Would that I were a skilled physician! I would have gone on foot to Laylá first of all (before any one else).’
قل تعالوا گفت حق ما را بدان ** تا بود شرم اشکنی ما را نشان
God said to us, ‘Say, Come ye,’ in order to signify to us the (means of) vanquishing our feeling of shame.
شب پران را گر نظر و آلت بدی ** روزشان جولان و خوش حالت بدی2695
If bats had sight and means (ability to bear the sunshine), they would fly about and enjoy themselves by day.”
گفت چون شاه کرم میدان رود ** عین هر بی‌‌آلتی آلت شود
The wife said, “When the gracious King goes into the field (maydán), the essence of every lack of means (inability) becomes a means (ability),
ز آن که آلت دعوی است و هستی است ** کار در بی‌‌آلتی و پستی است
Because the means (ability) is (involves) pretension and self-existence: the (pith of the) matter lies in lack of means (inability) and non-existence.”
گفت کی بی‌‌آلتی سودا کنم ** تا نه من بی‌‌آلتی پیدا کنم
“How,” said he, “should I do business without means, unless I make it manifest that I (really) have no means?
پس گواهی بایدم بر مفلسی ** تا شهم رحمی کند یا مونسی
Therefore I must needs have attestation of my want of means, that the King who wants naught may take pity on me.
تو گواهی غیر گفت‌‌وگو و رنگ ** وانما تا رحم آرد شاه شنگ2700
Do thou produce some attestation besides talk and show, so that the beauteous King may take pity,
کاین گواهی که ز گفت و رنگ بد ** نزد آن قاضی القضاة آن جرح شد
For the testimony that consisted of talk and show was (ever) invalidated before that Supreme Judge.
صدق می‌‌خواهد گواه حال او ** تا بتابد نور او بی‌‌قال او
He requires truth (veracity) as witness to his (the indigent man's) state, so that his (inner) light shall shine forth (and proclaim his indigence) without any words of his.”
هدیه بردن عرب سبوی آب باران از میان بادیه سوی بغداد به نزد خلیفه بر پنداشت آن که آن جا هم قحط آب است
How the Arab carried a jug of rain-water from the midst of the desert as a gift to the Commander of the Faithful at Baghdád, in the belief that in that town also there was a scarcity of water.