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من چنان مردم که بر خونی خویش ** نوش لطف من نشد در قهر نیش
- I am such a man that the honey of my kindness did not become poison in wrath (even) against my murderer.
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گفت پیغمبر به گوش چاکرم ** کاو برد روزی ز گردن این سرم 3845
- The Prophet said in the ear of my servant that one day he would sever this head of mine from my neck.
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کرد آگه آن رسول از وحی دوست ** که هلاکم عاقبت بر دست اوست
- The Prophet by (Divine) inspiration informed my friend that in the end my destruction would be (wrought) by his hand.
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او همیگوید بکش پیشین مرا ** تا نیاید از من این منکر خطا
- He (my friend) says, ‘Kill me first, in order that this hateful crime may not proceed from me.’
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من همیگویم چو مرگ من ز تست ** با قضا من چون توانم حیله جست
- I say, ‘Since my death is (to come) from thee, how can I seek to evade the destiny (of God)?’
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او همیافتد به پیشم کای کریم ** مر مرا کن از برای حق دو نیم
- He falls before me, saying, ‘O generous man, for God's sake cleave me in twain,
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تا نیاید بر من این انجام بد ** تا نسوزد جان من بر جان خود 3850
- That this evil end may not come upon me, and that my soul may not burn (with grief) for (thee who art) its (very) life.’
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من همیگویم برو جف القلم ** ز آن قلم بس سر نگون گردد علم
- I say, ‘Go: the Pen (of Divine ordainment) is dry; by that Pen many a (lofty) landmark is overthrown.
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هیچ بغضی نیست در جانم ز تو ** ز آن که این را من نمیدانم ز تو
- There is no hatred of thee in my soul, because I do not regard this (act) as (proceeding) from thee.
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آلت حقی تو فاعل دست حق ** چون زنم بر آلت حق طعن و دق
- Thou art God's instrument, God's hand is the (real) agent: how should I assail and oppose God's instrument?’”
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گفت او پس آن قصاص از بهر چیست ** گفت هم از حق و آن سر خفی است
- He (the knight) said, “For what reason, then, is retaliation (sanctioned)?” “’Tis from God, too,” said ‘Alí, “and that is a hidden mystery.
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گر کند بر فعل خود او اعتراض ** ز اعتراض خود برویاند ریاض 3855
- If He takes offence at His own act, (yet) He causes gardens (of good) to grow from that taking offence.
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اعتراض او را رسد بر فعل خود ** ز آن که در قهر است و در لطف او احد
- It beseems Him to take offence at His own act, inasmuch as in vengeance and mercy He is One.
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اندر این شهر حوادث میر اوست ** در ممالک مالک تدبیر اوست
- In this city of phenomena He is the Prince; in (all) the realms (of the world) He is the Ruler.
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آلت خود را اگر او بشکند ** آن شکسته گشته را نیکو کند
- If He breaks His own instrument, He mends that which has become broken.”
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رمز ننسخ آیه او ننسها ** نأت خیرا در عقب میدان مها
- Recognise, O noble sir, the indication of (the text), (Whatever) verse We shall cancel or cause to be forgotten, followed by We shall bring a better.
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هر شریعت را که حق منسوخ کرد ** او گیا برد و عوض آورد ورد 3860
- Every (religious) law that God has cancelled—He has taken away grass and brought roses in exchange.
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شب کند منسوخ شغل روز را ** بین جمادی خرد افروز را
- Night cancels the business of day: behold an inanimateness (inertia) that enlightens the intellect!
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باز شب منسوخ شد از نور روز ** تا جمادی سوخت ز آن آتش فروز
- Again, night is cancelled by the light of day, so that the inanimateness is consumed by that fire-kindling one.
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گر چه ظلمت آمد آن نوم و سبات ** نی درون ظلمت است آب حیات
- Although that sleep and rest are darkness, is not the Water of Life within the darkness?
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نی در آن ظلمت خردها تازه شد ** سکتهای سرمایهی آوازه شد
- Did not minds become refreshed in that darkness? Did not a pause (in recitation) become the source of (increased beauty in) the voice?
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که ز ضدها ضدها آمد پدید ** در سویدا روشنایی آفرید 3865
- For contraries are manifested by means of contraries: in the black core (of the heart) He (God) created the light (of love).
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جنگ پیغمبر مدار صلح شد ** صلح این آخر زمان ز آن جنگ بد
- The wars of the Prophet became the pivot (determining cause) of peace: the peace of this latter age was (produced) from those wars.
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صد هزاران سر برید آن دلستان ** تا امان یابد سر اهل جهان
- That heart-ravisher cut off hundreds of thousands of heads, in order that the heads of the (whole) world's people might win security.
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باغبان ز آن میبرد شاخ مضر ** تا بیابد نخل قامتها و بر
- The gardener lops the harmful bough, in order that the date-palm may gain (tallness of) stature and goodness.