for the lovers (of God) is their heart's blood: their eyes are (fixed) upon the Way and upon the Destination.
در چنین راه بیابان مخوف ** این قلاوز خرد با صد کسوف
In this Way across the terrible wilderness the guide, Reason, suffers a hundred eclipses.
خاک در چشم قلاوزان زنی ** کاروان را هالک و گمره کنی
(If) you throw dust in the eyes of the guides, you will cause the caravan to perish and lose the way.
نان جو حقا حرامست و فسوس ** نفس را در پیش نه نان سبوس
In sooth, barley bread is unlawful and injurious to the carnal soul: set (only) bread made of bran before it.
دشمن راه خدا را خوار دار ** دزد را منبر منه بر دار دار
Keep in abject submission the enemy on the Way to God: do not place a pulpit for the robber, (but) keep him on the gibbet.
دزد را تو دست ببریدن پسند ** از بریدن عاجزی دستش ببند 3490
Deem the amputation of the robber's hand desirable: if you are unable to cut his hand off, bind it.
گر نبندی دست او دست تو بست ** گر تو پایش نشکنی پایت شکست
Unless you bind his hand, he will bind yours; unless you break his leg, he will break yours.
تو عدو را می دهی و نی‌شکر ** بهر چه گو زهر خند و خاک خور
You give the enemy wine and sugar-cane—for what reason? Bid him laugh venomously and eat earth.”
زد ز غیرت بر سبو سنگ و شکست ** او سبو انداخت و از زاهد بجست
In his indignation he (the ascetic) hurled a stone at the jug and broke it: he (the slave) let the jug fall and sprang away from the ascetic.
رفت پیش میر و گفتش باده کو ** ماجرا را گفت یک یک پیش او
He went to the Amír, who said to him, “Where is the wine?” He (the slave) related in his presence all that had happened, point by point.
رفتن امیر خشم‌آلود برای گوشمال زاهد
How the enraged Amír set out to punish the ascetic.
میر چون آتش شد و برجست راست ** گفت بنما خانه‌ی زاهد کجاست 3495
The Amír became like fire and jumped straight up. “Show me,” he cried, “where the ascetic's house is,
تا بدین گرز گران کوبم سرش ** آن سر بی‌دانش مادرغرش
That I may pound his head with this heavy club—his ignorant whoreson head.
او چه داند امر معروف از سگی ** طالب معروفی است و شهرگی
What should he know about enjoining (others) to do right? He is currishly seeking notoriety and fame,
تا بدین سالوس خود را جا کند ** تا به چیزی خویشتن پیدا کند
In order that by means of this hypocrisy he may make a position for himself and somehow make himself conspicuous;
کو ندارد خود هنر الا همان ** که تسلس می‌کند با این و آن
For in truth he has no talent save this alone, that he plays the hypocrite to all and sundry.
او اگر دیوانه است و فتنه‌کاو ** داروی دیوانه باشد کیر گاو 3500
If he is mad and bent on mischief, the cure for a madman is an ox-hide whip, [If he is mad and bent on mischief, the cure for a madman is a whip (made from) an ox’s penis,]
تا که شیطان از سرش بیرون رود ** بی‌لت خربندگان خر چون رود
So that the devil may go forth from his head: how should an ass go (forward) without the ass-drivers' blows?”
The Amír dashed out, with a mace in his hand: at midnight he came, half intoxicated, to the ascetic.
خواست کشتن مرد زاهد را ز خشم ** مرد زاهد گشت پنهان زیر پشم
In his rage he wished to kill the ascetic, (but) the ascetic hid beneath (some) wool.
مرد زاهد می‌شنید از میر آن ** زیر پشم آن رسن‌تابان نهان
The ascetic, hidden under the wool belonging to certain rope-makers, heard that (threat) from the Amír.
گفت در رو گفتن زشتی مرد ** آینه تاند که رو را سخت کرد 3505
He said (to himself), “(Only) the mirror that has made its face hard can tell a man to his face that he is ugly.
روی باید آینه‌وار آهنین ** تات گوید روی زشت خود ببین
It needs a steel face, like a mirror, to say to thee, ‘Behold thy ugly face.’”
حکایت مات کردن دلقک سید شاه ترمد را
Story of Dalqak's checkmating the Sayyid, the Sháh of Tirmid.
شاه با دلقک همی شطرنج باخت ** مات کردش زود خشم شه بتاخت
The Sháh was playing chess with Dalqak: he (Dalqak) checkmated him: immediately the Sháh's anger burst out.
گفت شه شه و آن شه کبرآورش ** یک یک از شطرنج می‌زد بر سرش
He (Dalqak) cried, “Checkmate, checkmate!” and the haughty monarch threw the chessmen, one by one, at his head,
که بگیر اینک شهت ای قلتبان ** صبر کرد آن دلقک و گفت الامان
Saying, “Take (it)! Here is ‘checkmate’ for you, O scoundrel.” Dalqak restrained himself and (only) said, “Mercy!”
دست دیگر باختن فرمود میر ** او چنان لرزان که عور از زمهریر 3510
The Prince commanded him to play a second game: he (Dalqak) was trembling like a naked man in bitter cold.
باخت دست دیگر و شه مات شد ** وقت شه شه گفتن و میقات شد
He played the second game, and the Sháh was defeated: (when) the time and moment for saying “checkmate, checkmate” arrived,
بر جهید آن دلقک و در کنج رفت ** شش نمد بر خود فکند از بیم تفت
Dalqak jumped up and ran into a corner and in his fear hastily flung six rugs over himself.
زیر بالشها و زیر شش نمد ** خفت پنهان تا ز زخم شه رهد
(There) he lay hidden beneath (several) cushions and six rugs, that he might escape from the Sháh's blows.
گفت شه هی هی چه کردی چیست این ** گفت شه شه شه شه ای شاه گزین
The Sháh exclaimed, “Hi, hi! what have you done? What is this?” He replied, “Checkmate, checkmate, checkmate, checkmate, O excellent Sháh!
کی توان حق گفت جز زیر لحاف ** با تو ای خشم‌آور آتش‌سجاف 3515
How can one tell the truth to thee except under cover, O wrathful man who art wrapped in fire,
ای تو مات و من ز زخم شاه مات ** می‌زنم شه شه به زیر رختهات
O thou who art defeated (by me), while I, defeated by thy Majesty's blows, am crying ‘checkmate, checkmate’ under thy house-furnishings?”
چون محله پر شد از هیهای میر ** وز لگد بر در زدن وز دار و گیر
When the (whole) quarter became filled with the furious shouts of the Amír and his kicking the (ascetic's) door and holding and seizing,
خلق بیرون جست زود از چپ و راست ** کای مقدم وقت عفوست و رضاست
The people quickly rushed out from left and right, crying, “O Prince, ’tis the hour for pardon and grace.
مغز او خشکست و عقلش این زمان ** کمترست از عقل و فهم کودکان
His brain is dry, and at this time his intelligence is inferior to the intelligence and understanding of children.
زهد و پیری ضعف بر ضعف آمده ** واندر آن زهدش گشادی ناشده 3520
Asceticism and old age have come on the top of each other, and no (spiritual) revelation has been given to him in his asceticism.
رنج دیده گنج نادیده ز یار ** کارها کرده ندیده مزد کار
He has suffered the pain but never seen the gain (that comes) from the Beloved: he has done (many) works (of devotion) but never seen the wages for his work.
یا نبود آن کار او را خود گهر ** یا نیامد وقت پاداش از قدر
Either the essential thing was not in his work at all, or by (Divine) decree the hour for the reward has not yet arrived.