وَAndيُقَالُ:it is said:
And it is said:
إِنَّIndeedكِسْرَىٰKhosrowأَبْرَوِيزَParvizكَانَused toنَصَبَappointرَجُلاًa man
indeed Khosrow Parviz had appointed a man
يَمْتَحِنُto testبِهِthrough himمَنْwhoeverفَسَدَتْbecame corruptعَلَيْهِin regards to himنِيَّتُهُhis intention
to test through him whoever’s intention became corrupt
مِنْamongرَعِيَّتِهِhis subjectsوَandطَعَنَcriticizedفِيinالْمَمْلَكَةِ،the kingdom.
among his subjects and criticized the kingdom.
فَكَانَAnd the man used toالرَّجُلُmanيُظْهِرُdisplayالتَّأَلُّهَdevotion
The man used to display devotion
وَandالدُّعَاءَcallingإِلَىtoالتَّخَلِّيrenouncingمِنَtheالدُّنْيَاworld
and calling to the renunciation of the world
وَandالرَّغْبَةَdesireفِيforالْآخِرَةِthe Hereafterوَandتَرْكَleavingأَبْوَابِdoors ofالْمُلُوكِ،the kings.
and desire for the Hereafter and forsaking the doors of kings.
وَكَانَAnd he used toيَقُصُّnarrateعَلَىtoالنَّاسِthe peopleوَandيُبْكِيهِمْmake them weep
And he used to narrate stories to the people and make them weep
وَandيَشُوبُmixكَلَامَهُhis speechفِيduringخِلَالِthe course ofذَلِكَthat
and mix into his speech during the course of that
بِwithذَمِّblamingالْمَلِكِthe kingوَandتَرْكِهِhis abandoningشَرَائِعَlaws ofمِلَّتِهِhis religion
blaming the king and his abandoning the laws of his religion
وَandسُنَنِtraditions ofسِيرَتِهِhis conductوَandدِينِهِhis religionالَّذِيwhichكَانَhe wasعَلَيْهِ،upon.
and the traditions of his conduct and the religion he was upon.
وَكَانَAnd wasهَذَاthisالرَّجُلُmanيَمْتَثِلُcarrying outمَاwhatحَدَّهُset limits for himلَهُto himأَبْرَوِيزُParviz
And this man was carrying out what Parviz had set as limits for him
لِيَمْتَحِنَin order to testبِذَلِكَtherebyخَاصَّتَهُ،his inner circle.
in order to test thereby his inner circle.
وَكَانَAnd whoeverمَنْwhoيَسْعَىstrove/reportedيُخْبِرُwould informأَبْرَوِيزَParvizبِذَلِكَ،of that.
And whoever sought to report would inform Parviz of that,
فَيَضْحَكُso he laughsوَandيَقُولُ:says:فُلَانٌSo-and-soفِيinعَقْلِهِhis intellectضَعْفٌis weakness
so he laughs and says: So-and-so has a weakness in his intellect
وَandأَنَاIأَعْلَمُknowأَنَّهُthat heوَإِنْeven ifكَانَhe isيَتَكَلَّمُspeakingبِمَاwith whatيَتَكَلَّمُhe speaks
and I know that even though he speaks with what he speaks
لَاhe does notيَقْصِدُنِيintend meبِسُوءٍwith evilوَnorلَاdoes notالْمَمْلَكَةَthe kingdomبِمَاwith whatيُوهِنُهَا،weakens it.
he does not intend me with evil, nor the kingdom with what weakens it,
وَandيُظْهِرُhe displaysالِاسْتِهَانَةَscornبِأَمْرِهِfor his matterوَandالثِّقَةَtrustبِهِin himوَandالطُّمَأْنِينَةَtranquilityإِلَيْهِ،toward him.
and he displays scorn for his affair, trust in him, and tranquility toward him.
ثُمَّThenيُوَجِّهُsendsإِلَيْهِto himفِيduringخِلَالِthe course ofذَلِكَthatمَنْsomeone whoيَدْعُوهُinvites him
Then during the course of that, he sends someone to invite him
فَيَأْبَىso he refusesأَنْtoيُجِيبَهُanswer himوَandيَقُولُ:says:
and he refuses to answer him and says:
لَاIt does notيَنْبَغِيbehooveلِمَنْwhoeverخَافَfearedاللَّهَAllahأَنْthatيَخَافَhe fearsأَحَداًanyoneسِوَاهُ،besides Him.
