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1182-1231

  • هین ازو خواهید نه از غیر او ** آب در یم جو مجو در خشک جو
  • Come, ask of Him, not of any one except Him: seek water in the sea, do not seek it in the dry river-bed.
  • ور بخواهی از دگر هم او دهد ** بر کف میلش سخا هم او نهد
  • And if you ask of another, ’tis He that gives; ’tis He that lays generosity on the open hand of his (that other's) inclination.
  • آنک معرض را ز زر قارون کند ** رو بدو آری به طاعت چون کند
  • He who with gold makes one that turns away (from Him in disobedience) a Qárún (Korah), how (much more) will He do (if) you turn your face towards Him in obedience!
  • بار دیگر شاعر از سودای داد ** روی سوی آن شه محسن نهاد 1185
  • The poet, from passionate desire for bounty, set his face a second time towards that beneficent king.
  • هدیه‌ی شاعر چه باشد شعر نو ** پیش محسن آرد و بنهد گرو
  • What is the poet's offering? A new poem: he brings it to the beneficent (patron) and deposits it as his stake.
  • محسنان با صد عطا و جود و بر ** زر نهاده شاعران را منتظر
  • The beneficent (on their part) have deposited gold and are waiting for the poets with a hundred gifts and liberalities and kindnesses.
  • پیششان شعری به از صدتنگ شعر ** خاصه شاعر کو گهر آرد ز قعر
  • In their eyes a poem (shi‘r) is better than a hundred bales of silk robes (sha‘r), especially (when it is composed by) a poet who fetches pearls from the depths.
  • آدمی اول حریص نان بود ** زانک قوت و نان ستون جان بود
  • At first a man is greedy for bread, because food and bread are the pillar (support) of life.
  • سوی کسب و سوی غصب و صد حیل ** جان نهاده بر کف از حرص و امل 1190
  • On account of greed and expectation he runs every risk in the way of earning his livelihood and seizing property by violence and (employing) a hundred devices.
  • چون بنادر گشت مستغنی ز نان ** عاشق نامست و مدح شاعران
  • When, (as happens) rarely, he becomes independent of (earning his) bread, he is in love with fame and the praise of poets,
  • تا که اصل و فصل او را بر دهند ** در بیان فضل او منبر نهند
  • In order that they may give fruit to (may adorn) his root and branch and may set up a pulpit to declare his excellence,
  • تا که کر و فر و زر بخشی او ** هم‌چو عنبر بو دهد در گفت و گو
  • So that his pomp and magnificence and lavishing of gold may yield a perfume, like (that of) ambergris, in (their) song.
  • خلق ما بر صورت خود کرد حق ** وصف ما از وصف او گیرد سبق
  • God created us in His image: our qualities are instructed by (are modeled upon) His qualities.
  • چونک آن خلاق شکر و حمدجوست ** آدمی را مدح‌جویی نیز خوست 1195
  • Inasmuch as the Creator desires thanksgiving and glorification, it is also the nature of man to desire praise,
  • خاصه مرد حق که در فضلست چست ** پر شود زان باد چون خیک درست
  • Especially the man of God, who is active in (showing) excellence: he becomes filled with that wind (of praise), like an undamaged leathern bag;
  • ور نباشد اهل زان باد دروغ ** خیک بدریدست کی گیرد فروغ
  • But if he (the recipient of praise) be not worthy, the bag is rent by that wind of falsehood: how should it receive lustre?
  • این مثل از خود نگفتم ای رفیق ** سرسری مشنو چو اهلی و مفیق
  • I have not invented this parable, O comrade: do not hear it (as though it were) silly, if thou art worthy and restored to thy senses.
  • این پیمبر گفت چون بشنید قدح ** که چرا فربه شود احمد به مدح
  • The Prophet (Mohammed) said (something like) this, when he heard vituperation (from the infidels who asked), “Why is Ahmad (Mohammed) made fat (happy) by praise?”
  • رفت شاعر پیش آن شاه و ببرد ** شعر اندر شکر احسان کان نمرد 1200
  • The poet went to the king and brought a poem in thanks (and praise) for (his) beneficence, saying that it (beneficence) never died.
  • محسنان مردند و احسانها بماند ** ای خنک آن را که این مرکب براند
  • The beneficent died, and (their) acts of beneficence remained: oh, blest is he that rode this steed!
  • ظالمان مردند و ماند آن ظلمها ** وای جانی کو کند مکر و دها
  • The unjust died, and those acts of injustice remained: alas for the soul that practises deceit and fraud!
  • گفت پیغامبر خنک آن را که او ** شد ز دنیا ماند ازو فعل نکو
  • The Prophet said, “Blest is he who departed from this world and left good deeds behind him.”
  • مرد محسن لیک احسانش نمرد ** نزد یزدان دین و احسان نیست خرد
  • The beneficent man died, but his beneficence died not: with God, religion (piety) and beneficence are not of small account.
  • وای آنکو مرد و عصیانش نمود ** تا نپنداری به مرگ او جان ببرد 1205
  • Alas for him who died and whose disobedience (to God) died not: beware of thinking that by death he saved his soul (from punishment).
