- 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
- In one he said: “Your hunger and generosity are (imply) association on your part (of other objects) with (Him who is) the object of your worship.
- در یکی گفته که جوع و جود تو ** شرک باشد از تو با معبود تو
- Excepting trust (in God) and complete resignation in sorrow and joy, all is a deceit and snare.”
- جز توکل جز که تسلیم تمام ** در غم و راحت همه مکر است و دام