In thy sight all besides Me are as stones and clods, whether (they be) boys or youths or old men.”
غیر من پیشت چون سنگست و کلوخ ** گر صبی و گر جوان و گر شیوخ
Just as Thee we worship in yearning entreaty, (so) in tribulation we ask help of none but Thee.
هم‌چنانک ایاک نعبد در حنین ** در بلا از غیر تو لانستعین
This Thee we worship is (used) idiomatically for the purpose of (expressing) appropriation, and that (appropriation) is for the purpose of negating hypocrisy.2930
هست این ایاک نعبد حصر را ** در لغت و آن از پی نفی ریا
Of Thee we ask help also is for the purpose of appropriation: he (who recites these words) appropriates and restricts the asking of help,
هست ایاک نستعین هم بهر حصر ** حصر کرده استعانت را و قصر
Meaning, “We perform worship to Thee alone; we have hope of help from Thee alone.”
که عبادت مر ترا آریم و بس ** طمع یاری هم ز تو داریم و بس
How a king was enraged with his boon-companion, and an intercessor interceded on behalf of the object of (the king's) anger and begged the king (to pardon the offender); and how (when) the king accepted his intercession, the boon-companion resented the action of the intercessor and asked, "Why did you intercede?"
خشم کردن پادشاه بر ندیم و شفاعت کردن شفیع آن مغضوب علیه را و از پادشاه درخواستن و پادشاه شفاعت او قبول کردن و رنجیدن ندیم از این شفیع کی چرا شفاعت کردی
A king was enraged with a boon-companion and was about to reduce him to smoke and dust.
پادشاهی بر ندیمی خشم کرد ** خواست تا از وی برآرد دود و گرد
The king drew his sword from the scabbard that he might inflict upon him the punishment for that disobedience.
کرد شه شمشیر بیرون از غلاف ** تا زند بر وی جزای آن خلاف
No one had the courage to utter a word nor any intercessor to venture on intercession,2935
هیچ کس را زهره نه تا دم زند ** یا شفیعی بر شفاعت بر تند
Except one amongst the courtiers named ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk, (who was) privileged in respect of intercession, like Mustafá (Mohammed).
جز عمادالملک نامی در خواص ** در شفاعت مصطفی‌وارانه خاص
He sprang up and at once prostrated himself: the king immediately put away from his hand the sword of vengeance,
بر جهید و زود در سجده فتاد ** در زمان شه تیغ قهر از کف نهاد
And said, “If he is the (very) Devil, I forgive him; and if he has done a satanic deed, I cover it up.
گفت اگر دیوست من بخشیدمش ** ور بلیسی کرد من پوشیدمش
Since thou hast intervened, I am satisfied, (even) if the culprit has committed a hundred acts of harm.
چونک آمد پای تو اندر میان ** راضیم گر کرد مجرم صد زیان
I can break (annul) a hundred thousand angers, seeing that thou hast such excellence and such worth;2940
صد هزاران خشم را توانم شکست ** که ترا آن فضل و آن مقدار هست
(But) nowise can I break (annul) thy supplication, because thy supplication is assuredly my supplication.
لابه‌ات را هیچ نتوانم شکست ** زآنک لابه‌ی تو یقین لابه‌ی منست
(Even) if he had thrown earth and heaven into confusion, this man would not have escaped from (my) vengeance;
گر زمین و آسمان بر هم زدی ** ز انتقام این مرد بیرون نامدی
And if (the whole world) atom by atom had become a suppliant (for his release), he would not have saved his head from the sword at this moment.
ور شدی ذره به ذره لابه‌گر ** او نبردی این زمان از تیغ سر
We confer no obligation on thee (by this), O noble one; but (on the contrary) ’tis (only) to explain thy honour (the honour in which I hold thee), O boon-companion.
بر تو می‌ننهیم منت ای کریم ** لیک شرح عزت تست ای ندیم
Thou didst not make this (intercession), for assuredly I made it, O thou whose qualities are buried in my qualities.2945
این نکردی تو که من کردم یقین ** ایی صفاتت در صفات ما دفین
In this (matter) thou art the one employed to do the work, not the (prime) doer (of it), inasmuch as thou art borne by me and art not (thyself) the bearer.
تو درین مستعملی نی عاملی ** زانک محمول منی نی حاملی
Thou hast become (the instrument of my action, according to the text) Thou didst not throw when thou threwest: like the foam, thou hast abandoned thyself in the wave.
ما رمیت اذ رمیت گشته‌ای ** خویشتن در موج چون کف هشته‌ای
Thou hast become ‘not’; (now) take up thy abode beside ‘except.’ This is wonderful, that thou art both a prisoner and a prince.
لا شدی پهلوی الا خانه‌گیر ** این عجب که هم اسیری هم امیر
Thou didst not give what thou gavest: the king gave it. He alone is. God best knoweth the right course.”
آنچ دادی تو ندای شاه داد ** اوست بس الله اعلم بالرشاد
And the boon-companion who had been delivered from the stroke of calamity was offended with this intercessor and drew back from (his former) fealty.2950
وآن ندیم رسته از زخم و بلا ** زین شفیع آزرد و برگشت از ولا
He cut off all (relations of) friendship with that sincere man, and turned his face to the wall in order that he might not give (him) the salaam.
دوستی ببرید زان مخلص تمام ** رو به حایط کرد تا نارد سلام
He became estranged from his intercessor; in astonishment at this the people began to talk,
زین شفیع خویشتن بیگانه شد ** زین تعجب خلق در افسانه شد