They tell a tale of a king

Who was struck by illness like a spindle

So weakened his body

That he envied his subjects

For though the king is renowned in the field

In weakness, he is less than a pawn

A courtier kissed the ground

Wishing the king eternal life

In this city, there is a blessed man

Whose piety is unmatched

He has never taken the wrong path

His heart is pure and his prayers are answered

No one brought matters before him

Without achieving their goal

Summon him to pray for this

So that mercy descends from the highest heaven

He ordered the noble servants

To summon the blessed elder

They went, informed him, and the humble man came

A noble soul in humble attire

He said: Pray, O wise one

For I am bound like a needle in thread

The elder with a bent back heard this

And sharply raised a loud cry

For God is kind to the just

Forgive and see God's mercy

How can my prayer benefit

When captives are in need in the pit and bonds?

You have not shown mercy to the people

How can you expect comfort from the state?

You must seek forgiveness for your errors

Then request a prayer from the righteous sheikh

How will your prayer be accepted

When the prayers of the oppressed are against you?

The king of Persia heard this

He was filled with anger and shame

He was pained and then said to himself

Why do I suffer? The dervish spoke the truth

He ordered that all who were imprisoned

Be freed immediately by his command

The world-weary man, after two units of prayer

Raised his hands in supplication to the Judge

O You who elevate the heavens

You who took him to war, leave him in peace

Yet he continued to pray

Until the king rose and stood up

You would think he would fly from joy

Like a peacock, when he saw no chain on his foot

He ordered his treasury of jewels

To be scattered at his feet and gold upon his head

Truth should not be hidden for the sake of falsehood

He shook the dust off his clothes and said

Do not follow the same thread again

Lest it unravel once more

If you fall once, watch your step

So that you do not slip again

Listen to Saadi, for this is the truth

Not everyone who falls rises again