- Said the squint-eyed one: “Which of the two bottles shall I bring to you? Explain fully.”
- گفت احول ز ان دو شیشه من کدام ** پیش تو آرم بکن شرح تمام
- “There are not two bottles,” replied the master; “go, leave off squinting and do not be seeing more (than one).”
- گفت استاد آن دو شیشه نیست رو ** احولی بگذار و افزون بین مشو
- “O master,” said he, “don't chide me.” Said the master, “Smash one of those two.” 330
- گفت ای استا مرا طعنه مزن ** گفت استا ز ان دو یک را در شکن
- The bottle was one, though in his eyes it seemed two; when he broke the bottle, there was no other.
- شیشه یک بود و به چشمش دو نمود ** چون شکست او شیشه را دیگر نبود
- When one was broken, both vanished from sight: a man is made squint-eyed by (evil) propensity and anger.
- چون یکی بشکست هر دو شد ز چشم ** مردم احول گردد از میلان و خشم
- Anger and lust make a man squint-eyed, they change the spirit (so that it departs) from rectitude.
- خشم و شهوت مرد را احول کند ** ز استقامت روح را مبدل کند
- When self-interest appears, virtue becomes hidden: a hundred veils rise from the heart to the eye.
- چون غرض آمد هنر پوشیده شد ** صد حجاب از دل به سوی دیده شد
- When the cadi lets bribery gain hold of his heart, how should he know the wronger from the wretched victim of wrong? 335
- چون دهد قاضی به دل رشوت قرار ** کی شناسد ظالم از مظلوم زار
- The king, from Jewish rancour, became so squint-eyed that (we cry), “Mercy, O Lord, mercy (save us from such an affliction)!”
- شاه از حقد جهودانه چنان ** گشت احول کالامان یا رب امان
- He slew hundreds of thousands of wronged (innocent) believers, saying, “I am the protection and support of the religion of Moses.”
- صد هزاران مومن مظلوم کشت ** که پناهم دین موسی را و پشت
- How the vizier instructed the king to plot.
- آموختن وزیر مکر پادشاه را