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
Hair by hair, speck by speck, they were recognising the deceitfulness of the fleshly soul as (plainly as the difference of) the rose from parsley.
مو به مو و ذره ذره مکر نفس ** میشناسیدند چون گل از کرفس
Even the hair-splitters (the most scrupulous) of the Companions used to become distraught in spirit at the (Prophet's) admonition to them (the inquirers).370
موشکافان صحابه هم در آن ** وعظ ایشان خیره گشتندی به جان
How the Christians followed the vizier.
متابعت نصارا وزیر را
The Christians all gave their hearts to him: what (how great), indeed, is the strength of the (blind) conformity of the vulgar!
دل بدو دادند ترسایان تمام ** خود چه باشد قوت تقلید عام
They planted love of him within their breasts, they were regarding him as the vicar of Jesus.
در درون سینه مهرش کاشتند ** نایب عیساش میپنداشتند
He inwardly (in reality) was the accursed one-eyed Antichrist. O God, do Thou (hear and) answer the cry (of those in trouble) —what a good helper art Thou!
او به سر دجال یک چشم لعین ** ای خدا فریادرس نعم المعین
O God, there are myriads of snares and baits, and we are as greedy foodless birds.
صد هزاران دام و دانه ست ای خدا ** ما چو مرغان حریص بینوا
From moment to moment we are caught in a fresh snare, though we become, each one, (like) a falcon or a Símurgh.375
دمبهدم ما بستهی دام نویم ** هر یکی گر باز و سیمرغی شویم
Every moment Thou art delivering us, and again we are going to a snare, O Thou who art without want!
میرهانی هر دمی ما را و باز ** سوی دامی میرویم ای بینیاز
We are putting corn in this barn, (and then) we are losing the corn that has been garnered.
ما در این انبار گندم میکنیم ** گندم جمع آمده گم میکنیم
(Why), after all, do not we consider with intelligent mind that this damage to the corn arises from the deceitfulness of the mouse?
مینیندیشیم آخر ما به هوش ** کین خلل در گندم است از مکر موش
Since the mouse has made a hole in our barn, and our barn has been ravaged by its guile,
موش تا انبار ما حفره زده ست ** وز فنش انبار ما ویران شده ست
O soul, in the first place avert the mischief of the mouse, and then show fervour (zeal) in garnering the corn.380
اول ای جان دفع شر موش کن ** وانگهان در جمع گندم جوش کن
Hear (one) of the sayings related from the Chiefest of the Chief (the Prophet): “No prayer is complete without ‘presence’ (concentration of the mind on God).”
بشنو از اخبار آن صدر الصدور ** لا صلاة تم الا بالحضور
If there is no thievish mouse in our barn, where is the corn of forty years' works (of devotion)?
گر نه موشی دزد در انبار ماست ** گندم اعمال چل ساله کجاست
Why is the daily sincerity (of our devotions) not being stored, bit by bit, in this barn of ours?
ریزه ریزه صدق هر روزه چرا ** جمع میناید در این انبار ما