Oh, many a one sleeping like dust in the grave is superior in usefulness and open-handedness to a hundred living.
ای بسا در گور خفته خاک‌وار ** به ز صد احیا به نفع و انتشار
He has taken away (from us) his shadow (body), but his dust is overshadowing (blessing and protecting us): hundreds of thousands of the living are in his shadow (under his protection).
سایه برده او و خاکش سایه‌مند ** صد هزاران زنده در سایه‌ی ویند
Story of the man who had an allowance from the Police Inspector of Tabríz and had incurred (large) debts in expectation of that allowance, since he was unaware of his (the Inspector's) death. The gist (of the story is that) his debts were paid, not by any living person, but by the deceased Inspector, (for) as has been said, “He that died and found peace is not dead: the (real) dead one is the man (spiritually) dead among the (materially) living.”
داستان آن مرد کی وظیفه داشت از محتسب تبریز و وامها کرده بود بر امید آن وظیفه و او را خبر نه از وفات او حاصل از هیچ زنده‌ای وام او گزارده نشد الا از محتسب متوفی گزارده شد چنانک گفته‌اند لیس من مات فاستراح بمیت انما المیت میت الاحیاء
A certain dervish, who was in debt, came from the outlying provinces to Tabríz.
آن یکی درویش ز اطراف دیار ** جانب تبریز آمد وامدار
His debts amounted to nine thousand pieces of gold. It happened that in Tabríz was (a man named) Badru’ddín ‘Umar.3015
نه هزارش وام بد از زر مگر ** بود در تبریز بدرالدین عمر
He was the Police Inspector, (but) at heart he was an ocean (of bounty): every hair's tip of him was a dwelling-place (worthy) of Hátim.
محتسب بد او به دل بحر آمده ** هر سر مویش یکی حاتم‌کده
Hátim, had he been (alive), would have become a beggar to him and laid his head (before him) and made himself (as) the dust of his feet.
حاتم ار بودی گدای او شدی ** سر نهادی خاک پای او شدی
If he had given an ocean of limpid water to a thirsty man, such was his generosity that he would be ashamed of (bestowing) that gift;
گر بدادی تشنه را بحری زلال ** در کرم شرمنده بودی زان نوال
And if he had made a mote (as full of splendour as) a place of sunrise, (even) that would (seem) to his lofty aspiration (to) be an unworthy action.
ور بکردی ذره‌ای را مشرقی ** بودی آن در همتش نالایقی
That poor stranger came (to Tabríz) in hope of him, for to poor strangers he was always (like) a kinsman and relative.3020
بر امید او بیامد آن غریب ** کو غریبان را بدی خویش و نسیب
That poor stranger was familiar with his door and had paid innumerable debts from his bounty.
با درش بود آن غریب آموخته ** وام بی‌حد از عطایش توخته