Mem and Zin, Kurdish national epic translated from mitch cohen

dove l'ultima coppia di versi recita:

per male azioni fui pagato bene
per le buone non ricevetti un soldo.

Part of a chapter from the Kurdish national epic "Mem and Zin" that I'm translating. 

The meter is iambic, 12 syllables in the first line of a verse, 13 in the second, thus first a masculine, then a feminine end to the lines (in meter-technical terms).

Here the Prince of Botan has just listened to his evil watchman and counselor Bekir, and the author Xani (Khani) muses:

Verse 1981
There are some rulers – virtuous, intelligent –
Who nonetheless cannot distinguish good from evil.

1982
Naïve, they might as well be stupid and stone-blind;
Their hearts neglect to plumb the source and depths of speeches.

1983
Their hearts are ears, and yet their ears don’t hear their hearts;
Their eyes are backwards: eyeballs black and white their pupils.

1984
When evil people slyly whisper bad advice,
They give it all the credence due to truth and wisdom.

1985
No question in their minds if evil or if good,
Or whether truth is told or just a sly deception.

1986
Shortsighted, they lack wisdom and all common sense.
They’re quick to anger with no cause and have no patience.

1987
And many are conceited, thinking they are shrewd,
But most are far removed from prudence and from knowledge.

1988
This makes them prey for greedy, sly, and evil men.
The low, despicable, the kind who lack all honor,

1989
Insinuate themselves as friends and councilors,
Thus bringing scandal over ministers and rulers:

1990
Appointed posts in public office, where they scheme
And do not render service to the state, but damage.

1991
A prince who rules a state and is intelligent
As well as merciful and just, in short, a statesman,

1992
Will never delegate his power to a man
Who hasn’t been subjected to a thorough testing.

1993
He’ll test the man with rigor up to forty times
Before promoting him to posts that hold great power.

1994
If one is Prince, the other Minister of State,
Their stewardships will merely be an intermezzo.

1995
If, on this stage, the roles they play are both the same,
They’re clowns and villains who confuse the good with evil.

1996
If you don’t stray in silence from the path of truth,
You’ll never hold a minister’s prestigious office.