A seeing eye is better than three hundred (blind men's) staves: the eye knows (can distinguish) pearls from pebbles.3785
چشم بینا بهتر از سیصد عصا ** چشم بشناسد گهر را از حصا
(Moved) by sorrows (pains of love) they began to make inquiry, saying, “Who in the world, we wonder, is she of whom this is the portrait?”
در تفحص آمدند از اندهان ** صورت کی بود عجب این در جهان
After much inquiry in (the course of their) travel, a Shaykh endowed with insight disclosed the mystery,
بعد بسیاری تفحص در مسیر ** کشف کرد آن راز را شیخی بصیر
Not (verbally) by way of the ear, but (silently) by inspiration (derived) from Reason: to him (all) mysteries were unveiled.
نه از طریق گوش بل از وحی هوش ** رازها بد پیش او بی روی‌پوش
He said, “This is the portrait of (her who is) an object of envy to the Pleiades: this is the picture of the Princess of China.
گفت نقش رشک پروینست این ** صورت شه‌زاده‌ی چینست این
She is hidden like the spirit and like the embryo: she is (kept) in a secret bower and palace.3790
هم‌چو جان و چون جنین پنهانست او ** در مکتم پرده و ایوانست او
Neither man nor woman is admitted to her (presence): the King has concealed her on account of her fascinations.
سوی او نه مرد ره دارد نه زن ** شاه پنهان کرد او را از فتن
The King has a (great) jealousy for her (good) name, so that not even a bird flies above her roof.”
غیرتی دارد ملک بر نام او ** که نپرد مرغ هم بر بام او
Alas for the heart that such an insane passion has stricken: may no one feel a passion like this!
وای آن دل کش چنین سودا فتاد ** هیچ کس را این چنین سودا مباد
This is the retribution due to him who sowed the seed of ignorance and held light and cheap that (precious) counsel,
این سزای آنک تخم جهل کاشت ** وآن نصیحت را کساد و سهل داشت
And put a (great) trust in his own management, saying, “By dint of intelligence I will carry my affair to success.”3795
اعتمادی کرد بر تدبیر خویش ** که برم من کار خود با عقل پیش
Half a mite of the (King's) favour is better than three hundred spells (expedients) devised by the intellect.
نیم ذره زان عنایت به بود ** که ز تدبیر خرد سیصد رصد
Abandon your own cunning, O Amír: draw back your foot before the (Divine) favour and gladly die.
ترک مکر خویشتن گیر ای امیر ** پا بکش پیش عنایت خوش بمیر
This is not (to be gained) by a certain amount of contrivance: nothing avails until you die to (all) these contrivings.
این به قدر حیله‌ی معدود نیست ** زین حیل تا تو نمیری سود نیست
Story of the Sadr-i Jahán of Bukhárá. (It was his custom that) any beggar who begged with his tongue was excluded from his universal and unstinted charity. A certain poor savant, forgetting (this rule) and being excessively eager and in a hurry, begged (alms) with his tongue (while the Sadr was passing) amidst his cavalcade. The Sadr-i Jahán averted his face from him, and (though) he contrived a new trick every day and disguised himself, now as a woman veiled in a chádar and now as a blind man with bandaged eyes and face, he (the Sadr) always had discernment enough to recognize him, etc.
حکایت صدر جهان بخارا کی هر سایلی کی به زبان بخواستی از صدقه‌ی عام بی‌دریغ او محروم شدی و آن دانشمند درویش به فراموشی و فرط حرص و تعجیل به زبان بخواست در موکب صدر جهان از وی رو بگردانید و او هر روز حیله‌ی نو ساختی و خود را گاه زن کردی زیر چادر وگاه نابینا کردی و چشم و روی خود بسته به فراستش بشناختی الی آخره
It was the habit of that most noble lord in Bukhárá to deal kindly with beggars.
در بخارا خوی آن خواجیم اجل ** بود با خواهندگان حسن عمل
His great bounty and immeasurable munificence were always scattering gold till nightfall.3800
داد بسیار و عطای بی‌شمار ** تا به شب بودی ز جودش زر نثار
The gold was wrapped in bits of paper: he continued to lavish bounty as long as he lived.
زر به کاغذپاره‌ها پیچیده بود ** تا وجودش بود می‌افشاند جود
(He was) like the sun and the spendthrift moon; (for) they give back (all) the radiance that they receive (from God).
هم‌چو خورشید و چو ماه پاک‌باز ** آنچ گیرند از ضیا بدهند باز
Who bestows gold on the earth? The sun. Through him, gold is in the mine and treasure in the ruin.
خاک را زربخش کی بود آفتاب ** زر ازو در کان و گنج اندر خراب
Every morning an allowance (was distributed) to a (different) set of people, in order that no class should be left disappointed by him.
هر صباحی یک گره را راتبه ** تا نماند امتی زو خایبه
On one day his gifts were made to those afflicted (by disease); next day the same generosity (was shown) to widows;3805
مبتلایان را بدی روزی عطا ** روز دیگر بیوگان را آن سخا
Next day to impoverished descendants of ‘Alí together with poor jurists engaged in study (of the canon-law);
روز دیگر بر علویان مقل ** با فقیهان فقیر مشتغل
Next day to empty-handed common folk; next day to persons fallen into debt.
