Both bounty and severity are (sanctioned) in the religious Law: (’tis) for the king (to sit on) the throne, (’tis) for the horse (to stand at) the gate.2595
در شریعت هم عطا هم زجر هست ** شاه را صدر و فرس را درگه است
What is justice? To put (a thing) in its (right) place. What is injustice? To put it in its wrong place.
عدل چه بود وضع اندر موضعش ** ظلم چه بود وضع در ناموقعش
Nothing is vain that God created, (whether it be) anger or forbearance or sincere counsel or guile.
نیست باطل هر چه یزدان آفرید ** از غضب وز حلم وز نصح و مکید
None of these things is absolutely good, nor is any of them absolutely evil.
خیر مطلق نیست زینها هیچ چیز ** شر مطلق نیست زینها هیچ نیز
The usefulness and harm of each depend on the place (occasion): for this reason knowledge is necessary and useful.
نفع و ضر هر یکی از موضعست ** علم ازین رو واجبست و نافعست
Oh, many a punishment inflicted on a poor fellow is more meritorious than (a gift of) bread and sweetmeat,2600
ای بسا زجری که بر مسکین رود ** در ثواب از نان و حلوا به بود
For sweetmeat (when eaten) unseasonably causes yellow bile, (whereas) slaps purge him of wickedness.
زانک حلوا بیاوان صفرا کند ** سیلیش از خبث مستنقا کند
Give the poor fellow a slap in season: it will save him from beheading (afterwards).
سیلیی در وقت بر مسکین بزن ** که رهاند آنش از گردن زدن
The blow is really inflicted because of (his) evil disposition: the stick falls on the dust (in the garment of felt), not on the felt (itself).
زخم در معنی فتد از خوی بد ** چوب بر گرد اوفتد نه بر نمد
Every Bahrám (emperor) has a banquet(-hall) and a prison: the banquet is for the sincere (friend) and the prison for the half-baked (churl).
بزم و زندن هست هر بهرام را ** بزم مخلص را و زندان خام را