When he has caught a scent and given no thanks for it, (that) ingratitude comes and devours his nose (deprives him of the organ of spiritual perception).
چون که بویی برد و شکر آن نکرد ** کفر نعمت آمد و بینیش خورد
Give thanks (to God) and be a slave to those who give thanks: be in their presence (as one) dead, be steadfast.
شکر کن مر شاکران را بنده باش ** پیش ایشان مرده شو پاینده باش
Do not, like the vizier, make brigandage your stock-in-trade; do not turn the people away from the ritual prayer.
چون وزیر از ره زنی مایه مساز ** خلق را تو بر میاور از نماز
The miscreant vizier had become (in appearance) a true religious counsellor, (but) he had craftily put garlic in the walnut cake.445
ناصح دین گشته آن کافر وزیر ** کرده او از مکر در لوزینه سیر
How the sagacious among the Christians perceived the guile of the vizier.
فهم کردن حاذقان نصارا مکر وزیر را
Whoever was possessed of (spiritual) discernment was feeling a sweet savour in his words and, joined therewith, bitterness.
هر که صاحب ذوق بود از گفت او ** لذتی میدید و تلخی جفت او
He (the vizier) was saying fine things mixed (with foul): he had poured some poison into the sugared julep.
نکتهها میگفت او آمیخته ** در جلاب قند زهری ریخته
The outward sense of it was saying, “Be diligent in the Way,” but in effect it was saying to the soul, “Be slack.”
ظاهرش میگفت در ره چیست شو ** وز اثر میگفت جان را سست شو
If the surface of silver is white and new, (yet) the hands and dress are blackened by it.
ظاهر نقره گر اسپید است و نو ** دست و جامه می سیه گردد ازو
Although fire is red-faced (bright and glorious) with sparks, look at the black behaviour (displayed) in its action.450
آتش ار چه سرخ روی است از شرر ** تو ز فعل او سیه کاری نگر
If the lightning appears luminous to the eye, (yet) from its distinctive property it is the robber of sight (it strikes men blind).
برق اگر نوری نماید در نظر ** لیک هست از خاصیت دزد بصر
(As for) any (Christian) who was not wary and possessed of discernment, the words of him (the vizier) were (as) a collar on his neck.
هر که جز آگاه و صاحب ذوق بود ** گفت او در گردن او طوق بود
During six years, in separation from the king, the vizier became a refuge for the followers of Jesus.
مدت شش سال در هجران شاه ** شد وزیر اتباع عیسی را پناه
To him the people wholly surrendered their religion and their hearts: at his command and decree they were ready to die.
دین و دل را کل بدو بسپرد خلق ** پیش امر و حکم او میمرد خلق
How the king sent messages in secret to the vizier.
پیغام شاه پنهان با وزیر
Messages (passed) between the king and him: the king had words of comfort from him in secret.455
در میان شاه و او پیغامها ** شاه را پنهان بدو آرامها
The king wrote to him, saying, “O my fortunate one, the time is come: quickly set my mind at ease.”
پیش او بنوشت شه کای مقبلم ** وقت آمد زود فارغ کن دلم
He replied: “Behold, O king, I am preparing to cast disorders into the religion of Jesus.”
گفت اینک اندر آن کارم شها ** کافکنم در دین عیسی فتنهها
Explanation of the twelve tribes of the Christians.
بیان دوازده سبط از نصارا
The people of Jesus had twelve amírs as rulers in authority over them.
قوم عیسی را بد اندر دار و گیر ** حاکمانشان ده امیر و دو امیر
Each party followed one amír and had become devoted to its own amír from desire (of worldly gain).
هر فریقی مر امیری را تبع ** بنده گشته میر خود را از طمع
These twelve amírs and their followers became in bondage to (a prey to) that vizier of evil sign.460
این ده و این دو امیر و قومشان ** گشته بند آن وزیر بدنشان
They all put trust in his words, they all took his procedure as a pattern.
اعتماد جمله بر گفتار او ** اقتدای جمله بر رفتار او
Each amír would have given up his life in his presence at the time and hour (on the spot), if he (the vizier) had bidden him die.
پیش او در وقت و ساعت هر امیر ** جان بدادی گر بدو گفتی بمیر
How the vizier confused the ordinances of the Gospel.
تخلیط وزیر در احکام انجیل
He prepared a scroll in the name of (addressed to) each one, the (written) form of each scroll (of) a different tenor,
ساخت طوماری به نام هر یکی ** نقش هر طومار دیگر مسلکی
The ordinances of each (of) a diverse kind, this contradicting that from the end to the beginning.
حکمهای هر یکی نوعی دگر ** این خلاف آن ز پایان تا به سر
In one he made the path of asceticism and hunger to be the basis of repentance and the condition (necessary) for conversion.465
در یکی راه ریاضت را و جوع ** رکن توبه کرده و شرط رجوع
In one he said: “Asceticism profits naught: in this Way there is no place (means) of deliverance but generosity.”
در یکی گفته ریاضت سود نیست ** اندر این ره مخلصی جز جود نیست