His Mercy is long in gripping, (but) grips tight: His Presence does not keep you absent (from Him) for one moment.
گر تو خواهی شرح این وصل و ولا ** از سر اندیشه میخوان و الضحی
If you desire the explanation of this union and friendship, read thoughtfully (the Súra) Wa’l-Duhá (By the Morn).
ور تو گویی هم بدیها از وی است ** لیک آن نقصان فضل او کی است2535
And if you say that evils too are from Him, (that is true), but how is it a defect in His grace?
آن بدی دادن کمال اوست هم ** من مثالی گویمت ای محتشم
(His) bestowing that evil is even His perfection: I will tell you a parable (in illustration), O respected one.
کرد نقاشی دو گونه نقشها ** نقشهای صاف و نقشی بیصفا
A painter made two kinds of pictures––beautiful pictures and pictures devoid of beauty.
نقش یوسف کرد و حور خوش سرشت ** نقش عفریتان و ابلیسان زشت
He painted Joseph and fair-formed houris, he painted ugly afreets and devils.
هر دو گونه نقش استادی اوست ** زشتی او نیست آن رادی اوست
Both kinds of pictures are (evidence of) his mastery: those (ugly ones) are not (evidence of) his ugliness; they are (evidence of) his bounty.
زشت را در غایت زشتی کند ** جمله زشتیها به گردش بر تند2540
He makes the ugly of extreme ugliness––it is invested with all (possible) uglinesses––
تا کمال دانشش پیدا شود ** منکر استادیش رسوا شود
In order that the perfection of his skill may be displayed, (and that) the denier of his mastery may be put to shame.
ور نداند زشت کردن ناقص است ** زین سبب خلاق گبر و مخلص است
And if he cannot make the ugly, he is deficient (in skill) hence He (God) is the Creator of (both) the infidel and the sincere (faithful).
پس از این رو کفر و ایمان شاهدند ** بر خداوندیش و هر دو ساجدند
From this point of view, then, (both) infidelity and faith are bearing witness to His Lordliness, and both are bowing down in worship.
لیک مومن دان که طوعا ساجد است ** ز انکه جویای رضا و قاصد است
But know that the faithful (believer) bows down willingly, because he is seeking (God’s) pleasure and aiming (at that).
هست کرها گبر هم یزدان پرست ** لیک قصد او مرادی دیگر است2545
The infidel too is a worshipper of God, (though) unwillingly; but his aim is (directed towards) another object of desire.
قلعه‌ای سلطان عمارت میکند ** لیک دعوی امارت میکند
(It is true that) he keeps the King’s fortress in good repair; but he is claiming to be in command.
گشته یاغی تا که ملک او بود ** عاقبت خود قلعه سلطانی شود
He has become a rebel, to the intent that it may be his domain; (but) verily, in the end the fortress comes to be the King’s.
مومن آن قلعه برای پادشاه ** میکند معمور نه از بهر جاه
The faithful believer keeps that fortress in good repair for the sake of the King, not for place (and power).
زشت گوید ای شه زشت آفرین ** قادری بر خوب و بر زشت مهین
The ugly one (the infidel) says, “O King who createst the ugly, Thou art able for (able to create) the beautiful as well as the despicable (and) ugly.”
خوب گوید ای شه حسن و بها ** پاک گردانیدیم از عیبها2550
The beautiful one (the faithful believer) says, “O King of beauty and comeliness, Thou hast made me free from defects.”
وصیت کردن پیغامبر صلی الله علیه و آله مر آن بیمار را و دعا آموزانیدنش
How the Prophet, God bless and save him, gave injunctions to the sick man and taught him to pray.
گفت پیغمبر مر آن بیمار را ** این بگو کای سهل کن دشوار را
The Prophet said to the sick man: “Say thus:––‘O Thou that makest easy that which is hard,
آتنا فی دار دنیانا حسن ** آتنا فی دار عقبانا حسن
Give good unto us in our present abode, and give good unto us in our future abode!
راه را بر ما چو بستان کن لطیف ** منزل ما خود تو باشی ای شریف
Make the way agreeable to us as a garden: Thou indeed, O Glorious One, art our goal.’”
مومنان در حشر گویند ای ملک ** نی که دوزخ بود راه مشترک
At the Gathering (for Judgement) the true believers will say, “O angel, is it not (the case) that Hell is the common road,
مومن و کافر بر او یابد گذار ** ما ندیدیم اندر این ره دود و نار2555
2555(And that) true believer and infidel (alike) pass by it? We saw no smoke or fire in this road (which we have traversed).
نک بهشت و بارگاه ایمنی ** پس کجا بود آن گذرگاه دنی
Lo, here is Paradise and the Court of safety: where, then, was that vile place of passage? ”
پس ملک گوید که آن روضهی خضر ** که فلان جا دیدهاید اندر گذر
Then the angel will say, “The garden of greenery which ye saw in a certain spot as ye passed––