“O Ayáz, thou art a very exalted star: not every sign of the zodiac is worthy of its transit.
ای ایاز استاره‌ی تو بس بلند ** نیست هر برجی عبورش را پسند
How should thy lofty spirit be satisfied with every loyalty? How should thy pureness choose (to accept) every sincerity?”
هر وفا را کی پسندد همتت ** هر صفا را کی گزیند صفوتت
Story of the Amír who bade his slave fetch some wine: the slave went off and was bringing a jug of wine, (when) an ascetic (who) was on the road admonished him that he should act righteously and threw a stone and smashed the jug; the Amír heard (of this) and resolved to punish the ascetic. That happened in the epoch of the religion of Jesus, on whom be peace, when wine had not yet been declared unlawful; but the ascetic was showing an abhorrence (for worldly pleasure) and preventing (others) from indulging themselves.
حکایت آن امیر کی غلام را گفت کی می بیار غلام رفت و سبوی می آورد در راه زاهدی بود امر معروف کرد زد سنگی و سبو را بشکست امیر بشنید و قصد گوشمال زاهد کرد و این قصد در عهد دین عیسی بود علیه‌السلام کی هنوز می حرام نشده بود ولیکن زاهد تقزیزی می‌کرد و از تنعم منع می‌کرد
There was an Amír of merry heart, exceedingly fond of wine: (he was) the refuge of every drunkard and every resourceless person.
بود امیری خوش دلی می‌باره‌ای ** کهف هر مخمور و هر بیچاره‌ای
(He was) a compassionate man, kind to the poor and just; a jewel (of bounty), gold-lavishing, ocean-hearted;3440
مشفقی مسکین‌نوازی عادلی ** جوهری زربخششی دریادلی
A king of men and commander of the Faithful; a keeper of the Way and a knower of secrets and a discerner of friends.
شاه مردان و امیرالمومنین ** راه‌بان و رازدان و دوست‌بین
’Twas the epoch of Jesus and the days of the Messiah: he (the Amír) was beloved of the people and unoppressive and agreeable.
دور عیسی بود و ایام مسیح ** خلق دلدار و کم‌آزار و ملیح
Suddenly one night, another Amír, a person of good principles (who was) congenial to him, came seeking his hospitality.
آمدش مهمان بناگاهان شبی ** هم امیری جنس او خوش‌مذهبی
They wanted wine in order to enjoy themselves: at that period wine was permissible and lawful;
باده می‌بایستشان در نظم حال ** باده بود آن وقت ماذون و حلال
(But) they had no wine, so he (the Amír) said to his slave, “Go, fill the jug and fetch us wine3445
باده‌شان کم بود و گفتا ای غلام ** رو سبو پر کن به ما آور مدام
From such-and-such a Christian ascetic who has choice wine, that the soul (in us) may win release from high and low.”
از فلان راهب که دارد خمر خاص ** تا ز خاص و عام یابد جان خلاص