He (the slave) answered, “It belongs to so-and-so, the most honourable Amír.” Said he, “Is the seeker's work like this?
گفت آن آن فلان میر اجل ** گفت طالب را چنین باشد عمل
(To be) a seeker of God, and then (indulge in) pleasure and drinking! (To drink) the Devil's wine, and then be (even) semi-intelligent!”
طالب یزدان و آنگه عیش و نوش ** باده‌ی شیطان و آنگه نیم هوش
(Even) without wine your intelligence is so shabby (that other) intelligences must be tied (added) to your (present) intelligence.3470
هوش تو بی می چنین پژمرده است ** هوشها باید بر آن هوش تو بست
Consider, (then), what your intelligence will be at the time when you are intoxicated, O you who like a bird have fallen a prey to the snare of intoxication.
تا چه باشد هوش تو هنگام سکر ** ای چو مرغی گشته صید دام سکر
Story of Ziyá-yi Dalq, who was very tall, while his brother, the Shaykh of Islam Táj of Balkh, was exceedingly short; and this Shaykh of Islam was ashamed of his brother Ziyá. (One day) Ziyá came to (hear) his brother's lecture, at which all the leading men of Balkh were present. Ziyá made a bow (to his brother) and passed on. The Shaykh of Islam half rose (from his seat) in a negligent manner, (whereupon) he (Ziyá) said, “Yes, you are very tall: take a bit off (your height)!”
حکایت ضیاء دلق کی سخت دراز بود و برادرش شیخ اسلام تاج بلخ به غایت کوتاه بالا بود و این شیخ اسلام از برادرش ضیا ننگ داشتی ضیا در آمد به درس او و همه صدور بلخ حاضر به درس او ضیا خدمتی کرد و بگذشت شیخ اسلام او را نیم قیامی کرد سرسری گفت آری سخت درازی پاره‌ای در دزد
Ziyá-yi Dalq was a man of goodly inspiration: he was the brother of Táj, the Shaykh of Islam.
آن ضیاء دلق خوش الهام بود ** دادر آن تاج شیخ اسلام بود
Táj, the Shaykhu ’l-Islám of the imperial city of Balkh, was short of stature and small as a chick.
تاج شیخ اسلام دار الملک بلخ ** بود کوته‌قد و کوچک هم‌چو فرخ
Though he was learned and eminent and accomplished, (his brother) this Ziyá was superior in wit.
گرچه فاضل بود و فحل و ذو فنون ** این ضیا اندر ظرافت بد فزون
He (Táj) was very short, while Ziyá was tall beyond measure: the Shaykh of Islam had a hundred arrogances and haughty airs.3475
او بسی کوته ضیا بی‌حد دراز ** بود شیخ اسلام را صد کبر و ناز
He felt ashamed of this brother and disgraced (by him); yet Ziyá was a preacher in the way of salvation.
زین برادر عار و ننگش آمدی ** آن ضیا هم واعظی بد با هدی
On the day of congregation Ziyá came in: the hall was filled with cadis and men distinguished (for piety).
روز محفل اندر آمد آن ضیا ** بارگه پر قاضیان و اصفیا
In his complete arrogance the Shaykh of Islam (only) half rose (from his seat), in such a (careless) fashion, to (salute) his brother.
کرد شیخ اسلام از کبر تمام ** این برادر را چنین نصف القیام
He (Ziyá) said to him, “Thou art very tall: take a little off thy cypress-like stature in order to gain the (Divine) reward.”
گفت او را بس درازی بهر مزد ** اندکی زان قد سروت هم بدزد
(The ascetic said), “How, then, have you the intelligence, how have you the (necessary) understanding to drink wine, O enemy of knowledge?3480
پس ترا خود هوش کو یا عقل کو ** تا خوری می ای تو دانش را عدو
(If) your face is very beautiful, put some indigo on it (as an ornament); (but) indigo on the face of an Abyssinian (negro) would be a laughing-stock.
روت بس زیباست نیلی هم بکش ** ضحکه باشد نیل بر روی حبش
When did any (spiritual) light enter into you, O misguided man, that you should become a seeker of unconsciousness and darkness?
