The blackness of the coal is hidden in the fire: when the fire is gone, the blackness becomes evident.
آن سیاهی فحم در آتش نهان ** چونک آتش شد سیاهی شد عیان
By your greed the black coal is made live: when the greed is gone, that vicious coal remains.
اخگر از حرص تو شد فحم سیاه ** حرص چون شد ماند آن فحم تباه
At that (former) time the coal appeared to be live; that was not (owing to) the goodness of (your) action: it was (owing to) the fire of greed.1125
آن زمان آن فحم اخگر می‌نمود ** آن نه حسن کار نار حرص بود
Greed had embellished your action: greed departed, and your action was left in squalor
حرص کارت را بیاراییده بود ** حرص رفت و ماند کار تو کبود
(Only) one who is foolish will think ripe (and sweet) the ghawla which the ghouls deck out (describe as being attractive).
غوله‌ای را که بر آرایید غول ** پخته پندارد کسی که هست گول
When his soul makes trial (of it), its teeth are blunted by the experiment.
آزمایش چون نماید جان او ** کند گردد ز آزمون دندان او
From vain desire, the reflexion (distorting influence) of the ghoul, (which is) greed, was causing the trap to appear a (delicious) berry, though in truth it was unripe.
از هوس آن دام دانه می‌نمود ** عکس غول حرص و آن خود خام بود
Seek greed (seek to be eager) in the practice of religion and in good works: they are (still) beautiful, (even) when the greed (eagerness) remains not.1130
حرص اندر کار دین و خیر جو ** چون نماند حرص باشد نغزرو
Good works are beautiful (in themselves), not through the re flexion of any other thing: if the glow of greed is gone, the glow of good remains;
خیرها نغزند نه از عکس غیر ** تاب حرص ار رفت ماند تاب خیر
(But) when the glow of greed is gone from worldly work, of the red-hot coal (only) the black ashes are left.
تاب حرص از کار دنیا چون برفت ** فحم باشد مانده از اخگر بتفت
Folly excites greed (for amusement) in children, so that from gleefulness of heart they ride a cock-horse
کودکان را حرص می‌آرد غرار ** تا شوند از ذوق دل دامن‌سوار
When that evil greed of his is gone from the child, he begins to laugh at the other children,
چون ز کودک رفت آن حرص بدش ** بر دگر اطفال خنده آیدش
Saying, “What was I doing? What was I seeing in this?” From the reflexion of greed the vinegar appeared to be honey.1135
که چه می‌کردم چه می‌دیدم درین ** خل ز عکس حرص بنمود انگبین
That edifice of the prophets was (raised) without greed (self- interest); hence the splendours (of its renown) increased so uninterruptedly.
آن بنای انبیا بی حرص بود ** زان چنان پیوسته رونقها فزود
Oh, many a mosque have the noble (prophets) erected, but “the Farther mosque” is not its name.
ای بسا مسجد بر آورده کرام ** لیک نبود مسجد اقصاش نام
The grandeur which at every moment accrued to the Ka’ba— that (grandeur) was (derived) from the acts done in pure de voti on by Abraham.
کعبه را که هر دمی عزی فزود ** آن ز اخلاصات ابراهیم بود
The excellence of that mosque (which the prophets build) is not from earth and stone, but (because) there is no greed or enmity in its builder.
فضل آن مسجد خاک و سنگ نیست ** لیک در بناش حرص و جنگ نیست
Their Books are not as the books of others, nor their mosques nor their means of livelihood nor their houses and homes,1140
نه کتبشان مثل کتب دیگران ** نی مساجدشان نی کسب وخان و مان
Nor their observance of respect nor their anger nor their chastisement nor their slumber nor their reasoning nor their discourse.
نه ادبشان نه غضبشان نه نکال ** نه نعاس و نه قیاس و نه مقال
To each one of them belongs a different glory: (in each of them) the bird, their spirit, flies with a different wing.
هر یکیشان را یکی فری دگر ** مرغ جانشان طایر از پری دگر
The heart is trembling at mention of their (high) estate: their actions are the qibla (to which we turn for guidance) of our actions.
The eggs laid by their bird (spirit) are golden: at midnight their spirit hath beheld the dawn.
مرغشان را بیضه‌ها زرین بدست ** نیم‌شب جانشان سحرگه بین شدست
Whatsoever I say with (all) my soul in praise of the company (of the prophets), I have depreciated (them): I have become a disparager of the company.1145
هر چه گویم من به جان نیکوی قوم ** نقص گفتم گشته ناقص‌گوی قوم
O ye noble. (seekers of God), build “the Farther Mosque,” for Solomon hath returned—and peace (be with you)!
مسجد اقصی بسازید ای کرام ** که سلیمان باز آمد والسلام
And if the demons and genies refuse this (service)’, the angels will drag them all into bondage.
ور ازین دیوان و پریان سر کشند ** جمله را املاک در چنبر کشند
(If) the demon once make a false step on account of deceit and hypocrisy, the whip comes (down) on his head like lightning.
دیو یک دم کژ رود از مکر و زرق ** تازیانه آیدش بر سر چو برق
Become like Solomon, in order that thy demons may hew stone for thy palace.
