(For) he had three sons like three moving cypresses: to them he had devoted his (vital) soul and his (rational) spirit.
سه پسر بودش چو سه سرو روان ** وقف ایشان کرده او جان و روان
He said, “Whichever of these three is the laziest, let him take all the goods and gold in my possession.”
گفت هرچه در کفم کاله و زرست ** او برد زین هر سه کو کاهل‌ترست
He told the cadi and enjoined him strictly: after that, he drained the wine-cup of death.4880
گفت با قاضی و پس اندرز کرد ** بعد از آن جام شراب مرگ خورد
The sons said to the cadi, “O noble sir, we three orphans will not depart from his decision.
گفته فرزندان به قاضی کای کریم ** نگذریم از حکم او ما سه یتیم
We accept and obey: (the right of) control belongs to him: what he has commanded must be executed by us. // We are like Ishmael: we will not recoil from our Abraham though he is offering us in sacrifice."
سمع و طاعه میکنیم او راست دست ** آنچه او فرمود بر ما نافذست // ما چو اسماعیل ز ابراهیم خود ** سر نپیچیم ارچه قربان میکند
The cadi said, “Let each one (of you), using his intelligence, give some account of his laziness,
گفت قاضی هر یکی با عاقلیش ** تا بگوید قصه‌ای از کاهلیش
That I may perceive the laziness of each and know beyond any doubt (how stands) the case of every one (of you).”4885
تا ببینم کاهلی هر یکی ** تا بدانم حال هر یک بی‌شکی
The gnostics are the laziest folk in the two worlds, because they get their harvest without ploughing.
عارفان از دو جهان کاهل‌ترند ** زانک بی شد یار خرمن می‌برند
They have made laziness their prop (and rely upon it) since God is working for them.
کاهلی را کرده‌اند ایشان سند ** کار ایشان را چو یزدان میکند