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1
319-368

  • The vile man will steal the language of dervishes, that he may thereby chant a spell over (fascinate and deceive) one who is simple.
  • حرف درویشان بدزدد مرد دون ** تا بخواند بر سلیمی ز ان فسون‌‌

  • The work of (holy) men is (as) light and heat; the work of vile men is trickery and shamelessness. 320
  • کار مردان روشنی و گرمی است ** کار دونان حیله و بی‌‌شرمی است‌‌

  • They make a woollen lion for the purpose of begging; they give the title of Ahmad (Mohammed) to Bú Musaylim;
  • شیر پشمین از برای کد کنند ** بو مسیلم را لقب احمد کنند

  • (But) to Bú Musaylim remained the title of Kadhdháb (Liar), to Mohammed remained (the title of) Ulu ’l-albáb (Endowed with understanding).
  • بو مسیلم را لقب کذاب ماند ** مر محمد را اولو الالباب ماند

  • The wine of God, its seal (last result) is pure musk, (but) as for (the other) wine, its seal is stench and torment
  • آن شراب حق ختامش مشک ناب ** باده را ختمش بود گند و عذاب‌‌

  • Story of the Jewish king who for bigotry's sake used to slay the Christians.
  • داستان آن پادشاه جهود که نصرانیان را می‌‌کشت از بهر تعصب

  • Amongst the Jews there was a king who wrought oppression, an enemy of Jesus and a destroyer of Christians.
  • بود شاهی در جهودان ظلم ساز ** دشمن عیسی و نصرانی گداز

  • ’Twas the epoch of Jesus and the turn was his: he was the soul of Moses, and Moses the soul of him; 325
  • عهد عیسی بود و نوبت آن او ** جان موسی او و موسی جان او

  • (But) the squint-eyed (double-seeing) king separated in the way of God those two Divine (prophets) who were (really) in accord (with each other).
  • شاه احول کرد در راه خدا ** آن دو دمساز خدایی را جدا

  • The master said to a squint-eyed (pupil), “Come on; go, fetch that bottle out of the room.”
  • گفت استاد احولی را کاندر آ ** رو برون آر از وثاق آن شیشه را

  • Said the squint-eyed one: “Which of the two bottles shall I bring to you? Explain fully.”
  • گفت احول ز ان دو شیشه من کدام ** پیش تو آرم بکن شرح تمام‌‌

  • “There are not two bottles,” replied the master; “go, leave off squinting and do not be seeing more (than one).”
  • گفت استاد آن دو شیشه نیست رو ** احولی بگذار و افزون بین مشو

  • “O master,” said he, “don't chide me.” Said the master, “Smash one of those two.” 330
  • گفت ای استا مرا طعنه مزن ** گفت استا ز ان دو یک را در شکن‌‌

  • The bottle was one, though in his eyes it seemed two; when he broke the bottle, there was no other.
  • شیشه یک بود و به چشمش دو نمود ** چون شکست او شیشه را دیگر نبود

  • When one was broken, both vanished from sight: a man is made squint-eyed by (evil) propensity and anger.
  • چون یکی بشکست هر دو شد ز چشم ** مردم احول گردد از میلان و خشم‌‌

  • Anger and lust make a man squint-eyed, they change the spirit (so that it departs) from rectitude.
  • خشم و شهوت مرد را احول کند ** ز استقامت روح را مبدل کند

  • When self-interest appears, virtue becomes hidden: a hundred veils rise from the heart to the eye.
  • چون غرض آمد هنر پوشیده شد ** صد حجاب از دل به سوی دیده شد

  • When the cadi lets bribery gain hold of his heart, how should he know the wronger from the wretched victim of wrong? 335
  • چون دهد قاضی به دل رشوت قرار ** کی شناسد ظالم از مظلوم زار

  • The king, from Jewish rancour, became so squint-eyed that (we cry), “Mercy, O Lord, mercy (save us from such an affliction)!”
  • شاه از حقد جهودانه چنان ** گشت احول کالامان یا رب امان‌‌

  • He slew hundreds of thousands of wronged (innocent) believers, saying, “I am the protection and support of the religion of Moses.”
  • صد هزاران مومن مظلوم کشت ** که پناهم دین موسی را و پشت‌‌

  • How the vizier instructed the king to plot.
  • آموختن وزیر مکر پادشاه را

  • He had a vizier, a miscreant and ogler (deceiver), who by reason of (his exceeding) guile would tie knots on water.
  • او وزیری داشت گبر و عشوه‌‌ده ** کاو بر آب از مکر بر بستی گره‌‌

  • “The Christians,” said he, “seek to save their lives; they hide their religion from the king.
  • گفت ترسایان پناه جان کنند ** دین خود را از ملک پنهان کنند

  • Slay them not, for slaying (them) is useless: religion hath no smell, it is not musk and aloes-wood. 340
  • کم کش ایشان را که کشتن سود نیست ** دین ندارد بوی، مشک و عود نیست‌‌

  • The secret is concealed in a hundred coverings: its outward form is (in agreement) with thee, (but) the inward (reality) is (in) disagreement.”
  • سر پنهان است اندر صد غلاف ** ظاهرش با تست و باطن بر خلاف‌‌

  • The king said to him: “Tell (me), then, what is the (best) plan? What is the remedy against that deceit and imposture?—
  • شاه گفتش پس بگو تدبیر چیست ** چاره‌‌ی آن مکر و ان تزویر چیست‌‌

