پای گاو اندر میان آری ز داو ** رو ندوزد حق بر اسپی شاخ گاو
You (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) drag in the ox in order to cheat (me): begone, God does not stick the horns of an ox upon a horse.”
بس مناسب صنعتست این شهره زاو ** کی نهد بر جسم اسپ او عضو گاو
This renowned Master-builder observes great congruity in His workmanship: how should He attach to a horse's body part of (the body of) an ox?
زاو ابدان را مناسب ساخته ** قصرهای منتقل پرداخته
The Master-builder has made (all) bodies congruously: He has constructed moving palaces,
در میان قصرها تخریج‌ها ** از سوی این سوی آن صهریج‌ها
(With) balconies in them and cisterns (distributing water) from this (part of the palace) to that;
وز درونشان عالمی بی‌منتها ** در میان خرگهی چندین فضا 3510
And within them an infinite world: all this (vast) expanse (is contained) in a single tent.
گه چو کابوسی نماید ماه را ** گه نماید روضه قعر چاه را
Now He causes (one beautiful as) the moon to seem like an incubus (nightmare), now He causes the bottom of a well to have the semblance of a garden.
قبض و بسط چشم دل از ذوالجلال ** دم به دم چون می‌کند سحر حلال
Inasmuch as the closing and opening of the eye of the heart by the Almighty is continually working lawful magic,
زین سبب درخواست از حق مصطفی ** زشت را هم زشت و حق را حق‌نما
For this reason Mustafá (Mohammed) entreated God, saying, “Let the false appear as false and the true as true,
تا به آخر چون بگردانی ورق ** از پشیمانی نه افتم در قلق
So that at last, when Thou turnest the leaf, I may not (be stricken) by sorrow (and) fall into agitation.”
مکر که کرد آن عماد الملک فرد ** مالک الملکش بدان ارشاد کرد 3515
(’Twas) the Lord of the Kingdom (that) guided the peerless ‘Imádu ’l- Mulk to the deception which he practised.
مکر حق سرچشمه‌ی این مکرهاست ** قلب بین اصبعین کبریاست
God's deception is the fountainhead of (all) these deceptions: the heart is between the two fingers of the (Divine) Majesty.
آنک سازد در دلت مکر و قیاس ** آتشی داند زدن اندر پلاس
He who creates deception and (false) analogy in your heart can (also) set the sackcloth (of deception) on fire.
رجوع کردن به قصه‌ی آن پای‌مرد و آن غریب وام‌دار و بازگشتن ایشان از سر گور خواجه و خواب دیدن پای‌مرد خواجه را الی آخره
Return to the Story of the bailiff and the poor debtor: how they turned back from the Khwája's grave, and how the bailiff saw the Khwája in a dream, etc.
بی‌نهایت آمد این خوش سرگذشت ** چون غریب از گور خواجه باز گشت
This goodly episode is endless (too long to relate in full). When the poor stranger turned back from the Khwája's grave,
پای مردش سوی خانه‌ی خویش برد ** مهر صد دینار را فا او سپرد
The bailiff took him to his house and handed over to him the purse of a hundred dinars.
لوتش آورد و حکایت‌هاش گفت ** کز امید اندر دلش صد گل شکفت 3520
He fetched viands for him and told him stories, so that from the (feeling of) hope (with which the bailiff inspired him) a hundred roses blossomed in his heart.
آنچ بعد العسر یسر او دیده بود ** با غریب از قصه‌ی آن لب گشود
He (the bailiff) opened his lips to relate the ease (prosperity) which he had experienced after difficulty (adversity).
نیم‌شب بگذشت و افسانه کنان ** خوابشان انداخت تا مرعای جان
Midnight passed, and (he was still) narrating: (then) sleep transported them to the meadow where the spirit feeds.
دید پامرد آن همایون خواجه را ** اندر آن شب خواب بر صدر سرا
On that night the bailiff dreamed that he saw the blessed Khwája (seated) on the high-seat in the (heavenly) palace.
خواجه گفت ای پای‌مرد با نمک ** آنچ گفتی من شنیدم یک به یک
The Khwája said, “O excellent bailiff, I have heard what you said, point by point,
But I was not commanded to answer, and I durst not open my lips without being directed.
ما چو واقف گشته‌ایم از چون و چند ** مهر با لب‌های ما بنهاده‌اند
Now that we have become acquainted with the conditions and degrees (of the spiritual world), a seal has been laid upon our lips,
تا نگردد رازهای غیب فاش ** تا نگردد منهدم عیش و معاش
Lest the mysteries of the Unseen should be divulged and (thereby) the life and livelihood (of mortals) be destroyed,
تا ندرد پرده‌ی غفلت تمام ** تا نماند دیگ محنت نیم‌خام
And lest the veil of forgetfulness should be entirely rent and (the meat in) the pot of tribulation be left half-raw.
ما همه گوشیم کر شد نقش گوش ** ما همه نطقیم لیکن لب خموش
We are all ear, (though) the (material) form of the ear has become deaf: we are all speech, but our lips are silent.
هر چه ما دادیم دیدیم این زمان ** این جهان پرده‌ست و عینست آن جهان 3530
We now see (the result of) everything that we gave (during our life in the world): this (material) world is the veil, and that (spiritual) world is the vision.
روز کشتن روز پنهان کردنست ** تخم در خاکی پریشان کردنست
The day of sowing is the day of concealment and scattering seed in a piece of earth.
