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
(But) there is this one horse—my soul is devoted to it: if he take it, I will surely die, O lover of good.
این یکی اسپست جانم رهن اوست ** گر برد مردم یقین ای خیردوست
If he take this horse out of my hands, I know for certain that I shall not live (long).
گر برد این اسپ را از دست من ** من یقین دانم نخواهم زیستن
Since God has bestowed (on thee) a (spiritual) connexion (with Himself), stroke my head at once with thy hand, O Messiah!3380
چون خدا پیوستگیی داده است ** بر سرم مال ای مسیحا زود دست
I can bear the loss of my women and gold and estates: this is not pretence nor is it an imposture.
از زن و زر و عقارم صبر هست ** این تکلف نیست نی تزویریست
If thou dost not believe me in this (matter), try me, try me in word and deed!”
اندرین گر مینداری باورم ** امتحان کن امتحان گفت و قدم
Weeping and wiping his eyes, the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk ran, with agitated mien, into the presence of the Sultan.
آن عمادالملک گریان چشممال ** پیش سلطان در دوید آشفتهحال
He closed his lips and stood before the Sultan, communing with God the Lord of (all) His slaves.
لب ببست و پیش سلطان ایستاد ** راز گویان با خدا رب العباد
He stood and listened to the Sultan's intimate talk, while inwardly his thought was weaving this (prayer)—3385
ایستاده راز سلطان میشنید ** واندرون اندیشهاش این میتنید
“O God, if that young man (the Amír) has gone the wrong way, for ’tis not fitting to make any one except Thee a refuge,
کای خداگر آن جوان کژ رفت راه ** که نشاید ساختن جز تو پناه
(Yet) do Thou act in Thine own (generous) fashion and be not offended with him although he beseech any (poor) prisoner (like me) to deliver him,
تو از آن خود بکن از وی مگیر ** گرچه او خواهد خلاص از هر اسیر
Because all these creatures (of Thine) are in need (of Thee): take (it that) all (are alike in this respect) from a beggar to the Sultan (himself).”
زانک محتاجند این خلقان همه ** از گدایی گیر تا سلطان همه
To seek guidance from candle and wick when the perfect Sun is present,
با حضور آفتاب با کمال ** رهنمایی جستن از شمع و ذبال
To seek light from candle and lamp when the smoothly-rolling Sun is present,3390
با حضور آفتاب خوشمساغ ** روشنایی جستن از شمع و چراغ
Doubtless ’tis irreverence on our part, ’tis ingratitude and an act of self-will,
بیگمان ترک ادب باشد ز ما ** کفر نعمت باشد و فعل هوا
But most minds in (their) thinking are lovers of darkness, like the bat.
لیک اغلب هوشها در افتکار ** همچو خفاشند ظلمت دوستدار
If the bat eats a worm during the night, (yet it is) the Sun (that) fosters the life of the worm.
در شب ار خفاش کرمی میخورد ** کرم را خورشید جان میپرورد
If the bat is intoxicated with (the pleasure of eating) a worm during the night, (yet it is) by the Sun (that) the worm has been caused to move.
در شب ار خفاش از کرمیست مست ** کرم از خورشید جنبنده شدست
The Sun whence radiance gushes forth is giving food to his enemy.3395
آفتابی که ضیا زو میزهد ** دشمن خود را نواله میدهد
But (in the case of) the royal falcon which is not a bat and whose falcon-eye is seeing truly and is clear,
لیک شهبازی که او خفاش نیست ** چشم بازش راستبین و روشنیست
If it, like the bat, seek increase (of sustenance) during the night, the Sun will rub its ear (chastise it) in correction,
گر به شب جوید چو خفاش او نمو ** در ادب خورشید مالد گوش او