- Amongst the Jews there was a king who wrought oppression, an enemy of Jesus and a destroyer of Christians.
 
		    - بود شاهی در جهودان ظلم ساز ** دشمن عیسی و نصرانی گداز
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
                 
	         
	         
	         
	         
	         
		 
		 
		    
		    - ’Twas the epoch of Jesus and the turn was his: he was the soul of Moses, and Moses the soul of him;   325
 
		    - عهد عیسی بود و نوبت آن او ** جان موسی او و موسی جان او
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - (But) the squint-eyed (double-seeing) king separated in the way of God those two Divine (prophets) who were (really) in accord (with each other).
 
		    - شاه احول کرد در راه خدا ** آن دو دمساز خدایی را جدا
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - The master said to a squint-eyed (pupil), “Come on; go, fetch that bottle out of the room.”
 
		    - گفت استاد احولی را کاندر آ ** رو برون آر از وثاق آن شیشه را
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - Said the squint-eyed one: “Which of the two bottles shall I bring to you? Explain fully.”
 
		    - گفت احول ز ان دو شیشه من کدام ** پیش تو آرم بکن شرح تمام
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - “There are not two bottles,” replied the master; “go, leave off squinting and do not be seeing more (than one).”
 
		    - گفت استاد آن دو شیشه نیست رو ** احولی بگذار و افزون بین مشو
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
                 
	         
	         
	         
	         
	         
		 
		 
		    
		    - “O master,” said he, “don't chide me.” Said the master, “Smash one of those two.”   330
 
		    - گفت ای استا مرا طعنه مزن ** گفت استا ز ان دو یک را در شکن
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - The bottle was one, though in his eyes it seemed two; when he broke the bottle, there was no other.
 
		    - شیشه یک بود و به چشمش دو نمود ** چون شکست او شیشه را دیگر نبود
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - When one was broken, both vanished from sight: a man is made squint-eyed by (evil) propensity and anger.
 
		    - چون یکی بشکست هر دو شد ز چشم ** مردم احول گردد از میلان و خشم
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - Anger and lust make a man squint-eyed, they change the spirit (so that it departs) from rectitude.
 
		    - خشم و شهوت مرد را احول کند ** ز استقامت روح را مبدل کند
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - When self-interest appears, virtue becomes hidden: a hundred veils rise from the heart to the eye.
 
		    - چون غرض آمد هنر پوشیده شد ** صد حجاب از دل به سوی دیده شد
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
                 
	         
	         
	         
	         
	         
		 
		 
		    
		    - When the cadi lets bribery gain hold of his heart, how should he know the wronger from the wretched victim of wrong?   335
 
		    - چون دهد قاضی به دل رشوت قرار ** کی شناسد ظالم از مظلوم زار
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - The king, from Jewish rancour, became so squint-eyed that (we cry), “Mercy, O Lord, mercy (save us from such an affliction)!”
 
		    - شاه از حقد جهودانه چنان ** گشت احول کالامان یا رب امان
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - He slew hundreds of thousands of wronged (innocent) believers, saying, “I am the protection and support of the religion of Moses.”
 
		    - صد هزاران مومن مظلوم کشت ** که پناهم دین موسی را و پشت
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
	      
	       
	      
	       
	      
	       
	      
		  
		  
	      
		  
		  - How the vizier instructed the king to plot.
 
		  - آموختن وزیر مکر پادشاه را
 
	       
	      
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - He had a vizier, a miscreant and ogler (deceiver), who by reason of (his exceeding) guile would tie knots on water.
 
		    - او وزیری داشت گبر و عشوهده ** کاو بر آب از مکر بر بستی گره
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - “The Christians,” said he, “seek to save their lives; they hide their religion from the king.
 
		    - گفت ترسایان پناه جان کنند ** دین خود را از ملک پنهان کنند
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
                 
	         
	         
	         
	         
	         
		 
		 
		    
		    - Slay them not, for slaying (them) is useless: religion hath no smell, it is not musk and aloes-wood.   340
 
		    - کم کش ایشان را که کشتن سود نیست ** دین ندارد بوی، مشک و عود نیست
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - The secret is concealed in a hundred coverings: its outward form is (in agreement) with thee, (but) the inward (reality) is (in) disagreement.”
 
		    - سر پنهان است اندر صد غلاف ** ظاهرش با تست و باطن بر خلاف
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - The king said to him: “Tell (me), then, what is the (best) plan? What is the remedy against that deceit and imposture?—
 
		    - شاه گفتش پس بگو تدبیر چیست ** چارهی آن مکر و ان تزویر چیست
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - So that there may not remain a single Christian in the world, neither one whose religion is manifest nor one who is concealed.”
 
		    - تا نماند در جهان نصرانیی ** نی هویدا دین و نی پنهانیی
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - “O king,” said he, “cut off my ears and hands, rip my nose and lips by bitter (cruel) decree;
 
		    - گفت ای شه گوش و دستم را ببر ** بینیام بشکاف و لب در حکم مر
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
                 
	         
	         
	         
	         
	         
		 
		 
		    
		    - Then bring me under the gallows, that an intercessor may plead for me.   345
 
		    - بعد از آن در زیر دار آور مرا ** تا بخواهد یک شفاعتگر مرا
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - Do this deed in the place for (public) proclamation, on a highway where roads run in four directions.
 
		    - بر منادی گاه کن این کار تو ** بر سر راهی که باشد چار سو
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - Then banish me from thy presence to a distant land, that I may cast mischief and confusion amongst them.
 
		    - آن گهم از خود بران تا شهر دور ** تا در اندازم در ایشان شر و شور
 
		  
		 
	       
	       
	       
	    
	  
	    
	       
	      
	       
	      
	       
	      
	       
	      
		  
		  
	      
		  
		  - How the vizier brought the Christians into doubt and perplexity.
 
		  - تلبیس وزیر با نصارا
 
	       
	      
	    
	  
	    
	       
		 
	         
		 
	         
		 
		 
		 
		    
		    - Then I will say (to them), ‘I am secretly a Christian. O God who knowest (all) things hidden, Thou knowest me.
 
		    - پس بگویم من به سر نصرانیام ** ای خدای راز دان میدانیام