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1
318-342

  • بشنود آن مرغ بانگ جنس خویش ** از هوا آید بیابد دام و نیش‌‌
  • (So that) the bird may hear the note of its congener and come down from the air and find trap and knife-point.

  • حرف درویشان بدزدد مرد دون ** تا بخواند بر سلیمی ز ان فسون‌‌
  • The vile man will steal the language of dervishes, that he may thereby chant a spell over (fascinate and deceive) one who is simple.

  • کار مردان روشنی و گرمی است ** کار دونان حیله و بی‌‌شرمی است‌‌ 320
  • The work of (holy) men is (as) light and heat; the work of vile men is trickery and shamelessness.

  • شیر پشمین از برای کد کنند ** بو مسیلم را لقب احمد کنند
  • They make a woollen lion for the purpose of begging; they give the title of Ahmad (Mohammed) to Bú Musaylim;

  • بو مسیلم را لقب کذاب ماند ** مر محمد را اولو الالباب ماند
  • (But) to Bú Musaylim remained the title of Kadhdháb (Liar), to Mohammed remained (the title of) Ulu ’l-albáb (Endowed with understanding).

  • آن شراب حق ختامش مشک ناب ** باده را ختمش بود گند و عذاب‌‌
  • The wine of God, its seal (last result) is pure musk, (but) as for (the other) wine, its seal is stench and torment

  • داستان آن پادشاه جهود که نصرانیان را می‌‌کشت از بهر تعصب
  • Story of the Jewish king who for bigotry's sake used to slay the Christians.

  • بود شاهی در جهودان ظلم ساز ** دشمن عیسی و نصرانی گداز
  • Amongst the Jews there was a king who wrought oppression, an enemy of Jesus and a destroyer of Christians.

  • عهد عیسی بود و نوبت آن او ** جان موسی او و موسی جان او 325
  • ’Twas the epoch of Jesus and the turn was his: he was the soul of Moses, and Moses the soul of him;

  • شاه احول کرد در راه خدا ** آن دو دمساز خدایی را جدا
  • (But) the squint-eyed (double-seeing) king separated in the way of God those two Divine (prophets) who were (really) in accord (with each other).

  • گفت استاد احولی را کاندر آ ** رو برون آر از وثاق آن شیشه را
  • The master said to a squint-eyed (pupil), “Come on; go, fetch that bottle out of the room.”

  • گفت احول ز ان دو شیشه من کدام ** پیش تو آرم بکن شرح تمام‌‌
  • Said the squint-eyed one: “Which of the two bottles shall I bring to you? Explain fully.”

  • گفت استاد آن دو شیشه نیست رو ** احولی بگذار و افزون بین مشو
  • “There are not two bottles,” replied the master; “go, leave off squinting and do not be seeing more (than one).”

  • گفت ای استا مرا طعنه مزن ** گفت استا ز ان دو یک را در شکن‌‌ 330
  • “O master,” said he, “don't chide me.” Said the master, “Smash one of those two.”

  • شیشه یک بود و به چشمش دو نمود ** چون شکست او شیشه را دیگر نبود
  • The bottle was one, though in his eyes it seemed two; when he broke the bottle, there was no other.

  • چون یکی بشکست هر دو شد ز چشم ** مردم احول گردد از میلان و خشم‌‌
  • When one was broken, both vanished from sight: a man is made squint-eyed by (evil) propensity and anger.

  • خشم و شهوت مرد را احول کند ** ز استقامت روح را مبدل کند
  • Anger and lust make a man squint-eyed, they change the spirit (so that it departs) from rectitude.

  • چون غرض آمد هنر پوشیده شد ** صد حجاب از دل به سوی دیده شد
  • When self-interest appears, virtue becomes hidden: a hundred veils rise from the heart to the eye.

  • چون دهد قاضی به دل رشوت قرار ** کی شناسد ظالم از مظلوم زار 335
  • When the cadi lets bribery gain hold of his heart, how should he know the wronger from the wretched victim of wrong?

  • شاه از حقد جهودانه چنان ** گشت احول کالامان یا رب امان‌‌
  • The king, from Jewish rancour, became so squint-eyed that (we cry), “Mercy, O Lord, mercy (save us from such an affliction)!”

  • صد هزاران مومن مظلوم کشت ** که پناهم دین موسی را و پشت‌‌
  • He slew hundreds of thousands of wronged (innocent) believers, saying, “I am the protection and support of the religion of Moses.”

  • آموختن وزیر مکر پادشاه را
  • How the vizier instructed the king to plot.

  • او وزیری داشت گبر و عشوه‌‌ده ** کاو بر آب از مکر بر بستی گره‌‌
  • He had a vizier, a miscreant and ogler (deceiver), who by reason of (his exceeding) guile would tie knots on water.

  • گفت ترسایان پناه جان کنند ** دین خود را از ملک پنهان کنند
  • “The Christians,” said he, “seek to save their lives; they hide their religion from the king.

  • کم کش ایشان را که کشتن سود نیست ** دین ندارد بوی، مشک و عود نیست‌‌ 340
  • Slay them not, for slaying (them) is useless: religion hath no smell, it is not musk and aloes-wood.

  • سر پنهان است اندر صد غلاف ** ظاهرش با تست و باطن بر خلاف‌‌
  • The secret is concealed in a hundred coverings: its outward form is (in agreement) with thee, (but) the inward (reality) is (in) disagreement.”

  • شاه گفتش پس بگو تدبیر چیست ** چاره‌‌ی آن مکر و ان تزویر چیست‌‌
  • The king said to him: “Tell (me), then, what is the (best) plan? What is the remedy against that deceit and imposture?—