He (the lover of the particular) became the laughing-stock of another's slave: he became (like a man who was) drowning and clung to some one weak (and powerless to help him).
ریش گاو بنده‌‌ی غیر آمد او ** غرقه شد کف در ضعیفی در زد او
He (the loved slave) possesses no authority, that he should care for him: shall he do his own master's business or his (the lover's)?
نیست حاکم تا کند تیمار او ** کار خواجه‌‌ی خود کند یا کار او
The Arabic proverb, “If you commit fornication, commit it with a free woman, and if you steal, steal a pearl.”
مثل عرب إذا زنیت فازن بالحرة و إذا سرقت فاسرق الدرة
Hence (the saying), “Commit fornication with a free woman,” became proverbial; (and the words) “steal a pearl” were transferred (metaphorically) to this (meaning).2805
فازن بالحرة پی این شد مثل ** فاسرق الدرة بدین شد منتقل
The slave (the loved one) went away to his master: he (the lover) was left in misery. The scent of the rose went (back) to the rose: he remained as the thorn.
بنده سوی خواجه شد او ماند زار ** بوی گل شد سوی گل او ماند خار
He was left far from the object of his desire—his labour lost, his toil useless, his foot wounded,
او بمانده دور از مطلوب خویش ** سعی ضایع رنج باطل پای ریش
Like the hunter who catches a shadow—how should the shadow become his property?
همچو صیادی که گیرد سایه‌‌ای ** سایه کی گردد و را سرمایه‌‌ای
The man has grasped tightly the shadow of a bird, (while) the bird on the branch of the tree is fallen into amazement,
سایه‌‌ی مرغی گرفته مرد سخت ** مرغ حیران گشته بر شاخ درخت
(Thinking), “I wonder who this crack-brained fellow is laughing at? Here's folly for you, here's a rotten cause!”2810
کاین مدمغ بر که می‌‌خندد عجب ** اینت باطل اینت پوسیده سبب
And if you say that the part is connected with the whole, (then) eat thorns: the thorn is connected with the rose.
ور تو گویی جزو پیوسته‌‌ی کل است ** خار می‌‌خور خار مقرون گل است
Except from one point of view, it (the part) is not connected with the whole: otherwise, indeed, the mission of the prophets would be vain,
جز ز یک رو نیست پیوسته به کل ** ور نه خود باطل بدی بعث رسل