شادی تن سوی دنیاوی کمال ** سوی روز عاقبت نقص و زوال
Bodily joy is perfection in regard to that which is of the present world, (but it is) defect and failure in regard to the Day of the latter end.
خنده را در خواب هم تعبیر خوان ** گریه گوید با دریغ و اندهان
The oneiromancer, too, declares laughter in dreams to be (a presage of) weeping with regrets and griefs,
گریه را در خواب شادی و فرح ** هست در تعبیر ای صاحب مرح
(While) for weeping in dreams joy and gladness are (presaged) in the interpretation, O gleeful man.
شاه اندیشید کین غم خود گذشت ** لیک جان از جنس این بدظن گشت3100
The king pondered, saying, “This sorrow, indeed, is past, but my soul has become suspicious (has misgivings and fears) of (being afflicted by) one of the same kind;
ور رسد خاری چنین اندر قدم ** که رود گل یادگاری بایدم
And if such a thorn enter my foot (if such a calamity befall me) that the rose departs (that my son dies), I must needs have a keepsake.”
چون فنا را شد سبب بی‌منتهی ** پس کدامین راه را بندیم ما
Since the causes of mortality are infinite, which road, then, shall we bar?
صد دریچه و در سوی مرگ لدیغ ** می‌کند اندر گشادن ژیغ ژیغ
A hundred windows and doors facing towards mordant death are ever creaking as they are opened,
ژیغ‌ژیغ تلخ آن درهای مرگ ** نشنود گوش حریص از حرص برگ
(But) from greed for (worldly) provision the ear of the covetous does not hear the harsh creaking of those doors of death.
از سوی تن دردها بانگ درست ** وز سوی خصمان جفا بانگ درست3105
From the side of the body, pains are the noise of the door; and from the side of enemies, maltreatment is the noise of the door.
جان سر بر خوان دمی فهرست طب ** نار علتها نظر کن ملتهب
My dear friend, read for one moment the table of contents of (books on) Medicine; look at the flaming fire of diseases!
زان همه غرها درین خانه رهست ** هر دو گامی پر ز کزدمها چهست
Through all those tumours (maladies) there is a way (for death) into this house: at every two steps there is a pit full of scorpions.
باد تندست و چراغم ابتری ** زو بگیرانم چراغ دیگری
(The king said), “The wind is fierce and my lamp is a docked (imperfect) one: I will light another lamp from it,
تا بود کز هر دو یک وافی شود ** گر به باد آن یک چراغ از جا رود
So that maybe one complete (lamp) will arise from them both, if that one lamp be put out by the wind,”
Like the gnostic who, for the sake of (gaining) freedom from care, has lit the candle of the heart (spirit) from this defective lamp of the body,
تا که روزی کین بمیرد ناگهان ** پیش چشم خود نهد او شمع جان
In order that, one day when this (bodily lamp) dies of a sudden, he may place before his eye the candle of the spirit.
او نکرد این فهم پس داد از غرر ** شمع فانی را بفانیی دگر
He (the king) did not understand this; therefore in his heedlessness he applied the perishing candle to another perishable.
عروس آوردن پادشاه فرزند خود را از خوف انقطاع نسل
How the king brought his son a bride for fear of his race coming to an end.
پس عروسی خواست باید بهر او ** تا نماید زین تزوج نسل رو
(The king said to himself), “It is necessary, then, to seek a bride for him, that from this marriage offspring may appear,
گر رود سوی فنا این باز باز ** فرخ او گردد ز بعد باز باز
(So that) if this falcon (my son) return to the state of mortality his young may become a falcon after (the death of) the falcon,
صورت او باز گر زینجا رود ** معنی او در ولد باقی بود3115
(And that) if the form of this falcon go from here, his inward meaning may endure in his son.
بهر این فرمود آن شاه نبیه ** مصطفی که الولد سر ابیه
On account of this, that renowned (spiritual) king, Mustafá (Mohammed), said, ‘The son is the marrow of his father.’
بهر این معنی همه خلق از شغف ** می‌بیاموزند طفلان را حرف
For this reason all people, (being moved) by heartfelt love, teach their children (their own) trades,
تا بماند آن معانی در جهان ** چون شود آن قالب ایشان نهان
To the end that these inward meanings may remain in the world when that body of theirs becomes hidden.
حق به حکمت حرصشان دادست جد ** بهر رشد هر صغیر مستعد
God in His wisdom has given them intense desire for the right guidance of every little one capable (of learning).
من هم از بهر دوام نسل خویش ** جفت خواهم پور خود را خوب کیش3120
I too, for the purpose of (ensuring) the continuance of my race, will seek for my son a wife of good principles.
دختری خواهم ز نسل صالحی ** نی ز نسل پادشاهی کالحی
I will seek a girl who is the offspring of a righteous man, not the offspring of a stern-visaged king.”
شاه خود این صالحست آزاد اوست ** نی اسیر حرص فرجست و گلوست
This righteous man is himself a king, he is free, he is not the prisoner of lust and gluttony.
