- (Many) times they said, “Let us take the gold back to the treasury: what a (fruitless) quest are we (engaged) in!
- بارها گفتند زر را وا بریم ** سوی مخزن ما چه بیگار اندریم
- A spacious land of which the soil is pure gold—to bring gold thither as a gift is folly.”
- عرصه‌ای کش خاک زر ده دهیست ** زر به هدیه بردن آنجا ابلهیست
- O thou who hast brought intelligence to God as a gift, there intelligence is less (in value) than the dust of the road.
- ای ببرده عقل هدیه تا اله ** عقل آنجا کمترست از خاک راه
- When the worthlessness of the gift became apparent there (in Solomon's kingdom), shamefacedness was drawing them back (towards Bilqís);
- چون کساد هدیه آنجا شد پدید ** شرمساریشان همی واپس کشید
- (But) again they said, “Whether it be worthless or valuable, what matter to us? We are slaves (bound) to (obey) the command. 570
- باز گفتند ار کساد و ار روا ** چیست بر ما بنده فرمانیم ما
- Whether we have to bring gold or earth, the command of the one who gives the command is to be executed.
- گر زر و گر خاک ما را بردنیست ** امر فرمان‌ده به جا آوردنیست
- If they command you to bring it back (to Bilqís), (then) take the gift back according to the command.”
- گر بفرمایند که واپس برید ** هم به فرمان تحفه را باز آورید
- When Solomon beheld that (gift), he laughed, saying, “When did I seek tharíd from you?
- خنده‌ش آمد چون سلیمان آن بدید ** کز شما من کی طلب کردم ثرید
- I do not bid you bestow gifts on me; nay, I bid you be worthy of the gifts (which I bestow);
- من نمی‌گویم مرا هدیه دهید ** بلک گفتم لایق هدیه شوید
- For I have rare gifts (coming) from the Unseen, which human beings durst not even ask for. 575
- که مرا از غیب نادر هدیه‌هاست ** که بشر آن را نیارد نیز خواست
- Ye worship the star (planet) that makes gold: turn your faces towards Him that makes the star.
- می‌پرستید اختری کو زر کند ** رو باو آرید کو اختر کند
- Ye worship the sun in heaven, having despised the Spirit (which is) of high price.
- می‌پرستید آفتاب چرخ را ** خوار کرده جان عالی‌نرخ را
- The sun, by command of God, is our cook: ’twere folly that we should say it is God.
- آفتاب از امر حق طباخ ماست ** ابلهی باشد که گوییم او خداست
- If thy sun be eclipsed, what wilt thou do? How wilt thou expel that blackness from it?
- آفتابت گر بگیرد چون کنی ** آن سیاهی زو تو چون بیرون کنی
- Wilt not thou bring thy headache (trouble and pain) to the court of God, saying, ‘Take the blackness away, give back the radiance!’ 580
- نه به درگاه خدا آری صداع ** که سیاهی را ببر وا ده شعاع
- If they would kill thee at midnight, where is the sun, that thou shouldst wail (in supplication) and beg protection of it?
- گر کشندت نیم‌شب خورشید کو ** تا بنالی یا امان خواهی ازو
- Calamities, for the most part, happen in the night; and at that time the object of thy worship is absent.
- حادثات اغلب به شب واقع شود ** وان زمان معبود تو غایب بود
- If thou sincerely bow (in prayer) to God, thou wilt be delivered from the stars: thou wilt become intimate (with God).
- سوی حق گر راستانه خم شوی ** وا رهی از اختران محرم شوی
- When thou becomest intimate, I will open my lips (to speak) with thee, that thou may’st behold a Sun at midnight.
- چون شوی محرم گشایم با تو لب ** تا ببینی آفتابی نیم‌شب
- It hath no Orient but the pure spirit: in (respect of) its rising, there is no difference between day and night. 585
- جز روان پاک او را شرق نه ** در طلوعش روز و شب را فرق نه
- ’Tis day when it (the Sun) rises; when it begins to shine, night is night no more.
- روز آن باشد که او شارق شود ** شب نماند شب چو او بارق شود
- (Such) as the mote appears in the presence of the sun, even such is the sun (of this world) in the pure substance (of the Light of God).
- چون نماید ذره پیش آفتاب ** هم‌چنانست آفتاب اندر لباب
- The sun that becomes resplendent, and before which the (keenest) sight is blunted and dazzled—
- آفتابی را که رخشان می‌شود ** دیده پیشش کند و حیران می‌شود
- Thou wilt see it as a mote in the light of the Divine Throne, (a mote) beside the illimitable abounding light of the Divine Throne.
- هم‌چو ذره بینیش در نور عرش ** پیش نور بی حد موفور عرش
- Thou wilt deem it base and lowly and impermanent, (when) strength has come to thine (inward) eye from the Creator.” 590
- خوار و مسکین بینی او را بی‌قرار ** دیده را قوت شده از کردگار