از زراعت خاکها شد سنبله ** داروی مو کرد مو را سلسله950
Land, through sowing, is turned into ears of corn; remedies for the hair turn the hair into chains (make it long and curly).
آن نکاح زن عرض بد شد فنا ** جوهر فرزند حاصل شد ز ما
Conjugal intercourse was the accident; it passed away, and the substance, (which is) the child, was produced from us.
جفت کردن اسب و اشتر را عرض ** جوهر کره بزاییدن غرض
The mating of horse or camel is the accident; the object is the birth of the colt, (which is) the substance.
هست آن بستان نشاندن هم عرض ** گشت جوهر کشت بستان نک غرض
Similarly, the planting of the garden is the accident; the produce (of the garden) became the substance: take ( it and) behold the object!
هم عرض دان کیمیا بردن بکار ** جوهری ز آن کیمیا گر شد بیار
Regard, also, the practice of alchemy as the accident; if a substance is produced by that alchemy, bring (it into view).
صیقلی کردن عرض باشد شها ** زین عرض جوهر همیزاید صفا955
Burnishing is the accident, O prince; from this accident is born the substance, purity.
پس مگو که من عملها کردهام ** دخل آن اعراض را بنما مرم
Do not say, then, ‘I have done deeds’; show the income (fruit) of those accidents, do not evade (my request).
این صفت کردن عرض باشد خمش ** سایهی بز را پی قربان مکش
This attribution of qualities is (only) an accident. Be silent: do not kill for sacrifice the goat's shadow!”
گفت شاها بیقنوط عقل نیست ** گر تو فرمایی عرض را نقل نیست
The slave said, “O King, the mind cannot but despair if you say that accidents are not carried over.
پادشاها جز که یاس بنده نیست ** گر عرض کان رفت باز آینده نیست
O King, there is nothing but despair for the servant (of God), if the accident that has gone is not coming back.
گر نبودی مر عرض را نقل و حشر ** فعل بودی باطل و اقوال فشر960
If there were no carrying over and resurrection of accidents, action would be vain and words (mere) babble.
این عرضها نقل شد لونی دگر ** حشر هر فانی بود کونی دگر
These accidents are carried over in another guise: the resurrection of everything mortal is another (mode of) existence.
نقل هر چیزی بود هم لایقش ** لایق گله بود هم سایقش
The carrying over of everything is just as befits it: what befits the herd is its drover.
وقت محشر هر عرض را صورتی است ** صورت هر یک عرض را نوبتی است
At the time of the Resurrection every accident has a (particular) form, and the form of every accident has a turn (of appearing before God).
بنگر اندر خود نه تو بودی عرض ** جنبش جفتی و جفتی با غرض
Look on thyself. Wert not thou an accident—the movement of copulation, and copulation with a purpose?
بنگر اندر خانه و کاشانهها ** در مهندس بود چون افسانهها965
Look on houses and edifices: they were as tales in the (mind of) the architect.
آن فلان خانه که ما دیدیم خوش ** بود موزون صفه و سقف و درش
Such-and-such a house, which seemed to us beautiful, of which the hall, roof, and door were well-proportioned—
از مهندس آن عرض و اندیشهها ** آلت آورد و ستون از بیشهها
(’Twas) the accident (design) and ideas (proceeding) from the architect (that) brought the tools (into existence) and the pillars (which come) from the forests.
چیست اصل و مایهی هر پیشهای ** جز خیال و جز عرض و اندیشهای
What but some fancy and accident and idea is the origin and source of every handicraft?
جمله اجزای جهان را بیغرض ** درنگر حاصل نشد جز از عرض
Look disinterestedly on all the (various) parts of the world: they are not the result of (anything) except accident.
اول فکر آخر آمد در عمل ** بنیت عالم چنان دان در ازل970
The beginning, which is thought, comes to an end in action; know that in such wise was the construction of the world in eternity.
میوهها در فکر دل اول بود ** در عمل ظاهر به آخر میشود
The fruits are first in the mind's thought, (but only) at the last do they become manifest actually:
چون عمل کردی شجر بنشاندی ** اندر آخر حرف اول خواندی
When you have done work (and) planted the tree—at the end (when the fruit appears) you read the first words.
گر چه شاخ و برگ و بیخش اول است ** آن همه از بهر میوه مرسل است
Although its boughs, leaves, and roots are first, (yet) all those are sent for the sake of the fruit.
پس سری که مغز آن افلاک بود ** اندر آخر خواجهی لولاک بود
Hence that hidden Thought which was the brain (core) of those (nine) heavens was in the end the lord of lawlák.