Oh, ’tis wonderful! Did he obtain that empire from his father so that (in consequence) he was befooled by the darkness of noble lineage?
از پدر یابید آن ملک ای عجب ** تا غرورش داد ظلمات نسب
(Nay); if father and mother were an obstacle (cause of delusion) to others, he derived the jewels in his pocket from Me.”4855
دیگران را گر ام و اب شد حجاب ** او ز ما یابید گوهرها به جیب
Assuredly thy wicked carnal soul is a rapacious wolf: why art thou laying the blame on every comrade (neighbour)?
گرگ درنده‌ست نفس بد یقین ** چه بهانه می‌نهی بر هر قرین
In its misguidedness the foul disbelieving unconscionable carnal soul is (like) a cap for (concealing the diseased condition of) a hundred baldpates.
در ضلالت هست صد کل را کله ** نفس زشت کفرناک پر سفه
For this reason, O poor slave (of God), I am always saying, “Do not remove the collar from the neck of the cur.”
زین سبب می‌گویم این بنده‌ی فقیر ** سلسله از گردن سگ برمگیر
(Even) if this cur has become a teacher, it is a cur still: be thou one whose carnal soul is abased, for it is evil-natured.
گر معلم گشت این سگ هم سگست ** باش ذلت نفسه کو بدرگست
Thou wilt perform thy bounden duty if thou go round about (one like) Suhayl (Canopus, and absorb his light) as Tá’if hide (absorbs the rays),4860
فرض می‌آری به جا گر طایفی ** بر سهیلی چون ادیم طایفی
In order that Suhayl may redeem thee from the vices of the skin (corporeality), and that thou mayst fit the foot of the Beloved like a boot.
تا سهیلت وا خرد از شر پوست ** تا شوی چون موزه‌ای هم‌پای دوست
The entire Qur’án is a description of the viciousness of carnal souls: look into the Holy Book! Where is thine eye?
جمله قرآن شرح خبث نفس‌هاست ** بنگر اندر مصحف آن چشمت کجاست
(’Tis) an account of the carnal soul of people like ‘Ád, which (whenever it) found weapons took the utmost pains to combat the prophets.
ذکر نفس عادیان کالت بیافت ** در قتال انبیا مو می‌شکافت
From generation to generation, the wickedness of the undisciplined carnal soul was the cause of the world being suddenly set on fire (by Divine wrath).
قرن قرن از شوم نفس بی‌ادب ** ناگهان اندر جهان می‌زد لهب
Returning to the Story of the prince who was smitten by a (mortal) blow from the heart of the King and departed from this world before he was fully endowed with the other (spiritual) excellences.
رجوع کردن بدان قصه کی شاه‌زاده بدان طغیان زخم خورد از خاطر شاه پیش از استکمال فضایل دیگر از دنیا برفت
Abridge the tale: after a year (had passed) the indignation of that jealous one (the King of China) brought him (the prince) to the grave.4865
قصه کوته کن که رای نفس کور ** برد او را بعد سالی سوی گور
When the King emerged from the state of self-effacement (mahw) into consciousness, (he found that) his martial eye had wrought that bloodshed.
شاه چون از محو شد سوی وجود ** چشم مریخیش آن خون کرده بود
When the peerless (King) looked at his quiver he perceived that one arrow was missing from his quiver.
چون به ترکش بنگرید آن بی‌نظیر ** دید کم از ترکشش یک چوبه تیر
He said (to himself), “Where is that arrow?” and requested God (to inform him). He (God) replied, “In his (the prince's) throat, for ’tis by thy arrow (that he has been slain).”
گفت کو آن تیر و از حق باز جست ** گفت که اندر حلق او کز تیر تست
The King, whose heart was like an ocean, pardoned him; but, alas, the arrow had struck a vital spot.
عفو کرد آن شاه دریادل ولی ** آمده بد تیر اه بر مقتلی
He was slain, and the King wept in mourning for him, (for) he (the King) is all: he is both the slayer and the next of kin;4870
کشته شد در نوحه‌ی او می‌گریست ** اوست جمله هم کشنده و هم ولیست
For if he be not both, then he is not all; (but) he is both the slayer of people and a mourner (for them).
ور نباشد هر دو او پس کل نیست ** هم کشنده‌ی خلق و هم ماتم‌کنیست
(Meanwhile) the pale-cheeked martyr was thanking (God) that it (the arrow) had smitten his body and had not smitten that which is real.
شکر می‌کرد آن شهید زردخد ** کان بزد بر جسم و بر معنی نزد
The visible body is doomed to go at last, (but) that which is real (the pure spirit) shall live rejoicing for ever.
جسم ظاهر عاقبت خود رفتنیست ** تا ابد معنی بخواهد شاد زیست
If that punishment was inflicted, yet it fell only on the skin: the lover went unscathed to the Beloved.
آن عتاب ار رفت هم بر پوست رفت ** دوست بی‌آزار سوی دوست رفت
Although he laid hold of the Emperor's saddle-strap, (yet) in the end he was (only) admitted (to union with his Beloved) by the eye whose glances kill.4875
گرچه او فتراک شاهنشه گرفت ** آخر از عین الکمال او ره گرفت
And the third (brother) was the laziest of the three: he won (the prize) completely—the form (appearance) as well as the reality.
و آن سوم کاهل‌ترین هر سه بود ** صورت و معنی به کلی او ربود
The injunctions given by a certain person that after he died his property should be inherited by whichever of his three sons was the laziest.
وصیت کردن آن شخص کی بعد از من او برد مال مرا از سه فرزند من کی کاهل‌ترست
Long ago a certain person, in giving injunctions on his death-bed, had spoken (as follows)—
آن یکی شخص به وقت مرگ خویش ** گفت بود اندر وصیت پیش‌پیش
(For) he had three sons like three moving cypresses: to them he had devoted his (vital) soul and his (rational) spirit.
سه پسر بودش چو سه سرو روان ** وقف ایشان کرده او جان و روان