-
این عرض با جوهر آن بیضه است و طیر ** این از آن و آن از این زاید به سیر
- This accident with the substance (belonging to it) is egg and bird: this is produced by that, and that by this, in succession.”
-
گفت شاهنشه چنین گیر المراد ** این عرضهای تو یک جوهر نزاد
- The King said, “Take the meaning (to be) so: (why then) have these accidents of yours not produced any substance?”
-
گفت مخفی داشته ست آن را خرد ** تا بود غیب این جهان نیک و بد
- “(Divine) Wisdom,” replied the slave, “has kept it concealed, in order that this world of good and evil may be a mystery,
-
ز انکه گر پیدا شدی اشکال فکر ** کافر و مومن نگفتی جز که ذکر 985
- Because, if the (substantial) forms of thought were to become manifest, infidel and believer (alike) would speak naught but praise (of God).
-
پس عیان بودی نه غیب ای شاه این ** نقش دین و کفر بودی بر جبین
- Then, were this clearly seen, O King, not hidden, and were the mark of religion or infidelity (visible) on the forehead,
-
کی درین عالم بت و بتگر بدی ** چون کسی را زهرهی تسخر بدی
- How would there be idol and idolater in this world? How would any one have the stomach to mock (at holy things)?
-
پس قیامت بودی این دنیای ما ** در قیامت کی کند جرم و خطا
- Then this world of ours would be (like) the Resurrection: who commits sin and wrong at the Resurrection?”
-
گفت شه پوشید حق پاداش بد ** لیک از عامه نه از خاصان خود
- The King said, “God has veiled the retribution of evil, but (only) from the vulgar, not from His own elect.
-
گر به دامی افکنم من یک امیر ** از امیران خفیه دارم نه از وزیر 990
- If I entrap one Amír, I keep it hidden from the (other) Amírs, (but) not from the Vizier.
-
حق به من بنمود پس پاداش کار ** وز صورهای عملها صد هزار
- God, then, has shown to me the retribution of work and myriads of the (substantial) forms of actions.