#1
چو نان خورده شد جام می‌خواستند
✦
به می جان روشن بیاراستند
“When the meal was finished, they called for wine, adorning their bright spirits with the glowing bowl.”
#2
بدانندگان شاه بیدار گفت
✦
که دانش گشاده کنید از نهفت
“The vigilant King spoke to the sages, saying: 'Unveil your knowledge from concealment.'”
#3
هران کس که دارد به دل دانشی
✦
بگوید مرا زو بود رامشی
“'Whoever possesses wisdom in his heart, let him speak, for from it I gain serenity.'”
#4
ازیشان هران کس که دانا بدند
✦
بگفتن دلیر و توانا بدند
“Whoever among them was truly wise proved brave and capable in discourse.”
#5
زبان برگشادند برشهریار
✦
کجا بود داننده را خواستار
“They opened their tongues before the monarch, who was ever the seeker of learned minds.”
#6
چو بوزرجمهر آن سخنها شنید
✦
بدانش نگه کردن شاه دید
“When Bozorgmehr heard those speeches and saw the King's deep regard for wisdom,”
#7
یکی آفرین کرد و بر پای خاست
✦
چنین گفت کای داور داد و راست
“He offered praise and rose to his feet, saying: 'O Judge of justice and truth!'”
#8
زمین بنده تاج وتخت تو باد
✦
فلک روشن از روی و بخت تو باد
“'May the earth be a servant to your throne and crown, and may the heavens shine with your fortune!'”
#9
گر ای دون که فرمان دهی بنده را
✦
که بگشاید از بند گوینده را
“'If you command your servant to unlock the fetters from the speaker's tongue,'”
#10
بگویم و گر چند بی‌مایه‌ام
✦
بدانش در از کمترین پایه‌ام
“'I shall speak, though I am of small worth and stand at the lowest step of knowledge.'”
#11
نکوهش نباشد که دانا زبان
✦
گشاده کند نزد نوشین‌روان
“'It brings no blame when a wise man speaks freely before Nushirvan.'”
#12
نگه کرد کسری بداننده گفت
✦
که دانش چرا باید اندر نهفت
“Kasra looked upon the scholar and said: 'Why should wisdom remain in secret?'”
#13
جوان برزبان پادشاهی نمود
✦
ز گفتار او روشنایی فزود
“The youth displayed royal eloquence, and from his speech brightness increased.”
#14
بدو گفت روشن روان آنکسی
✦
که کوتاه گوید به معنی بسی
“He said: 'Enlightened of soul is he who speaks briefly yet conveys vast meaning.'”
#15
کسی را که مغزش بود پرشتاب
✦
فراوان سخن باشد و دیر یاب
“'He whose mind is hasty will speak much, but wisdom in his words will be hard to find.'”
#16
چو گفتار بیهوده بسیار گشت
✦
سخن گوی در مردمی خوارگشت
“'When futile talk becomes excessive, the speaker becomes despised among men.'”
#17
هنرجوی و تیمار بیشی مخور
✦
که گیتی سپنجست و ما بر گذر
“'Seek virtue and grieve not for worldly excess, for the world is an inn and we are merely passing through.'”
#18
همه روشنیهای تو راستیست
✦
ز تاری وکژی بباید گریست
“'All your radiance comes from truthfulness; over darkness and crookedness one must weep.'”
#19
دل هرکسی بندهٔ آرزوست
✦
وزو هر یکی را دگرگونه خوست
“'Every heart is a slave to desire, and from it each person forms a different nature.'”
#20
سر راستی دانش ایزدست
✦
چو دانستیش زو نترسی بدست
“'The crown of truth is the knowledge of God; when you know Him, you shall fear no harm.'”
#21
خردمند ودانا و روشن روان
✦
تنش زین جهانست وجان زان جهان
“'The wise, learned, and enlightened man has his body in this world, but his soul belongs to the next.'”
#22
هران کس که در کار پیشی کند
✦
همه رای وآهنگ بیشی کند
“'Whoever rushes precipitously in affairs seeks only excess in all his aims.'”