وقت بدرودن گه منجل زدن ** روز پاداش آمد و پیدا شدن
The season of reaping and the time of plying the sickle is the day of recompense and manifestation.
گفتن خواجه در خواب به آن پای‌مرد وجوه وام آن دوست را کی آمده بود و نشان دادن جای دفن آن سیم و پیغام کردن به وارثان کی البته آن را بسیار نبینند وهیچ باز نگیرند و اگر چه او هیچ از آن قبول نکند یا بعضی را قبول نکند هم آنجا بگذارند تا هر آنک خواهد برگیرد کی من با خدا نذرها کردم کی از آن سیم به من و به متعلقان من حبه‌ای باز نگردد الی آخره
[How the Khwája disclosed to the bailiff in his dream the means of paying the debts incurred by the friend who had come (to visit him); and how he indicated the spot where the money was buried, and sent a message to his heirs that on no account should they regard that (sum of money) as too much (for the debtor) or withhold anything (from him), and that (even) though he were to refuse the whole or a part of it they must let it remain in the place (where it was accessible), in order that any one who wished might take it away; ‘for,’ said he, ‘I have made vows to God that not one mite of that money shall come back again to me and those connected with me,’ etc.]
بشنو اکنون داد مهمان جدید ** من همی دیدم که او خواهد رسید
Now hear the bounty (which I have reserved) for my new guest. I foresaw that he would arrive,
من شنوده بودم از وامش خبر ** بسته بهر او دو سه پاره گهر
And I had heard the news of his debt, (so) I packed up two or three jewels for him,
که وفای وام او هستند و بیش ** تا که ضیفم را نگردد سینه ریش 3535
Which are (enough for) the full payment of his debt, and more: (this I did) in order that the heart of my guest should not be wounded (torn with anxiety).
وام دارد از ذهب او نه هزار ** وام را از بعض این گو بر گزار
He owes nine thousand (pieces) of gold: let him discharge his debt with some of these (jewels).
فضله ماند زین بسی گو خرج کن ** در دعایی گو مرا هم درج کن
There will be a great many of them left over: let him expend (this surplus) and include me too in a benediction.
خواستم تا آن به دست خود دهم ** در فلان دفتر نوشتست این قسم
I wished to give them (to him) with my own hand: (all) these assignments are written in such-and-such a note-book.
خود اجل مهلت ندادم تا که من ** خفیه بسپارم بدو در عدن
Death, however, did not allow me time to hand over to him secretly the pearls of Aden.
لعل و یاقوتست بهر وام او ** در خنوری و نبشته نام او 3540
Rubies and corundums for (the payment of) his debt are (stored) in a certain vessel on which his name is written.
در فلان طاقیش مدفون کرده‌ام ** من غم آن یار پیشین خورده‌ام
I have buried it in a certain vault: I have shown solicitude for my ancient friend.
قیمت آن را نداند جز ملوک ** فاجتهد بالبیع ان لا یخدعوک
None but kings can know the value of that (treasure): take care, then, that they (the purchasers) do not cheat you in the sale.
در بیوع آن کن تو از خوف غرار ** که رسول آموخت سه روز اختیار
In sales (commercial transactions), for fear of being swindled, behave in the same manner as the Prophet, who taught (his followers to demand) three days' option.
از کساد آن مترس و در میفت ** که رواج آن نخواهد هیچ خفت
Do not be afraid of it (the treasure) depreciating and do not fall (into anxiety), since the demand for it will never decline.
وارثانم را سلام من بگو ** وین وصیت را بگو هم مو به مو 3545
Give my heirs a greeting from me and rehearse to them this injunction, point by point,
تا ز بسیاری آن زر نشکهند ** بی‌گرانی پیش آن مهمان نهند
In order that they may not be deterred by the largeness of the (sum of) gold, but may deliver it to that guest (of mine) without reluctance.
ور بگوید او نخواهم این فره ** گو بگیر و هر که را خواهی بده
And if he say that he does not want so much, bid him take it and bestow it on whom he will.
زانچ دادم باز نستانم نقیر ** سوی پستان باز ناید هیچ شیر
I will not take back a jot of what I have given: the milk never comes back to the teat.
گشته باشد هم‌چو سگ قی را اکول ** مسترد نحله بر قول رسول
According to the Prophet's saying, he who reclaims a gift will have become like a dog devouring his vomit.
ور ببندد در نباید آن زرش ** تا بریزند آن عطا را بر درش 3550
And if he shut the door and (declare that he) has no need of the gold, let them pour the bounty at his door,
هر که آنجا بگذرد زر می‌برد ** نیست هدیه‌ی مخلصان را مسترد
(So that) every one who passes may carry gold away: the gifts of the sincere are never taken back.
بهر او بنهاده‌ام آن از دو سال ** کرده‌ام من نذرها با ذوالجلال
I laid it in store for him two years ago and vowed to the Almighty (that it should be his).
ور روا دارند چیزی زان ستد ** بیست چندان خو زیانشان اوفتد
And if they (my heirs) deem it permissible to take aught (for themselves), verily twentyfold loss will befall them.
گر روانم را پژولانند زود ** صد در محنت بریشان بر گشود
If they vex my spirit, a hundred doors of tribulation will at once be opened for them.
از خدا اومید دارم من لبق ** که رساند حق را در مستحق 3555
I have good hope of God that He will cause the due (payment) to reach the person who has the right to it.”