پس به سرهنگان بفرمود آن زمان ** تا بیارند اسپ را زان خاندان
Then he immediately ordered the officers to fetch the horse from that (Amír's) household.
هم‌چو آتش در رسیدند آن گروه ** هم‌چو پشمی گشت امیر هم‌چو کوه
(Quick) as fire, the party (of officers) arrived (there): the Amír who was like a mountain (in pride and stubbornness) became (soft and weak) as a piece of wool
جانش از درد و غبین تا لب رسید ** جز عمادالملک زنهاری ندید 3365
He almost expired from the anguish and defraudment: he saw no (means of) protection except the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk;
که عمادالملک بد پای علم ** بهر هر مظلوم و هر مقتول غم
For the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk was the foot of the banner to which every victim of injustice and every one stricken by distress would flock for refuge.
محترم‌تر خود نبد زو سروری ** پیش سلطان بود چون پیغامبری
In sooth there was no chief more revered than he: in the eyes of the Sultan he was like a prophet.
بی‌طمع بود او اصیل و پارسا ** رایض و شب‌خیز و حاتم در سخا
He was unambitious, strong-minded, devout, ascetic, one who kept vigils and was (like) Hátim in generosity;
بس همایون‌رای و با تدبیر و راد ** آزموده رای او در هر مراد
Very felicitous in judgement, endowed with foresight, and sage: his judgement had been proved in everything that he sought to attain.
هم به بذل جان سخی و هم به مال ** طالب خورشید غیب او چون هلال 3370
(He was) generous both in self-sacrifice and in sacrificing wealth: (he was) always seeking the Sun of the invisible world, like the new-moon.
در امیری او غریب و محتبس ** در صفات فقر وخلت ملتبس
In his (worldly) princedom he felt strange and embarrassed: he was clad (inwardly) in the attributes of (spiritual) poverty and love (of God).
بوده هر محتاج را هم‌چون پدر ** پیش سلطان شافع و دفع ضرر
He was like a father to every one in need: before the Sultan he was an intercessor and the means of averting harm.
مر بدان را ستر چون حلم خدا ** خلق او بر عکس خلقان و جدا
To the wicked he was a covering (to palliate their offences), like the clemency of God: his nature was opposite to (that of other) created beings and apart (from theirs).
بارها می‌شد به سوی کوه فرد ** شاه با صد لابه او را دفع کرد
Many a time he would have gone alone to the mountains (in order to seclude himself), (but) the Sultan prevented (dissuaded) him by (making) a hundred humble entreaties.
هر دم ار صد جرم را شافع شدی ** چشم سلطان را ازو شرم آمدی 3375
If at every moment he had interceded for a hundred sins, the Sultan's eye would have been abashed before him.
رفت او پیش عماد الملک راد ** سر برهنه کرد و بر خاک اوفتاد
He (the Amír) went to the noble ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk: he bared his head and fell on the ground,
که حرم با هر چه دارم گو بگیر ** تا بگیرد حاصلم را هر مغیر
Saying, “Let him (the king) take my harem together with all that I possess! Let any raider seize my (entire) revenue!
این یکی اسپست جانم رهن اوست ** گر برد مردم یقین ای خیردوست
(But) there is this one horse—my soul is devoted to it: if he take it, I will surely die, O lover of good.
گر برد این اسپ را از دست من ** من یقین دانم نخواهم زیستن
If he take this horse out of my hands, I know for certain that I shall not live (long).
چون خدا پیوستگیی داده است ** بر سرم مال ای مسیحا زود دست 3380
Since God has bestowed (on thee) a (spiritual) connexion (with Himself), stroke my head at once with thy hand, O Messiah!
از زن و زر و عقارم صبر هست ** این تکلف نیست نی تزویریست
I can bear the loss of my women and gold and estates: this is not pretence nor is it an imposture.
اندرین گر می‌نداری باورم ** امتحان کن امتحان گفت و قدم
If thou dost not believe me in this (matter), try me, try me in word and deed!”
آن عمادالملک گریان چشم‌مال ** پیش سلطان در دوید آشفته‌حال
Weeping and wiping his eyes, the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk ran, with agitated mien, into the presence of the Sultan.
لب ببست و پیش سلطان ایستاد ** راز گویان با خدا رب العباد
He closed his lips and stood before the Sultan, communing with God the Lord of (all) His slaves.
ایستاده راز سلطان می‌شنید ** واندرون اندیشه‌اش این می‌تنید 3385
He stood and listened to the Sultan's intimate talk, while inwardly his thought was weaving this (prayer)—
کای خداگر آن جوان کژ رفت راه ** که نشاید ساختن جز تو پناه
“O God, if that young man (the Amír) has gone the wrong way, for ’tis not fitting to make any one except Thee a refuge,
تو از آن خود بکن از وی مگیر ** گرچه او خواهد خلاص از هر اسیر
(Yet) do Thou act in Thine own (generous) fashion and be not offended with him although he beseech any (poor) prisoner (like me) to deliver him,
زانک محتاجند این خلقان همه ** از گدایی گیر تا سلطان همه
Because all these creatures (of Thine) are in need (of Thee): take (it that) all (are alike in this respect) from a beggar to the Sultan (himself).”