#23
بنایافت رنجه مکن خویشتن
✦
که تیمارجان باشد و رنج تن
“'Do not distress yourself for what cannot be attained, for it brings anguish to the soul and pain to the body.'”
#24
ز نیرو بود مرد را راستی
✦
ز سستی دروغ آید وکاستی
“'Truthfulness in a man stems from inner strength, while falsehood and flaw spring from weakness.'”
#25
ز دانش چوجان تو را مایه نیست
✦
به از خامشی هیچ پیرایه نیست
“'If your soul lacks the wealth of knowledge, no ornament is better than silence.'”
#26
چو بردانش خویش مهرآوری
✦
خرد را ز تو بگسلد داوری
“'When you become proud of your own wisdom, judgment and discernment sever themselves from you.'”
#27
توانگر بود هر کرا آز نیست
✦
خنک بنده کش آز انباز نیست
“'Wealthy is he who harbors no greed; blessed is the servant who has not taken greed as his companion.'”
#28
مدارا خرد را برادر بود
✦
خرد بر سر جان چو افسر بود
“'Moderation is the brother of wisdom, and wisdom sits upon the soul like a crown.'”
#29
چو دانا تو را دشمن جان بود
✦
به از دوست مردی که نادان بود
“'A wise man who is your mortal enemy is far better than a friend who is ignorant.'”
#30
توانگر شد آنکس که خشنود گشت
✦
بدو آز و تیمار او سود گشت
“'Rich has become he who is content, for greed and sorrow have become profits for him through restraint.'”
#31
بآموختن گر فروتر شوی
✦
سخن را ز دانندگان بشنوی
“'If you humble yourself to learn, you shall hear meaningful words from the wise.'”
#32
به گفتار گرخیره شد رای مرد
✦
نگردد کسی خیره همتای مرد
“'If a man's judgment is blinded by vanity in speech, no one will regard him as an equal.'”
#33
هران کس که دانش فرامش کند
✦
زبان را به گفتار خامش کند
“'Whoever forgets knowledge should seal his tongue in silence.'”
#34
چوداری به دست اندرون خواسته
✦
زر و سیم و اسبان آراسته
“'When you possess wealth in your hands—gold, silver, and adorned steeds—'”
#35
هزینه چنان کن که بایدت کرد
✦
نشاید گشاد و نباید فشرد
“'Spend as it is proper to spend; one ought neither to squander nor to tighten the grip too hard.'”
#36
خردمند کز دشمنان دور گشت
✦
تن دشمن او را چو مزدور گشت
“'When a wise man stays far from enemies, his enemy's body becomes like a hired servant unto him.'”
#37
چو داد تن خویشتن داد مرد
✦
چنان دان که پیروز شد در نبرد
“'When a man renders justice to his own self, know that he has emerged victorious in battle.'”
#38
مگو آن سخن کاندرو سود نیست
✦
کزان آتشت بهره جز دود نیست
“'Speak not that word wherein lies no profit, for from that fire your share will be nothing but smoke.'”
#39
میندیش ازان کان نشاید بدن
✦
نداند کس آهن به آب آژدن
“'Ponder not upon that which cannot be, for none knows how to temper iron with water alone.'”
#40
فروتن بود شه که دانا بود
✦
به دانش بزرگ و توانا بود
“'Humble is the King who is truly wise, great in knowledge and mighty in power.'”
#41
هر آنکس که او کردهٔ کردگار
✦
بداند گذشت از بد روزگار
“'Whoever knows the deeds of the Creator shall pass safely beyond the evil of time.'”
#42
پرستیدن داور افزون کند
✦
ز دل کاوش دیو بیرون کند
“'Increasing worship of the Judge expels the demon's temptation from the heart.'”
#43
بپرهیزد از هرچ ناکردنیست
✦
نیازارد آن را که نازردنیست
“'He refrains from all that ought not to be done, and harms not that which should not be harmed.'”
