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
In the hour of affliction hundreds of thousands of intelligent persons are all crying (for help) before that unique Judge.
صد هزاران عاقل اندر وقت درد ** جمله نالان پیش آن دیان فرد
Would any mad fool do this, (namely), continue to beg of a miser incapable (of liberality)?
هیچ دیوانه‌ی فلیوی این کند ** بر بخیلی عاجزی کدیه تند
Unless the intelligent had experienced (God's beneficence) more than a thousand times, how should they have betaken themselves to Him?
گر ندیدندی هزاران بار بیش ** عاقلان کی جان کشیدندیش پیش
Nay, all the fish in the waves (of the sea), all the birds in the lofty regions (of the sky),
بلک جمله‌ی ماهیان در موجها ** جمله‌ی پرندگان بر اوجها
The elephant and the wolf and also the hunting lion, the huge dragon and also the ant and the snake,1175
پیل و گرگ و حیدر اشکار نیز ** اژدهای زفت و مور و مار نیز
Nay, earth and wind (air) and water and every spark (of fire) gain subsistence from Him both in December (winter) and spring.
بلک خاک و باد و آب و هر شرار ** مایه زو یابند هم دی هم بهار
This heaven is making entreaty unto Him incessantly—“Do not forsake me, O God, for a single moment!
هر دمش لابه کند این آسمان ** که فرو مگذارم ای حق یک زمان
Thy safeguarding and protection (of me) is my pillar (support): all (of me) is enfolded in the might of those two Hands.”
استن من عصمت و حفظ تو است ** جمله مطوی یمین آن دو دست
And this earth says, “Preserve me, O Thou who hast caused me to ride upon the water.”
وین زمین گوید که دارم بر قرار ** ای که بر آبم تو کردستی سوار
All have sewn up (filled) their purses from Him and have learned from Him to give (satisfy) the wants (of others).1180
جملگان کیسه ازو بر دوختند ** دادن حاجت ازو آموختند
Every prophet has received (on behalf of his people) from Him the guarantee (implied in the words) seek help of Him with patience or prayer.
هر نبیی زو برآورده برات ** استعینوا منه صبرا او صلات
Come, ask of Him, not of any one except Him: seek water in the sea, do not seek it in the dry river-bed.
هین ازو خواهید نه از غیر او ** آب در یم جو مجو در خشک جو
And if you ask of another, ’tis He that gives; ’tis He that lays generosity on the open hand of his (that other's) inclination.
ور بخواهی از دگر هم او دهد ** بر کف میلش سخا هم او نهد
He who with gold makes one that turns away (from Him in disobedience) a Qárún (Korah), how (much more) will He do (if) you turn your face towards Him in obedience!
آنک معرض را ز زر قارون کند ** رو بدو آری به طاعت چون کند
The poet, from passionate desire for bounty, set his face a second time towards that beneficent king.1185
بار دیگر شاعر از سودای داد ** روی سوی آن شه محسن نهاد
What is the poet's offering? A new poem: he brings it to the beneficent (patron) and deposits it as his stake.
هدیه‌ی شاعر چه باشد شعر نو ** پیش محسن آرد و بنهد گرو
The beneficent (on their part) have deposited gold and are waiting for the poets with a hundred gifts and liberalities and kindnesses.
محسنان با صد عطا و جود و بر ** زر نهاده شاعران را منتظر
In their eyes a poem (shi‘r) is better than a hundred bales of silk robes (sha‘r), especially (when it is composed by) a poet who fetches pearls from the depths.
پیششان شعری به از صدتنگ شعر ** خاصه شاعر کو گهر آرد ز قعر