If his act were not the inspiration of God, he would have been a dog that rends (its prey), not a king.
گر نبودی کارش الهام اله ** او سگی بودی دراننده نه شاه
He was unstained by lust and covetousness and passion: (what) he did (was) good, but good that wore the aspect of evil.235
پاک بود از شهوت و حرص و هوا ** نیک کرد او لیک نیک بد نما
If Khadir stove the boat in the sea, (yet) in Khadir's staving there are a hundred rightnesses.
گر خضر در بحر کشتی را شکست ** صد درستی در شکست خضر هست
The imagination of Moses, notwithstanding his (spiritual) illumination and excellence, was screened from (the comprehension of) that (act of Khadir). Do not thou fly without wings!
وهم موسی با همه نور و هنر ** شد از آن محجوب، تو بیپر مپر
That (deed of the king) is a red rose (worthy of praise); do not call it blood (murder). He is intoxicated with Reason; do not call him a madman.
آن گل سرخ است تو خونش مخوان ** مست عقل است او تو مجنونش مخوان
Had it been his desire to shed the blood of a Moslem, I am an infidel if I would have mentioned his name (with praise).
گر بدی خون مسلمان کام او ** کافرم گر بردمی من نام او
The highest heaven trembles at praise of the wicked, and by praise of him the devout man is moved to think evil.240
میبلرزد عرش از مدح شقی ** بد گمان گردد ز مدحش متقی
He was a king and a very heedful king; he was elect and the elect (favourite) of God.
شاه بود و شاه بس آگاه بود ** خاص بود و خاصهی الله بود
One who is slain by a king like this, he (the king) leads him to fortune and to the best (most honourable) estate.
آن کسی را کش چنین شاهی کشد ** سوی بخت و بهترین جاهی کشد
Unless he (the king) had seen advantage to him (the goldsmith) in doing violence to him, how should that absolute Mercy have sought to do violence?
گر ندیدی سود او در قهر او ** کی شدی آن لطف مطلق قهر جو
The child trembles at the barber's scalpel (but) the fond mother is happy at that moment.
بچه میلرزد از آن نیش حجام ** مادر مشفق در آن غم شاد کام
He takes half a life and gives a hundred lives (in exchange): he gives that which enters not into your imagination.245
نیم جان بستاند و صد جان دهد ** آن چه در وهمت نیاید آن دهد
You are judging (his actions) from (the analogy of) yourself, but you have fallen far, far (away from the truth). Consider well!
تو قیاس از خویش میگیری و لیک ** دور دور افتادهای بنگر تو نیک
The story of the greengrocer and the parrot and the parrot's spilling the oil in the shop.
حکایت بقال و طوطی و روغن ریختن طوطی در دکان
There was a greengrocer who had a parrot, a sweet-voiced green talking parrot.
بود بقالی و وی را طوطیی ** خوش نوایی سبز و گویا طوطیی
(Perched) on the bench, it would watch over the shop (in the owner's absence) and talk finely to all the traders.
بر دکان بودی نگهبان دکان ** نکته گفتی با همه سوداگران
In addressing human beings it would speak (like them); it was (also) skilled in the song of parrots.
در خطاب آدمی ناطق بدی ** در نوای طوطیان حاذق بدی
(Once) it sprang from the bench and flew away; it spilled the bottles of rose-oil.250
جست از سوی دکان سویی گریخت ** شیشههای روغن گل را بریخت
Its master came from the direction of his house and seated himself on the bench at his ease as a merchant does.
از سوی خانه بیامد خواجهاش ** بر دکان بنشست فارغ خواجهوش
(Then) he saw the bench was full of oil and his clothes greasy; he smote the parrot on the head: it was made bald by the blow.
دید پر روغن دکان و جامه چرب ** بر سرش زد گشت طوطی کل ز ضرب
For some few days it refrained from speech; the greengrocer, in repentance, heaved deep sighs,
روزکی چندی سخن کوتاه کرد ** مرد بقال از ندامت آه کرد
Tearing his beard and saying, “Alas! the sun of my prosperity has gone under the clouds.
ریش بر میکند و میگفت ای دریغ ** کافتاب نعمتم شد زیر میغ
Would that my hand had been broken (powerless) at the moment when I struck (such a blow) on the head of that sweet-tongued one?”255
دست من بشکسته بودی آن زمان ** که زدم من بر سر آن خوش زبان
He was giving presents to every dervish, that he might get back the speech of his bird.
هدیهها میداد هر درویش را ** تا بیابد نطق مرغ خویش را
After three days and three nights, he was seated on the bench, distraught and sorrowful, like a man in despair,
بعد سه روز و سه شب حیران و زار ** بر دکان بنشسته بد نومید وار
Showing the bird every sort of hidden (unfamiliar) thing (in the hope) that maybe it would begin to speak.
مینمود آن مرغ را هر گون شگفت ** تا که باشد کاندر آید او بگفت