The shadow (protection) of the (spiritual) Guide is better than praising God (by one's self): a single (feeling of) contentment is better than a hundred viands and trays (of food).
سایه‌ی رهبر بهست از ذکر حق ** یک قناعت به که صد لوت و طبق
A seeing eye is better than three hundred (blind men's) staves: the eye knows (can distinguish) pearls from pebbles.3785
چشم بینا بهتر از سیصد عصا ** چشم بشناسد گهر را از حصا
(Moved) by sorrows (pains of love) they began to make inquiry, saying, “Who in the world, we wonder, is she of whom this is the portrait?”
در تفحص آمدند از اندهان ** صورت کی بود عجب این در جهان
After much inquiry in (the course of their) travel, a Shaykh endowed with insight disclosed the mystery,
بعد بسیاری تفحص در مسیر ** کشف کرد آن راز را شیخی بصیر
Not (verbally) by way of the ear, but (silently) by inspiration (derived) from Reason: to him (all) mysteries were unveiled.
نه از طریق گوش بل از وحی هوش ** رازها بد پیش او بی روی‌پوش
He said, “This is the portrait of (her who is) an object of envy to the Pleiades: this is the picture of the Princess of China.
گفت نقش رشک پروینست این ** صورت شه‌زاده‌ی چینست این
She is hidden like the spirit and like the embryo: she is (kept) in a secret bower and palace.3790
هم‌چو جان و چون جنین پنهانست او ** در مکتم پرده و ایوانست او
Neither man nor woman is admitted to her (presence): the King has concealed her on account of her fascinations.
سوی او نه مرد ره دارد نه زن ** شاه پنهان کرد او را از فتن
The King has a (great) jealousy for her (good) name, so that not even a bird flies above her roof.”
غیرتی دارد ملک بر نام او ** که نپرد مرغ هم بر بام او
Alas for the heart that such an insane passion has stricken: may no one feel a passion like this!
وای آن دل کش چنین سودا فتاد ** هیچ کس را این چنین سودا مباد
This is the retribution due to him who sowed the seed of ignorance and held light and cheap that (precious) counsel,
این سزای آنک تخم جهل کاشت ** وآن نصیحت را کساد و سهل داشت
And put a (great) trust in his own management, saying, “By dint of intelligence I will carry my affair to success.”3795
اعتمادی کرد بر تدبیر خویش ** که برم من کار خود با عقل پیش
Half a mite of the (King's) favour is better than three hundred spells (expedients) devised by the intellect.
نیم ذره زان عنایت به بود ** که ز تدبیر خرد سیصد رصد
Abandon your own cunning, O Amír: draw back your foot before the (Divine) favour and gladly die.
ترک مکر خویشتن گیر ای امیر ** پا بکش پیش عنایت خوش بمیر
This is not (to be gained) by a certain amount of contrivance: nothing avails until you die to (all) these contrivings.
این به قدر حیله‌ی معدود نیست ** زین حیل تا تو نمیری سود نیست
Story of the Sadr-i Jahán of Bukhárá. (It was his custom that) any beggar who begged with his tongue was excluded from his universal and unstinted charity. A certain poor savant, forgetting (this rule) and being excessively eager and in a hurry, begged (alms) with his tongue (while the Sadr was passing) amidst his cavalcade. The Sadr-i Jahán averted his face from him, and (though) he contrived a new trick every day and disguised himself, now as a woman veiled in a chádar and now as a blind man with bandaged eyes and face, he (the Sadr) always had discernment enough to recognize him, etc.
حکایت صدر جهان بخارا کی هر سایلی کی به زبان بخواستی از صدقه‌ی عام بی‌دریغ او محروم شدی و آن دانشمند درویش به فراموشی و فرط حرص و تعجیل به زبان بخواست در موکب صدر جهان از وی رو بگردانید و او هر روز حیله‌ی نو ساختی و خود را گاه زن کردی زیر چادر وگاه نابینا کردی و چشم و روی خود بسته به فراستش بشناختی الی آخره
It was the habit of that most noble lord in Bukhárá to deal kindly with beggars.
در بخارا خوی آن خواجیم اجل ** بود با خواهندگان حسن عمل
His great bounty and immeasurable munificence were always scattering gold till nightfall.3800
داد بسیار و عطای بی‌شمار ** تا به شب بودی ز جودش زر نثار
The gold was wrapped in bits of paper: he continued to lavish bounty as long as he lived.
زر به کاغذپاره‌ها پیچیده بود ** تا وجودش بود می‌افشاند جود
(He was) like the sun and the spendthrift moon; (for) they give back (all) the radiance that they receive (from God).
هم‌چو خورشید و چو ماه پاک‌باز ** آنچ گیرند از ضیا بدهند باز
Who bestows gold on the earth? The sun. Through him, gold is in the mine and treasure in the ruin.
خاک را زربخش کی بود آفتاب ** زر ازو در کان و گنج اندر خراب
Every morning an allowance (was distributed) to a (different) set of people, in order that no class should be left disappointed by him.
هر صباحی یک گره را راتبه ** تا نماند امتی زو خایبه
On one day his gifts were made to those afflicted (by disease); next day the same generosity (was shown) to widows;3805
مبتلایان را بدی روزی عطا ** روز دیگر بیوگان را آن سخا
Next day to impoverished descendants of ‘Alí together with poor jurists engaged in study (of the canon-law);
روز دیگر بر علویان مقل ** با فقیهان فقیر مشتغل
Next day to empty-handed common folk; next day to persons fallen into debt.
روز دیگر بر تهی‌دستان عام ** روز دیگر بر گرفتاران وام
His rule (in giving alms) was that no one should beg for gold with his tongue or open his lips at all;
شرط او آن بود که کس با زبان ** زر نخواهد هیچ نگشاید لبان