- 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
- He had a vizier, a miscreant and ogler (deceiver), who by reason of (his exceeding) guile would tie knots on water.
- او وزیری داشت گبر و عشوه‌‌ده ** کاو بر آب از مکر بر بستی گره
- “The Christians,” said he, “seek to save their lives; they hide their religion from the king.
- گفت ترسایان پناه جان کنند ** دین خود را از ملک پنهان کنند
- Slay them not, for slaying (them) is useless: religion hath no smell, it is not musk and aloes-wood. 340
- کم کش ایشان را که کشتن سود نیست ** دین ندارد بوی، مشک و عود نیست
- The secret is concealed in a hundred coverings: its outward form is (in agreement) with thee, (but) the inward (reality) is (in) disagreement.”
- سر پنهان است اندر صد غلاف ** ظاهرش با تست و باطن بر خلاف
- The king said to him: “Tell (me), then, what is the (best) plan? What is the remedy against that deceit and imposture?—
- شاه گفتش پس بگو تدبیر چیست ** چاره‌‌ی آن مکر و ان تزویر چیست
- So that there may not remain a single Christian in the world, neither one whose religion is manifest nor one who is concealed.”
- تا نماند در جهان نصرانیی ** نی هویدا دین و نی پنهانیی