His faults are affection and loyalty and humanity; his faults are sincerity and keen wittedness and cordial comradeship.890
عیب او مهر و وفا و مردمی ** عیب او صدق و ذکا و هم دمی
His least fault is generosity and bounty—the generosity that even gives up life.”
کمترین عیبش جوانمردی و داد ** آن جوانمردی که جان را هم بداد
God has brought to view myriads of lives (in return for the life given up): what generosity would there be (in him) that saw not those?
صد هزاران جان خدا کرده پدید ** چه جوانمردی بود کان را ندید
And if he saw them, how should he grudge his life? How should he become so grieved for the sake of one life?
ور بدیدی کی به جان بخلش بدی ** بهر یک جان کی چنین غمگین شدی
On the river-bank, water is grudged by him (alone) that is blind to the stream of water.
بر لب جو بخل آب آن را بود ** کاو ز جوی آب نابینا بود
The Prophet said, “Whosoever knows for sure his recompense on the day of Resurrection—895
گفت پیغمبر که هر که از یقین ** داند او پاداش خود در یوم دین
That his compensation will be ten for one—at every moment a different (act of) munificence will issue from him.”
که یکی را ده عوض میآیدش ** هر زمان جودی دگرگون زایدش
All munificence is from seeing compensations; therefore seeing the compensation is opposed to fearing (and shrinking from the act of munificence).
جود جمله از عوضها دیدن است ** پس عوض دیدن ضد ترسیدن است
Miserliness consists in not seeing compensations: the prospect of pearls keeps the divers glad.
بخل نادیدن بود اعواض را ** شاد دارد دید در خواض را
Hence no one in the world is miserly, since no one hazards anything without (seeing) what is to be received in exchange.
پس به عالم هیچ کس نبود بخیل ** ز انکه کس چیزی نبازد بیبدیل
Generosity, then, comes from the eye, not from the hand: ’tis seeing that matters; none but the seer is saved.900
پس سخا از چشم آمد نه ز دست ** دید دارد کار جز بینا نرست
“Another fault (of his is) that he is not self-conceited; he is anxious to find fault with his self-existence.
عیب دیگر این که خود بین نیست او ** هست او در هستی خود عیب جو
He has (always) been one who speaks in blame of himself and seeks to blame himself; he has (always) been good (kind) to all and bad (unkind) to himself.”
عیب گوی و عیب جوی خود بده ست ** با همه نیکو و با خود بد بده ست
The King said, “Do not show (such) eagerness in praising your friend, do not introduce praise of yourself in the mask of (your) praise of him;
گفت شه جلدی مکن در مدح یار ** مدح خود در ضمن مدح او میار
Because I will bring him to the test, and shame will befall you in the upshot.”
ز انکه من در امتحان آرم و را ** شرمساری آیدت در ما ورا
How the slave, from the purity of his thought, swore to the truth and loyalty of his friend.
قسم غلام در صدق و وفای یار خود از طهارت ظن خود
He said, “Nay, by Allah, and by the great God, the possessor of kingdom, and by the Merciful and Compassionate One;905
گفت نه و الله و بالله العظیم ** مالک الملک و به رحمان و رحیم
By the God who sent the prophets, not in (His) need (of them), but in grace and majesty;
آن خدایی که فرستاد انبیا ** نه به حاجت بل به فضل و کبریا
By the Lord who from the lowly earth created (those) glorious princely riders,
آن خداوندی که از خاک ذلیل ** آفرید او شهسواران جلیل
(And) purified them from the temperament of earthly beings, and caused them to outrun the celestials;
پاکشان کرد از مزاج خاکیان ** بگذرانید از تک افلاکیان
(By Him) who took up from the Fire and fashioned into pure Light—and then it outstripped all (the other) lights—
بر گرفت از نار و نور صاف ساخت ** وانگه او بر جملهی انوار تاخت
That splendour of lightning which shone over the spirits, so that Adam gained from that Light (his) knowledge (of God).910
آن سنا برقی که بر ارواح تافت ** تا که آدم معرفت ز آن نور یافت
The hand of Seth gathered that which grew from Adam: therefore Adam, when he saw that (Light in him), made him his vicar.
آن کز آدم رست و دست شیث چید ** پس خلیفهش کرد آدم کان بدید
Since Noah had enjoyment of that Jewel, he showered pearls (of Divine wisdom) in the air of the Sea of Soul.
نوح از آن گوهر که برخوردار بود ** در هوای بحر جان دربار بود
From (possession of) that mighty radiance the spirit of Abraham went fearlessly into the flames of the fire.
جان ابراهیم از آن انوار زفت ** بیحذر در شعلههای نار رفت
When Ismá‘íl (Ishmael) fell into the stream thereof, he laid his head before his (Abraham's) flashing knife.
چون که اسماعیل در جویش فتاد ** پیش دشنهی آب دارش سر نهاد