تو بنادر آمدی در جان و دل ** ای دل و جان از قدوم تو خجل
Seldom hast thou come into (the world of) soul and heart, O thou at whose advent heart and soul are abashed.
چند کردم مدح قوم ما مضی ** قصد من زانها تو بودی ز اقتضا
How oft have I praised the people of the past! Of necessity, thou wert (the object of) my quest in (praising) them.
خانه‌ی خود را شناسد خود دعا ** تو بنام هر که خواهی کن ثنا
Verily the invocation knows its own house: attach the praise to the name of whomsoever you will.
بهر کتمان مدیح از نا محل ** حق نهادست این حکایات و مثل
God hath set down these tales and parables for the purpose of concealing (the true nature of) the praise from the unworthy.
گر چه آن مدح از تو هم آمد خجل ** لیک بپذیرد خدا جهد المقل2115
Even if that praise is abashed before thee, yet God accepts the (utmost) exertion of one that has little (to give).
حق پذیرد کسره‌ای دارد معاف ** کز دو دیده‌ی کور دو قطره کفاف
God accepts a crust (of bread) and absolves (the giver), for from the eyes of a blind man two drops (of light) are enough.
مرغ و ماهی داند آن ابهام را ** که ستودم مجمل این خوش‌نام را
Birds and fishes know the (real meaning of) the ambiguous style in which I have praised compendiously this person of goodly name,
تا برو آه حسودان کم وزد ** تا خیالش را به دندان کم گزد
To the end that the sighs of the envious may not blow upon him, and that he (the envier) may not bite the (false) idea of him (Husámu’ddín) with the teeth (of malice).
خود خیالش را کجا یابد حسود ** در وثاق موش طوطی کی غنود
Where should the envious man find even the idea of him? When did a parrot rest in the abode of a mouse?
آن خیال او بود از احتیال ** موی ابروی ویست آن نه هلال2120
That idea of him (Husámu’ddín) arises (in the mind of the envious man) from cunning practice (on his part): it is the hair of his eyebrow, not the new moon.