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1
339-388

  • “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

  • Many a star (spark) of fire shot forth from the iron (of good works), and that burning heart received (it) and drew (it) in;
  • بس ستاره‌‌ی آتش از آهن جهید ** و ان دل سوزیده پذرفت و کشید

  • But in the darkness a hidden thief is laying his finger upon the stars, 385
  • لیک در ظلمت یکی دزدی نهان ** می‌‌نهد انگشت بر استارگان‌‌

  • Extinguishing the stars one by one, that no lamp may shine from the (spiritual) sky.
  • می‌‌کشد استارگان را یک به یک ** تا که نفروزد چراغی از فلک‌‌

  • Though there be thousands of snares at our feet, when Thou art with us there is not any trouble.
  • گر هزاران دام باشد در قدم ** چون تو با مایی نباشد هیچ غم‌‌

  • Every night Thou freest the spirits from the body's snare, and dost erase (the impressions on) the tablets (of the mind).
  • هر شبی از دام تن ارواح را ** می‌‌رهانی می‌‌کنی الواح را