اشتها صادق بود تاخیر به ** تا گواریده شود آن بی‌گره

(If) the appetite be true, ’tis better to delay, in order that it (the food) may be digested without difficulty.

تو پی دفع بلایم می‌زنی ** تا ببینی رخنه را بندش کنی

Wilt thou beat me for the purpose of averting a (dreaded) calamity, to the end that thou mayst see the crevice and block it up,

تا از آن رخنه برون ناید بلا ** غیر آن رخنه بسی دارد قضا

So that the calamity will not issue from that crevice? Destiny hath many a crevice besides that one.

چاره‌ی دفع بلا نبود ستم ** چاره احسان باشد و عفو و کرم 2590

Violence is not the means of averting calamity: the means is beneficence and pardon and kindness.

گفت الصدقه مرد للبلا ** داو مرضاک به صدقه یا فتی

He (the Prophet) said, ‘Alms is a means of averting calamity: cure thy diseased ones by (giving) alms, O youth.’

صدقه نبود سوختن درویش را ** کور کردن چشم حلم‌اندیش را

’Tis not alms-giving to burn a poor man (in the fire of anger) and to blind the eye that meditates on forbearance.”

گفت شه نیکوست خیر و موقعش ** لیک چون خیری کنی در موضعش

The king replied, “Charity and the occasion for it are excellent (things), but (only) when you perform an act of charity in its (proper) place.

موضع رخ شه نهی ویرانیست ** موضع شه اسپ هم نادانیست

(If) you put the king in the rook's place, ’tis ruin (to the game); likewise, (if you put) the horse (knight) in the king's place, ’tis the act of an ignoramus.

در شریعت هم عطا هم زجر هست ** شاه را صدر و فرس را درگه است 2595

Both bounty and severity are (sanctioned) in the religious Law: (’tis) for the king (to sit on) the throne, (’tis) for the horse (to stand at) the gate.

عدل چه بود وضع اندر موضعش ** ظلم چه بود وضع در ناموقعش

What is justice? To put (a thing) in its (right) place. What is injustice? To put it in its wrong place.