بخش 99 - دیدن خوارزمشاه رحمه الله در سیران در موکب خود اسپی بس نادر و تعلق دل شاه به حسن و چستی آن اسپ و سرد کردن عمادالملک آن اسپ را در دل شاه و گزیدن شاه گفت او را بر دید خویش چنانک حکیم رحمة الله علیه در الهی‌نامه فرمود چون زبان حسد شود نخاس یوسفی یابی از گزی کرباس از دلالی برادران یوسف حسودانه در دل مشتریان آن چندان حسن پوشیده شد و زشت نمودن گرفت کی وَ کانوا فیهِ مِنَ الزّاهِدینَ

A certain Amír had a fine horse: there was no equal to it in the Sultan's troop.

Early (one morning) he rode out in the royal cavalcade: suddenly the Khwárizmsháh observed the horse.

Its beauty and colour enraptured the king's eye: till his return (home) the king's eye was following the horse.

On whichever limb he let his gaze fall, each seemed to him more pleasing than the other.

Besides elegance and beauty and spiritedness, God had bestowed on it (other) exquisite qualities.

Then the king's mind sought to discover what it could be that waylaid (and overpowered) his reason,

Saying, “My eye is full and satisfied and wanting naught: it is illumined by two hundred suns.

Oh, the rook of (other) kings is (but) a pawn in my sight, (and yet) a demihorse enraptures me without any justification.

The Creator of witchery has bewitched me: ’tis a (Divine) attraction (exerted upon me), not the peculiar virtues of this (horse).”

He recited the Fátiha and uttered many a lá hawl, (but) the Fátiha (only) increased the passion in his breast,

Because the Fátiha itself was drawing him on: the Fátiha is unique in drawing on (good) and averting (evil).

If (aught) other (than God) appear (to you), ’tis (the effect of) His illusion; and if (all) other (than God) vanish from sight, ’tis (the effect of) His awakening (you to the reality).

Then it became certain to him (the king) that the attraction was from Yonder: the action of God is producing marvels at every moment.

Because of the (Divine) probation a stone horse (or) a stone cow becomes, through God's deception, an object of worship.

In the eyes of the infidel (idolater) the idol has no second (is without parallel), (though) the idol has neither glory nor spirituality.

What is the attracting power, hidden in the hidden most, that shines forth in this world from (its source in) the other world?

The intellect is barred, and the spirit also, from (access to) this ambush; I cannot see it: see it (if) you can!

When the Khwárizmsháh returned from his ride, he conferred with the nobles of his kingdom.

Then he immediately ordered the officers to fetch the horse from that (Amír's) household.

(Quick) as fire, the party (of officers) arrived (there): the Amír who was like a mountain (in pride and stubbornness) became (soft and weak) as a piece of wool

He almost expired from the anguish and defraudment: he saw no (means of) protection except the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk;

For the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk was the foot of the banner to which every victim of injustice and every one stricken by distress would flock for refuge.

In sooth there was no chief more revered than he: in the eyes of the Sultan he was like a prophet.

He was unambitious, strong-minded, devout, ascetic, one who kept vigils and was (like) Hátim in generosity;

Very felicitous in judgement, endowed with foresight, and sage: his judgement had been proved in everything that he sought to attain.

(He was) generous both in self-sacrifice and in sacrificing wealth: (he was) always seeking the Sun of the invisible world, like the new-moon.

In his (worldly) princedom he felt strange and embarrassed: he was clad (inwardly) in the attributes of (spiritual) poverty and love (of God).

He was like a father to every one in need: before the Sultan he was an intercessor and the means of averting harm.

To the wicked he was a covering (to palliate their offences), like the clemency of God: his nature was opposite to (that of other) created beings and apart (from theirs).

Many a time he would have gone alone to the mountains (in order to seclude himself), (but) the Sultan prevented (dissuaded) him by (making) a hundred humble entreaties.

If at every moment he had interceded for a hundred sins, the Sultan's eye would have been abashed before him.

He (the Amír) went to the noble ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk: he bared his head and fell on the ground,

Saying, “Let him (the king) take my harem together with all that I possess! Let any raider seize my (entire) revenue!

(But) there is this one horse—my soul is devoted to it: if he take it, I will surely die, O lover of good.

If he take this horse out of my hands, I know for certain that I shall not live (long).

Since God has bestowed (on thee) a (spiritual) connexion (with Himself), stroke my head at once with thy hand, O Messiah!

I can bear the loss of my women and gold and estates: this is not pretence nor is it an imposture.

If thou dost not believe me in this (matter), try me, try me in word and deed!”

Weeping and wiping his eyes, the ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk ran, with agitated mien, into the presence of the Sultan.

He closed his lips and stood before the Sultan, communing with God the Lord of (all) His slaves.

He stood and listened to the Sultan's intimate talk, while inwardly his thought was weaving this (prayer)—

“O God, if that young man (the Amír) has gone the wrong way, for ’tis not fitting to make any one except Thee a refuge,

(Yet) do Thou act in Thine own (generous) fashion and be not offended with him although he beseech any (poor) prisoner (like me) to deliver him,

Because all these creatures (of Thine) are in need (of Thee): take (it that) all (are alike in this respect) from a beggar to the Sultan (himself).”

To seek guidance from candle and wick when the perfect Sun is present,

To seek light from candle and lamp when the smoothly-rolling Sun is present,

Doubtless ’tis irreverence on our part, ’tis ingratitude and an act of self-will,

But most minds in (their) thinking are lovers of darkness, like the bat.

If the bat eats a worm during the night, (yet it is) the Sun (that) fosters the life of the worm.

If the bat is intoxicated with (the pleasure of eating) a worm during the night, (yet it is) by the Sun (that) the worm has been caused to move.

The Sun whence radiance gushes forth is giving food to his enemy.

But (in the case of) the royal falcon which is not a bat and whose falcon-eye is seeing truly and is clear,

If it, like the bat, seek increase (of sustenance) during the night, the Sun will rub its ear (chastise it) in correction,

And will say to it, “I grant that the perverse bat has an infirmity, (but) anyhow what is the matter with you?

I will chastise you severely with affliction, in order that you may not again turn your head away from the Sun.”