Miserliness consists in not seeing compensations: the prospect of pearls keeps the divers glad.
بخل نادیدن بود اعواض را ** شاد دارد دید در خواض را
Hence no one in the world is miserly, since no one hazards anything without (seeing) what is to be received in exchange.
پس به عالم هیچ کس نبود بخیل ** ز انکه کس چیزی نبازد بیبدیل
Generosity, then, comes from the eye, not from the hand: ’tis seeing that matters; none but the seer is saved.900
پس سخا از چشم آمد نه ز دست ** دید دارد کار جز بینا نرست
“Another fault (of his is) that he is not self-conceited; he is anxious to find fault with his self-existence.
عیب دیگر این که خود بین نیست او ** هست او در هستی خود عیب جو
He has (always) been one who speaks in blame of himself and seeks to blame himself; he has (always) been good (kind) to all and bad (unkind) to himself.”
عیب گوی و عیب جوی خود بده ست ** با همه نیکو و با خود بد بده ست
The King said, “Do not show (such) eagerness in praising your friend, do not introduce praise of yourself in the mask of (your) praise of him;
گفت شه جلدی مکن در مدح یار ** مدح خود در ضمن مدح او میار
Because I will bring him to the test, and shame will befall you in the upshot.”
ز انکه من در امتحان آرم و را ** شرمساری آیدت در ما ورا
How the slave, from the purity of his thought, swore to the truth and loyalty of his friend.
قسم غلام در صدق و وفای یار خود از طهارت ظن خود
He said, “Nay, by Allah, and by the great God, the possessor of kingdom, and by the Merciful and Compassionate One;905
گفت نه و الله و بالله العظیم ** مالک الملک و به رحمان و رحیم
By the God who sent the prophets, not in (His) need (of them), but in grace and majesty;
آن خدایی که فرستاد انبیا ** نه به حاجت بل به فضل و کبریا
By the Lord who from the lowly earth created (those) glorious princely riders,
آن خداوندی که از خاک ذلیل ** آفرید او شهسواران جلیل