“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
Therefore I must needs have attestation of my want of means, that the King who wants naught may take pity on me.
پس گواهی بایدم بر مفلسی ** تا شهم رحمی کند یا مونسی
Do thou produce some attestation besides talk and show, so that the beauteous King may take pity,2700
تو گواهی غیر گفت‌‌وگو و رنگ ** وانما تا رحم آرد شاه شنگ
For the testimony that consisted of talk and show was (ever) invalidated before that Supreme Judge.
کاین گواهی که ز گفت و رنگ بد ** نزد آن قاضی القضاة آن جرح شد
He requires truth (veracity) as witness to his (the indigent man's) state, so that his (inner) light shall shine forth (and proclaim his indigence) without any words of his.”
صدق می‌‌خواهد گواه حال او ** تا بتابد نور او بی‌‌قال او
How the Arab carried a jug of rain-water from the midst of the desert as a gift to the Commander of the Faithful at Baghdád, in the belief that in that town also there was a scarcity of water.
هدیه بردن عرب سبوی آب باران از میان بادیه سوی بغداد به نزد خلیفه بر پنداشت آن که آن جا هم قحط آب است
The wife said, “When with all thy might thou dost (endeavour to) rise up entirely purged of self-existence—that is veracity.
گفت زن صدق آن بود کز بود خویش ** پاک برخیزی تو از مجهود خویش
We have the rain-water in the jug: ’tis thy property and capital and means.
آب باران است ما را در سبو ** ملکت و سرمایه و اسباب تو
Take this jug of water and depart, make it a gift and go into the presence of the King of kings.2705
این سبوی آب را بردار و رو ** هدیه ساز و پیش شاهنشاه شو
Say, ‘We have no means except this: in the desert there is nothing better than this water.’
گو که ما را غیر این اسباب نیست ** در مفازه هیچ به زین آب نیست
If his treasury is full of splendid merchandise, (yet) he will have no water like this: ’tis rare.”
گر خزینه‌‌ش پر متاع فاخر است ** این چنین آبش نباشد نادر است