This world is a rotten walnut: O man of trust, do not make trial of it, (but) behold it from afar.
جوز پوسیده‌ست دنیا ای امین ** امتحانش کم کن از دورش ببین
The king viewed the horse with regard to the present, while the ‘Imádu ’l- Mulk (viewed it) with regard to the future.
شاه دید آن اسپ را با چشم حال ** وآن عمادالملک با چشم مل
The king's eye, because of (its) distortion, saw (only) two ells, (but) the eye of him who regarded the end saw fifty ells.
چشم شه دو گز همی دید از لغز ** چشم آن پایان‌نگر پنجاه گز
What a (wondrous) collyrium is that which God applies (to the spiritual eye), so that the spirit discerns the truth behind a hundred curtains!
آن چه سرمه‌ست آنک یزدان می‌کشد ** کز پس صد پرده بیند جان رشد
Since the Chief's (the Prophet's) eye was ever fixed on the end, by reason of (seeing with) that eye he called the world a carcase.3475
چشم مهتر چون به آخر بود جفت ** پس بدان دیده جهان را جیفه گفت
On hearing only this single (word of) blame from him (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk), the love (that was) in the king's heart for the horse became chilled.
زین یکی ذمش که بشنود او وحسپ ** پس فسرد اندر دل شه مهر اسپ
He abandoned his own eye and preferred his (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk's) eye: he abandoned his own intelligence and hearkened to his (the other's) words.
چشم خود بگذاشت و چشم او گزید ** هوش خود بگذاشت و قول او شنید
This (speech of the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) was (only) the pretext, and (in reality) at (his) entreaty the unique Judge caused it (the horse) to be cold (despicable) in the king's heart.
این بهانه بود و آن دیان فرد ** از نیاز آن در دل شه سرد کرد
He (God) shut the door on its beauty (made its beauty invisible) to the eye (of the king): those words (of the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk) intervened (between the king's eye and the horse) like the sound of the door.
در ببست از حسن او پیش بصر ** آن سخن بد در میان چون بانگ در
He (God) made that cryptic saying a veil over the king's eye, a veil through which the moon appears to be black.3480
پرده کرد آن نکته را بر چشم شه ** که از آن پرده نماید مه سیه