I let my pages eat and drink of that which I eat and drink at my own private table.
زان خورانم من غلامان را که من ** می‌خورم بر خوان خاص خویشتن
I give my slaves the same food, cooked or raw, as I eat myself.
زان خورانم بندگان را از طعام ** که خورم من خود ز پخته یا ز خام
When I put on a robe of silk or satin, I clothe my retainers in the same (fabric), not in coarse woollen garments.
من چو پوشم از خز و اطلس لباس ** زان بپوشانم حشم را نه پلاس
I feel reverence for the all-accomplished Prophet, who said, ‘Clothe them in that wherewith ye clothe yourselves.’
شرم دارم از نبی ذو فنون ** البسوهم گفت مما تلبسون
Mustafá (Mohammed) gave his (spiritual) sons this injunction —Feed your dependents with what ye eat (yourselves).’”3975
مصطفی کرد این وصیت با بنون ** اطعموا الاذناب مما تاکلون
You have often restored others to a good disposition: you have made them ready and willing to show fortitude.
دیگران را بس به طبع آورده‌ای ** در صبوری چست و راغب کرده‌ای
(Now) manfully restore yourself too to (that) disposition: take the reason that meditates on fortitude as your guide.
هم به طبع‌آور بمردی خویش را ** پیشوا کن عقل صبراندیش را
When the guidance of fortitude becomes a wing for you, your spirit will soar to the zenith of the (Divine) Throne and Footstool.
چون قلاووزی صبرت پر شود ** جان به اوج عرش و کرسی بر شود
See, when fortitude became a Buráq for him, how it carried Mustafá (Mohammed) up to the top of the (celestial) spheres.
مصطفی بین که چو صبرش شد براق ** بر کشانیدش به بالای طباق
How, after full discussion and debate, the princes set out for the province of China towards their beloved and the object (of their desire), in order that they might be as near as possible to that object; (for) although the way to union is barred, ’tis praiseworthy to approach as near as is possible.
روان گشتن شاه‌زادگان بعد از تمام بحث و ماجرا به جانب ولایت چین سوی معشوق و مقصود تا به قدر امکان به مقصود نزدیک‌تر باشند اگر چه راه وصل مسدودست به قدر امکان نزدیک‌تر شدن محمودست الی آخره
They said this and immediately set out: O my friend, everything that was (to be gained) was (gained) at that moment.3980
این بگفتند و روان گشتند زود ** هر چه بود ای یار من آن لحظه بود
They chose fortitude (as their guide) and became true witnesses; then they set off towards the land of China.
صبر بگزیدند و صدیقین شدند ** بعد از آن سوی بلاد چین شدند
They left their parents and kingdom, they took the way to the hidden beloved.
والدین و ملک را بگذاشتند ** راه معشوق نهان بر داشتند
Like Ibráhím son of Adham, Love (banished them) from the throne (and) made them footless and headless and destitute.
هم‌چو ابراهیم ادهم از سریر ** عشقشان بی‌پا و سر کرد و فقیر
Either, like Abraham who was sent (as a prophet), one intoxicated (with love) cast himself into a fire,
یا چو ابراهیم مرسل سرخوشی ** خویش را افکند اندر آتشی
Or, like the much-enduring and glorious Ismá‘íl (Ishmael), offered a throat to Love and his dagger.3985
یا چو اسمعیل صبار مجید ** پیش عشق و خنجرش حلقی کشید
Story of Imra’u ’l-Qays, who was the king of the Arabs and exceedingly handsome: he was the Joseph of his time, and the Arab women were desperately in love with him, like Zalíkhá (with Joseph). He had the poetic genius (and composed the ode beginning)— “Halt, let us weep in memory of a beloved and a dwelling-place.” Since all the women desired him with (heart and) soul, one may well wonder what was the object of his love-songs and lamentations. Surely he knew that all these (beauteous forms) are copies of a (unique) picture which have been drawn (by the Artist) on frames of earth. At last there came to this Imra’u ’l-Qays such a (spiritual) experience that in the middle of the night he fled from his kingdom and children and concealed himself in the garb of a dervish and wandered from that clime to another clime in search of Him who transcends all climes: “He chooseth for His mercy whom He will”; and so forth.
حکایت امرء القیس کی پادشاه عرب بود و به صورت عظیم به جمال بود یوسف وقت خود بود و زنان عرب چون زلیخا مرده‌ی او و او شاعر طبع قفا نبک من ذکری حبیب و منزل چون همه زنان او را به جان می‌جستند ای عجب غزل او و ناله‌ی او بهر چه بود مگر دانست کی این‌ها همه تمثال صورتی‌اند کی بر تخته‌های خاک نقش کرده‌اند عاقبت این امرء القیس را حالی پیدا شد کی نیم‌شب از ملک و فرزند گریخت و خود را در دلقی پنهان کرد و از آن اقلیم به اقلیم دیگر رفت در طلب آن کس کی از اقلیم منزه است یختص برحمته من یشاء الی آخره
Imra’u ’l-Qays was weary of his empire: Love carried him away from the country of the Arabs,
امرء القیس از ممالک خشک‌لب ** هم کشیدش عشق از خطه‌ی عرب
So that he came and worked as a brick-maker at Tabúk. The king was told that a royal personage,
تا بیامد خشت می‌زد در تبوک ** با ملک گفتند شاهی از ملوک
Imra’u ’l-Qays (by name), having fallen a prey to Love, had come thither and was making bricks by (his own) labour.
امرء القیس آمدست این‌جا به کد ** در شکار عشق و خشتی می‌زند
The king rose up and went to him at night and said to him, “O king of beauteous countenance,
آن ملک برخاست شب شد پیش او ** گفته او را ای ملیک خوب‌رو
Thou art the Joseph of the age. Two empires have become entirely subject to thee—(one), of the territories (under thy sway), and (the other), of Beauty.3990
یوسف وقتی دو ملکت شد کمال ** مر ترا رام از بلاد و از جمال
Men are enslaved by thy sword, while women are the chattels of thy cloudless moon.
گشته مردان بندگان از تیغ تو ** وان زنان ملک مه بی‌میغ تو
(If) thou wilt dwell with me, ’twill be my fortune: by union with thee my soul will be made (equal to) a hundred (enraptured) souls.
پیش ما باشی تو بخت ما بود ** جان ما از وصل تو صد جان شود
Both I (myself) and my kingdom are thine to hold as thine own, O thou who in high aspiration hast abandoned kingdoms!”
هم من و هم ملک من مملوک تو ** ای به همت ملک‌ها متروک تو
He reasoned with him for a long time, and he (Imra’u ’l-Qays) kept silence, (till) suddenly he unveiled the mystery.
فلسفه گفتش بسی و او خموش ** ناگهان وا کرد از سر روی‌پوش
Think what (secrets) of love and passion he (must have) whispered into his ear! Immediately he made him a crazy wanderer like himself.3995
تا چه گفتش او به گوش از عشق و درد ** هم‌چو خود در حال سرگردانش کرد