He told Hamán when he saw him alone: Hámán sprang up and rent the bosom of his shirt.
گفت با هامان چون تنهااش بدید ** جست هامان و گریبان را درید
That accursed one uttered loud cries’ and sobs and beat his turban and cap on the ground,
بانگها زد گریه‌ها کرد آن لعین ** کوفت دستار و کله را بر زمین
Saying, “How durst he say those vain words so impudently in the face of the king?2725
که چگونه گفت اندر روی شاه ** این چنین گستاخ آن حرف تباه
Thou hast made the whole world subject (to thy sway); thou, (attended) by fortune, hast made thy estate (brilliant) as gold.
جمله عالم را مسخر کرده تو ** کار را با بخت چون زر کرده تو
From all parts of the East and West sultans, without (raising); opposition, bring tribute to thee.
از مشارق وز مغارب بی‌لجاج ** سوی تو آرند سلطانان خراج
Kings are rubbing their lips joyfully on the dust of thy thresh old, O mighty emperor.
پادشاهان لب همی مالند شاد ** بر ستانه‌ی خاک تو این کیقباد
When the enemy’s horse sees our horse, it turns its face and flees without flogging’.
اسپ یاغی چون ببیند اسپ ما ** رو بگرداند گریزد بی عصا
Hitherto thou hast been worshipped and adored by the (whole) world: (now) thou wilt become the meanest of slaves.2730
تاکنون معبود و مسجود جهان ** بوده‌ای گردی کمینه‌ی بندگان
To go into a thousand fires is better than this, that a lord should become the servant of a slave.
در هزار آتش شدن زین خوشترست ** که خداوندی شود بنده‌پرست
Nay, kill me first, O king of China, that mine eye may not be hold this (servility) in the king.
نه بکش اول مرا ای شاه چین ** تا نبیند چشم من بر شاه این
O emperor, behead me first, that mine eye may not behold this ignominy.
خسروا اول مرا گردن بزن ** تا نبیند این مذلت چشم من
Truly never has there been—and never may there be!—such a thing as this, that the earth should become the sky, and the sky become the earth;
خود نبودست و مبادا این چنین ** که زمین گردون شود گردون زمین
(That) our slaves should become our fellow-servants, (and that) our timorous ones should become those who (cruelly) wound our hearts;2735
بندگان‌مان خواجه‌تاش ما شوند ** بی‌دلان‌مان دلخراش ما شوند
(That our) enemies (should be) bright-eyed and (our) friends blind: then (in that case) the rose-garden has become for us (like) the bottom of the tomb.”
چشم‌روشن دشمنان و دوست کور ** گشت ما را پس گلستان قعر گور
Showing the falsity of Hámán’s speech— the curse (of God) be upon him!
تزییف سخن هامان علیه‌اللعنه
He did not know friend from enemy: he was playing back gammon (all) wrong, like a blind man.
دوست از دشمن همی نشناخت او ** نرد را کورانه کژ می‌باخت او
Thy enemy is none but thyself, O accursed one: do not despitefully call the innocent (thy) enemies.
دشمن تو جز تو نبود این لعین ** بی‌گناهان را مگو دشمن به کین
In thy sight this evil state (in which thou art) is dawlat (worldly fortune), whereof the beginning is dawádaw (running to and fro) and the end lat (blows).
پیش تو این حالت بد دولتست ** که دوادو اول و آخر لتست
If by degrees thou do not run away from this worldly fortune, autumn will come o’er this spring of thine.2740
گر ازین دولت نتازی خز خزان ** این بهارت را همی آید خزان
East and West have seen many like thee, whose heads have been severed from their bodies.
مشرق و مغرب چو تو بس دیده‌اند ** که سر ایشان ز تن ببریده‌اند
After all, how should East and West, which are not permanent, make any one enduring?
مشرق و مغرب که نبود بر قرار ** چون کنند آخر کسی را پایدار
Thou takest pride in the fact that men, from fear and bondage, have become thy flatterers for a few days.
تو بدان فخر آوری کز ترس و بند ** چاپلوست گشت مردم روز چند
When men bow in adoration to any one, they are (really) cramming poison into his soul.
هر کرا مردم سجودی می‌کنند ** زهر اندر جان او می‌آکنند
When his adorer turns away from him, he knows that that (adoration) was poisonous and destructive to him.2745
چونک بر گردد ازو آن ساجدش ** داند او کان زهر بود و موبدش
Oh, blest is he whose carnal soul was abased! Alas who became like a mountain from arrogance
ای خنک آن را که ذلت نفسه ** وای آنک از سرکشی شد چون که او
Know that this pride is a killing poison: that fool toxicated by the poisonous wine.
این تکبر زهر قاتل دان که هست ** از می پر زهر شد آن گیج مست
When an unhappy wretch drinks the poisonous wine, his head in delight for one moment.
