Without speech (on his part) they perceived what he wanted: it was their practice to give before being asked.2775
حاجت او فهمشان شد بیمقال ** کار ایشان بد عطا پیش از سؤال
Then they said to him, “O chief of the Arabs, whence dost thou come? How art thou after the journey and fatigue?”
پس بدو گفتند یا وجه العرب ** از کجایی چونی از راه و تعب
He said, “I am a chief, if ye give me any countenance (favour); I am without means (of winning respect) when ye put me behind your backs.
گفت وجهم گر مرا وجهی دهید ** بیوجوهم چون پس پشتم نهید
O ye in whose faces are the marks of eminence, O ye whose splendour is more pleasing than the gold of Ja‘far,
ای که در روتان نشان مهتری ** فرتان خوشتر ز زر جعفری
O ye, one sight of whom is (worth many) sights, O ye on whose religion pieces of gold are scattered (as largesse),
ای که یک دیدارتان دیدارها ** ای نثار دینتان دینارها
O ye, all of whom have become seeing by the light of God, who have come from the King for the sake of munificence,2780
ای همه ینظر بنور الله شده ** از بر حق بهر بخشش آمده
That ye may cast the elixir of your looks upon the copper of human individuals,
تا زنید آن کیمیاهای نظر ** بر سر مسهای اشخاص بشر
I am a stranger: I have come from the desert: I have come in hope of (gaining) the grace of the Sultan.
من غریبم از بیابان آمدم ** بر امید لطف سلطان آمدم
The scent of his grace covered (took entire possession of) the deserts: even the grains of sand were ensouled (thereby).
بوی لطف او بیابانها گرفت ** ذرههای ریگ هم جانها گرفت
I came all the way to this place for the sake of dinars: as soon as I arrived, I became drunken with sight (contemplation).”
تا بدین جا بهر دینار آمدم ** چون رسیدم مست دیدار آمدم
A person ran to the baker for bread: on seeing the beauty of the baker, he gave up the ghost.2785
بهر نان شخصی سوی نانوا دوید ** داد جان چون حسن نانوا را بدید
A certain man went to the rose-garden to take his pleasure, and found it in the beauty of the gardener,
بهر فرجه شد یکی تا گلستان ** فرجهی او شد جمال باغبان
Like the desert Arab who drew water from the well and tasted the Water of Life from the (lovely) face of Joseph.
همچو اعرابی که آب از چه کشید ** آب حیوان از رخ یوسف چشید
Moses went to fetch fire: he beheld such a Fire (the Burning Bush) that he escaped from (searching after) fire.
رفت موسی کاتش آرد او به دست ** آتشی دید او که از آتش برست
Jesus sprang up, to escape from his enemies: that spring carried him to the Fourth Heaven.
جست عیسی تا رهد از دشمنان ** بردش آن جستن به چارم آسمان
The ear of wheat became a trap for Adam, so that his existence became the wheat-ear (seed and origin) of mankind.2790
دام آدم خوشهی گندم شده ** تا وجودش خوشهی مردم شده
The falcon comes to the snare for food: it finds the fore-arm (wrist) of the King and fortune and glory.
باز آید سوی دام از بهر خور ** ساعد شه یابد و اقبال و فر
The child went to school to acquire knowledge, in hope of (getting) its father's pretty bird (as a prize);
طفل شد مکتب پی کسب هنر ** بر امید مرغ با لطف پدر
Then, by (going to) school, that child rose to the top, paid monthly fees (to his teacher), and became perfect (in knowledge).
پس ز مکتب آن یکی صدری شده ** ماهگانه داده و بدری شده
‘Abbás had come to war for vengeance’ sake, for the purpose of subduing Ahmad (Mohammed) and opposing the (true) religion:
آمده عباس حرب از بهر کین ** بهر قمع احمد و استیز دین
He and his descendants in the Caliphate became a back and front (complete support) to the (true) religion until the Resurrection.2795
گشته دین را تا قیامت پشت و رو ** در خلافت او و فرزندان او
“I came to this court in quest of wealth: as soon as I entered the portico I became (a spiritual) chief.
من بر این در طالب چیز آمدم ** صدر گشتم چون به دهلیز آمدم
I brought water as a gift for the sake of (getting) bread: hope of bread led me to the highest place in Paradise.
آب آوردم به تحفه بهر نان ** بوی نانم برد تا صدر جنان
Bread drove an Adam forth from Paradise: bread caused me to mix (made me consort) with those who belong to Paradise.
نان برون راند آدمی را از بهشت ** نان مرا اندر بهشتی در سرشت
I have been freed, like the angels, from water and bread (materiality): without (any worldly) object of desire I move round this court, like the (revolving) sphere of heaven.”
رستم از آب و ز نان همچون ملک ** بیغرض گردم بر این در چون فلک