I will kill him or inflict upon him a torment, a torment severe beyond (all) calculation.”840
بکشمش یا خود دهم او را عذاب ** یک عذاب سخت بیرون از حساب
Hark, what is that torment, O trusted (friend)? To be in a cage without thy congener.
هان کدامست آن عذاب این معتمد ** در قفص بودن به غیر جنس خود
O Man, thou art in torment on account of this body: the bird, thy spirit, is imprisoned with one of another kind.
زین بدن اندر عذابی ای بشر ** مرغ روحت بسته با جنسی دگر
The spirit is a falcon, and the (bodily) properties are crows: it has (receives) painful brands from the crows and owls.
روح بازست و طبایع زاغها ** دارد از زاغان و چغدان داغها
It remains amongst them in sore misery, like an Abú Bakr in the city of Sabzawár.
او بمانده در میانشان زارزار ** هم‌چو بوبکری به شهر سبزوار
Story of Mohammed Khwárizmsháh who took by war (force) the city of Sabzawár, where all (the inhabitants) are Ráfizís (extreme Shí‘ites). (When) they begged him to spare their lives, he said, “I will grant (you) security as soon as ye produce from this city a man named Abú Bakr and present him to me.”
حکایت محمد خوارزمشاه کی شهر سبزوار کی همه رافضی باشند به جنگ بگرفت اما جان خواستند گفت آنگه امان دهم کی ازین شهر پیش من به هدیه ابوبکر نامی بیارید
Mohammed Alp Ulugh Khwárizmsháh marched to battle against Sabzawár, (the city) full of refuge (for the wicked).845
شد محمد الپ الغ خوارزمشاه ** در قتال سبزوار پر پناه
His troops reduced them (the inhabitants) to straits; his army fell to killing the foe.
تنگشان آورد لشکرهای او ** اسپهش افتاد در قتل عدو
They prostrated themselves before him, crying, “Mercy! Make us thy thralls, (but) spare our lives!
سجده آوردند پیشش کالامان ** حلقه‌مان در گوش کن وا بخش جان
Whatever thou requirest (in the way of) tribute or presents will come to thee from us with increase (abundantly) at every fixed time (of payment).
هر خراج و صلتی که بایدت ** آن ز ما هر موسمی افزایدت
Our lives are thine, O lion-natured (prince): let them be on deposit with us for a (little) while.”
جان ما آن توست ای شیرخو ** پیش ما چندی امانت باش گو