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 او325
’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 شکن330
“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 زار335
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 نیست340
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?—
تا نماند در جهان نصرانیی ** نی هویدا دین و نی پنهانیی
So that there may not remain a single Christian in the world, neither one whose religion is manifest nor one who is concealed.”
گفت ای شه گوش و دستم را ببر ** بینیام بشکاف و لب در حکم مر
“O king,” said he, “cut off my ears and hands, rip my nose and lips by bitter (cruel) decree;
بعد از آن در زیر دار آور مرا ** تا بخواهد یک شفاعتگر مرا345
Then bring me under the gallows, that an intercessor may plead for me.
بر منادی گاه کن این کار تو ** بر سر راهی که باشد چار سو
Do this deed in the place for (public) proclamation, on a highway where roads run in four directions.
آن گهم از خود بران تا شهر دور ** تا در اندازم در ایشان شر و شور
Then banish me from thy presence to a distant land, that I may cast mischief and confusion amongst them.
تلبیس وزیر با نصارا
How the vizier brought the Christians into doubt and perplexity.
پس بگویم من به سر نصرانیام ** ای خدای راز دان میدانیام
Then I will say (to them), ‘I am secretly a Christian. O God who knowest (all) things hidden, Thou knowest me.
شاه واقف گشت از ایمان من ** وز تعصب کرد قصد جان من
The king was informed of my (Christian) faith and from bigotry sought to take my life.
خواستم تا دین ز شه پنهان کنم ** آن که دین اوست ظاهر آن کنم350
I wished to hide my religion from the king and profess his religion,
شاه بویی برد از اسرار من ** متهم شد پیش شه گفتار من
(But) the king got a scent of my inmost beliefs, and my words were suspected (when I stood) before the king.
گفت گفت تو چو در نان سوزن است ** از دل من تا دل تو روزن است
He said, “Your words are like a needle in bread (specious but pernicious); there is a window between my heart and yours.
من از آن روزن بدیدم حال تو ** حال تو دیدم ننوشم قال تو
Through that window I have seen your (real) state: I see your state and will not heed your words.”
گر نبودی جان عیسی چارهام ** او جهودانه بکردی پارهام
Had not the spirit of Jesus been my aid, he would in Jewish fashion have torn me to pieces.
بهر عیسی جان سپارم سر دهم ** صد هزاران منتش بر خود نهم355
For Jesus' sake I would yield my life and give my head and lay on myself (confess) myriads of obligations to him.
جان دریغم نیست از عیسی و لیک ** واقفم بر علم دینش نیک نیک
I do not grudge Jesus my life, but full well am I versed in the knowledge of his religion.
حیف میآمد مرا کان دین پاک ** در میان جاهلان گردد هلاک
Grief was coming over me (it seemed to me a pity) that that holy religion should perish amongst those who are ignorant (of it).
شکر ایزد را و عیسی را که ما ** گشتهایم آن کیش حق را رهنما
Thanks be to God and to Jesus that I have become a guide to the true faith.
از جهود و از جهودی رستهام ** تا به زناری میان را بستهام
I have escaped from Jews and Judaism so (entirely) that I have bound my waist with a (Christian) girdle.
دور دور عیسی است ای مردمان ** بشنوید اسرار کیش او به جان360
The (present) epoch is the epoch of Jesus. O men, hearken with your souls unto the mysteries of his religion!’”
کرد با وی شاه آن کاری که گفت ** خلق حیران مانده ز ان مکر نهفت
The king did to him that deed (mutilation) which he had proposed: the people remained in amazement at that hidden (mysterious) plot.
راند او را جانب نصرانیان ** کرد در دعوت شروع او بعد از آن
He (the king) drove him away to the Christians. After that, he (the vizier) began to proselytise.
قبول کردن نصارا مکر وزیر را
How the Christians let themselves be duped by the vizier.
صد هزاران مرد ترسا سوی او ** اندک اندک جمع شد در کوی او
Myriads of Christian men gathered round him, little by little, in his abode,
او بیان میکرد با ایشان به راز ** سر انگلیون و زنار و نماز
(While) he secretly expounded to them the mysteries of Gospel and girdle and prayer.
او به ظاهر واعظ احکام بود ** لیک در باطن صفیر و دام بود365
Outwardly he was a preacher of (religious) ordinances, but inwardly he was (as) the whistle and snare (of the fowler).
بهر این بعضی صحابه از رسول ** ملتمس بودند مکر نفس غول
On this account some Companions (of Mohammed) begged of the Prophet (that he would acquaint them with) the deceitfulness of the ghoul-like soul,
کاو چه آمیزد ز اغراض نهان ** در عبادتها و در اخلاص جان
Saying, “What of hidden selfish interests does it mingle in acts of worship and in pure spiritual devotion?”
فضل طاعت را نجستندی از او ** عیب ظاهر را بجستندی که کو
They were not seeking from him excellence of piety; they were inquiring where lay the outward defect.
مو به مو و ذره ذره مکر نفس ** میشناسیدند چون گل از کرفس
Hair by hair, speck by speck, they were recognising the deceitfulness of the fleshly soul as (plainly as the difference of) the rose from parsley.
موشکافان صحابه هم در آن ** وعظ ایشان خیره گشتندی به جان370
Even the hair-splitters (the most scrupulous) of the Companions used to become distraught in spirit at the (Prophet's) admonition to them (the inquirers).
متابعت نصارا وزیر را
How the Christians followed the vizier.
دل بدو دادند ترسایان تمام ** خود چه باشد قوت تقلید عام
The Christians all gave their hearts to him: what (how great), indeed, is the strength of the (blind) conformity of the vulgar!
در درون سینه مهرش کاشتند ** نایب عیساش میپنداشتند
They planted love of him within their breasts, they were regarding him as the vicar of Jesus.