Each one performed the takbír (following) upon a niyyat, and began to pray with lowliness and contrition.
هر یکی بر نیتی تکبیر کرد ** در نماز آمد به مسکینی و درد
(When) the muezzin came, from one of them fell a remark— “O muezzin, have you given the call to prayers? Is it time?”
موذن آمد از یکی لفظی بجست ** کای موذن بانگ کردی وقت هست
The second Indian said on the spur of the moment, “Hey, you have spoken, and (so) your prayer is null.”3030
گفت آن هندوی دیگر از نیاز ** هی سخن گفتی و باطل شد نماز
The third one said to the second, “O uncle, why do you rail at him? Tell yourself (how to behave).”
آن سوم گفت آن دوم را ای عمو ** چه زنی طعنه بر او خود را بگو
Said the fourth, “Praise be to God that I have not fallen into the pit (of error), like those three persons.”
آن چهارم گفت حمد الله که من ** در نیفتادم به چه چون آن سه تن
Hence the prayers of all the four were marred; and the fault-finders went astray more (than he who made the original mistake).
پس نماز هر چهاران شد تباه ** عیب گویان بیشتر گم کرده راه
Oh, happy the soul that saw its own fault, and if any one told (found) a fault, wished eagerly (to take) that (fault) upon itself!—
ای خنک جانی که عیب خویش دید ** هر که عیبی گفت آن بر خود خرید
Because half of him (every man) has always belonged to the realm of faults, and the other half of him to the realm of the Unseen.3035
ز انکه نیم او ز عیبستان بده ست ** و آن دگر نیمش ز غیبستان بده ست
Since you have ten sores on your head, you must apply the plaster to yourself.
چون که بر سر مر ترا ده ریش هست ** مرهمت بر خویش باید کار بست
Finding fault with one's self is the (right) remedy for him (who is at fault); when he has become broken (contrite), it is (then) the (proper) occasion for (obeying the Prophet's injunction), “Have pity.”
عیب کردن ریش را داروی اوست ** چون شکسته گشت جای ارحمواست