He (the grammarian) in desperation started a joke and said, “‘Amr had stolen a superfluous wáw.
گفت از ناچار و لاغی بر گشود ** عمرو یک واو فزون دزدیده بود
Zayd became aware, and struck the stealer of it: since he (‘Amr) carried it beyond bounds (transgressed the law), the punishment serves him right.”3635
زید واقف گشت دزدش را بزد ** چون که از حد برد او را حد سزد
How worthless sayings find acceptance in the minds of worthless folk.
پذیرا آمدن سخن باطل در دل باطلان
He (the fool) said, “Here you are, this is the truth! I accept (it) with (all) my soul.” Wrong seems right to the wrong-minded.
گفت اینک راست پذرفتم به جان ** کج نماید راست در پیش کجان
If you say to a squinting man, “The moon is one,” he will say to you, “These are two (moons); and there is a (great) doubt as to (the moon's) being one”;
گر بگویی احولی را مه یکی است ** گویدت این دوست و در وحدت شکی است
And if somebody laughs at him and says, “There are two,” he deems it the truth. This (mockery) is what the ill-natured (ignorant and contumacious) fellow deserves.
ور بر او خندد کسی گوید دو است ** راست دارد این سزای بد خو است
Lies muster round (those who are living) lies: (the text) the wicked men for the wicked women has thrown light (upon this point).
بر دروغان جمع میآید دروغ ** الخبیثات الخبیثین زد فروغ
They whose hearts are (opened) wide (to receive spiritual truths) have wide (far-reaching) hands; they whose (spiritual) eyes are blind have to stumble on stony ground.3640
دل فراخان را بود دست فراخ ** چشم کوران را عثار سنگلاخ
On seeking the tree whereof none that eats the fruit shall die.
جستن آن درخت که هر که میوهی آن درخت خورد نمیرد
A learned man (once) said, for the sake of (telling) a story, “In India there is a certain tree:
گفت دانایی برای داستان ** که درختی هست در هندوستان
Whoso takes and eats of its fruit, he grows not old nor ever dies.”
هر کسی کز میوهی او خورد و برد ** نه شود او پیر نه هرگز بمرد
A king heard this (tale) from a veracious person: he became a lover of the tree and its fruit.
پادشاهی این شنید از صادقی ** بر درخت و میوهاش شد عاشقی