The king pondered, saying, “This sorrow, indeed, is past, but my soul has become suspicious (has misgivings and fears) of (being afflicted by) one of the same kind;3100
شاه اندیشید کین غم خود گذشت ** لیک جان از جنس این بدظن گشت
And if such a thorn enter my foot (if such a calamity befall me) that the rose departs (that my son dies), I must needs have a keepsake.”
ور رسد خاری چنین اندر قدم ** که رود گل یادگاری بایدم
Since the causes of mortality are infinite, which road, then, shall we bar?
چون فنا را شد سبب بی‌منتهی ** پس کدامین راه را بندیم ما
A hundred windows and doors facing towards mordant death are ever creaking as they are opened,
صد دریچه و در سوی مرگ لدیغ ** می‌کند اندر گشادن ژیغ ژیغ
(But) from greed for (worldly) provision the ear of the covetous does not hear the harsh creaking of those doors of death.
ژیغ‌ژیغ تلخ آن درهای مرگ ** نشنود گوش حریص از حرص برگ
From the side of the body, pains are the noise of the door; and from the side of enemies, maltreatment is the noise of the door.3105
از سوی تن دردها بانگ درست ** وز سوی خصمان جفا بانگ درست
My dear friend, read for one moment the table of contents of (books on) Medicine; look at the flaming fire of diseases!
جان سر بر خوان دمی فهرست طب ** نار علتها نظر کن ملتهب
Through all those tumours (maladies) there is a way (for death) into this house: at every two steps there is a pit full of scorpions.
زان همه غرها درین خانه رهست ** هر دو گامی پر ز کزدمها چهست
(The king said), “The wind is fierce and my lamp is a docked (imperfect) one: I will light another lamp from it,
باد تندست و چراغم ابتری ** زو بگیرانم چراغ دیگری
So that maybe one complete (lamp) will arise from them both, if that one lamp be put out by the wind,”
تا بود کز هر دو یک وافی شود ** گر به باد آن یک چراغ از جا رود
Like the gnostic who, for the sake of (gaining) freedom from care, has lit the candle of the heart (spirit) from this defective lamp of the body,3110
In order that, one day when this (bodily lamp) dies of a sudden, he may place before his eye the candle of the spirit.
تا که روزی کین بمیرد ناگهان ** پیش چشم خود نهد او شمع جان
He (the king) did not understand this; therefore in his heedlessness he applied the perishing candle to another perishable.
او نکرد این فهم پس داد از غرر ** شمع فانی را بفانیی دگر
How the king brought his son a bride for fear of his race coming to an end.
عروس آوردن پادشاه فرزند خود را از خوف انقطاع نسل
(The king said to himself), “It is necessary, then, to seek a bride for him, that from this marriage offspring may appear,
پس عروسی خواست باید بهر او ** تا نماید زین تزوج نسل رو
(So that) if this falcon (my son) return to the state of mortality his young may become a falcon after (the death of) the falcon,
گر رود سوی فنا این باز باز ** فرخ او گردد ز بعد باز باز
(And that) if the form of this falcon go from here, his inward meaning may endure in his son.3115
صورت او باز گر زینجا رود ** معنی او در ولد باقی بود
On account of this, that renowned (spiritual) king, Mustafá (Mohammed), said, ‘The son is the marrow of his father.’
بهر این فرمود آن شاه نبیه ** مصطفی که الولد سر ابیه
For this reason all people, (being moved) by heartfelt love, teach their children (their own) trades,
بهر این معنی همه خلق از شغف ** می‌بیاموزند طفلان را حرف
To the end that these inward meanings may remain in the world when that body of theirs becomes hidden.
تا بماند آن معانی در جهان ** چون شود آن قالب ایشان نهان
God in His wisdom has given them intense desire for the right guidance of every little one capable (of learning).
حق به حکمت حرصشان دادست جد ** بهر رشد هر صغیر مستعد
I too, for the purpose of (ensuring) the continuance of my race, will seek for my son a wife of good principles.3120
من هم از بهر دوام نسل خویش ** جفت خواهم پور خود را خوب کیش
I will seek a girl who is the offspring of a righteous man, not the offspring of a stern-visaged king.”
دختری خواهم ز نسل صالحی ** نی ز نسل پادشاهی کالحی
This righteous man is himself a king, he is free, he is not the prisoner of lust and gluttony.
شاه خود این صالحست آزاد اوست ** نی اسیر حرص فرجست و گلوست
They (the people) have given (those) prisoners the title of “king” by inversion, just as Káfúr (Camphor) is the name of that negro.
مر اسیران را لقب کردند شاه ** عکس چون کافور نام آن سیاه
The blood-drinking (deadly) wilderness is named mafáza (place of safety); the vulgar call the leper Níkbakht (Fortunatus).
شد مفازه بادیه‌ی خون‌خوار نام ** نیکبخت آن پیس را کردند عام
They have described the prisoner of lust and anger and ambition by the name of Mír or Sadr-i ajall (most honourable prince).3125
بر اسیر شهوت و حرص و امل ** بر نوشته میر یا صدر اجل
To those prisoners of Doom (asírán-i ajal) the vulgar in (all) the lands have given the title of “most honourable Amírs” (amírán-i ajall).
