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6
2558-2607

  • Return to the story of that foolish Dalqak who brought tribulation on himself by his silly meddling.
  • باز رو تا قصه‌ی آن دلق گول  ** که بلا بر خویش آورد از فضول 

  • Afterwards the vizier said to him (the king), “O Pillar of the Truth, hear a word from thy humble slave.
  • پس وزیرش گفت ای حق را ستن  ** بشنو از بنده‌ی کمینه یک سخن 

  • Dalqak came from the country on some (wicked) enterprise; (but now) his mind is changed and he has repented. 2560
  • دلقک از ده بهر کاری آمدست  ** رای او گشت و پشیمانش شدست 

  • He is making the old (corruption) new with water and oil (varnish), he is evading (punishment) by means of buffoonery.
  • ز آب و روغن کهنه را نو می‌کند  ** او به مسخرگی برون‌شو می‌کند 

  • He has displayed the scabbard and concealed the sword: he must be tortured without mercy.
  • غمد را بنمود و پنهان کرد تیغ  ** باید افشردن مرورا بی‌دریغ 

  • Unless you break the pistachio or walnut, it will neither reveal its heart (kernel) nor give any oil.
  • پسته را یا جوز را تا نشکنی  ** نی نماید دل نی بدهد روغنی 

  • Do not listen to this skilful defence of his; look at his trembling and his (pallid) colour.
  • مشنو این دفع وی و فرهنگ او  ** در نگر در ارتعاش و رنگ او 

  • God hath said, ‘Their mark is on their faces,’ for the mark is an informer and tell-tale. 2565
  • گفت حق سیماهم فی وجههم  ** زانک غمازست سیما و منم 

  • This ocular evidence is opposed to that story (told by Dalqak), for this (whole race of) mankind are moulded of evil.”
  • این معاین هست ضد آن خبر  ** که بشر به سرشته آمد این بشر 

  • “O Sáhib,” cried Dalqak, wailing and sobbing, “do not endeavour to shed the blood of this miserable wretch.
  • گفت دلقک با فغان و با خروش  ** صاحبا در خون این مسکین مکوش 

  • Many a thought and fancy that is not real and true comes into the mind, O Prince.
  • بس گمان و وهم آید در ضمیر  ** کان نباشد حق و صادق ای امیر 

  • Verily, some suspicion is a sin, O Vizier: injustice is not right, especially (when it is done) to a poor man.
  • ان بعض الظن اثم است ای وزیر  ** نیست استم راست خاصه بر فقیر 

  • The king does not chastise one who vexes him: wherefore should he chastise one who makes him laugh?” 2570
  • شه نگیرد آنک می‌رنجاندش  ** از چه گیرد آنک می‌خنداندش 

  • The words of the Sáhib (vizier) impressed the king, and he resolved to clear up this deceit and imposture.
  • گفت صاحب پیش شه جاگیر شد  ** کاشف این مکر و این تزویر شد 

  • “Take Dalqak to prison,” he said, “and pay no attention to his wheedling and hypocrisy.
  • گفت دلقک را سوی زندان برید  ** چاپلوس و زرق او را کم خرید 

  • Beat him, empty-bellied like a drum (as he is), that like a drum he may give us information.
  • می‌زنیدش چون دهل اشکم‌تهی  ** تا دهل‌وار او دهدمان آگهی 

  • (Whether) the drum is wet or dry or full or empty, its sound informs us of everything.
  • تر و خشک و پر و تی باشد دهل  ** بانگ او آگه کند ما را ز کل 

  • (Beat him) in order that he may be compelled to declare the secret, so that these (apprehensive) hearts will be reassured. 2575
  • تا بگوید سر خود از اضطرار  ** آنچنان که گیرد این دلها قرار 

  • Since the shining truth is (a cause of) tranquillity, the heart will not be calmed by lying words.
  • چون طمانینست صدق و با فروغ  ** دل نیارامد به گفتار دروغ 

  • Falsehood is like a (piece of stick or) straw, and the heart like a mouth: a straw never becomes (quietly) hidden in the mouth.
  • کذب چون خس باشد و دل چون دهان  ** خس نگردد در دهان هرگز نهان 

  • So long as it is there, he (who is annoyed by it) keeps moving his tongue, in order that thereby he may eject it from his mouth.
  • تا درو باشد زبانی می‌زند  ** تا به دانش از دهان بیرون کند 

  • Especially, when a straw (blown) by the wind falls into the eye, the eye begins to water and shut and open.
  • خاصه که در چشم افتد خس ز باد  ** چشم افتد در نم و بند و گشاد 

  • We, therefore, now kick (out) this (man of) straw, in order that our mouth and eye may be delivered from (the disquiet caused by) this straw.” 2580
  • ما پس این خس را زنیم اکنون لگد  ** تا دهان و چشم ازین خس وا رهد 

  • Dalqak said, “O King, be calm: do not scratch the face of clemency and forgiveness.
  • گفت دلقک ای ملک آهسته باش  ** روی حلم و مغفرت را کم‌خراش 

  • Why such an excessive haste to take revenge? I cannot fly away, I am in thy hand (power).
  • تا بدین حد چیست تعجیل نقم  ** من نمی‌پرم به دست تو درم 

  • ’Tis not right to be hasty in (the case of) correction that is (inflicted) for God's sake;
  • آن ادب که باشد از بهر خدا  ** اندر آن مستعجلی نبود روا 

