- 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
- Do this deed in the place for (public) proclamation, on a highway where roads run in four directions.
- بر منادی گاه کن این کار تو ** بر سر راهی که باشد چار سو
- Then banish me from thy presence to a distant land, that I may cast mischief and confusion amongst them.
- آن گهم از خود بران تا شهر دور ** تا در اندازم در ایشان شر و شور
- How the vizier brought the Christians into doubt and perplexity.
- تلبیس وزیر با نصارا
- Then I will say (to them), ‘I am secretly a Christian. O God who knowest (all) things hidden, Thou knowest me.
- پس بگویم من به سر نصرانیام ** ای خدای راز دان میدانیام
- The king was informed of my (Christian) faith and from bigotry sought to take my life.
- شاه واقف گشت از ایمان من ** وز تعصب کرد قصد جان من
- I wished to hide my religion from the king and profess his religion, 350
- خواستم تا دین ز شه پنهان کنم ** آن که دین اوست ظاهر آن کنم
- (But) the king got a scent of my inmost beliefs, and my words were suspected (when I stood) before the king.
- شاه بویی برد از اسرار من ** متهم شد پیش شه گفتار من
- He said, “Your words are like a needle in bread (specious but pernicious); there is a window between my heart and yours.
- گفت گفت تو چو در نان سوزن است ** از دل من تا دل تو روزن است
- Through that window I have seen your (real) state: I see your state and will not heed your words.”
- من از آن روزن بدیدم حال تو ** حال تو دیدم ننوشم قال تو
- Had not the spirit of Jesus been my aid, he would in Jewish fashion have torn me to pieces.
- گر نبودی جان عیسی چارهام ** او جهودانه بکردی پارهام
- For Jesus' sake I would yield my life and give my head and lay on myself (confess) myriads of obligations to him. 355
- بهر عیسی جان سپارم سر دهم ** صد هزاران منتش بر خود نهم
- I do not grudge Jesus my life, but full well am I versed in the knowledge of his religion.
- جان دریغم نیست از عیسی و لیک ** واقفم بر علم دینش نیک نیک
- Grief was coming over me (it seemed to me a pity) that that holy religion should perish amongst those who are ignorant (of it).
- حیف میآمد مرا کان دین پاک ** در میان جاهلان گردد هلاک
- Thanks be to God and to Jesus that I have become a guide to the true faith.
- شکر ایزد را و عیسی را که ما ** گشتهایم آن کیش حق را رهنما
- I have escaped from Jews and Judaism so (entirely) that I have bound my waist with a (Christian) girdle.
- از جهود و از جهودی رستهام ** تا به زناری میان را بستهام
- The (present) epoch is the epoch of Jesus. O men, hearken with your souls unto the mysteries of his religion!’” 360
- دور دور عیسی است ای مردمان ** بشنوید اسرار کیش او به جان
- The king did to him that deed (mutilation) which he had proposed: the people remained in amazement at that hidden (mysterious) plot.
- کرد با وی شاه آن کاری که گفت ** خلق حیران مانده ز ان مکر نهفت
- He (the king) drove him away to the Christians. After that, he (the vizier) began to proselytise.
- راند او را جانب نصرانیان ** کرد در دعوت شروع او بعد از آن
- How the Christians let themselves be duped by the vizier.
- قبول کردن نصارا مکر وزیر را
- Myriads of Christian men gathered round him, little by little, in his abode,
- صد هزاران مرد ترسا سوی او ** اندک اندک جمع شد در کوی او
- (While) he secretly expounded to them the mysteries of Gospel and girdle and prayer.
- او بیان میکرد با ایشان به راز ** سر انگلیون و زنار و نماز
- Outwardly he was a preacher of (religious) ordinances, but inwardly he was (as) the whistle and snare (of the fowler). 365
- او به ظاهر واعظ احکام بود ** لیک در باطن صفیر و دام بود