(OF THE HOLY MAN AND THE SUGAR-CANE).
One had pieces of sugar-cane heaped on a plate,
And went hither and thither, on buyers to wait.
In the village he said to a God-fearing man:
"Take a little and pay me the price when you can!"
The sage of good origin gave, on his part,
An answer that ought to be graved on the heart :
"Perhaps you might fail to have patience with me;
But without sugar-cane I can very well be.
The sugar in cane can no sweetness possess,
When bitter exacting must after it press."
(OF THE WISE MAN AND THE AMEER'S GIFT).
The Cathay Ameer sent a rich, silken dress
To a sage, who a luminous mind did possess.
He donn'd it and kissing the ground and his hands,1
Said, "A thousand Well dones' on the king of all
How fine is this dress, from the Tartar Ameer!
Yet my own ragged garment to me is more dear!"
If you're free; on the ground you should slumber, and then,
Do not kiss for a carpet the ground before men !
He kissed the hands of the messenger who brought the present.
(OF THE MAN AT THE KING's table).
One had only an onion to eat with his bread;
With life's dainties he was not, like other men, fed.
A lunatic shouted, "Oh indigent wretch !
Go and ready-cooked meat from the public tray fetch !
Demand thou, oh sir! and for no one show dread !
For cut off is the timid petitioner's bread."
He put on his cloak and with hands ready, stood;
They fractured his fingers and tore up his hood.
I have heard he was saying and shedding red tears :
"Oh my spirit! what help for what's self-done appears?
The Captive of Avarice, evil pursues;
Henceforth my own house, bread and onions, I'll use.
The barley loaf I by my own arm can eat,
Is better than charity loaves made of wheat.”
How distressed was the sleep of that base one, last night, Who on other men's tables had fastened his sight!
(OF THE OLD WOMAN'S CAT).
A cat in the house of an old woman dwelt,
Who changes of time and condition had felt.
To the banqueting hall of a ruler it went;
Through its body the slaves of the chief arrows sent.
It was running, with blood from its bones dripping rife;
It was saying, and running from fear of its life:
"If I from the hand of this archer can flee,
With the mouse of the old woman's hut I'll agree.”
The honey repays not the wound of the sting;
With contentment, date-juice more enjoyment will bring.
The Lord with that servant is not satisfied,
Who sulks at the share which the Lord has supplied.
(OF THE SHORT-SIGHTED MAN AND THE WOMAN OF NOBLE SPIRIT).
An infant the whole of his milk-teeth had got;
The father hung down his sad head in deep thought.
Saying, "Where can I get food and clothes for my son ?
It would not be manly to leave him and run !"
When the wretch made this statement in front of his wife,
Hear how bravely replied the help-meet of his life :
"Do not fear for the Devil! for while the child lives,
He who gave him the teeth also food to him gives !
The Omnipotent God has the pow'r, after all,
To give us our food; in this way, do not bawl!
He Who sketches the child in the uterine cell,
Is the Writer of life and subsistence, as well.
When a lord buys a slave he will food to him give;
How much more will He, then, Who bade the slave live?
Your reliance upon the Creator is less,
Than that which a slave on his lord should possess."
Have you heard that in ages, a long time ago,
In the hands of the saints, stone to silver would grow?
You cannot suppose that the saying's unwise :
"When content, stone and silver are one in your eyes.”
When the heart of a child knows no envy or lust,
In his eyes, what's a handful of gold, or of dust?
Make the Dervish who worships the monarch aware,
That the king than the pauper more sorrow must bear !
With one paltry Direm the beggar is pleased;
Faridun was half-glad when all Persia he seized.
Guarding kingdom and wealth is a dangerous game;
The beggar's a king, although beggar's his name.
The beggar without any care on his heart,
Is better than kings who in joy have no part.
The peasant slept happy along with his spouse,
With a joy that no king in a palace could rouse.
When sleep's flood arrives and bears man in its train,
What's the king on the throne? what's the Kurd1 on the plain?
If one is a king, and should one cotton sew,
When they sleep, both their nights into daylight will go.
When you see a rich man who is crazy in head,
Depart and thank God that you barely have bread!
Praised be God! that in you no ability lies,
That affliction on one, from your hand should arise !
(OF THE USURER AND HIS SON).
From a staircase a usurer tumbled, one day;
I have heard that his soul at the time passed away.
His son for a little lamented him sore,
And then joined his frolicsome friends, as before.
1 Kurd, a native of Kurdistan.
2 When sleep arrives it treats rich and poor alike.
He saw him one night in a dream and thus said:
"At the judgment and questioning, how have you sped?" "The story, oh son! do not ask me to tell! From the staircase I tumbled, at once, into Hell."
(OF THE GOOD MAN AND HIS HOUSE).
I have heard that a man who was good and upright,
For himself built a dwelling becoming his height.
Some one said, "I'm aware that with means you're supplied
To build a house statelier." "Stop!" he replied;
"What desire for arched ceilings comes into my mind?
This same is sufficient, for leaving behind."
In the way of a flood, oh youth, build not a seat!
For to no one was such a house ever complete.
It's against sense and reason and knowledge of God,
That a trav❜ller should build up an inn on the road.
(OF THE HOLY MAN WHO BECAME KING).
There once was a monarch of pomp and renown,
Whose 66 sun "1 to the mountain desired to go down.
He abandoned his realm to a saint of that place,
For no living successor was left of his race.
When the holy recluse heard the big drum of state,
He cared not again in retirement to wait.
He began to manœuvre his troops left and right;
The hearts of brave men were alarmed at the sight.
1 He felt that he was dying.
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