The sky is the same sky, (but) ’tis not the same moonlight: the river is the same river, (but) the water is not the same water.
چرخ آن چرخست آن مهتاب نیست ** جوی آن جویست آب آن آب نیست
There are benefactors, (but) where is that one who was found (by all) to be (supremely) good? There are stars, (but) where is that sun?
محسنان هستند کو آن مستطاب ** اختران هستند کو آن آفتاب
Thou hast gone unto God, O venerated man: I too, therefore, will go unto God.”3330
تو شدی سوی خدا ای محترم ** پس به سوی حق روم من نیز هم
God is the assembly-place where the generations (of mankind) are mustered under His banner: all are brought before Us.
مجمع و پای علم ماوی القرون ** هست حق کل لدینا محضرون
The pictures (phenomenal forms), whether unconscious or conscious (of it), are (always) present in the hand of the Painter.
نقش‌ها گر بی‌خبر گر با خبر ** در کف نقاش باشد محتصر
Moment by moment that traceless One is setting down (what He will) on the page of their thought and (then) obliterating it.
دم به دم در صفحه‌ی اندیشه‌شان ** ثبت و محوی می‌کند آن بی‌نشان
He is putting anger (there) and taking acquiescence away: He is putting stinginess (there) and taking generosity away.
خشم می‌آرد رضا را می‌برد ** بخل می‌آرد سخا را می‌برد
Never for (even) half a wink at eve or morn are my ideas exempt from this (process of) imprinting (on the mind) and obliterating.3335
نیم لحظه مدرکاتم شام و غدو ** هیچ خالی نیست زین اثبات و محو
The potter works at the pot to fashion it: how should the pot become broad and long of itself?
کوزه‌گر با کوزه باشد کارساز ** کوزه از خود کی شود پهن و دراز
The wood is kept constantly in the carpenter's hand: else how should it be hewn and put into right shape?
چوب در دست دروگر معتکف ** ورنه چون گردد بریده و متلف
The garment (while being made) is in the hands of a tailor: else how should it sew and cut of itself?
جامه اندر دست خیاطی بود ** ورنه از خود چون بدوزد یا درد
The water-skin is with the water-carrier, O adept: else how should it become full or empty by itself?
مشک با سقا بود ای منتهی ** ورنه از خود چون شود پر یا تهی
You are being filled and emptied at every moment: know, then, that you are in the hand of His working.3340
هر دمی پر می‌شوی تی می‌شوی ** پس بدانک در کف صنع ویی
On the Day when the eye-bandage falls from the eye, how madly will the work be enamoured of the Worker!
چشم‌بند از چشم روزی کی رود ** صنع از صانع چه سان شیدا شود
(If) you have an eye, look with your own eye: do not look through the eye of an ignorant fool.
چشم‌داری تو به چشم خود نگر ** منگر از چشم سفیهی بی‌خبر
(If) you have an ear, hearken with your own ear: why be dependent on the ears of blockheads?
گوش داری تو به گوش خود شنو ** گوش گولان را چرا باشی گرو
Make a practice of seeing (for yourself) without blindly following any authority: think in accordance with the view of your own reason.
بی ز تقلیدی نظر را پیشه کن ** هم برای عقل خود اندیشه کن
How the Khwárizmsháh, may God have mercy upon him, while riding for pleasure, saw an exceedingly fine horse in his cavalcade; and how the king's heart fell in love with the beauty and elegance of the horse; and how the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk caused the horse to appear undesirable to the king; and how the king preferred his (the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk's) word to his own sight, as the Hakím (Saná’í), may God have mercy upon him, has said in the Iláhí-náma: “When the tongue of envy turns slave-dealer (salesman), you may get a Joseph for an ell of linen.” Owing to the envious feelings of Joseph's brethren when they acted as brokers (in selling him), (even) such a great beauty (as his) was veiled from the heart (perception) of the buyers and he began to seem ugly (to them), for “they (his brethren) were setting little value on him.”
دیدن خوارزمشاه رحمه الله در سیران در موکب خود اسپی بس نادر و تعلق دل شاه به حسن و چستی آن اسپ و سرد کردن عمادالملک آن اسپ را در دل شاه و گزیدن شاه گفت او را بر دید خویش چنانک حکیم رحمةالله علیه در الهی‌نامه فرمود چون زبان حسد شود نخاس یوسفی یابی از گزی کرباس از دلالی برادران یوسف حسودانه در دل مشتریان آن چندان حسن پوشیده شد و زشت نمودن گرفت کی و کانوا فیه من الزاهدین
A certain Amír had a fine horse: there was no equal to it in the Sultan's troop.3345
بود امیری را یکی اسپی گزین ** در گله‌ی سلطان نبودش یک قرین
Early (one morning) he rode out in the royal cavalcade: suddenly the Khwárizmsháh observed the horse.
او سواره گشت در موکب به گاه ** ناگهان دید اسپ را خوارزمشاه
Its beauty and colour enraptured the king's eye: till his return (home) the king's eye was following the horse.
چشم شه را فر و رنگ او ربود ** تا به رجعت چشم شه با اسپ بود
On whichever limb he let his gaze fall, each seemed to him more pleasing than the other.
بر هر آن عضوش که افکندی نظر ** هر یکش خوشتر نمودی زان دگر
Besides elegance and beauty and spiritedness, God had bestowed on it (other) exquisite qualities.
غیر چستی و گشی و روحنت ** حق برو افکنده بد نادر صفت
Then the king's mind sought to discover what it could be that waylaid (and overpowered) his reason,3350
پس تجسس کرد عقل پادشاه ** کین چه باشد که زند بر عقل راه
Saying, “My eye is full and satisfied and wanting naught: it is illumined by two hundred suns.