در تو نوری کی درآمد ای غوی ** تا تو بیهوشی و ظلمت‌جو شوی
’Tis the (approved) rule to seek the shadow during the day; (but) you seek the shadow on a cloudy night.
سایه در روزست جستن قاعده ** در شب ابری تو سایه‌جو شده
If it (wine) is lawful as sustenance for the common folk, (yet) it is unlawful to those who seek the Beloved.
گر حلال آمد پی قوت عوام ** طالبان دوست را آمد حرام
The wine for the lovers (of God) is their heart's blood: their eyes are (fixed) upon the Way and upon the Destination.3485
عاشقان را باده خون دل بود ** چشمشان بر راه و بر منزل بود
In this Way across the terrible wilderness the guide, Reason, suffers a hundred eclipses.
در چنین راه بیابان مخوف ** این قلاوز خرد با صد کسوف
(If) you throw dust in the eyes of the guides, you will cause the caravan to perish and lose the way.
خاک در چشم قلاوزان زنی ** کاروان را هالک و گمره کنی
In sooth, barley bread is unlawful and injurious to the carnal soul: set (only) bread made of bran before it.
نان جو حقا حرامست و فسوس ** نفس را در پیش نه نان سبوس
Keep in abject submission the enemy on the Way to God: do not place a pulpit for the robber, (but) keep him on the gibbet.
دشمن راه خدا را خوار دار ** دزد را منبر منه بر دار دار
Deem the amputation of the robber's hand desirable: if you are unable to cut his hand off, bind it.3490
دزد را تو دست ببریدن پسند ** از بریدن عاجزی دستش ببند
Unless you bind his hand, he will bind yours; unless you break his leg, he will break yours.
گر نبندی دست او دست تو بست ** گر تو پایش نشکنی پایت شکست
You give the enemy wine and sugar-cane—for what reason? Bid him laugh venomously and eat earth.”
تو عدو را می دهی و نی‌شکر ** بهر چه گو زهر خند و خاک خور
In his indignation he (the ascetic) hurled a stone at the jug and broke it: he (the slave) let the jug fall and sprang away from the ascetic.
زد ز غیرت بر سبو سنگ و شکست ** او سبو انداخت و از زاهد بجست
He went to the Amír, who said to him, “Where is the wine?” He (the slave) related in his presence all that had happened, point by point.
رفت پیش میر و گفتش باده کو ** ماجرا را گفت یک یک پیش او
How the enraged Amír set out to punish the ascetic.
رفتن امیر خشم‌آلود برای گوشمال زاهد
The Amír became like fire and jumped straight up. “Show me,” he cried, “where the ascetic's house is,3495
میر چون آتش شد و برجست راست ** گفت بنما خانه‌ی زاهد کجاست
That I may pound his head with this heavy club—his ignorant whoreson head.
تا بدین گرز گران کوبم سرش ** آن سر بی‌دانش مادرغرش
What should he know about enjoining (others) to do right? He is currishly seeking notoriety and fame,
او چه داند امر معروف از سگی ** طالب معروفی است و شهرگی
In order that by means of this hypocrisy he may make a position for himself and somehow make himself conspicuous;
تا بدین سالوس خود را جا کند ** تا به چیزی خویشتن پیدا کند
For in truth he has no talent save this alone, that he plays the hypocrite to all and sundry.
کو ندارد خود هنر الا همان ** که تسلس می‌کند با این و آن
If he is mad and bent on mischief, the cure for a madman is an ox-hide whip, [If he is mad and bent on mischief, the cure for a madman is a whip (made from) an ox’s penis,]3500
او اگر دیوانه است و فتنه‌کاو ** داروی دیوانه باشد کیر گاو
So that the devil may go forth from his head: how should an ass go (forward) without the ass-drivers' blows?”
تا که شیطان از سرش بیرون رود ** بی‌لت خربندگان خر چون رود
The Amír dashed out, with a mace in his hand: at midnight he came, half intoxicated, to the ascetic.