Since his tongue and his spirit were His (the King's), (he was not afraid, for) he who is His may converse with Him boldly.
چون لسان وجان او بود آن او ** آن او با او بود گستاخگو
He said, “We have been bound (in chains) like the spirit in its prison of clay: Thou art the Sun (illuminator) of the spirit on the Day of Judgement.
گفت ما گشتیم چون جان بند طین ** آفتاب جان توی در یوم دین
O King whose course is concealed (from view), the time is come for Thee graciously to make a movement (sign) with Thy beard in clemency.
وقت آن شد ای شه مکتومسیر ** کز کرم ریشی بجنبانی به خیر
Each one (of us) has displayed his specialty: all those talents have (only) increased (our) ill-fortune.2910
هر یکی خاصیت خود را نمود ** آن هنرها جمله بدبختی فزود
Those talents have bound our necks, by those high attainments we are (thrown) headlong and (laid) low.
آن هنرها گردن ما را ببست ** زان مناصب سرنگوساریم و پست
(Our) talent is a cord of palm-fibre on our neck: there is no help (to be gained) from those accomplishments on the day of death.”
آن هنر فی جیدنا حبل مسد ** روز مردن نیست زان فنها مدد
(None of them avails) save only the specialty of that man endowed with goodly perceptions whose eye was recognising the Sultan in the (darkness of) night.
جز همان خاصیت آن خوشحواس ** که به شب بد چشم او سلطانشناس
All those talents were (as) ghouls (waylaying travellers) on the road, except (that of) the eye which was aware of the King.
آن هنرها جمله غول راه بود ** غیر چشمی کو ز شه آگاه بود
On the day of audience the King was ashamed (to refuse the petition) of him whose gaze was (fixed) on the King's face at night.2915
شاه را شرم از وی آمد روز بار ** که به شب بر روی شه بودش نظار
And the dog that is acquainted with the loving King—even him you must entitle “the Dog of the Cave.”
وان سگ آگاه از شاه وداد ** خود سگ کهفش لقب باید نهاد