  • (But as regards) that (of) which (the motive) is (ill) humour and casual anger, he (the corrector) is in a hurry (for fear) lest he should become content (reconciled).
  • وآنچ باشد طبع و خشم و عارضی  ** می‌شتابد تا نگردد مرتضی 

  • He is afraid that, if contentment come and his anger go, his revenge and the pleasure of (taking) it will be lost. 2585
  • ترسد ار آید رضا خشمش رود  ** انتقام و ذوق آن فایت شود 

  • False appetite makes haste to (devour) the food for fear of missing the pleasure: that is sickness indeed.
  • شهوت کاذب شتابد در طعام  ** خوف فوت ذوق هست آن خود سقام 

  • (If) the appetite be true, ’tis better to delay, in order that it (the food) may be digested without difficulty.
  • اشتها صادق بود تاخیر به  ** تا گواریده شود آن بی‌گره 

  • Wilt thou beat me for the purpose of averting a (dreaded) calamity, to the end that thou mayst see the crevice and block it up,
  • تو پی دفع بلایم می‌زنی  ** تا ببینی رخنه را بندش کنی 

  • So that the calamity will not issue from that crevice? Destiny hath many a crevice besides that one.
  • تا از آن رخنه برون ناید بلا  ** غیر آن رخنه بسی دارد قضا 

  • Violence is not the means of averting calamity: the means is beneficence and pardon and kindness. 2590
  • چاره‌ی دفع بلا نبود ستم  ** چاره احسان باشد و عفو و کرم 

  • He (the Prophet) said, ‘Alms is a means of averting calamity: cure thy diseased ones by (giving) alms, O youth.’
  • گفت الصدقه مرد للبلا  ** داو مرضاک به صدقه یا فتی 

  • ’Tis not alms-giving to burn a poor man (in the fire of anger) and to blind the eye that meditates on forbearance.”
  • صدقه نبود سوختن درویش را  ** کور کردن چشم حلم‌اندیش را 

  • The king replied, “Charity and the occasion for it are excellent (things), but (only) when you perform an act of charity in its (proper) place.
  • گفت شه نیکوست خیر و موقعش  ** لیک چون خیری کنی در موضعش 

  • (If) you put the king in the rook's place, ’tis ruin (to the game); likewise, (if you put) the horse (knight) in the king's place, ’tis the act of an ignoramus.
  • موضع رخ شه نهی ویرانیست  ** موضع شه اسپ هم نادانیست 

  • Both bounty and severity are (sanctioned) in the religious Law: (’tis) for the king (to sit on) the throne, (’tis) for the horse (to stand at) the gate. 2595
  • در شریعت هم عطا هم زجر هست  ** شاه را صدر و فرس را درگه است 

  • What is justice? To put (a thing) in its (right) place. What is injustice? To put it in its wrong place.
  • عدل چه بود وضع اندر موضعش  ** ظلم چه بود وضع در ناموقعش 

  • Nothing is vain that God created, (whether it be) anger or forbearance or sincere counsel or guile.
  • نیست باطل هر چه یزدان آفرید  ** از غضب وز حلم وز نصح و مکید 

  • None of these things is absolutely good, nor is any of them absolutely evil.
  • خیر مطلق نیست زینها هیچ چیز  ** شر مطلق نیست زینها هیچ نیز 

  • The usefulness and harm of each depend on the place (occasion): for this reason knowledge is necessary and useful.
  • نفع و ضر هر یکی از موضعست  ** علم ازین رو واجبست و نافعست 

  • Oh, many a punishment inflicted on a poor fellow is more meritorious than (a gift of) bread and sweetmeat, 2600
  • ای بسا زجری که بر مسکین رود  ** در ثواب از نان و حلوا به بود 

  • For sweetmeat (when eaten) unseasonably causes yellow bile, (whereas) slaps purge him of wickedness.
  • زانک حلوا بی‌اوان صفرا کند  ** سیلیش از خبث مستنقا کند 

  • Give the poor fellow a slap in season: it will save him from beheading (afterwards).
  • سیلیی در وقت بر مسکین بزن  ** که رهاند آنش از گردن زدن 

  • The blow is really inflicted because of (his) evil disposition: the stick falls on the dust (in the garment of felt), not on the felt (itself).
  • زخم در معنی فتد از خوی بد  ** چوب بر گرد اوفتد نه بر نمد 

  • Every Bahrám (emperor) has a banquet(-hall) and a prison: the banquet is for the sincere (friend) and the prison for the half-baked (churl).
  • بزم و زندن هست هر بهرام را  ** بزم مخلص را و زندان خام را 

  • (If) a sore wants lancing and you apply a poultice to it, you will (only) establish the pus in the sore, 2605
  • شق باید ریش را مرهم کنی  ** چرک را در ریش مستحکم کنی 

  • So that it will eat away the flesh underneath: (the result) will be a half (a mere fraction) of profit and fifty losses.”
  • تا خورد مر گوشت را در زیر آن  ** نیم سودی باشد و پنجه زیان 

  • Dalqak said, “I am not saying, ‘Let (my offence) pass’; I am saying, ‘Take some care to investigate.’
  • گفت دلقک من نمی‌گویم گذار  ** من همی‌گویم تحریی بیار