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
But the paupers stood in silence, like a wall, on the outskirts of his path,
لیک خامش بر حوالی رهش ** ایستاده مفلسان دیواروش
And any one who suddenly begged with his lips was punished for this offence by not getting from him (even) a mite of money.3810
هر که کردی ناگهان با لب سال ** زو نبردی زین گنه یک حبه مال
His maxim was “Those of you who keep silence are saved”: his purses and bowls (of food) were (reserved) for the silent.
من صمت منکم نجا بد یاسه‌اش ** خامشان را بود کیسه و کاسه‌اش
One day (it happened) extraordinarily (that) an old man said, “Give me alms, for I am hungry.”
نادرا روزی یکی پیری بگفت ** ده زکاتم که منم با جوع جفت
He refused (alms) to the old man, but the old man importuned him: the people were astounded by the old man's importunity.
منع کرد از پیر و پیرش جد گرفت ** مانده خلق از جد پیر اندر شگفت
He (the Sadr) said, “You are a very shameless old man, O father.” The old man replied, “Thou art more shameless than I,
گفت بس بی‌شرم پیری ای پدر ** پیر گفت از من توی بی‌شرم‌تر
For thou hast enjoyed this world, and in thy greed thou wouldst fain take the other world (to enjoy it) together with this world.”3815
کین جهان خوردی و خواهی تو ز طمع ** کان جهان با این جهان گیری به جمع
He (the Sadr) laughed and gave the old man some money: the old man alone obtained the bounty.
خنده‌اش آمد مال داد آن پیر را ** پیر تنها برد آن توفیر را
Except that old man none of those who begged (aloud) saw half a mite or a single farthing of his money.
غیر آن پیر ایچ خواهنده ازو ** نیم حبه زر ندید و نه تسو
On the day when it was the turn of the jurists (to receive alms), a certain jurist, (impelled) by cupidity, suddenly began to whine.
نوبت روز فقیهان ناگهان ** یک فقیه از حرص آمد در فغان
He made many piteous appeals, but there was no help (for him); he uttered every kind (of entreaty), but it availed him naught.
کرد زاری‌ها بسی چاره نبود ** گفت هر نوعی نبودش هیچ سود
Next day he wrapped his leg in rags (and stood) in the row of the sufferers (from illness), hanging his head.3820
روز دیگر با رگو پیچید پا ** ناکس اندر صف قوم مبتلا