چون می پر زهر نوشد مدبری ** از طرب یکدم بجنباند سری
After one moment the poison falls on his spirit the poison exercises (complete) sway over his spirit.
بعد یکدم زهر بر جانش فتد ** زهر در جانش کند داد و ستد
If you have not firm belief in its being poisonous (and do not know) what (a deadly) poison it is, look at the people of ‘Ád.2750
گر نذاری زهری‌اش را اعتقاد ** کو چه زهر آمد نگر در قوم عاد
When one king gains the upper hand (prevails) over another. king, he kills him or confines him in a dungeon;
چونک شاهی دست یابد بر شهی ** بکشدش یا باز دارد در چهی
But if he find a fallen wounded man, the king will make a plaster for him and bestow gifts on him.
ور بیابد خسته‌ی افتاده را ** مرهمش سازد شه و بدهد عطا
If that pride is not poison, then why did he kill the (vanquished) king without (his having committed any) crime or offence?
گر نه زهرست آن تکبر پس چرا ** کشت شه را بی‌گناه و بی‌خطا
And how did he treat this other (helpless) man (so) kindly without (his having performed any) service? From these two actions you may recognise (the poisonous nature of) pride.
وین دگر را بی ز خدمت چون نواخت ** زین دو جنبش زهر را شاید شناخت
No highwayman ever attacked a beggar: does a wolf ever bite a dead wolf?2755
راه‌زن هرگز گدایی را نزد ** گرگ گرگ مرده را هرگز گزد
Khizr made a breach in the boat in order that the boat might be saved from the wicked.
خضر کشتی را برای آن شکست ** تا تواند کشتی از فجار رست
Since the broken (contrite) one will be saved, be thou broken (contrite). Safety lies in poverty enter into poverty
چون شکسته می‌رهد اشکسته شو ** امن در فقرست اندر فقر رو
The mountain that possessed some cash in its mine was riven to pieces by the strokes of the pick-axe.
آن کهی کو داشت از کان نقد چند ** گشت پاره پاره از زخم کلند
The sword is for him who has a (high and proud) neck; no blow falls on the shadow that is thrown (flat upon the ground).
تیغ بهر اوست کو را گردنیست ** سایه که افکندست بر وی زخم نیست
Eminence is naphtha and fire, O misguided one: O brother, how (why) art thou going into the fire?2760
مهتری نفطست و آتش ای غوی ** ای برادر چون بر آذر می‌روی
How should anything that is level with the earth become a target for arrows? Consider!
هر چه او هموار باشد با زمین ** تیرها را کی هدف گردد ببین
(But if) it raise its head from the earth, then, like targets, it will suffer blows irremediable.
سر بر آرد از زمین آنگاه او ** چون هدفها زخم یابد بی رفو
This egoism is the ladder of (climbed by) the creatures (of God): they must fall from this ladder in the end.
نردبان خالق این ما و منیست ** عاقبت زین نردبان افتادنیست
The higher any one goes, the more foolish he is, for his bones will be worse broken.
هر که بالاتر رود ابله‌ترست ** که استخوان او بتر خواهد شکست
This is (constitutes) the derivatives (of the subject), and its fundamental principles are that to exalt one’s self is (to claim) copartnership with God.2765
این فروعست و اصولش آن بود ** که ترفع شرکت یزدان بود
Unless thou hast died and become living through Him, thou art an enemy seeking to reign in copartnership (with Him)
چون نمردی و نگشتی زنده زو ** یاغیی باشی به شرکت ملک‌جو
When thou hast become living through Him, that (which thou hast become) is in sooth He: it is absolute Unity; how is it co partnership?
چون بدو زنده شدی آن خود ویست ** وحدت محضست آن شرکت کیست
Seek the explanation of this in the mirror of (devotional) works, for thou wilt not gain the understanding of it from speech and discourse.
شرح این در آینه‌ی اعمال جو ** که نیابی فهم آن از گفت و گو
If I tell that which I have within, many hearts will immediately be turned into blood,
گر بگویم آنچ دارم در درون ** بس جگرها گردد اندر حال خون
I will refrain; indeed, for the intelligent this (which has been said) is enough: I have shouted twice, if any one is in the village2770
بس کنم خود زیرکان را این بس است ** بانگ دو کردم اگر در ده کس است
To sum up, Hámán by means of those evil words waylaid Pharaoh in such a (terrible) way as this.
حاصل آن هامان بدان گفتار بد ** این چنین راهی بر آن فرعون زد
The morsel, felicity, had reached his (Pharaoh’s) mouth, (when) he (Hámán) suddenly cut his throat.
لقمه‌ی دولت رسیده تا دهان ** او گلوی او بریده ناگهان