#44
به یزدان گراییم فرجام کار
✦
که روزی ده اویست و پروردگار
“'Let us turn to Yazdan in the end of all things, for He is the Sustainer and the Nourisher.'”
#45
ازان خوب گفتار بوزرجمهر
✦
حکیمان همه تازه کردند چهر
“From those sublime words of Bozorgmehr, all the sages refreshed their faces with delight.”
#46
یکی انجمن ماند اندر شگفت
✦
که مرد جوان آن بزرگی گرفت
“The whole assembly remained in absolute wonder that such a young youth could possess such immense greatness.”
#47
جهاندار کسری درو خیره ماند
✦
سرافراز روزی دهان را بخواند
“Kasra, the ruler of the world, gazed upon him in marvel, and called for his noble scribes and dispensers of royal favor.”
#48
بفرمود تا نام او سر کنند
✦
بدانگه که آغاز دفتر کنند
“He commanded that Bozorgmehr's name be recorded at the very head whenever they opened the royal ledgers.”
#49
میان مهان بخت بوزرجمهر
✦
چو خورشید تابنده شد بر سپهر
“Among the grandees, the fortune of Bozorgmehr shone brilliant as the sun across the high sky.”
#50
ز پیش شهنشاه برخاستند
✦
برو آفرینی نو آراستند
“They rose from before the King of Kings, adorning him anew with high praise and commendations.”
#51
بپرسش گرفتند زو آنچ گفت
✦
که مغز ودلش باخرد بود جفت
“They began to question him regarding his words, for his heart and mind were truly paired with wisdom.”
#52
زبان تیز بگشاد مرد جوان
✦
که پاکیزه دل بود و روشن‌روان
“The young man opened his eloquent tongue—he who was pure of heart and of enlightened spirit.”
#53
چنین گفت کز خسرو دادگر
✦
نپیچید باید به اندیشه سر
“He spoke thus: "From the just King, one must never turn away, even in the secrecy of thought.”
#54
کجا چون شبانست ما گوسفند
✦
و گر ما زمین او سپهر بلند
“For he is like the shepherd and we the flock; or if we are the earth, he is the lofty sky above."”
#55
نشاید گذشتن ز پیمان اوی
✦
نه پیچیدن از رای و فرمان اوی
“"It is unbecoming to breach his covenant, or to stray from his counsel and royal command.”
#56
بشادیش باید که باشیم شاد
✦
چو داد زمانه بخواهیم داد
“We must rejoice in his joy, if we expect justice and equity from the turning of Time.”
#57
هنرهاش گسترده اندرجهان
✦
همه راز او داشتن درنهان
“His virtues are renowned throughout the world; all his secrets ought to be kept closely hidden.”
#58
مشو با گرامیش کردن دلیر
✦
کزآتش بترسد دل نره شیر
“Grow not overly bold with his favored ones, for even the fierce lion's heart trembles before fire.”
#59
اگر کوه فرمانش دارد سبک
✦
دلش خیره خوانیم و مغزش تنک
“If a mountain were to treat his order lightly, we would judge its heart foolish and its brain hollow.”
#60
همه بد ز شاهست و نیکی زشاه
✦
کزو بند و چاهست و هم تاج و گاه
“All chastisement comes from the King, as does all goodness; from him are the fetter and pit, and likewise the crown and throne.”
#61
سرتاجور فر یزدان بود
✦
خردمند ازو شاد وخندان بود
“Upon the monarch's head rests the divine glory; the wise man is gladdened and joyful because of him.”
#62
ازآهرمنست آن کزو شاد نیست
✦
دل و مغزش از دانش آباد نیست
“Whoever takes no delight in him is of Ahriman's brood, whose heart and mind are void of wisdom."”
#63
شنیدند گفتار مرد جوان
✦
فروبست فرتوت را زو زبان
“They listened to the words of the youth; his wisdom bound the tongues of the aged sages in silence.”
#64
پراگنده گشتند زان انجمن
✦
پر از آفرین روز و شبشان دهن
“They dispersed from that grand assembly, their mouths filled day and night with blessings upon him.”