Said the husband, “How should I go to meet the King? How should I go to him without a pretext?
گفت من شه را پذیرا چون شوم ** بیبهانه سوی او من چون روم
I must have some reference or device: is any handicraft right (possible) without tools?2690
نسبتی باید مرا یا حیلتی ** هیچ پیشه راست شد بیآلتی
As (to mention a similar case) the famous Majnún, when he heard from some one that Laylá was a little unwell,
همچو آن مجنون که بشنید از یکی ** که مرض آمد به لیلی اندکی
Cried, ‘Ah, how shall I go (to her) without a pretext? And if I fail to visit her when she is ill, how (wretched) shall I be!
گفت آوه بیبهانه چون روم ** ور بمانم از عیادت چون شوم
Would that I were a skilled physician! I would have gone on foot to Laylá first of all (before any one else).’
لیتنی کنت طبیبا حاذقا ** کنت أمشی نحو لیلی سابقا
God said to us, ‘Say, Come ye,’ in order to signify to us the (means of) vanquishing our feeling of shame.
قل تعالوا گفت حق ما را بدان ** تا بود شرم اشکنی ما را نشان
If bats had sight and means (ability to bear the sunshine), they would fly about and enjoy themselves by day.”2695
شب پران را گر نظر و آلت بدی ** روزشان جولان و خوش حالت بدی
The wife said, “When the gracious King goes into the field (maydán), the essence of every lack of means (inability) becomes a means (ability),
گفت چون شاه کرم میدان رود ** عین هر بیآلتی آلت شود
Because the means (ability) is (involves) pretension and self-existence: the (pith of the) matter lies in lack of means (inability) and non-existence.”
ز آن که آلت دعوی است و هستی است ** کار در بیآلتی و پستی است
“How,” said he, “should I do business without means, unless I make it manifest that I (really) have no means?
گفت کی بیآلتی سودا کنم ** تا نه من بیآلتی پیدا کنم