چون سلیمان شو که تا دیوان تو ** سنگ برند از پی ایوان تو
Be devoid, like Solomon, of thoughts which tempt to evil-doing and of fraud, that genie and demon may obey thy command.1150
چون سلیمان باش بی‌وسواس و ریو ** تا ترا فرمان برد جنی و دیو
This heart is thy seal—and take heed lest the seal fall a prey to the demon!
خاتم تو این دلست و هوش دار ** تا نگردد دیو را خاتم شکار
(For) then the demon possessing the seal will always exercise the sway of Solomon over thee: beware (of him), and peace (be with thee)!
پس سلیمانی کند بر تو مدام ** دیو با خاتم حذر کن والسلام
O heart, that sway of Solomon is not abrogated : in thy head and inmost consciousness is one that exercises the sway of Solomon.
آن سلیمانی دلا منسوخ نیست ** در سر و سرت سلیمانی کنیست
The demon too exercises the sway of Solomon for a time, but how should every weaver weave satin?
دیو هم وقتی سلیمانی کند ** لیک هر جولاهه اطلس کی تند
He (the weaver of common cloth) moves his hand like his (the satin-weaver’s) hand, but there is a good difference between the two of them:1155
دست جنباند چو دست او ولیک ** در میان هر دوشان فرقیست نیک
Story of the poet and how the king gave him a reward and how the vizier, whose name was Bu ’l-Hasan, made it many times greater.
قصه‌ی شاعر و صله دادن شاه و مضاعف کردن آن وزیر بوالحسن نام
A poet brought a poem before the king in hope of (receiving) robes of honour and bounty and rank.
شاعری آورد شعری پیش شاه ** بر امید خلعت و اکرام و جاه
The king was munificent: he ordered him (to receive) a thousand (dinars) of red gold and bounties and largesse.
شاه مکرم بود فرمودش هزار ** از زر سرخ و کرامات و نثار
Then the vizier said to him, “This is (too) little: bestow (on him) a gift of ten thousand (dinars), that he may depart (satisfied).
پس وزیرش گفت کین اندک بود ** ده هزارش هدیه وا ده تا رود
From a poet like him intellect (displays itself); from thee, whose hand is like the ocean (in bounty), the (sum of) ten thousand (dinars) which I mentioned is little.”
از چنو شاعر نس از تو بحردست ** ده هزاری که بگفتم اندکست
He argued and reasoned with the king until the tithe on the threshed grain was made up out of the unthreshed ears of corn (which remain on the threshing-floor).1160
فقه گفت آن شاه را و فلسفه ** تا برآمد عشر خرمن از کفه
He (the king) gave him the ten thousand (dinars) and the robes of honour suitable to him: his head became a house of thanksgiving and praise.
ده هزارش داد و خلعت درخورش ** خانه‌ی شکر و ثنا گشت آن سرش
Then he made inquiry, saying, “Whose work was this? Who declared my merit to the king?”
پس تفحص کرد کین سعی کی بود ** شاه را اهلیت من کی نمود
So they told him, “(It was) —— al-Dín, the vizier, he whose name is Hasan and whose disposition and heart are good (hasan).”
پس بگفتندش فلان‌الدین وزیر ** آن حسن نام و حسن خلق و ضمیر
He wrote a long poem in praise of him (the vizier) and returned home.
در ثنای او یکی شعری دراز ** بر نبشت و سوی خانه رفت باز
Without tongue or lip (mutely) that bounty of the king and those robes of honour bestowed by the king were praising the king.1165
بی‌زبان و لب همان نعمای شاه ** مدح شه می‌کرد و خلعتهای شاه
How after several years the poet came back in the hope of (receiving) the same reward, and how the king according to his custom ordered a thousand dinars to be given to him, and how the new vizier, who was also named Hasan, said to the king, "This is very much: we have (great) expenses and the treasury is empty, and I will satisfy him with a tenth of that (sum)."
باز آمدن آن شاعر بعد چند سال به امید همان صله و هزار دینار فرمودن بر قاعده‌ی خویش و گفتن وزیر نو هم حسن نام شاه را کی این سخت بسیارست و ما را خرجهاست و خزینه خالیست و من او را بده یک آن خشنود کنم
After some years the poet, on account of poverty and destitution, became in need for daily bread and seed-produce (the means of livelihood).
بعد سالی چند بهر رزق و کشت ** شاعر از فقر و عوز محتاج گشت
He said, “At the time of poverty and close-handedness (want), it is better to seek out one who has been tried.
گفت وقت فقر و تنگی دو دست ** جست و جوی آزموده بهترست
The court which I have tried in regard to generosity—I will carry the new request to the same quarter.”
درگهی را که آزمودم در کرم ** حاجت نو را بدان جانب برم
That (celebrated) Síbawayh said (that) the meaning of (the name) Alláh (is that) they (His worshippers) take refuge (yawlahúna) with Him in (all) their needs.
معنی الله گفت آن سیبویه ** یولهون فی الحوائج هم لدیه
He said, “We have repaired for succour (alihná) unto Thee in our needs and have sought them (and) found them with Thee.”1170