To go into a thousand fires is better than this, that a lord should become the servant of a slave.
در هزار آتش شدن زین خوشترست ** که خداوندی شود بنده‌پرست
Nay, kill me first, O king of China, that mine eye may not be hold this (servility) in the king.
نه بکش اول مرا ای شاه چین ** تا نبیند چشم من بر شاه این
O emperor, behead me first, that mine eye may not behold this ignominy.
خسروا اول مرا گردن بزن ** تا نبیند این مذلت چشم من
Truly never has there been—and never may there be!—such a thing as this, that the earth should become the sky, and the sky become the earth;
خود نبودست و مبادا این چنین ** که زمین گردون شود گردون زمین
(That) our slaves should become our fellow-servants, (and that) our timorous ones should become those who (cruelly) wound our hearts;2735
بندگان‌مان خواجه‌تاش ما شوند ** بی‌دلان‌مان دلخراش ما شوند
(That our) enemies (should be) bright-eyed and (our) friends blind: then (in that case) the rose-garden has become for us (like) the bottom of the tomb.”
چشم‌روشن دشمنان و دوست کور ** گشت ما را پس گلستان قعر گور
Showing the falsity of Hámán’s speech— the curse (of God) be upon him!
تزییف سخن هامان علیه‌اللعنه
He did not know friend from enemy: he was playing back gammon (all) wrong, like a blind man.
دوست از دشمن همی نشناخت او ** نرد را کورانه کژ می‌باخت او
Thy enemy is none but thyself, O accursed one: do not despitefully call the innocent (thy) enemies.
دشمن تو جز تو نبود این لعین ** بی‌گناهان را مگو دشمن به کین
In thy sight this evil state (in which thou art) is dawlat (worldly fortune), whereof the beginning is dawádaw (running to and fro) and the end lat (blows).
پیش تو این حالت بد دولتست ** که دوادو اول و آخر لتست
If by degrees thou do not run away from this worldly fortune, autumn will come o’er this spring of thine.2740
گر ازین دولت نتازی خز خزان ** این بهارت را همی آید خزان