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
For a (whole) year the prince was captivated: the sole of the hag's shoe was the place where he bestowed his kisses.3150
تا به سالی بود شه‌زاده اسیر ** بوسه‌جایش نعل کفش گنده پیر
Association with the hag was mowing (consuming) him, till through wasting away (only) half a spirit remained (in him).
صحبت کمپیر او را می‌درود ** تا ز کاهش نیم‌جانی مانده بود
Others had the headache (were sorely grieved) on account of his weakness, (while) he, from the intoxicating effect of the sorcery, was unconscious of himself.
دیگران از ضعف وی با درد سر ** او ز سکر سحر از خود بی‌خبر
This world had become (as) a prison to the king, while this son (of his) was laughing at their tears.
این جهان بر شاه چون زندان شده ** وین پسر بر گریه‌شان خندان شده
The king became exceedingly desperate in the struggle (to save his son): day and night he was offering sacrifice and giving alms (but without avail),
شاه بس بیچاره شد در برد و مات ** روز و شب می‌کرد قربان و زکات
For whatever remedy the father might apply, (the son's) love for the old hag would always increase.3155
زانک هر چاره که می‌کرد آن پدر ** عشق کمپیرک همی‌شد بیشتر
Then it became clear to him that that (infatuation) was absolutely a (Divine) mystery, and that thenceforth his (only) remedy was supplication.
پس یقین گشتش که مطلق آن سریست ** چاره او را بعد از این لابه گریست
He was prostrating himself in prayer, saying, “It beseems Thee to command: to whom but God belongeth the command over God's kingdom?
سجده می‌کرد او که هم فرمان تراست ** غیر حق بر ملک حق فرمان کراست
But this poor wretch is burning like aloes-wood: take his hand (help him), O Merciful and Loving One!”
لیک این مسکین همی‌سوزد چو عود ** دست گیرش ای رحیم و ای ودود
(So did he pray) until, because of the “O Lord! O Lord!” and lamentation of the king, a master-magician came from the road into his presence.
تا ز یا رب یا رب و افغان شاه ** ساحری استاد پیش آمد ز راه
How the king's prayer for the deliverance of his son from the witch of Kábul was granted.
مستجاب شدن دعای پادشاه در خلاص پسرش از جادوی کابلی
He had heard from afar the news that that boy had been captivated by an old woman,3160
او شنیده بود از دور این خبر ** که اسیر پیرزن گشت آن پسر
A crone who in witchery was unrivalled and secure from likeness and duality.
کان عجوزه بود اندر جادوی ** بی‌نظیر و آمن از مثل و دوی
Hand is above hand, O youth, in skill and in strength up to the Essence of God.
دست بر بالای دستست ای فتی ** در فن و در زور تا ذات خدا
The ultimate end of (all) hands is the Hand of God: the ultimate end of (all) torrents is undoubtedly the sea.
منتهای دستها دست خداست ** بحر بی‌شک منتهای سیلهاست
From it the clouds take their origin, and in it too the torrent hath an end.
هم ازو گیرند مایه ابرها ** هم بدو باشد نهایت سیل را
The king said to him, “This boy has passed out of control (has lost his wits).” He (the magician) said, “Look you, I am come as a potent remedy.3165
گفت شاهش کین پسر از دست رفت ** گفت اینک آمدم درمان زفت
None of these sorcerers is equal to the old woman except me, the sagacious one, who have arrived from yonder shore.
نیست همتا زال را زین ساحران ** جز من داهی رسیده زان کران
Lo, by command of the Creator, I, like the hand of Moses, will utterly destroy her sorcery;
چون کف موسی به امر کردگار ** نک برآرم من ز سحر او دمار
For to me this knowledge hath come from yonder region, not from having been schooled in the sorcery which is held cheap (by the wise).
که مرا این علم آمد زان طرف ** نه ز شاگردی سحر مستخف
I am come to undo her sorcery, so that the prince may not remain pale-faced.
آمدم تا بر گشایم سحر او ** تا نماند شاه‌زاده زردرو
Go to the graveyard at the hour of the meal taken before dawn: beside the wall is a whitened tomb.3170
سوی گورستان برو وقت سحور ** پهلوی دیوار هست اسپید گور