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.
او به سر دجال یک چشم لعین ** ای خدا فریادرس نعم المعین
He inwardly (in reality) was the accursed one-eyed Antichrist. O God, do Thou (hear and) answer the cry (of those in trouble) —what a good helper art Thou!
صد هزاران دام و دانه ست ای خدا ** ما چو مرغان حریص بی‌‌نوا
O God, there are myriads of snares and baits, and we are as greedy foodless birds.
دم‌‌به‌‌دم ما بسته‌‌ی دام نویم ** هر یکی گر باز و سیمرغی شویم375
From moment to moment we are caught in a fresh snare, though we become, each one, (like) a falcon or a Símurgh.
می‌‌رهانی هر دمی ما را و باز ** سوی دامی می‌‌رویم ای بی‌‌نیاز
Every moment Thou art delivering us, and again we are going to a snare, O Thou who art without want!
ما در این انبار گندم می‌‌کنیم ** گندم جمع آمده گم می‌‌کنیم
We are putting corn in this barn, (and then) we are losing the corn that has been garnered.
می‌‌نیندیشیم آخر ما به هوش ** کین خلل در گندم است از مکر موش
(Why), after all, do not we consider with intelligent mind that this damage to the corn arises from the deceitfulness of the mouse?
موش تا انبار ما حفره زده ست ** وز فنش انبار ما ویران شده ست
Since the mouse has made a hole in our barn, and our barn has been ravaged by its guile,
اول ای جان دفع شر موش کن ** وانگهان در جمع گندم جوش کن380
O soul, in the first place avert the mischief of the mouse, and then show fervour (zeal) in garnering the corn.
بشنو از اخبار آن صدر الصدور ** لا صلاة تم الا بالحضور
Hear (one) of the sayings related from the Chiefest of the Chief (the Prophet): “No prayer is complete without ‘presence’ (concentration of the mind on God).”
گر نه موشی دزد در انبار ماست ** گندم اعمال چل ساله کجاست
If there is no thievish mouse in our barn, where is the corn of forty years' works (of devotion)?
ریزه ریزه صدق هر روزه چرا ** جمع می‌‌ناید در این انبار ما
Why is the daily sincerity (of our devotions) not being stored, bit by bit, in this barn of ours?
بس ستاره‌‌ی آتش از آهن جهید ** و ان دل سوزیده پذرفت و کشید
Many a star (spark) of fire shot forth from the iron (of good works), and that burning heart received (it) and drew (it) in;
لیک در ظلمت یکی دزدی نهان ** می‌‌نهد انگشت بر استارگان385
But in the darkness a hidden thief is laying his finger upon the stars,
می‌‌کشد استارگان را یک به یک ** تا که نفروزد چراغی از فلک
Extinguishing the stars one by one, that no lamp may shine from the (spiritual) sky.
گر هزاران دام باشد در قدم ** چون تو با مایی نباشد هیچ غم
Though there be thousands of snares at our feet, when Thou art with us there is not any trouble.
هر شبی از دام تن ارواح را ** می‌‌رهانی می‌‌کنی الواح را
Every night Thou freest the spirits from the body's snare, and dost erase (the impressions on) the tablets (of the mind).
می‌‌رهند ارواح هر شب زین قفس ** فارغان، نه حاکم و محکوم کس
The spirits are set free every night from this cage, independent, neither ruling nor ruled by anyone.