How, amongst the booty of his campaign in India, (there was) a boy (who) was brought into the presence of that sovereign.
کز غزای هند پیش آن همام ** در غنیمت اوفتادش یک غلام
Afterwards he made him his vicegerent and seated him on the throne and gave him preferment above (the rest of) the army and called him “son.”1385
پس خلیفه‌ش کرد و بر تختش نشاند ** بر سپه بگزیدش و فرزند خواند
Seek the length and breadth and all particulars of the story in the discourse of that prince of the Faith.
طول و عرض و وصف قصه تو به تو ** در کلام آن بزرگ دین بجو
In short, the lad was seated on this throne of gold beside the King-emperor.
حاصل آن کودک برین تخت نضار ** شسته پهلوی قباد شهریار
He wept and shed tears in burning grief. The King said to him, “O thou whose day (fortune) is triumphant,
گریه کردی اشک می‌راندی بسوز ** گفت شه او را کای پیروز روز
Wherefore shouldst thou weep? Has thy fortune become disagreeable to thee? Thou art above kings, (thou art) the familiar companion of the Emperor.
از چه گریی دولتت شد ناگوار ** فوق املاکی قرین شهریار
Thou art (seated) on this throne, while the viziers and soldiers are ranged in file before thy throne, like the stars and the moon.”1390
تو برین تخت و وزیران و سپاه ** پیش تختت صف زده چون نجم و ماه
The boy said, “The cause of my weeping bitterly is that in yonder city and country my mother
گفت کودک گریه‌ام زانست زار ** که مرا مادر در آن شهر و دیار
Was always threatening me with thee, (saying), ‘May I see you in the hands of the lion, Mahmúd!’
از توم تهدید کردی هر زمان ** بینمت در دست محمود ارسلان
Then my father would wrangle with my mother (and say) in reply, ‘What wrath and torment is this (that you would inflict on him)?
پس پدر مر مادرم را در جواب ** جنگ کردی کین چه خشمست و عذاب
Cannot you find any other curse lighter than this deadly curse?
می‌نیابی هیچ نفرینی دگر ** زین چنین نفرین مهلک سهلتر
You are very pitiless and exceedingly hard-hearted, for you are (virtually) killing him with a hundred swords.’1395
سخت بی‌رحمی و بس سنگین‌دلی ** که به صد شمشیر او را قاتلی
I used to be dismayed by the talk of both: a (great) terror and pain would come into my heart,
من ز گفت هر دو حیران گشتمی ** در دل افتادی مرا بیم و غمی
(Thinking), ‘Oh, wonderful! What a hellish person Mahmúd must be, since he has become proverbial for woe and anguish!’
تا چه دوزخ‌خوست محمود ای عجب ** که مثل گشتست در ویل و کرب
I used to tremble in fear of thee, being ignorant of thy gracious treatment and high regard.
من همی‌لرزیدمی از بیم تو ** غافل از اکرام و از تعظیم تو
Where is my mother, that she might see me now (seated) on the throne, O King of the world?”
مادرم کو تا ببیند این زمان ** مر مرا بر تخت ای شاه جهان
(Spiritual) poverty is your Mahmúd, O man without affluence: your (sensual) nature is always making you afraid of it.1400
فقر آن محمود تست ای بی‌سعت ** طبع ازو دایم همی ترساندت
If you come to know the mercifulness of this noble Mahmúd, you will cry joyously, “May the end be praised (mahmúd)!”
گر بدانی رحم این محمود راد ** خوش بگویی عاقبت محمود باد
Poverty is your Mahmúd, O craven-hearted one: do not listen to this mother, namely, your misguiding nature.
فقر آن محمود تست ای بیم‌دل ** کم شنو زین مادر طبع مضل
When you become a prey to poverty, you will certainly shed tears (of delight), like the Hindú boy, on the Day of Judgement.
چون شکار فقر کردی تو یقین ** هم‌چوکودک اشک باری یوم دین
Although the body is (like) a mother in fostering (the spirit), yet it is more inimical to you than a hundred enemies.
گرچه اندر پرورش تن مادرست ** لیک از صد دشمنت دشمن‌ترست
When your body falls ill it makes you seek medicine; and if it grows strong it makes you an outrageous devil.1405
تن چو شد بیمار داروجوت کرد ** ور قوی شد مر ترا طاغوت کرد
Know that this iniquitous body is like a coat of mail: it serves neither for winter nor summer.
چون زره دان این تن پر حیف را ** نی شتا را شاید و نه صیف را
(Yet) the bad associate is good (for you) because of the patience (which you must show in overcoming its desires), for the exercise of patience expands the heart (with spiritual peace).
یار بد نیکوست بهر صبر را ** که گشاید صبر کردن صدر را
The patience shown by the moon to the (dark) night keeps it illumined; the patience shown by the rose to the thorn keeps it fragrant.
