- They make a woollen lion for the purpose of begging; they give the title of Ahmad (Mohammed) to Bú Musaylim;
- شیر پشمین از برای کد کنند ** بو مسیلم را لقب احمد کنند
- (But) to Bú Musaylim remained the title of Kadhdháb (Liar), to Mohammed remained (the title of) Ulu ’l-albáb (Endowed with understanding).
- بو مسیلم را لقب کذاب ماند ** مر محمد را اولو الالباب ماند
- The wine of God, its seal (last result) is pure musk, (but) as for (the other) wine, its seal is stench and torment
- آن شراب حق ختامش مشک ناب ** باده را ختمش بود گند و عذاب
- Story of the Jewish king who for bigotry's sake used to slay the Christians.
- داستان آن پادشاه جهود که نصرانیان را میکشت از بهر تعصب
- Amongst the Jews there was a king who wrought oppression, an enemy of Jesus and a destroyer of Christians.
- بود شاهی در جهودان ظلم ساز ** دشمن عیسی و نصرانی گداز
- ’Twas the epoch of Jesus and the turn was his: he was the soul of Moses, and Moses the soul of him; 325
- عهد عیسی بود و نوبت آن او ** جان موسی او و موسی جان او
- (But) the squint-eyed (double-seeing) king separated in the way of God those two Divine (prophets) who were (really) in accord (with each other).
- شاه احول کرد در راه خدا ** آن دو دمساز خدایی را جدا
- The master said to a squint-eyed (pupil), “Come on; go, fetch that bottle out of the room.”
- گفت استاد احولی را کاندر آ ** رو برون آر از وثاق آن شیشه را
- Said the squint-eyed one: “Which of the two bottles shall I bring to you? Explain fully.”
- گفت احول ز ان دو شیشه من کدام ** پیش تو آرم بکن شرح تمام
- “There are not two bottles,” replied the master; “go, leave off squinting and do not be seeing more (than one).”
- گفت استاد آن دو شیشه نیست رو ** احولی بگذار و افزون بین مشو
- “O master,” said he, “don't chide me.” Said the master, “Smash one of those two.” 330
- گفت ای استا مرا طعنه مزن ** گفت استا ز ان دو یک را در شکن
- The bottle was one, though in his eyes it seemed two; when he broke the bottle, there was no other.
- شیشه یک بود و به چشمش دو نمود ** چون شکست او شیشه را دیگر نبود
- When one was broken, both vanished from sight: a man is made squint-eyed by (evil) propensity and anger.
- چون یکی بشکست هر دو شد ز چشم ** مردم احول گردد از میلان و خشم
- Anger and lust make a man squint-eyed, they change the spirit (so that it departs) from rectitude.
- خشم و شهوت مرد را احول کند ** ز استقامت روح را مبدل کند
- When self-interest appears, virtue becomes hidden: a hundred veils rise from the heart to the eye.
- چون غرض آمد هنر پوشیده شد ** صد حجاب از دل به سوی دیده شد
- When the cadi lets bribery gain hold of his heart, how should he know the wronger from the wretched victim of wrong? 335
- چون دهد قاضی به دل رشوت قرار ** کی شناسد ظالم از مظلوم زار
- The king, from Jewish rancour, became so squint-eyed that (we cry), “Mercy, O Lord, mercy (save us from such an affliction)!”
- شاه از حقد جهودانه چنان ** گشت احول کالامان یا رب امان
- He slew hundreds of thousands of wronged (innocent) believers, saying, “I am the protection and support of the religion of Moses.”
- صد هزاران مومن مظلوم کشت ** که پناهم دین موسی را و پشت
- How the vizier instructed the king to plot.
- آموختن وزیر مکر پادشاه را
- He had a vizier, a miscreant and ogler (deceiver), who by reason of (his exceeding) guile would tie knots on water.
- او وزیری داشت گبر و عشوهده ** کاو بر آب از مکر بر بستی گره
- “The Christians,” said he, “seek to save their lives; they hide their religion from the king.
- گفت ترسایان پناه جان کنند ** دین خود را از ملک پنهان کنند
- Slay them not, for slaying (them) is useless: religion hath no smell, it is not musk and aloes-wood. 340
- کم کش ایشان را که کشتن سود نیست ** دین ندارد بوی، مشک و عود نیست
- The secret is concealed in a hundred coverings: its outward form is (in agreement) with thee, (but) the inward (reality) is (in) disagreement.”
- سر پنهان است اندر صد غلاف ** ظاهرش با تست و باطن بر خلاف
- The king said to him: “Tell (me), then, what is the (best) plan? What is the remedy against that deceit and imposture?—
- شاه گفتش پس بگو تدبیر چیست ** چارهی آن مکر و ان تزویر چیست
- So that there may not remain a single Christian in the world, neither one whose religion is manifest nor one who is concealed.”
- تا نماند در جهان نصرانیی ** نی هویدا دین و نی پنهانیی
- “O king,” said he, “cut off my ears and hands, rip my nose and lips by bitter (cruel) decree;
- گفت ای شه گوش و دستم را ببر ** بینیام بشکاف و لب در حکم مر
- Then bring me under the gallows, that an intercessor may plead for me. 345
- بعد از آن در زیر دار آور مرا ** تا بخواهد یک شفاعتگر مرا