با حضور آفتاب با کمال ** رهنمایی جستن از شمع و ذبال
To seek guidance from candle and wick when the perfect Sun is present,
با حضور آفتاب خوش‌مساغ ** روشنایی جستن از شمع و چراغ 3390
To seek light from candle and lamp when the smoothly-rolling Sun is present,
بی‌گمان ترک ادب باشد ز ما ** کفر نعمت باشد و فعل هوا
Doubtless ’tis irreverence on our part, ’tis ingratitude and an act of self-will,
لیک اغلب هوش‌ها در افتکار ** هم‌چو خفاشند ظلمت دوستدار
But most minds in (their) thinking are lovers of darkness, like the bat.
در شب ار خفاش کرمی می‌خورد ** کرم را خورشید جان می‌پرورد
If the bat eats a worm during the night, (yet it is) the Sun (that) fosters the life of the worm.
در شب ار خفاش از کرمیست مست ** کرم از خورشید جنبنده شدست
If the bat is intoxicated with (the pleasure of eating) a worm during the night, (yet it is) by the Sun (that) the worm has been caused to move.
آفتابی که ضیا زو می‌زهد ** دشمن خود را نواله می‌دهد 3395
The Sun whence radiance gushes forth is giving food to his enemy.
لیک شهبازی که او خفاش نیست ** چشم بازش راست‌بین و روشنیست
But (in the case of) the royal falcon which is not a bat and whose falcon-eye is seeing truly and is clear,
گر به شب جوید چو خفاش او نمو ** در ادب خورشید مالد گوش او
If it, like the bat, seek increase (of sustenance) during the night, the Sun will rub its ear (chastise it) in correction,
گویدش گیرم که آن خفاش لد ** علتی دارد ترا باری چه شد
And will say to it, “I grant that the perverse bat has an infirmity, (but) anyhow what is the matter with you?
مالشت بدهم به زجر از اکتیاب ** تا نتابی سر دگر از آفتاب
I will chastise you severely with affliction, in order that you may not again turn your head away from the Sun.”
ماخذه‌ی یوسف صدیق صلوات‌الله علیه به حبس بضع سنین به سبب یاری خواستن از غیر حق و گفتن اذکرنی عند ربک مع تقریره
How Joseph the Siddíq (truthful witness)—the blessings of God be upon him!—was punished with imprisonment “for several years” because of his seeking help from another than God and saying (to him), “Mention me in thy lord's presence,” together with the exposition thereof.
آنچنان که یوسف از زندانیی ** با نیازی خاضعی سعدانیی 3400
That is like Joseph's (asking help) of a (fellow-) prisoner, a needy abject groundling.
خواست یاری گفت چون بیرون روی ** پیش شه گردد امورت مستوی
He besought him for help and said, “When you come out (of prison), your affairs will prosper with the king.
یاد من کن پیش تخت آن عزیز ** تا مرا هم وا خرد زین حبس نیز
Make mention of me before the throne of that mighty prince, that he may redeem (release) me also from this prison.”
کی دهد زندانیی در اقتناص ** مرد زندانی دیگر را خلاص
(But) how should a prisoner in captivity give release to another imprisoned man?
اهل دنیا جملگان زندانیند ** انتظار مرگ دار فانیند
All the people of this world are prisoners (waiting) in expectation of death in the abode that is passing away;
جز مگر نادر یکی فردانیی ** تن بزندان جان او کیوانیی 3405
Except, to be sure, in the rare case of one who is single (fardání), one whose body is in the prison (of this world) and his spirit like Saturn (in the seventh heaven).
پس جزای آنک دید او را معین ** ماند یوسف حبس در بضع سنین
Therefore, in retribution for having regarded him (the fellow-prisoner) as a helper, Joseph was left in prison for several years.
یاد یوسف دیو از عقلش سترد ** وز دلش دیو آن سخن از یاد برد
The Devil erased from his mind the recollection of Joseph and removed from his memory those words (which Joseph had spoken).
زین گنه کامد از آن نیکوخصال ** ماند در زندان ز داور چند سال
In consequence of the sin which proceeded from that man of goodly qualities (Joseph), he was left in prison for several years by the (Divine) Judge,
که چه تقصیر آمد از خورشید داد ** تا تو چون خفاش افتی در سواد
Who said, “What failure was shown by the Sun of justice that thou shouldst fall, like a bat, into the blackness (of night)?
هین چه تقصیر آمد از بحر و سحاب ** تا تو یاری خواهی از ریگ و سراب 3410
Hark, what failure was shown by the sea and the cloud that thou shouldst seek help from the sand and the mirage?
عام اگر خفاش طبعند و مجاز ** یوسفا داری تو آخر چشم باز
If the vulgar are bats by nature and unreal (unspiritual), thou, at least, O Joseph, hast the eye of the falcon.
گر خفاشی رفت در کور و کبود ** باز سلطان دیده را باری چه بود
If a bat went into the blind and blue (the world of darkness and misery), (’tis no wonder, but) after all what ailed the falcon that had seen the Sultan?”