شکر کن مر شاکران را بنده باش ** پیش ایشان مرده شو پاینده باش
Give thanks (to God) and be a slave to those who give thanks: be in their presence (as one) dead, be steadfast.
چون وزیر از ره زنی مایه مساز ** خلق را تو بر میاور از نماز
Do not, like the vizier, make brigandage your stock-in-trade; do not turn the people away from the ritual prayer.
ناصح دین گشته آن کافر وزیر ** کرده او از مکر در لوزینه سیر445
The miscreant vizier had become (in appearance) a true religious counsellor, (but) he had craftily put garlic in the walnut cake.
فهم کردن حاذقان نصارا مکر وزیر را
How the sagacious among the Christians perceived the guile of the vizier.
هر که صاحب ذوق بود از گفت او ** لذتی می‌‌دید و تلخی جفت او
Whoever was possessed of (spiritual) discernment was feeling a sweet savour in his words and, joined therewith, bitterness.
نکته‌‌ها می‌‌گفت او آمیخته ** در جلاب قند زهری ریخته
He (the vizier) was saying fine things mixed (with foul): he had poured some poison into the sugared julep.
ظاهرش می‌‌گفت در ره چیست شو ** وز اثر می‌‌گفت جان را سست شو
The outward sense of it was saying, “Be diligent in the Way,” but in effect it was saying to the soul, “Be slack.”
ظاهر نقره گر اسپید است و نو ** دست و جامه می سیه گردد ازو
If the surface of silver is white and new, (yet) the hands and dress are blackened by it.
آتش ار چه سرخ روی است از شرر ** تو ز فعل او سیه کاری نگر450
Although fire is red-faced (bright and glorious) with sparks, look at the black behaviour (displayed) in its action.
برق اگر نوری نماید در نظر ** لیک هست از خاصیت دزد بصر
If the lightning appears luminous to the eye, (yet) from its distinctive property it is the robber of sight (it strikes men blind).
هر که جز آگاه و صاحب ذوق بود ** گفت او در گردن او طوق بود
(As for) any (Christian) who was not wary and possessed of discernment, the words of him (the vizier) were (as) a collar on his neck.
مدت شش سال در هجران شاه ** شد وزیر اتباع عیسی را پناه
During six years, in separation from the king, the vizier became a refuge for the followers of Jesus.
دین و دل را کل بدو بسپرد خلق ** پیش امر و حکم او می‌‌مرد خلق
To him the people wholly surrendered their religion and their hearts: at his command and decree they were ready to die.
پیغام شاه پنهان با وزیر
How the king sent messages in secret to the vizier.
در میان شاه و او پیغامها ** شاه را پنهان بدو آرامها455
Messages (passed) between the king and him: the king had words of comfort from him in secret.
پیش او بنوشت شه کای مقبلم ** وقت آمد زود فارغ کن دلم
The king wrote to him, saying, “O my fortunate one, the time is come: quickly set my mind at ease.”
گفت اینک اندر آن کارم شها ** کافکنم در دین عیسی فتنه‌‌ها
He replied: “Behold, O king, I am preparing to cast disorders into the religion of Jesus.”
بیان دوازده سبط از نصارا
Explanation of the twelve tribes of the Christians.
قوم عیسی را بد اندر دار و گیر ** حاکمانشان ده امیر و دو امیر
The people of Jesus had twelve amírs as rulers in authority over them.
هر فریقی مر امیری را تبع ** بنده گشته میر خود را از طمع
Each party followed one amír and had become devoted to its own amír from desire (of worldly gain).
این ده و این دو امیر و قومشان ** گشته بند آن وزیر بدنشان460
These twelve amírs and their followers became in bondage to (a prey to) that vizier of evil sign.
اعتماد جمله بر گفتار او ** اقتدای جمله بر رفتار او
They all put trust in his words, they all took his procedure as a pattern.
پیش او در وقت و ساعت هر امیر ** جان بدادی گر بدو گفتی بمیر
Each amír would have given up his life in his presence at the time and hour (on the spot), if he (the vizier) had bidden him die.
تخلیط وزیر در احکام انجیل
How the vizier confused the ordinances of the Gospel.
ساخت طوماری به نام هر یکی ** نقش هر طومار دیگر مسلکی
He prepared a scroll in the name of (addressed to) each one, the (written) form of each scroll (of) a different tenor,
حکم‌‌های هر یکی نوعی دگر ** این خلاف آن ز پایان تا به سر
The ordinances of each (of) a diverse kind, this contradicting that from the end to the beginning.
در یکی راه ریاضت را و جوع ** رکن توبه کرده و شرط رجوع465
In one he made the path of asceticism and hunger to be the basis of repentance and the condition (necessary) for conversion.
در یکی گفته ریاضت سود نیست ** اندر این ره مخلصی جز جود نیست
In one he said: “Asceticism profits naught: in this Way there is no place (means) of deliverance but generosity.”