  • So that there may not remain a single Christian in the world, neither one whose religion is manifest nor one who is concealed.”
  • تا نماند در جهان نصرانیی ** نی هویدا دین و نی پنهانیی‌‌

  • “O king,” said he, “cut off my ears and hands, rip my nose and lips by bitter (cruel) decree;
  • گفت ای شه گوش و دستم را ببر ** بینی‌‌ام بشکاف و لب در حکم مر

  • Then bring me under the gallows, that an intercessor may plead for me. 345
  • بعد از آن در زیر دار آور مرا ** تا بخواهد یک شفاعت‌‌گر مرا

  • Do this deed in the place for (public) proclamation, on a highway where roads run in four directions.
  • بر منادی گاه کن این کار تو ** بر سر راهی که باشد چار سو

  • Then banish me from thy presence to a distant land, that I may cast mischief and confusion amongst them.
  • آن گهم از خود بران تا شهر دور ** تا در اندازم در ایشان شر و شور

  • How the vizier brought the Christians into doubt and perplexity.
  • تلبیس وزیر با نصارا

  • Then I will say (to them), ‘I am secretly a Christian. O God who knowest (all) things hidden, Thou knowest me.
  • پس بگویم من به سر نصرانی‌‌ام ** ای خدای راز دان می‌‌دانی‌‌ام‌‌

  • The king was informed of my (Christian) faith and from bigotry sought to take my life.
  • شاه واقف گشت از ایمان من ** وز تعصب کرد قصد جان من‌‌

  • I wished to hide my religion from the king and profess his religion, 350
  • خواستم تا دین ز شه پنهان کنم ** آن که دین اوست ظاهر آن کنم‌‌

  • (But) the king got a scent of my inmost beliefs, and my words were suspected (when I stood) before the king.
  • شاه بویی برد از اسرار من ** متهم شد پیش شه گفتار من‌‌

  • He said, “Your words are like a needle in bread (specious but pernicious); there is a window between my heart and yours.
  • گفت گفت تو چو در نان سوزن است ** از دل من تا دل تو روزن است‌‌

  • Through that window I have seen your (real) state: I see your state and will not heed your words.”
  • من از آن روزن بدیدم حال تو ** حال تو دیدم ننوشم قال تو

  • Had not the spirit of Jesus been my aid, he would in Jewish fashion have torn me to pieces.
  • گر نبودی جان عیسی چاره‌‌ام ** او جهودانه بکردی پاره‌‌ام‌‌

  • For Jesus' sake I would yield my life and give my head and lay on myself (confess) myriads of obligations to him. 355
  • بهر عیسی جان سپارم سر دهم ** صد هزاران منتش بر خود نهم‌‌

  • I do not grudge Jesus my life, but full well am I versed in the knowledge of his religion.
  • جان دریغم نیست از عیسی و لیک ** واقفم بر علم دینش نیک نیک‌‌

  • Grief was coming over me (it seemed to me a pity) that that holy religion should perish amongst those who are ignorant (of it).
  • حیف می‌‌آمد مرا کان دین پاک ** در میان جاهلان گردد هلاک‌‌

  • Thanks be to God and to Jesus that I have become a guide to the true faith.
  • شکر ایزد را و عیسی را که ما ** گشته‌‌ایم آن کیش حق را رهنما

  • I have escaped from Jews and Judaism so (entirely) that I have bound my waist with a (Christian) girdle.
  • از جهود و از جهودی رسته‌‌ام ** تا به زناری میان را بسته‌‌ام‌‌

  • The (present) epoch is the epoch of Jesus. O men, hearken with your souls unto the mysteries of his religion!’” 360
  • دور دور عیسی است ای مردمان ** بشنوید اسرار کیش او به جان‌‌

  • The king did to him that deed (mutilation) which he had proposed: the people remained in amazement at that hidden (mysterious) plot.
  • کرد با وی شاه آن کاری که گفت ** خلق حیران مانده ز ان مکر نهفت‌‌

  • He (the king) drove him away to the Christians. After that, he (the vizier) began to proselytise.
  • راند او را جانب نصرانیان ** کرد در دعوت شروع او بعد از آن‌‌

  • How the Christians let themselves be duped by the vizier.
  • قبول کردن نصارا مکر وزیر را

  • Myriads of Christian men gathered round him, little by little, in his abode,
  • صد هزاران مرد ترسا سوی او ** اندک اندک جمع شد در کوی او

  • (While) he secretly expounded to them the mysteries of Gospel and girdle and prayer.
  • او بیان می‌‌کرد با ایشان به راز ** سر انگلیون و زنار و نماز

  • Outwardly he was a preacher of (religious) ordinances, but inwardly he was (as) the whistle and snare (of the fowler). 365
  • او به ظاهر واعظ احکام بود ** لیک در باطن صفیر و دام بود

  • On this account some Companions (of Mohammed) begged of the Prophet (that he would acquaint them with) the deceitfulness of the ghoul-like soul,
  • بهر این بعضی صحابه از رسول ** ملتمس بودند مکر نفس غول‌‌

  • Saying, “What of hidden selfish interests does it mingle in acts of worship and in pure spiritual devotion?”
  • کاو چه آمیزد ز اغراض نهان ** در عبادتها و در اخلاص جان‌‌

  • They were not seeking from him excellence of piety; they were inquiring where lay the outward defect.
  • فضل طاعت را نجستندی از او ** عیب ظاهر را بجستندی که کو