مر اسیران را لقب کردند شاه ** عکس چون کافور نام آن سیاه
They (the people) have given (those) prisoners the title of “king” by inversion, just as Káfúr (Camphor) is the name of that negro.
شد مفازه بادیه‌ی خون‌خوار نام ** نیکبخت آن پیس را کردند عام
The blood-drinking (deadly) wilderness is named mafáza (place of safety); the vulgar call the leper Níkbakht (Fortunatus).
بر اسیر شهوت و حرص و امل ** بر نوشته میر یا صدر اجل3125
They have described the prisoner of lust and anger and ambition by the name of Mír or Sadr-i ajall (most honourable prince).
آن اسیران اجل را عام داد ** نام امیران اجل اندر بلاد
To those prisoners of Doom (asírán-i ajal) the vulgar in (all) the lands have given the title of “most honourable Amírs” (amírán-i ajall).
صدر خوانندش که در صف نعال ** جان او پستست یعنی جاه و مال
They call high-placed (Sadr) him whose soul is (placed) low in the vestibule, that is to say, (worldly) power and riches.
شاه چون با زاهدی خویشی گزید ** این خبر در گوش خاتونان رسید
When the king chose (matrimonial) relationship with an ascetic, this news came to the ears of (his) ladies.
اختیار کردن پادشاه دختر درویش زاهدی را از جهت پسر و اعتراض کردن اهل حرم و ننگ داشتن ایشان از پیوندی درویش
How the king chose the daughter of a poor ascetic for his son and how the ladies of the harem raised objections and disdained the (proposed) alliance with the dervish.
مادر شه‌زاده گفت از نقص عقل ** شرط کفویت بود در عقل نقل
The prince's mother, from deficiency of understanding, said, “According to reason and tradition equality (of rank) is requisite.
تو ز شح و بخل خواهی وز دها ** تا ببندی پور ما را بر گدا3130
Thou from stinginess and miserliness and shrewdness wishest to ally our son with a beggar.”
گفت صالح را گدا گفتن خطاست ** کو غنی القلب از داد خداست
He (the king) said, “It is a fault to call the righteous man a beggar, for through the grace of God he is spiritually rich.
در قناعت می‌گریزد از تقی ** نه از لیمی و کسل هم‌چون گدا
He is taking refuge in contentment because of piety, not because of meanness and laziness, like the beggar.
قلتی کان از قناعت وز تقاست ** آن ز فقر و قلت دونان جداست
The penury which arises from contentment and piety is distinct from the poverty and penury of the base.
حبه‌ای آن گر بیابد سر نهد ** وین ز گنج زر به همت می‌جهد
If that one (the beggar) find a single groat, he bows his head (in homage), while this one (the righteous man) in his lofty aspiration recoils from a treasure of gold.
شه که او از حرص قصد هر حرام ** می‌کند او را گدا گوید همام3135
The king who from cupidity is betaking himself to everything unlawful— the man of noble mind calls him a beggar.”
گفت کو شهر و قلاع او را جهاز ** یا نثار گوهر و دینار ریز
She (the prince's mother) said, “Where are his cities and castles (to furnish) the wedding-outfit, or (where are his means of) scattering gems and pieces of gold?”
گفت رو هر که غم دین برگزید ** باقی غمها خدا از وی برید
He (the king) said, “Begone! Whosoever prefers to care for religion, God cuts off from him all remaining cares.”
غالب آمد شاه و دادش دختری ** از نژاد صالحی خوش جوهری
The king prevailed and gave (in marriage) to him (his son) a maiden of goodly nature, belonging to the family of a righteous man.
در ملاحت خود نظیر خود نداشت ** چهره‌اش تابان‌تر از خورشید چاشت
Verily, she had none to rival her in loveliness: her face was brighter than the sun at morn.
حسن دختر این خصالش آنچنان ** کز نکویی می‌نگنجد در بیان3140
Such was the maiden's beauty; and her qualities were such that, on account of their excellence, they are not (to be) contained in (any) description.
صید دین کن تا رسد اندر تبع ** حسن و مال و جاه و بخت منتفع
Make religion thy prey, that in consequence (as a corollary) there may come (to thee) beauty and riches and power and advantageous fortune.
آخرت قطار اشتر دان به ملک ** در تبع دنیاش هم‌چون پشم و پشک
Know that the next world, in respect of ownership, is (like) files of camels: the present world is its corollary, like the (camels') hair and dung.
پشم بگزینی شتر نبود ترا ** ور بود اشتر چه قیمت پشم را
(If) thou choose the hair, the camel will not be thine, and if the camel be thine, what value has the hair?
چون بر آمد این نکاح آن شاه را ** با نژاد صالحان بی مرا
When the marriage (matrimonial alliance) with the family of the uncontentious righteous folk was achieved (successfully arranged) by the king,
از قضا کمپیرکی جادو که بود ** عاشق شه‌زاده‌ی با حسن و جود3145
By (Divine) destiny a decrepit old witch, who was in love with the handsome and generous prince—