It does not behoove whoever fears Allah to fear anyone besides Him.
فَكَانَAnd wasالطَّاعِنُthe criticعَلَىofالْمَلِكِthe kingوَandالْمَمْلَكَةِthe kingdomيُكْثِرُfrequentlyالْخَلْوَةَsecludingبِهَذَاwith thisالرَّجُلِman
And the critic of the king and the kingdom would frequently seclude himself with this man
وَandالزِّيَارَةَvisitلَهُhimوَandالْأُنْسَfind comfortبِهِ،in him.
and visit him and find comfort in him.
فَإِذَاSo whenخَلَوْاthey were aloneتَذَاكَرَاthey discussedأَمْرَthe affair ofالْمَلِكِthe king
So when they were alone, they would discuss the affair of the king
فَابْتَدَأَand beginالنَّاسِكُthe asceticفَطَعَنَby criticizingفِيهِhimوَandأَعَانَهُhelped himالْخَائِنُthe traitor
and the ascetic would begin to criticize him, and the traitor would aid him
وَandطَابَقَهُagree with himعَلَىuponذَلِكَthatوَandشَايَعَهُ،follow him.
and agree with him upon that and follow him.
فَيَقُولُSo saysالنَّاسِكُ:the ascetic:إِيَّاكَBewareوَthatأَنْthatيَظْهَرَbecomes apparentهَذَاthisالْجَبَّارُtyrantعَلَىuponكَلَامِكَyour speech
So the ascetic says: Beware lest this tyrant become aware of your speech
فَإِنَّهُfor indeed heلَاdoes notيَحْتَمِلُtolerateلَكَfor youمَاwhatيَحْتَمِلُهُhe toleratesلِي،for me.
for indeed he will not tolerate for you what he tolerates for me,
فَأَحَصَّso guard carefullyمِنْهُfrom himدَمَكَ،your blood.
so guard your blood carefully from him.
فَيَزْدَادُSo increasesالْآخَرُthe otherإِلَيْهِtoward himاسْتِنَامَةًrelianceوَandبِهِin himثِقَةً،confidence.
So the other increases in reliance upon him and confidence in him.
فَإِذَاSo whenعَلِمَknewالنَّاسِكُthe asceticأَنَّهُthat heقَدْhasبَلَغَreachedمِنَfromالطَّعْنِcriticismعَلَىofالْمَلِكِthe king
So when the ascetic knew that he had reached such a degree of criticism of the king
مَاwhatيَسْتَوْجِبُrenders obligatoryبِهِtherebyالْعُقُوبَةَpunishmentفِيinالشَّرِيعَةِthe law
as to warrant punishment by law for it,
قَالَhe saidلِمَنْto whoeverبِحَضْرَتِهِ:was in his presence:
he said to whoever was in his presence:
إِنِّيIndeed Iقَاعِدٌwill be sittingغَداًtomorrowمَجْلِساًin a gatheringلِلنَّاسِfor the people
I will be sitting tomorrow in a gathering for the people
أَقُصُّI narrateعَلَيْهِمْto themفَاحْضُرُوهُ،so attend it.
narrating to them, so attend it.
وَAndيَقُولُhe saysلِمَنْto whoeverهُوَhe isأَشَدُّmostبِهِin himثِقَةً:confident:
And he says to the one he trusts the most:
احْضُرْAttendأَنْتَyouفَإِنَّكَfor indeed youرَجُلٌare a manرَقِيقٌtenderعِنْدَatالذِّكْرِremembrance
Attend you, for indeed you are a tender-hearted man at remembrance,
حَسَنُgoodالنِّيَّةِintentionسَاكِنُcalmالرِّيحِdemeanorبَعِيدُlowالصَّوْتِvoice
of good intention, calm demeanor, low voice,
وَandأَنَّthatالنَّاسَthe peopleإِذَاwhenرَأَوْكَthey see youقَدْhaveحَضَرْتَattended
and that when the people see you have attended,
زَادَتْwill increaseنِيَّاتُهُمْtheir intentionsخَيْراًin goodnessوَandسَارَعُواthey will hastenإِلَىtoاسْتِجَابَتِي،responding to me.
their intentions will increase in goodness and they will hasten to respond to me.