در یکی گفته که جوع و جود تو ** شرک باشد از تو با معبود تو
In one he said: “Your hunger and generosity are (imply) association on your part (of other objects) with (Him who is) the object of your worship.
جز توکل جز که تسلیم تمام ** در غم و راحت همه مکر است و دام
Excepting trust (in God) and complete resignation in sorrow and joy, all is a deceit and snare.”
در یکی گفته که واجب خدمت است ** ور نه اندیشه‌‌ی توکل تهمت است
In one he said: “It is incumbent (on you) to serve (God); else the thought of putting trust (in Him) is (a cause of) suspicion.”
در یکی گفته که امر و نهیهاست ** بهر کردن نیست شرح عجز ماست470
In one he said: “There are (Divine) commands and prohibitions, (but they) are not for practice (observance): they are (only) to show our weakness (inability to fulfil them),
تا که عجز خود ببینیم اندر آن ** قدرت حق را بدانیم آن زمان
So that we may behold our weakness therein and at that time recognise the power of Him.”
در یکی گفته که عجز خود مبین ** کفر نعمت کردن است آن عجز هین
In one he said: “Do not regard your weakness: that weakness is an act of ingratitude. Beware!
قدرت خود بین که این قدرت از اوست ** قدرت تو نعمت او دان که هوست
Regard your power, for this power is from Him: know that your power is the gift of Him who is Hú (the Absolute God).”
در یکی گفته کز این دو بر گذر ** بت بود هر چه بگنجد در نظر
In one he said: “Leave both these (qualities) behind: whatsoever is contained in sight (regard for other than God) is an idol (something which involves dualism).”
در یکی گفته مکش این شمع را ** کین نظر چون شمع آمد جمع را475
In one he said: “Do not put out this candle (of sight), for this sight is as a candle (lighting the way) to (interior) concentration.
از نظر چون بگذری و از خیال ** کشته باشی نیم شب شمع وصال
When you relinquish sight and phantasy (too soon), you will have put out the candle of union at midnight.”
در یکی گفته بکش باکی مدار ** تا عوض بینی نظر را صد هزار
In one he said: “Put it out—have no fear—that you may see myriads of sights in exchange;
که ز کشتن شمع جان افزون شود ** لیلی‌‌ات از صبر تو مجنون شود
For by putting it out the candle of the spirit is increased: by your self-denial your Laylá (beloved) becomes your Majnún (lover).
ترک دنیا هر که کرد از زهد خویش ** بیش آید پیش او دنیا و پیش
If any one abandons the world by his own (act of) renunciation, the world comes to him (with homage) more and more.”
در یکی گفته که آن چه‌‌ت داد حق ** بر تو شیرین کرد در ایجاد حق480
In one he said: “That which God hath given you He made sweet to you in (at the time of) bringing it into existence.
بر تو آسان کرد و خوش آن را بگیر ** خویشتن را در میفگن در زحیر
He made it easy (blessed) to you, and do you take it gladly: do not throw yourself into anguish.”
در یکی گفته که بگذار آن خود ** کان قبول طبع تو ردست و بد
In one he said: “Let go all that belongs to self, for it is wrong and bad to comply with your nature.”
راههای مختلف آسان شده ست ** هر یکی را ملتی چون جان شده ست
(Many) different roads have become easy (to follow): every one's religion has become (to him) as (dear) as life.
گر میسر کردن حق ره بدی ** هر جهود و گبر از او آگه بدی
If God's making (religion) easy were the (right) road, every Jew and Zoroastrian would have knowledge of Him.
در یکی گفته میسر آن بود ** که حیات دل غذای جان بود485
In one he said: “That (alone) is made easy (blessed) that (nothing but) spiritual food should be the life of the heart.”
هر چه ذوق طبع باشد چون گذشت ** بر نیارد همچو شوره ریع و کشت
When the enjoyments of the (sensual) nature are past, like brackish soil they raise no produce and crop.
جز پشیمانی نباشد ریع او ** جز خسارت پیش نارد بیع او
The produce thereof is naught but penitence; the sale thereof yields only loss.
آن میسر نبود اندر عاقبت ** نام او باشد معسر عاقبت
That is not “easy” in the end; its (true) name ultimately is “hard.”
تو معسر از میسر باز دان ** عاقبت بنگر جمال این و آن
Distinguish the hard from the easy: consider (what is) the goodliness of this and that in the end.
در یکی گفته که استادی طلب ** عاقبت بینی نیابی در حسب490
In one he said: “Seek a master (teacher): you will not find foresight as to the end among the qualities derived from ancestors.”
عاقبت دیدند هر گون ملتی ** لاجرم گشتند اسیر زلتی
Every sort of religious sect foresaw the end (according to their own surmise): of necessity they fell captive to error.
عاقبت دیدن نباشد دست‌‌باف ** ور نه کی بودی ز دینها اختلاف
To foresee the end is not (as simple as) a hand-loom; otherwise, how would there have been difference in religions?