The eggs laid by their bird (spirit) are golden: at midnight their spirit hath beheld the dawn.
مرغشان را بیضهها زرین بدست ** نیمشب جانشان سحرگه بین شدست
Whatsoever I say with (all) my soul in praise of the company (of the prophets), I have depreciated (them): I have become a disparager of the company.1145
هر چه گویم من به جان نیکوی قوم ** نقص گفتم گشته ناقصگوی قوم
O ye noble. (seekers of God), build “the Farther Mosque,” for Solomon hath returned—and peace (be with you)!
مسجد اقصی بسازید ای کرام ** که سلیمان باز آمد والسلام
And if the demons and genies refuse this (service)’, the angels will drag them all into bondage.
ور ازین دیوان و پریان سر کشند ** جمله را املاک در چنبر کشند
(If) the demon once make a false step on account of deceit and hypocrisy, the whip comes (down) on his head like lightning.
دیو یک دم کژ رود از مکر و زرق ** تازیانه آیدش بر سر چو برق
Become like Solomon, in order that thy demons may hew stone for thy palace.
چون سلیمان شو که تا دیوان تو ** سنگ برند از پی ایوان تو
Be devoid, like Solomon, of thoughts which tempt to evil-doing and of fraud, that genie and demon may obey thy command.1150
چون سلیمان باش بیوسواس و ریو ** تا ترا فرمان برد جنی و دیو
This heart is thy seal—and take heed lest the seal fall a prey to the demon!
خاتم تو این دلست و هوش دار ** تا نگردد دیو را خاتم شکار
(For) then the demon possessing the seal will always exercise the sway of Solomon over thee: beware (of him), and peace (be with thee)!
پس سلیمانی کند بر تو مدام ** دیو با خاتم حذر کن والسلام
O heart, that sway of Solomon is not abrogated : in thy head and inmost consciousness is one that exercises the sway of Solomon.
آن سلیمانی دلا منسوخ نیست ** در سر و سرت سلیمانی کنیست
The demon too exercises the sway of Solomon for a time, but how should every weaver weave satin?
دیو هم وقتی سلیمانی کند ** لیک هر جولاهه اطلس کی تند
He (the weaver of common cloth) moves his hand like his (the satin-weaver’s) hand, but there is a good difference between the two of them:1155
دست جنباند چو دست او ولیک ** در میان هر دوشان فرقیست نیک
Story of the poet and how the king gave him a reward and how the vizier, whose name was Bu ’l-Hasan, made it many times greater.
قصهی شاعر و صله دادن شاه و مضاعف کردن آن وزیر بوالحسن نام
A poet brought a poem before the king in hope of (receiving) robes of honour and bounty and rank.
شاعری آورد شعری پیش شاه ** بر امید خلعت و اکرام و جاه
The king was munificent: he ordered him (to receive) a thousand (dinars) of red gold and bounties and largesse.
شاه مکرم بود فرمودش هزار ** از زر سرخ و کرامات و نثار
Then the vizier said to him, “This is (too) little: bestow (on him) a gift of ten thousand (dinars), that he may depart (satisfied).
پس وزیرش گفت کین اندک بود ** ده هزارش هدیه وا ده تا رود
From a poet like him intellect (displays itself); from thee, whose hand is like the ocean (in bounty), the (sum of) ten thousand (dinars) which I mentioned is little.”
از چنو شاعر نس از تو بحردست ** ده هزاری که بگفتم اندکست
He argued and reasoned with the king until the tithe on the threshed grain was made up out of the unthreshed ears of corn (which remain on the threshing-floor).1160
فقه گفت آن شاه را و فلسفه ** تا برآمد عشر خرمن از کفه