  • این رها کن زانک شاعر بر گذر ** وام‌دارست و قوی محتاج زر
  • Dismiss this (topic), for the poet is on the way—in debt and mightily in need of gold.
  • برد شاعر شعر سوی شهریار ** بر امید بخشش و احسان پار
  • The poet brought the poem to the king in hope of (receiving) last year's donation and benefit—
  • نازنین شعری پر از در درست ** بر امید و بوی اکرام نخست
  • A charming poem full of flawless pearls, in hope and expectation of the first (former) munificence.
  • شاه هم بر خوی خود گفتش هزار ** چون چنین بد عادت آن شهریار
  • The Sháh indeed, according to his habit, ordered a thousand (dinars to be paid) to him, since such was the custom of that monarch;
  • لیک این بار آن وزیر پر ز جود ** بر براق عز ز دنیا رفته بود 1210
  • But, on this occasion, the bountiful vizier had departed from the present life, (mounted) on the Buráq of glory,
  • بر مقام او وزیر نو رئیس ** گشته لیکن سخت بی‌رحم و خسیس
  • And in his place a new vizier had assumed authority; but (he was) very pitiless and mean.
  • گفت ای شه خرجها داریم ما ** شاعری را نبود این بخشش جزا
  • He said, “O king, we have (great) outlays: this donation is not the (fitting) reward for a poet.
  • من به ربع عشر این ای مغتنم ** مرد شاعر را خوش و راضی کنم
  • With a fortieth part of this (sum), O thou (whose favour is) eagerly sought, I will make the poet man happy and content.”
  • خلق گفتندش که او از پیش‌دست ** ده هزاران زین دلاور برده است
  • The people said to him, “He carried away a sum of ten thousand (dinars) in ready money from this valiant (king).
  • بعد شکر کلک خایی چون کند ** بعد سلطانی گدایی چون کند 1215
  • After (having eaten) sugar, how should he chew (the empty) cane? After having been a sultan, how should he practise beggary?”
  • گفت بفشارم ورا اندر فشار ** تا شود زار و نزار از انتظار
  • He (the vizier) replied, “I will squeeze him in torment, that he may be made wretched and worn out by waiting;
  • آنگه ار خاکش دهم از راه من ** در رباید هم‌چو گلبرگ از چمن
  • Then, if I give him earth from the road, he will snatch it as (though it were) rose-leaves from the garden.
  • این به من بگذار که استادم درین ** گر تقاضاگر بود هر آتشین
  • Leave this to me, for I am expert in this, even if the claimant be fiery (hot and fierce).
  • از ثریا گر بپرد تا ثری ** نرم گردد چون ببیند او مرا
  • Though he (be able to) fly from the Pleiades to the earth, he will become meek when he sees me.”
  • گفت سلطانش برو فرمان تراست ** لیک شادش کن که نیکوگوی ماست 1220
  • The king said to him, “Go: ’tis for thee to command; but make him happy, for he is my eulogist.”
  • گفت او را و دو صد اومیدلیس ** تو به من بگذار این بر من نویس
  • He (the vizier) said, “Leave him and two hundred (other) lickers-up of hope to me, and write this (down) against me.”
  • پس فکندش صاحب اندر انتظار ** شد زمستان و دی و آمد بهار
  • Then the minister threw him into (the pains of) expectation: winter and December passed and spring came.
  • شاعر اندر انتظارش پیر شد ** پس زبون این غم و تدبیر شد
  • In expectation of it (the reward) the poet grew old; then he was crushed by this anxiety and making shift to provide (the means of livelihood),
  • گفت اگر زر نه که دشنامم دهی ** تا رهد جانم ترا باشم رهی
  • And said (to the vizier), “If there is no gold (for me), please give me abuse, so that my soul may be delivered (from expectation) (and that) I may be thy (devoted) slave.
  • انتظارم کشت باری گو برو ** تا رهد این جان مسکین از گرو 1225
  • Expectation has killed me: at least bid me go, that this wretched soul may be delivered from bondage.”
  • بعد از آنش داد ربع عشر آن ** ماند شاعر اندر اندیشه‌ی گران
  • After that, he (the vizier) gave him the fortieth part of that (gift): the poet remained in heavy thought,
  • کانچنان نقد و چنان بسیار بود ** این که دیر اشکفت دسته‌ی خار بود
  • (Thinking), “That (former gift) was so promptly paid and was so much: this one that blossomed late was (only) a handful of thorns.”
  • پس بگفتندش که آن دستور راد ** رفت از دنیا خدا مزدت دهاد
  • Then they (the courtiers) said to him, “That generous vizier has departed from this life: may God reward thee!
  • که مضاعف زو همی‌شد آن عطا ** کم همی‌افتاد بخشش را خطا
  • For those gifts were always multiplied (increased in amount) by him: there was no fault to be found with the donations (then);
  • این زمان او رفت و احسان را ببرد ** او نمرد الحق بلی احسان بمرد 1230
  • (But) now, he is gone and has taken beneficence away (with him): he is not dead, (but) beneficence is dead (in this world), yea, verily.
  • رفت از ما صاحب راد و رشید ** صاحب سلاخ درویشان رسید
  • The generous and upright minister is gone from us; the minister who is a flayer of the poor has arrived.