May it be well (with you)! Your colour is changed: this is the effect either of (bad) air or of a fever.”
خیر باشد رنگ تو بر جای نیست ** این اثر یا از هوا یا از تبیست
(He continued), “At this he (the master) will begin to fancy a little (that he is ill): do you too, brother, help (me) in like manner.
اندکی اندر خیال افتد ازین ** تو برادر هم مدد کن این‌چنین
When you come in through the door of the school, say (to him), ‘Master, is your state (of health) good?’
چون درآیی از در مکتب بگو ** خیر باشد اوستا احوال تو
(Then) that fancy of his will increase a little, for by a fancy a sensible man is driven mad.1530
آن خیالش اندکی افزون شود ** کز خیالی عاقلی مجنون شود
After us let the third (boy) and the fourth and the fifth show sympathy and sorrow likewise,
آن سوم و آن چارم و پنجم چنین ** در پی ما غم نمایند و حنین
So that, when with one consent thirty boys successively tell this story, it may find lodgement (in his mind).”
تا چو سی کودک تواتر این خبر ** متفق گویند یابد مستقر
Each (of the boys) said to him (the ringleader), “Bravo, O sagacious one! May your fortune rest on the favour (of God)!”
هر یکی گفتش که شاباش ای ذکی ** باد بختت بر عنایت متکی
They agreed, in firm covenant, that no fellow should alter the words;
متفق گشتند در عهد وثیق ** که نگرداند سخن را یک رفیق
And afterwards he administered an oath to them all, lest any tell-tale should reveal the plot.1535
بعد از آن سوگند داد او جمله را ** تا که غمازی نگوید ماجرا
The counsel of that boy prevailed over all (the others), his intellect was going in front of the (whole) flock.
رای آن کودک بچربید از همه ** عقل او در پیش می‌رفت از رمه
There is the same difference in human intellect as (there is) amongst loved ones in (their outward) forms.
آن تفاوت هست در عقل بشر ** که میان شاهدان اندر صور
From this point of view, Ahmad (Mohammed) said in talk, “The excellence of men is hidden in the tongue.”
زین قبل فرمود احمد در مقال ** در زبان پنهان بود حسن رجال
People's intellects differ in their original nature, (though) according to the Mu‘tazilites they are (originally) equal and the difference in intellects arises from the acquisition of knowledge.
عقول خلق متفاوتست در اصل فطرت و نزد معتزله متساویست تفاوت عقول از تحصیل علم است
You must hear (and believe) in accordance with the Sunnís (that) the difference in (people's) intellects was original,
اختلاف عقلها در اصل بود ** بر وفاق سنیان باید شنود
In contradiction to the doctrine of the Mu‘tazilites, who hold that (all) intellects were originally equal,1540
بر خلاف قول اهل اعتزال ** که عقول از اصل دارند اعتدال
(And who maintain that) experience and teaching makes them more or less, so that it makes one person more knowing than another.
تجربه و تعلیم بیش و کم کند ** تا یکی را از یکی اعلم کند
This is false, because the counsel of a boy who has not experience in any course of action—
باطلست این زانک رای کودکی ** که ندارد تجربه در مسلکی
From that small child sprang up a thought (which) the old man with a hundred experiences did not smell out (detect and apprehend) at all.
بر دمید اندیشه‌ای زان طفل خرد ** پیر با صد تجربه بویی نبرد
Truly, the superiority that is from (any one's) nature is even better than the superiority that is (the result of) endeavour and reflection.
خود فزون آن به که آن از فطرتست ** تا ز افزونی که جهد و فکرتست
Tell (me), is the gift of God better, or (is it better) that a lame person should (learn to) walk smoothly (without stumbling)?1545
تو بگو داده‌ی خدا بهتر بود ** یاکه لنگی راهوارانه رود
How the boys made the teacher imagine (that he was ill).
در وهم افکندن کودکان اوستاد را
Day broke, and those boys, (intent) on this thought, came from their homes to the shop (school).
روز گشت و آمدند آن کودکان ** بر همین فکرت ز خانه تا دکان
They all stood outside, waiting for that resolute fellow to go in first,
جمله استادند بیرون منتظر ** تا درآید اول آن یار مصر
Because he was the source of this plan: the head is always an Imám (leader and guide) to the foot.
زانک منبع او بدست این رای را ** سر امام آید همیشه پای را
O imitator (follower of convention and tradition), do not thou seek precedence over one who is a source of the heavenly light.
ای مقلد تو مجو بیشی بر آن ** کو بود منبع ز نور آسمان
He (the boy) came in and said to the master “Salaam! I hope you are well. Your face is yellow in colour.”1550
او در آمد گفت استا را سلام ** خیر باشد رنگ رویت زردفام
The master said, “I have no ailment. Go and sit down and don't talk nonsense, hey!”
گفت استا نیست رنجی مر مرا ** تو برو بنشین مگو یاوه هلا