As ‘Umar did not see the moon in the sky, he said, “This moon has risen from thy phantasy.
چون عمر بر آسمان مه را ندید ** گفت کاین مه از خیال تو دمید
Otherwise, (since) I am a better seer of the heavens (than thou), how is it that I do not see the pure crescent?115
ور نه من بیناترم افلاک را ** چون نمیبینم هلال پاک را
Wet thy hand,” said he, “and rub it on thine eyebrow, and then look up towards the new moon.”
گفت تر کن دست و بر ابرو بمال ** آن گهان تو بر نگر سوی هلال
When he wetted his eyebrow, he did not see the moon. “O King,” he said, “there is no moon; it has disappeared.”
چون که او تر کرد ابرو مه ندید ** گفت ای شه نیست مه شد ناپدید
“Yes,” said ‘Umar, “the hair of thine eyebrow had become (curved) like a bow and shot at thee an arrow of opinion.”
گفت آری موی ابرو شد کمان ** سوی تو افکند تیری از گمان
When one hair became crooked, it waylaid him (hindered him from seeing truly), so that, making a false claim, he boasted to have seen the moon.
چون یکی مو کج شد او را راه زد ** تا به دعوی لاف دید ماه زد
Inasmuch as a crooked hair veils the sky, how will it be when all your members are crooked?120
موی کج چون پردهی گردون بود ** چون همه اجزات کج شد چون بود
Straighten your members by (the help of) the straight (the righteous). O you who (would) go straight, turn not your head aside from that threshold (where the righteous dwell).
راست کن اجزات را از راستان ** سر مکش ای راست رو ز آن آستان
Balance makes balance correct; balance also makes balance defective.
هم ترازو را ترازو راست کرد ** هم ترازو را ترازو کاست کرد
Whoever weighs the same (adopts the same standard) as the unrighteous falls into deficiency, and his understanding becomes dazed.
هر که با ناراستان هم سنگ شد ** در کمی افتاد و عقلش دنگ شد