چشم من پرست و سیرست و غنی ** از دو صد خورشید دارد روشنی
Oh, the rook of (other) kings is (but) a pawn in my sight, (and yet) a demi-horse enraptures me without any justification.
ای رخ شاهان بر من بیذقی ** نیم اسپم در رباید بی حقی
The Creator of witchery has bewitched me: ’tis a (Divine) attraction (exerted upon me), not the peculiar virtues of this (horse).”
جادوی کردست جادو آفرین ** جذبه باشد آن نه خاصیات این
He recited the Fátiha and uttered many a lá hawl, (but) the Fátiha (only) increased the passion in his breast,
فاتحه خواند و بسی لا حول کرد ** فاتحه‌ش در سینه می‌افزود درد
Because the Fátiha itself was drawing him on: the Fátiha is unique in drawing on (good) and averting (evil).3355
زانک او را فاتحه خود می‌کشید ** فاتحه در جر و دفع آمد وحید
If (aught) other (than God) appear (to you), ’tis (the effect of) His illusion; and if (all) other (than God) vanish from sight, ’tis (the effect of) His awakening (you to the reality).
گر نماید غیر هم تمویه اوست ** ور رود غیر از نظر تنبیه اوست
Then it became certain to him (the king) that the attraction was from Yonder: the action of God is producing marvels at every moment.
پس یقین گشتش که جذبه زان سریست ** کار حق هر لحظه نادر آوریست
Because of the (Divine) probation a stone horse (or) a stone cow becomes, through God's deception, an object of worship.
اسپ سنگین گاو سنگین ز ابتلا ** می‌شود مسجود از مکر خدا
In the eyes of the infidel (idolater) the idol has no second (is without parallel), (though) the idol has neither glory nor spirituality.
پیش کافر نیست بت را ثانیی ** نیست بت را فر و نه روحانیی
What is the attracting power, hidden in the hidden most, that shines forth in this world from (its source in) the other world?3360
چست آن جاذب نهان اندر نهان ** در جهان تابیده از دیگر جهان
The intellect is barred, and the spirit also, from (access to) this ambush; I cannot see it: see it (if) you can!
عقل محجوبست و جان هم زین کمین ** من نمی‌بینم تو می‌توانی ببین
When the Khwárizmsháh returned from his ride, he conferred with the nobles of his kingdom.
چونک خوارمشه ز سیران باز گشت ** با خواص ملک خود هم‌راز گشت
Then he immediately ordered the officers to fetch the horse from that (Amír's) household.
پس به سرهنگان بفرمود آن زمان ** تا بیارند اسپ را زان خاندان
(Quick) as fire, the party (of officers) arrived (there): the Amír who was like a mountain (in pride and stubbornness) became (soft and weak) as a piece of wool
هم‌چو آتش در رسیدند آن گروه ** هم‌چو پشمی گشت امیر هم‌چو کوه
He almost expired from the anguish and defraudment: he saw no (means of) protection except the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk;3365
جانش از درد و غبین تا لب رسید ** جز عمادالملک زنهاری ندید
For the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk was the foot of the banner to which every victim of injustice and every one stricken by distress would flock for refuge.
که عمادالملک بد پای علم ** بهر هر مظلوم و هر مقتول غم
In sooth there was no chief more revered than he: in the eyes of the Sultan he was like a prophet.
محترم‌تر خود نبد زو سروری ** پیش سلطان بود چون پیغامبری
He was unambitious, strong-minded, devout, ascetic, one who kept vigils and was (like) Hátim in generosity;
بی‌طمع بود او اصیل و پارسا ** رایض و شب‌خیز و حاتم در سخا
Very felicitous in judgement, endowed with foresight, and sage: his judgement had been proved in everything that he sought to attain.
بس همایون‌رای و با تدبیر و راد ** آزموده رای او در هر مراد
(He was) generous both in self-sacrifice and in sacrificing wealth: (he was) always seeking the Sun of the invisible world, like the new-moon.3370
هم به بذل جان سخی و هم به مال ** طالب خورشید غیب او چون هلال
In his (worldly) princedom he felt strange and embarrassed: he was clad (inwardly) in the attributes of (spiritual) poverty and love (of God).
در امیری او غریب و محتبس ** در صفات فقر وخلت ملتبس
He was like a father to every one in need: before the Sultan he was an intercessor and the means of averting harm.
بوده هر محتاج را هم‌چون پدر ** پیش سلطان شافع و دفع ضرر
To the wicked he was a covering (to palliate their offences), like the clemency of God: his nature was opposite to (that of other) created beings and apart (from theirs).
مر بدان را ستر چون حلم خدا ** خلق او بر عکس خلقان و جدا
Many a time he would have gone alone to the mountains (in order to seclude himself), (but) the Sultan prevented (dissuaded) him by (making) a hundred humble entreaties.
بارها می‌شد به سوی کوه فرد ** شاه با صد لابه او را دفع کرد
If at every moment he had interceded for a hundred sins, the Sultan's eye would have been abashed before him.3375
هر دم ار صد جرم را شافع شدی ** چشم سلطان را ازو شرم آمدی
He (the Amír) went to the noble ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk: he bared his head and fell on the ground,
رفت او پیش عماد الملک راد ** سر برهنه کرد و بر خاک اوفتاد
Saying, “Let him (the king) take my harem together with all that I possess! Let any raider seize my (entire) revenue!
که حرم با هر چه دارم گو بگیر ** تا بگیرد حاصلم را هر مغیر