Since I wish to give this girl to some person, ’tis most fitting (that I should give her) to thee, O dear friend;
چون کسی را داد خواهم این کنیز ** پس ترا اولیترست این ای عزیز
For thou didst hazard thy life for the sake of (obtaining) her: it would not be fair to give her to any one but thee.”
که تو جانبازی نمودی بهر او ** خوش نباشد دادن آن جز به تو
He gave her in marriage and handed her over to him: he crushed anger and cupidity to atoms.
عقد کردش با امیر او را سپرد ** کرد خشم و حرص را او خرد و مرد
Explaining that the words “We have apportioned” mean that He (God) bestows on one the lust and (physical) strength of asses and on another the intelligence and (spiritual) strength of the prophets and the angels. “To turn the head away from sensual desire is (a mark of) nobility; to abandon sensual desire is (a mark of) the (spiritual) strength that belongs to prophethood.” “The seeds that are not sown in lust—their fruit only appears at the Resurrection.”
بیان آنک نحن قسمنا کی یکی را شهوت و قوت خران دهد و یکی را کیاست و قوت انبیا و فرشتگان بخشد سر ز هوا تافتن از سروریست ترک هوا قوت پیغامبریست تخمهایی کی شهوتی نبود بر آن جز قیامتی نبود
If he (the Caliph) was deficient in the masculinity of asses, (yet) he possessed the manliness of the prophets.4025
گر بدش سستی نری خران ** بود او را مردی پیغامبران
It is (true) manliness and the nature of prophethood to abandon anger and lust and greed.
ترک خشم و شهوت و حرصآوری ** هست مردی و رگ پیغامبری
Let the masculinity of the ass be lacking in his nature, (what of that?): God calls him the great Beylerbey.
(If) I be a dead man and (if) God look on me (with favour), (my case is) better than (that of) the living man who is far (from God) and rejected (by Him).
مردهای باشم به من حق بنگرد ** به از آن زنده که باشد دور و رد
Recognise this (abandonment of sensuality) to be the kernel of manliness, and that (indulgence in sensuality) to be the husk: the latter leads to Hell, the former to Paradise.
مغز مردی این شناس و پوست آن ** آن برد دوزخ برد این در جنان
(The Tradition) “Paradise is encompassed with things disliked” has come (down to us); “Hell-fire is encompassed with sensual desire” has been declared.4030
حفت الجنه مکاره را رسید ** حفت النار از هوا آمد پدید
“O Ayáz, fierce demon-killing lion, (thou in whom) the manliness of the ass is inferior (subjugated), the manliness of Reason superior (predominant),
ای ایاز شیر نر دیوکش ** مردی خر کم فزون مردی هش
That which so many eminent persons did not apprehend was to thee child's play: lo, here is the (true) man!
آنچ چندین صدر ادراکش نکرد ** لعب کودک بود پیشت اینت مرد
O thou who hast felt the delight of (obeying) my command and hast loyally devoted thy life for the sake of my command,
ای به دیده لذت امر مرا ** جان سپرده بهر امرم در وفا
Now hearken to the tale of the savour and relish of (obeying) the (Divine) command (as related) in the (following) spiritual exposition thereof.”
داستان ذوق امر و چاشنیش ** بشنو اکنون در بیان معنویش
How the King (Mahmud), in the midst of (the company present in) the Diwán and assembly-place, put a pearl in the hand of the Vizier and asked him what it was worth; and how the Vizier gave an extremely high estimate of its value; and when the King commanded hi to break it, answered, “How should I break it?” and so forth.
دادن شاه گوهر را میان دیوان و مجمع به دست وزیر کی این چند ارزد و مبالغه کردن وزیر در قیمت او و فرمودن شاه او را کی اکنون این را بشکن و گفت وزیر کی این را چون بشکنم الی آخر القصه
One day the King hastened to the Diwán: in the Diwán he found all the courtiers (assembled).4035
شاه روزی جانب دیوان شتافت ** جمله ارکان را در آن دیوان بیافت
He produced a radiant pearl and immediately put it in the palm of the Vizier.
گوهری بیرون کشید او مستنیر ** پس نهادش زود در کف وزیر
“How about this pearl?” he asked, “and what is it worth?” He replied, “ is worth more than a hundred ass-loads of gold.”
گفت چونست و چه ارزد این گهر ** گفت به ارزد ز صد خروار زر
He said, “Break it!” “How should I break it?” he replied: “I am a well-wisher to thy treasury and riches.