آن اسیران اجل را عام داد ** نام امیران اجل اندر بلاد
They call high-placed (Sadr) him whose soul is (placed) low in the vestibule, that is to say, (worldly) power and riches.
صدر خوانندش که در صف نعال ** جان او پستست یعنی جاه و مال
When the king chose (matrimonial) relationship with an ascetic, this news came to the ears of (his) ladies.
شاه چون با زاهدی خویشی گزید ** این خبر در گوش خاتونان رسید
How the king chose the daughter of a poor ascetic for his son and how the ladies of the harem raised objections and disdained the (proposed) alliance with the dervish.
اختیار کردن پادشاه دختر درویش زاهدی را از جهت پسر و اعتراض کردن اهل حرم و ننگ داشتن ایشان از پیوندی درویش
The prince's mother, from deficiency of understanding, said, “According to reason and tradition equality (of rank) is requisite.
مادر شه‌زاده گفت از نقص عقل ** شرط کفویت بود در عقل نقل
Thou from stinginess and miserliness and shrewdness wishest to ally our son with a beggar.”3130
تو ز شح و بخل خواهی وز دها ** تا ببندی پور ما را بر گدا
He (the king) said, “It is a fault to call the righteous man a beggar, for through the grace of God he is spiritually rich.
گفت صالح را گدا گفتن خطاست ** کو غنی القلب از داد خداست
He is taking refuge in contentment because of piety, not because of meanness and laziness, like the beggar.
در قناعت می‌گریزد از تقی ** نه از لیمی و کسل هم‌چون گدا
The penury which arises from contentment and piety is distinct from the poverty and penury of the base.
قلتی کان از قناعت وز تقاست ** آن ز فقر و قلت دونان جداست
If that one (the beggar) find a single groat, he bows his head (in homage), while this one (the righteous man) in his lofty aspiration recoils from a treasure of gold.
حبه‌ای آن گر بیابد سر نهد ** وین ز گنج زر به همت می‌جهد
The king who from cupidity is betaking himself to everything unlawful— the man of noble mind calls him a beggar.”3135
شه که او از حرص قصد هر حرام ** می‌کند او را گدا گوید همام
She (the prince's mother) said, “Where are his cities and castles (to furnish) the wedding-outfit, or (where are his means of) scattering gems and pieces of gold?”
گفت کو شهر و قلاع او را جهاز ** یا نثار گوهر و دینار ریز
He (the king) said, “Begone! Whosoever prefers to care for religion, God cuts off from him all remaining cares.”
گفت رو هر که غم دین برگزید ** باقی غمها خدا از وی برید
The king prevailed and gave (in marriage) to him (his son) a maiden of goodly nature, belonging to the family of a righteous man.
غالب آمد شاه و دادش دختری ** از نژاد صالحی خوش جوهری
Verily, she had none to rival her in loveliness: her face was brighter than the sun at morn.
در ملاحت خود نظیر خود نداشت ** چهره‌اش تابان‌تر از خورشید چاشت
Such was the maiden's beauty; and her qualities were such that, on account of their excellence, they are not (to be) contained in (any) description.3140
حسن دختر این خصالش آنچنان ** کز نکویی می‌نگنجد در بیان
Make religion thy prey, that in consequence (as a corollary) there may come (to thee) beauty and riches and power and advantageous fortune.
صید دین کن تا رسد اندر تبع ** حسن و مال و جاه و بخت منتفع
Know that the next world, in respect of ownership, is (like) files of camels: the present world is its corollary, like the (camels') hair and dung.
آخرت قطار اشتر دان به ملک ** در تبع دنیاش هم‌چون پشم و پشک
(If) thou choose the hair, the camel will not be thine, and if the camel be thine, what value has the hair?
پشم بگزینی شتر نبود ترا ** ور بود اشتر چه قیمت پشم را
When the marriage (matrimonial alliance) with the family of the uncontentious righteous folk was achieved (successfully arranged) by the king,
چون بر آمد این نکاح آن شاه را ** با نژاد صالحان بی مرا
By (Divine) destiny a decrepit old witch, who was in love with the handsome and generous prince—3145
از قضا کمپیرکی جادو که بود ** عاشق شه‌زاده‌ی با حسن و جود
An old woman of Kábul—bewitched him with a sorcery of which the magic of Babylon (itself) would be envious.
The prince fell in love with the ugly hag, so that he abandoned his bride and the wedding.
شه بچه شد عاشق کمپیر زشت ** تا عروس و آن عروسی را بهشت
A black devil and woman of Kábul suddenly waylaid (seduced) the prince.
یک سیه دیوی و کابولی زنی ** گشت به شه‌زاده ناگه ره‌زنی
That stinking ninety years old hag left to the prince neither wisdom nor understanding. [That ninety years old hag whose vulva is stinking left to the prince neither wisdom nor understanding.]
آن نودساله عجوزی گنده کس ** نه خرد هشت آن ملک را و نه نس