فَيَقُولُSo saysالرَّجُلُ:the man:إِنِّيIأَخَافُfearمِنْfromهَذَاthisالْجَبَّارِtyrant
So the man says: I fear this tyrant,
فَلَاso do notتَذْكُرْهُmention himإِنْifحَضَرْتُ،I attend.
so do not mention him if I attend.
وَكَانَتِAnd wasالْعَلَامَةُthe signبَيْنَهُbetween himوَandبَيْنَbetweenأَبْرَوِيزَParviz
And the sign between him and Parviz
أَنَّwas thatأَبْرَوِيزَParvizقَدْhadكَانَbeenوَضَعَplacingعُيُوناًspies
was that Parviz had placed spies
يَحْضُرُونَwho would attendمَتَىwheneverجَلَسَ،he sat.
who would attend whenever he sat.
فَكَانَSoالنَّاسِكُthe asceticيَقُصُّwould narrateعَلَىtoالْعَامَّةِthe public
The ascetic would narrate to the public
وَandيُزَهِّدُmake them asceticفِيregardingالدُّنْيَاthe worldوَandيُرَغِّبُmake them desireفِيinالْآخِرَةِthe Hereafter
and make them ascetic regarding the world and desire the Hereafter,
وَwhileالْخَائِنُthe traitorحَاضِرٌ،was present.
while the traitor was present.
فَيَأْخُذُThen beginsالنَّاسِكُthe asceticفِيinذِكْرِmentioningالْمَلِكِ،the king.
Then the ascetic begins mentioning the king,
فَيَنْهَضُso arisesالْخَائِنُ،the traitor,وَandتَجِيءُcomeعُيُونُspies ofأَبْرَوِيزَParviz
so the traitor arises, and the spies of Parviz come
فَتُخْبِرُهُand inform himبِمَاof whatكَانَ،transpired.
and inform him of what transpired.
فَإِذَاSo whenزَالَdepartedالشَّكُّdoubtعَنْهُfrom himفِيregardingأَمْرِهِhis affair
So when doubt departed from him regarding his affair,
وَجَّهَهُhe directed himإِلَىtoبَعْضِsomeالْبُلْدَانِlands
he directed him to some of the lands
وَandكَتَبَwroteإِلَىtoعَامِلِهِ:his governor:
and wrote to his governor:
قَدْIndeed I haveوَجَّهْتُdirectedإِلَيْكَto youبِرَجُلٍa man
Indeed I have directed a man to you
وَandهُوَheقَادِمٌis comingعَلَيْكَupon youبَعْدَafterكِتَابِيmy letterهَذَاthis
and he is coming to you after this letter of mine,
فَأَظْهِرْso showبِرَّهُgoodness to himوَandالْأُنْسَcomfortبِهِwith himوَandالثِّقَةَtrustإِلَيْهِin himوَandالسُّكُونَtranquilityإِلَىtowardنَاحِيَتِهِhis side
so show goodness to him, comfort with him, trust in him, and tranquility toward his side.
فَإِذَاThen whenاطْمَأَنَّتْsettlesبِهِin itالدَّارُthe abodeفَاقْتُلْهُthen kill himقَتْلَةًin a manner
Then when he is settled in the abode, kill him in a manner
تُحْيِيthat revivesبِهَاtherebyبَيْتَthe House ofالنَّارِFireوَandتَصِلُupholdsبِهَاtherebyحُرْمَةَthe sanctity ofالنُّوبَهَارِ،Nوبahar.
that revives the Fire Temple thereby and upholds the sanctity of Nobahar thereby,
فَإِنَّfor indeedمَنْwhoeverفَسَدَتْbecame corruptنِيَّتُهُhis intentionبِغَيْرِwithoutعِلَّةٍcauseفِيamongالْخَاصَّةِthe eliteوَandالْعَامَّةِthe commoners
for whoever's intention became corrupt without a cause among the elite and commoners
لَاdoes notيَصْلُحُbecome rectifiedبِعِلَّةٍ،by a cause.
is not rectified by a cause.
وَAndمَنْwhoeverفَسَدَتْbecame corruptنِيَّتُهُhis intentionبِعِلَّةٍdue to a causeصَلَحَتْis rectifiedبِخِلَافِهَا.by its opposite.
And whoever's intention became corrupt due to a cause is rectified by its opposite.