گر کشم کینه بر آن میر و حرم ** آن تعدی هم بیاید بر سرم

گر کشم کینه بر آن میر و حرم ** آن تعدی هم بیاید بر سرم 4005

If I wreak vengeance on the Amír and the woman, that trespass also will come (recoil) on my head,

هم‌چنانک این یک بیامد در جزا ** آزمودم باز نزمایم ورا

Just as this (other) one has (already) come (upon me) in retribution: I have tried Him (God), I will not try Him again.

درد صاحب موصلم گردن شکست ** من نیارم این دگر را نیز خست

The grief of the lord of Mawsil has broken my neck: I dare not wound this other man as well.

داد حق‌مان از مکافات آگهی ** گفت ان عدتم به عدنا به

God hath given us information concerning retribution: He hath said, ‘If ye repeat it (the offence), We shall repeat it (the punishment).’

چون فزونی کردن اینجا سود نیست ** غیر صبر و مرحمت محمود نیست

Since in this case it is useless to commit excess (to transgress further), nothing but patience and mercy is praiseworthy.

ربنا انا ظلمنا سهو رفت ** رحمتی کن ای رحیمیهات رفت 4010

O our Lord, verily we have done wrong, a fault has occurred: perform an act of mercy, O Thou whose mercifulnesses are mighty!

عفو کردم تو هم از من عفو کن ** از گناه نو ز زلات کهن

I have pardoned (him), do Thou also pardon me—(pardon) the new sin and the old lapses!”

گفت اکنون ای کنیزک وا مگو ** این سخن را که شنیدم من ز تو

He said, “Now, O girl, do not relate (to any one) this tale which I have heard from thee.

با امیرت جفت خواهم کرد من ** الله الله زین حکایت دم مزن

I will unite thee with the Amír: for God's sake, for God's sake, do not breathe a word of this story,

تا نگردد او ز رویم شرمسار ** کو یکی بد کرد و نیکی صد هزار

Lest he become ashamed to face me; for he has done one bad deed and a hundred thousand good.

بارها من امتحانش کرده‌ام ** خوب‌تر از تو بدو بسپرده‌ام 4015

(Many) times have I put him to the test: I have entrusted him with (girls) fairer than thou art.

در امانت یافتم او را تمام ** این قضایی بود هم از کرده‌هام

I (always) found him perfect in fidelity; (so I know that) this too was a (Divine) judgment resulting from things done by me.”

پس به خود خواند آن امیر خویش را ** کشت در خود خشم قهراندیش را

Then he summoned his Amír to his presence: he extinguished in himself the wrath that meditates a violent revenge.

کرد با او یک بهانه‌ی دل‌پذیر ** که شدستم زین کنیزک من نفیر

He made an agreeable excuse to him, saying, “I have become disinclined to this slave-girl,

زان سبب کز غیرت و رشک کنیز ** مادر فرزند دارد صد ازیز

Because the mother of my children is terribly agitated by jealousy and envy of the girl.

مادر فرزند را بس حقهاست ** او نه درخورد چنین جور و جفاست 4020

The mother of my children has many claims (on me): she does not deserve (to suffer) such injustice and unkindness.

رشک و غیرت می‌برد خون می‌خورد ** زین کنیزک سخت تلخی می‌برد

She is nursing envy and jealousy, she is suffering anguish, she is feeling great bitterness on account of this girl.

چون کسی را داد خواهم این کنیز ** پس ترا اولیترست این ای عزیز

Since I wish to give this girl to some person, ’tis most fitting (that I should give her) to thee, O dear friend;

که تو جانبازی نمودی بهر او ** خوش نباشد دادن آن جز به تو

For thou didst hazard thy life for the sake of (obtaining) her: it would not be fair to give her to any one but thee.”

عقد کردش با امیر او را سپرد ** کرد خشم و حرص را او خرد و مرد

He gave her in marriage and handed her over to him: he crushed anger and cupidity to atoms.

بیان آنک نحن قسمنا کی یکی را شهوت و قوت خران دهد و یکی را کیاست و قوت انبیا و فرشتگان بخشد سر ز هوا تافتن از سروریست ترک هوا قوت پیغامبریست تخمهایی کی شهوتی نبود بر آن جز قیامتی نبود

Explaining that the words “We have apportioned” mean that He (God) bestows on one the lust and (physical) strength of asses and on another the intelligence and (spiritual) strength of the prophets and the angels. “To turn the head away from sensual desire is (a mark of) nobility; to abandon sensual desire is (a mark of) the (spiritual) strength that belongs to prophethood.” “The seeds that are not sown in lust—their fruit only appears at the Resurrection.”

گر بدش سستی نری خران ** بود او را مردی پیغامبران 4025

If he (the Caliph) was deficient in the masculinity of asses, (yet) he possessed the manliness of the prophets.

ترک خشم و شهوت و حرص‌آوری ** هست مردی و رگ پیغامبری

It is (true) manliness and the nature of prophethood to abandon anger and lust and greed.

نری خر گو مباش اندر رگش ** حق همی خواند الغ بگلربگش

Let the masculinity of the ass be lacking in his nature, (what of that?): God calls him the great Beylerbey.

مرده‌ای باشم به من حق بنگرد ** به از آن زنده که باشد دور و رد

(If) I be a dead man and (if) God look on me (with favour), (my case is) better than (that of) the living man who is far (from God) and rejected (by Him).

مغز مردی این شناس و پوست آن ** آن برد دوزخ برد این در جنان

Recognise this (abandonment of sensuality) to be the kernel of manliness, and that (indulgence in sensuality) to be the husk: the latter leads to Hell, the former to Paradise.