روز دیگر بر تهی‌دستان عام ** روز دیگر بر گرفتاران وام
His rule (in giving alms) was that no one should beg for gold with his tongue or open his lips at all;
شرط او آن بود که کس با زبان ** زر نخواهد هیچ نگشاید لبان
But the paupers stood in silence, like a wall, on the outskirts of his path,
لیک خامش بر حوالی رهش ** ایستاده مفلسان دیواروش
And any one who suddenly begged with his lips was punished for this offence by not getting from him (even) a mite of money.3810
هر که کردی ناگهان با لب سال ** زو نبردی زین گنه یک حبه مال
His maxim was “Those of you who keep silence are saved”: his purses and bowls (of food) were (reserved) for the silent.
من صمت منکم نجا بد یاسه‌اش ** خامشان را بود کیسه و کاسه‌اش
One day (it happened) extraordinarily (that) an old man said, “Give me alms, for I am hungry.”
نادرا روزی یکی پیری بگفت ** ده زکاتم که منم با جوع جفت
He refused (alms) to the old man, but the old man importuned him: the people were astounded by the old man's importunity.
منع کرد از پیر و پیرش جد گرفت ** مانده خلق از جد پیر اندر شگفت
He (the Sadr) said, “You are a very shameless old man, O father.” The old man replied, “Thou art more shameless than I,
گفت بس بی‌شرم پیری ای پدر ** پیر گفت از من توی بی‌شرم‌تر
For thou hast enjoyed this world, and in thy greed thou wouldst fain take the other world (to enjoy it) together with this world.”3815
کین جهان خوردی و خواهی تو ز طمع ** کان جهان با این جهان گیری به جمع
He (the Sadr) laughed and gave the old man some money: the old man alone obtained the bounty.
خنده‌اش آمد مال داد آن پیر را ** پیر تنها برد آن توفیر را
Except that old man none of those who begged (aloud) saw half a mite or a single farthing of his money.
غیر آن پیر ایچ خواهنده ازو ** نیم حبه زر ندید و نه تسو
On the day when it was the turn of the jurists (to receive alms), a certain jurist, (impelled) by cupidity, suddenly began to whine.
نوبت روز فقیهان ناگهان ** یک فقیه از حرص آمد در فغان
He made many piteous appeals, but there was no help (for him); he uttered every kind (of entreaty), but it availed him naught.
کرد زاری‌ها بسی چاره نبود ** گفت هر نوعی نبودش هیچ سود
Next day he wrapped his leg in rags (and stood) in the row of the sufferers (from illness), hanging his head.3820
روز دیگر با رگو پیچید پا ** ناکس اندر صف قوم مبتلا
He tied splints on his shank, left and right, in order that it might be supposed that his leg was broken.
تخته‌ها بر ساق بست از چپ و راست ** تا گمان آید که او اشکسته‌پاست
He (the Sadr) saw and recognised him and did not give him anything. Next day he covered his face with a rain-cloak,
دیدش و بشناختش چیزی نداد ** روز دیگر رو بپوشید از لباد
(But) the noble lord knew him still and gave him nothing because of the sin and crime (which he had committed) by speaking.
هم بدانستش ندادش آن عزیز ** از گناه و جرم گفتن هیچ چیز
When he had failed in a hundred sorts of trickery, he drew a chádar over his head, like women,
چونک عاجز شد ز صد گونه مکید ** چون زنان او چادری بر سر کشید
And went and sat down amongst the widows, and let his head droop and concealed his hands.3825
در میان بیوگان رفت و نشست ** سر فرو افکند و پنهان کرد دست
Still he (the Sadr) recognised him and did not give him any alms: on account of the disappointment a (feeling of) burning grief came into his heart.
هم شناسیدش ندادش صدقه‌ای ** در دلش آمد ز حرمان حرقه‌ای
He went early in the morning to a purveyor of grave-clothes, saying, “Wrap me in a felt (shroud) and lay me out on the road.
رفت او پیش کفن‌خواهی پگاه ** که بپیچم در نمد نه پیش راه
Do not open thy lips at all, (but) sit down and look on till the Sadr-i Jahán passes here.
هیچ مگشا لب نشین و می‌نگر ** تا کند صدر جهان اینجا گذر
Maybe he will see (me) and suppose that I am dead and drop some money to cover the cost of the shroud.
بوک بیند مرده پندار به ظن ** زر در اندازد پی وجه کفن
I will pay thee half of whatever he may give.” The poor man, desiring the (expected) present, did just as he was told.3830
هر چه بدهد نیم آن بدهم به تو ** هم‌چنان کرد آن فقیر صله‌جو
He wrapped him in the felt and laid him out on the road. The Sadr-i Jahán happened to pass that way
در نمد پیچید و بر راهش نهاد ** معبر صدر جهان آنجا فتاد
And dropped some gold on the felt (shroud). He (the jurist) put forth his hand in his haste (and fear)
زر در اندازید بر روی نمد ** دست بیرون کرد از تعجیل خود
Lest the purveyor of the grave-clothes should seize the gift of money and lest that perfidious rascal should hide it from him.
تا نگیرد آن کفن‌خواه آن صله ** تا نهان نکند ازو آن ده‌دله
The dead man raised his hand from beneath the felt (shroud), and, following his hand, his head (too) came forth from below.
مرده از زیر نمد بر کرد دست ** سر برون آمد پی دستش ز پست