گفت ما اول فرشته بودهایم ** راه طاعت را به جان پیمودهایم
He said, “At first I was an angel: I traversed the way of obedience (to God) with (all my) soul.
سالکان راه را محرم بدیم ** ساکنان عرش را هم دم بدیم
I was the confidant of them that follow the path (of devotion): I was familiar with them that dwell by the Throne of God.
پیشهی اول کجا از دل رود ** مهر اول کی ز دل بیرون شود
How should (one's) first calling go out of (one's) mind? How should (one's) first love go forth from (one's) heart?
در سفر گر روم بینی یا ختن ** از دل تو کی رود حب الوطن2620
If in travel you see Anatolia or Khutan, how should love of your own country go from your heart?
ما هم از مستان این می بودهایم ** عاشقان درگه وی بودهایم
I too have been one of those drunken with this wine: I have been a lover at His court.
ناف ما بر مهر او ببریدهاند ** عشق او در جان ما کاریدهاند
They cut my navel in (predestined me from birth to) love of Him: they sowed love of Him in my heart.
روز نیکو دیدهایم از روزگار ** آب رحمت خوردهایم اندر بهار
I have seen good days from Fortune: I have drunk the water of (Divine) Mercy in (my) spring-time.
نه که ما را دست فضلش کاشته ست ** از عدم ما را نه او برداشته ست
Was it not the hand of His bounty that sowed me? Was it not He that raised me up from non-existence?
ای بسا کز وی نوازش دیدهایم ** در گلستان رضا گردیدهایم2625
Oh, many is the time I have received kindness from Him and walked in the rose-garden of (His) approval.
بر سر ما دست رحمت مینهاد ** چشمههای لطف از ما میگشاد
He would lay the hand of mercy on my head, He would open (let flow) from me the fountains of grace.
وقت طفلیام که بودم شیر جو ** گاهوارم را که جنبانید او
Who found milk for me in the season of my infancy? Who rocked my cradle? He.
از که خوردم شیر غیر شیر او ** کی مرا پرورد جز تدبیر او
From whom did I drink milk other than His milk? Who nourished me except His providence?
خوی کان با شیر رفت اندر وجود ** کی توان آن را ز مردم واگشود
The disposition which has entered with the milk into (their) being—how can it be discharged (expelled) from folk?
گر عتابی کرد دریای کرم ** بسته کی گردند درهای کرم2630
If the Sea of Bounty has given (me) a rebuke, (yet) how have the doors of Bounty been shut?
اصل نقدش داد و لطف و بخشش است ** قهر بر وی چون غباری از غش است
Giving and grace and favour are the fundamental substance of His coin: wrath is (only) as a speck of alloy on it.
از برای لطف عالم را بساخت ** ذرهها را آفتاب او نواخت
He made the world for kindness' sake: His sun caressed the motes (in its beams).
فرقت از قهرش اگر آبستن است ** بهر قدر وصل او دانستن است
If separation (from Him) is big with His wrath, ’tis for the sake of knowing the worth of union with Him,
تا دهد جان را فراقش گوشمال ** جان بداند قدر ایام وصال
So that separation from Him may give the soul chastisement, (and that) the soul may know the value of the days of union.
گفت پیغمبر که حق فرموده است ** قصد من از خلق احسان بوده است2635
The Prophet has declared that God said, ‘My purpose in creating was to do good:
آفریدم تا ز من سودی کنند ** تا ز شهدم دستآلودی کنند
I created to the intent that they (My creatures) might draw some gain from Me, and that they might smear their hands with My honey;
نی برای آن که تا سودی کنم ** و ز برهنه من قبایی بر کنم
Not to the end that I might draw some gain (from them), and that I might tear off a coat from one (who is) naked.’
چند روزی که ز پیشم رانده است ** چشم من در روی خوبش مانده است
During the short while since He drove me from His presence, mine eye hath remained (fixed) upon His beauteous face;
کز چنان رویی چنین قهر ای عجب ** هر کسی مشغول گشته در سبب
(And my thought has always been), ‘Such wrath from such a face! Oh, wonderful!’ (whereas) every one (else) has become occupied with (considering) the (secondary) cause (His wrath).
من سبب را ننگرم کان حادث است ** ز انکه حادث حادثی را باعث است2640
I do not look at the cause (His wrath), which is temporal, inasmuch as the temporal (only) produces something temporal (like itself).
لطف سابق را نظاره میکنم ** هر چه آن حادث دو پاره میکنم
I am regarding (His eternally) precedent mercy: whatsoever is temporal I rend in twain.