- (Having heard) what I have said concerning your misapprehensions, O dear friend, hear also the utterance of ‘Attár on this same (subject).
- اینچ گفتم از غلطهات ای عزیز ** هم برین بشنو دم عطار نیز
- Story of Sultan Mahmúd and the Hindú boy.
- قصهی سلطان محمود و غلام هندو
- He, God have mercy upon him, has told it: he has strung together the tale of King Mahmúd, the Ghází—
- رحمة الله علیه گفته است ** ذکر شه محمود غازی سفته است
- How, amongst the booty of his campaign in India, (there was) a boy (who) was brought into the presence of that sovereign.
- کز غزای هند پیش آن همام ** در غنیمت اوفتادش یک غلام
- Afterwards he made him his vicegerent and seated him on the throne and gave him preferment above (the rest of) the army and called him “son.” 1385
- پس خلیفهش کرد و بر تختش نشاند ** بر سپه بگزیدش و فرزند خواند
- Seek the length and breadth and all particulars of the story in the discourse of that prince of the Faith.
- طول و عرض و وصف قصه تو به تو ** در کلام آن بزرگ دین بجو
- In short, the lad was seated on this throne of gold beside the King-emperor.
- حاصل آن کودک برین تخت نضار ** شسته پهلوی قباد شهریار
- He wept and shed tears in burning grief. The King said to him, “O thou whose day (fortune) is triumphant,
- گریه کردی اشک میراندی بسوز ** گفت شه او را کای پیروز روز
- Wherefore shouldst thou weep? Has thy fortune become disagreeable to thee? Thou art above kings, (thou art) the familiar companion of the Emperor.
- از چه گریی دولتت شد ناگوار ** فوق املاکی قرین شهریار
- Thou art (seated) on this throne, while the viziers and soldiers are ranged in file before thy throne, like the stars and the moon.” 1390
- تو برین تخت و وزیران و سپاه ** پیش تختت صف زده چون نجم و ماه
- The boy said, “The cause of my weeping bitterly is that in yonder city and country my mother
- گفت کودک گریهام زانست زار ** که مرا مادر در آن شهر و دیار
- Was always threatening me with thee, (saying), ‘May I see you in the hands of the lion, Mahmúd!’
- از توم تهدید کردی هر زمان ** بینمت در دست محمود ارسلان
- Then my father would wrangle with my mother (and say) in reply, ‘What wrath and torment is this (that you would inflict on him)?
- پس پدر مر مادرم را در جواب ** جنگ کردی کین چه خشمست و عذاب
- Cannot you find any other curse lighter than this deadly curse?
- مینیابی هیچ نفرینی دگر ** زین چنین نفرین مهلک سهلتر
- You are very pitiless and exceedingly hard-hearted, for you are (virtually) killing him with a hundred swords.’ 1395
- سخت بیرحمی و بس سنگیندلی ** که به صد شمشیر او را قاتلی
- I used to be dismayed by the talk of both: a (great) terror and pain would come into my heart,
- من ز گفت هر دو حیران گشتمی ** در دل افتادی مرا بیم و غمی
- (Thinking), ‘Oh, wonderful! What a hellish person Mahmúd must be, since he has become proverbial for woe and anguish!’
- تا چه دوزخخوست محمود ای عجب ** که مثل گشتست در ویل و کرب
- I used to tremble in fear of thee, being ignorant of thy gracious treatment and high regard.
- من همیلرزیدمی از بیم تو ** غافل از اکرام و از تعظیم تو
- Where is my mother, that she might see me now (seated) on the throne, O King of the world?”
- مادرم کو تا ببیند این زمان ** مر مرا بر تخت ای شاه جهان
- (Spiritual) poverty is your Mahmúd, O man without affluence: your (sensual) nature is always making you afraid of it. 1400
- فقر آن محمود تست ای بیسعت ** طبع ازو دایم همی ترساندت
- If you come to know the mercifulness of this noble Mahmúd, you will cry joyously, “May the end be praised (mahmúd)!”
- گر بدانی رحم این محمود راد ** خوش بگویی عاقبت محمود باد
- Poverty is your Mahmúd, O craven-hearted one: do not listen to this mother, namely, your misguiding nature.
- فقر آن محمود تست ای بیمدل ** کم شنو زین مادر طبع مضل
- When you become a prey to poverty, you will certainly shed tears (of delight), like the Hindú boy, on the Day of Judgement.
- چون شکار فقر کردی تو یقین ** همچوکودک اشک باری یوم دین
- Although the body is (like) a mother in fostering (the spirit), yet it is more inimical to you than a hundred enemies.
- گرچه اندر پرورش تن مادرست ** لیک از صد دشمنت دشمنترست
- When your body falls ill it makes you seek medicine; and if it grows strong it makes you an outrageous devil. 1405
- تن چو شد بیمار داروجوت کرد ** ور قوی شد مر ترا طاغوت کرد
- Know that this iniquitous body is like a coat of mail: it serves neither for winter nor summer.
- چون زره دان این تن پر حیف را ** نی شتا را شاید و نه صیف را