صبر مه با شب منور داردش ** صبر گل با خار اذفر داردش
The patience shown by the milk (chyle) betwixt the faeces (in the intestine) and the blood enables it to rear the camel-foal till he has entered on his third year.
صبر شیر اندر میان فرث و خون ** کرده او را ناعش ابن اللبون
The patience shown by all the prophets to the unbelievers made them the elect of God and lords of the planetary conjunction.1410
صبر جمله‌ی انبیا با منکران ** کردشان خاص حق و صاحب‌قران
When you see any one wearing goodly raiment, know that he has gained it by patience and work.
هر که را بینی یکی جامه درست ** دانک او آن را به صبر و کسب جست
If you have seen any one naked and destitute, that is a testimony of his lack of patience.
هرکه را دیدی برهنه و بی‌نوا ** هست بر بی‌صبری او آن گوا
Any one who feels lonely and whose soul is full of anguish must have associated with an impostor.
هرکه مستوحش بود پر غصه جان ** کرده باشد با دغایی اقتران
If he had shown patience and loyal friendship (to God), he would not have suffered this affliction through being separated from Him.
صبر اگر کردی و الف با وفا ** ار فراق او نخوردی این قفا
He would have consorted with God as honey with milk, saying, “I love not them that set.”1415
خوی با حق نساختی چون انگبین ** با لبن که لا احب الافلین
(Then) assuredly he would not have remained alone, even as a fire left on the road by caravaneers.
لاجرم تنها نماندی هم‌چنان ** که آتشی مانده به راه از کاروان
(But) since from lack of patience he associated himself with others (than God), in separation from Him he became sorrowful and deprived of good.
چون ز بی‌صبری قرین غیر شد ** در فراقش پر غم و بی‌خیر شد
Since your friendship is (precious) as pure gold, how are you placing it in trust with a traitor?
صحبتت چون هست زر ده‌دهی ** پیش خاین چون امانت می‌نهی
Consort with Him with whom your trusts are safe from loss and violation.
خوی با او کن که امانتهای تو ** آمن آید از افول و از عتو
Consort with Him who created (human) nature and fostered the natures of the prophets.1420
خوی با او کن که خو را آفرید ** خویهای انبیا را پرورید
(If) you give (Him) a lamb, He will give you back a (whole) flock (of sheep): verily the Lord is the fosterer of every (good) quality.
بره‌ای بدهی رمه بازت دهد ** پرورنده‌ی هر صفت خود رب بود
Will you entrust the lamb to the wolf? (Nay), do not tell the wolf and Joseph to travel in company with each other.
بره پیش گرگ امانت می‌نهی ** گرگ و یوسف را مفرما همرهی
If the wolf show foxiness towards you (fawn upon you), beware, do not believe (him), for no goodness comes from him.
گرگ اگر با تو نماید روبهی ** هین مکن باور که ناید زو بهی
If a churl show sympathy towards you, (yet) in the end he will inflict blows upon you because of his churlishness.
جاهل ار با تو نماید هم‌دلی ** عاقبت زحمت زند از جاهلی
Ille duo instrumenta habet et androgynus est: amborum effectus sine dubio apparet. [He has two organs and is a hermaphrodite: the operation of both is obvious, without doubt.]1425
او دو آلت دارد و خنثی بود ** فعل هر دو بی‌گمان پیدا شود
Penem oculis feminarum subtrahit ut sese earum sororem faciat. [He hides (his) penis from women in order to make himself (seem like) their sister.]
او ذکر را از زنان پنهان کند ** تا که خود را خواهر ایشان کند
Vulvam ne viri videant manu obtegit, ut sese de genere virorum faciat. [He hides (his) vulva from men with (his) hand in order to make himself (seem like) the (same) gender as the men.]
شله از مردان به کف پنهان کند ** تا که خود را جنس آن مردان کند
Dixit Deus, “Ex ejus cunno occulto scissuram in naso ejus faciemus, [God said, “Because of that hidden vulva of his, We will make a slit on his nose,]
گفت یزدان زان کس مکتوم او ** شله‌ای سازیم بر خرطوم او
In order that Our seers may not be entrapped by the artfulness of that ogler.”
تا که بینایان ما زان ذو دلال ** در نیایند از فن او در جوال
The gist (of the matter) is that masculinity does not come from every male: beware of the ignorant man if you are wise.1430
حاصل آنک از هر ذکر ناید نری ** هین ز جاهل ترس اگر دانش‌وری
Do not listen to the friendliness of the fair-spoken ignorant man, for it is like old (virulent) poison.
دوستی جاهل شیرین‌سخن ** کم شنو کان هست چون سم کهن
He says to you, “O soul of thy mother! O light of my eye!” (but) from those (endearments) only grief and sorrow are added to you.
جان مادر چشم روشن گویدت ** جز غم و حسرت از آن نفزویدت
That (foolish) mother says plainly to your father, “My child has grown very thin because of (going to) school.
مر پدر را گوید آن مادر جهار ** که ز مکتب بچه‌ام شد بس نزار