The gardener shows a number of apples, to the end that you may know the trees and produce of the orchard.
زان نماید چند سیب آن باغبان ** تا بدانی نخل و دخل بوستان
He (the wheat-merchant) gives the purchaser a handful of wheat, in order that he may know (the quality of) the wheat in the granary.
کف گندم زان دهد خریار را ** تا بداند گندم انبار را
The teacher explains a nice point in order that you may recognise that his knowledge exceeds (those limits);
نکته‌ای زان شرح گوید اوستاد ** تا شناسی علم او را مستزاد
And if you say, “This is all (the knowledge) he has,” he will cast you far (from him) as sticks and straws (are cast) from the beard.2120
ور بگویی خود همینش بود و بس ** دورت اندازد چنانک از ریش خس
“Now come, O Ayáz, and deal justice: lay the foundation of a rare justice in the world.
ای ایاز اکنون بیا و داده ده ** داد نادر در جهان بنیاد نه
Those who have sinned against thee deserve to be killed, but in hope (of escaping death) they are attending (waiting upon) thy pardon and forbearance,
مجرمانت مستحق کشتن‌اند ** وز طمع بر عفو و حلمت می‌تنند
To see whether mercy will prevail or wrath, whether the water of Kawthar will prevail or the flames (of Hell).”
تا که رحمت غالب آید یا غضب ** آب کوثر غالب آید یا لهب
From the (ancient) Covenant of Alast (until now) both (these) boughs, (namely) forbearance and anger, are in existence for the purpose of carrying men (up to God).
از پی مردم‌ربایی هر دو هست ** شاخ حلم و خشم از عهد الست
Hence the perspicuous word Alast is (a case of) negation and affirmation joined in one word,2125
بهر این لفظ الست مستبین ** نفی و اثباتست در لفظی قرین
Because this (Alast) is an affirmative question, but (nevertheless) the word laysa is buried in it.
زانک استفهام اثباتیست این ** لیک در وی لفظ لیس شد قرین
Leave off, and let this exposition remain incomplete: do not lay the bowl for the elect on the table of the vulgar.
ترک کن تا ماند این تقریر خام ** کاسه‌ی خاصان منه بر خوان عام
(’Tis) a wrath and a mercy like the zephyr (sabá) and the plague (wabá): the former is (like) the iron-attracting (magnet) and the latter (like) the straw attracting (amber).
قهر و لطفی چون صبا و چون وبا ** آن یکی آهن‌ربا وین که‌ربا
The truth draws the righteous to righteousness; the false class (of things) draws the false (the wicked).
می‌کشد حق راستان را تا رشد ** قسم باطل باطلان را می‌کشد
(If) the belly be sweet, it draws sweets (to itself); (if) the belly be bilious (acid), it draws vinegar (to itself).2130
معده حلوایی بود حلوا کشد ** معده صفرایی بود سرکا کشد
A burning (hot) carpet takes away coldness from one who sits (on it); a frozen (cold) carpet consumes (his) heat.
فرش سوزان سردی از جالس برد ** فرش افسرده حرارت را خورد
(When) you see a friend, mercy is aroused in you; (when) you see an enemy, violence is aroused in you.
دوست بینی از تو رحمت می‌جهد ** خصم بینی از تو سطوت می‌جهد
“O Ayáz, finish this affair quickly, for expectation is a sort of vengeance.”
ای ایاز این کار را زوتر گزار ** زانک نوعی انتقامست انتظار
How the King bade Ayáz make haste, saying, “Give judgement and bring the matter to decision immediately, and do not keep them waiting or say, ‘We shall meet after some days,’ for expectation is the red death”; and how Ayáz answered the King.
تعجیل فرمودن پادشاه ایاز را کی زود این حکم را به فیصل رسان و منتظر مدار و ایام بیننا مگو کی الانتظار موت الاحمر و جواب گفتن ایاز شاه را
He said, “O King, the command belongs entirely to thee: when the sun is there, the star is naughted.
گفت ای شه جملگی فرمان تراست ** با وجود آفتاب اختر فناست
Who is Venus or Mercury or a meteor that they should come forth in the presence of the sun?2135
زهره کی بود یا عطارد یا شهاب ** کو برون آید به پیش آفتاب
If I had omitted (to look at) the cloak and sheepskin, how should I have sown such seeds of blame?
گر ز دلق و پوستین بگذشتمی ** کی چنین تخم ملامت کشتمی
What was the (use of) putting a lock on the door of the chamber amidst a hundred envious persons addicted to false imagination?
قفل کردن بر در حجره چه بود ** در میان صد خیالیی حسود
Every one of them, having put his hand into the river-water, seeks (to find there) a dry sod.
دست در کرده درون آب جو ** هر یکی زیشان کلوخ خشک‌جو
How, then, should there be a dry sod in the river? How should a fish become disobedient to the sea?
پس کلوخ خشک در جو کی بود ** ماهیی با آب عاصی کی شود
They impute iniquity to poor me, before whom loyalty (itself) is ashamed.”2140
بر من مسکین جفا دارند ظن ** که وفا را شرم می‌آید ز من
Were it not for the trouble caused by a person unfamiliar (with my meaning), I would have spoken a few words concerning loyalty;