همچو اسماعیل پیشش سر بنه ** شاد و خندان پیش تیغش جان بده
Like Ismá‘íl (Ishmael), lay your head before him; gladly and laughingly give up your soul before his dagger,
تا بماند جانت خندان تا ابد ** همچو جان پاک احمد با احد
In order that your soul may remain laughing unto eternity, like the pure soul of Ahmad (Mohammed) with the One (God).
عاشقان جام فرح آن گه کشند ** که به دست خویش خوبانشان کشند
Lovers drain the cup of (spiritual) life at the moment when the fair ones slay them with their own hand.
شاه آن خون از پی شهوت نکرد ** تو رها کن بد گمانی و نبرد230
The king did not commit that bloodshed because of lust: cease from thinking evil and disputing.
تو گمان بردی که کرد آلودگی ** در صفا غش کی هلد پالودگی
You thought that he committed a foul crime, (but) in (the state of) purity how should the sublimation leave (any) alloy (behind)?
بهر آن است این ریاضت وین جفا ** تا بر آرد کوره از نقره جفا
The purpose of this (severe) discipline and this rough treatment is that the furnace may extract the dross from the silver.
بهر آن است امتحان نیک و بد ** تا بجوشد بر سر آرد زر زبد
The testing of good and bad is in order that the gold may boil and bring the scum to the top.
گر نبودی کارش الهام اله ** او سگی بودی دراننده نه شاه
If his act were not the inspiration of God, he would have been a dog that rends (its prey), not a king.
پاک بود از شهوت و حرص و هوا ** نیک کرد او لیک نیک بد نما235
He was unstained by lust and covetousness and passion: (what) he did (was) good, but good that wore the aspect of evil.
گر خضر در بحر کشتی را شکست ** صد درستی در شکست خضر هست
If Khadir stove the boat in the sea, (yet) in Khadir's staving there are a hundred rightnesses.
وهم موسی با همه نور و هنر ** شد از آن محجوب، تو بیپر مپر
The imagination of Moses, notwithstanding his (spiritual) illumination and excellence, was screened from (the comprehension of) that (act of Khadir). Do not thou fly without wings!
آن گل سرخ است تو خونش مخوان ** مست عقل است او تو مجنونش مخوان
That (deed of the king) is a red rose (worthy of praise); do not call it blood (murder). He is intoxicated with Reason; do not call him a madman.
گر بدی خون مسلمان کام او ** کافرم گر بردمی من نام او
Had it been his desire to shed the blood of a Moslem, I am an infidel if I would have mentioned his name (with praise).
میبلرزد عرش از مدح شقی ** بد گمان گردد ز مدحش متقی240
The highest heaven trembles at praise of the wicked, and by praise of him the devout man is moved to think evil.
شاه بود و شاه بس آگاه بود ** خاص بود و خاصهی الله بود
He was a king and a very heedful king; he was elect and the elect (favourite) of God.
آن کسی را کش چنین شاهی کشد ** سوی بخت و بهترین جاهی کشد
One who is slain by a king like this, he (the king) leads him to fortune and to the best (most honourable) estate.
گر ندیدی سود او در قهر او ** کی شدی آن لطف مطلق قهر جو
Unless he (the king) had seen advantage to him (the goldsmith) in doing violence to him, how should that absolute Mercy have sought to do violence?
بچه میلرزد از آن نیش حجام ** مادر مشفق در آن غم شاد کام
The child trembles at the barber's scalpel (but) the fond mother is happy at that moment.
نیم جان بستاند و صد جان دهد ** آن چه در وهمت نیاید آن دهد245
He takes half a life and gives a hundred lives (in exchange): he gives that which enters not into your imagination.
تو قیاس از خویش میگیری و لیک ** دور دور افتادهای بنگر تو نیک
You are judging (his actions) from (the analogy of) yourself, but you have fallen far, far (away from the truth). Consider well!
حکایت بقال و طوطی و روغن ریختن طوطی در دکان
The story of the greengrocer and the parrot and the parrot's spilling the oil in the shop.
بود بقالی و وی را طوطیی ** خوش نوایی سبز و گویا طوطیی
There was a greengrocer who had a parrot, a sweet-voiced green talking parrot.
بر دکان بودی نگهبان دکان ** نکته گفتی با همه سوداگران
(Perched) on the bench, it would watch over the shop (in the owner's absence) and talk finely to all the traders.
در خطاب آدمی ناطق بدی ** در نوای طوطیان حاذق بدی
In addressing human beings it would speak (like them); it was (also) skilled in the song of parrots.
جست از سوی دکان سویی گریخت ** شیشههای روغن گل را بریخت250
(Once) it sprang from the bench and flew away; it spilled the bottles of rose-oil.
از سوی خانه بیامد خواجهاش ** بر دکان بنشست فارغ خواجهوش
Its master came from the direction of his house and seated himself on the bench at his ease as a merchant does.