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.
نقل اعراض است این بحث و مقال ** نقل اعراض است این شیر و شگال975
This discussion and talk are (involve) the carrying over of accidents; this lion and jackal are (examples of) the carrying over of accidents.
جمله عالم خود عرض بودند تا ** اندر این معنی بیامد هل أتی
Indeed, all created beings were accidents (once), so that in this sense (the text) was revealed—Did there not come…?
این عرضها از چه زاید از صور ** وین صور هم از چه زاید از فکر
Whence arise these accidents? From ideas. And whence arise these ideas? From thoughts.
این جهان یک فکرت است از عقل کل ** عقل چون شاه است و صورتها رسل
This world is one thought (emanating) from the Universal Intellect: the Intellect is like a king, and the ideas (are his) envoys.
عالم اول جهان امتحان ** عالم ثانی جزای این و آن
The first world is the world of probation; the second world is the (world of) recompense for this and that.
چاکرت شاها جنایت میکند ** آن عرض زنجیر و زندان میشود980
Thy servant, O King, commits a sin: that accident becomes (a substance, namely) chains and prison.
بندهات چون خدمت شایسته کرد ** آن عرض نه خلعتی شد در نبرد
When thy slave performed goodly service, did not that accident become a robe of honour in the battle (between the flesh and the spirit)?
این عرض با جوهر آن بیضه است و طیر ** این از آن و آن از این زاید به سیر
This accident with the substance (belonging to it) is egg and bird: this is produced by that, and that by this, in succession.”
گفت شاهنشه چنین گیر المراد ** این عرضهای تو یک جوهر نزاد
The King said, “Take the meaning (to be) so: (why then) have these accidents of yours not produced any substance?”
گفت مخفی داشته ست آن را خرد ** تا بود غیب این جهان نیک و بد
“(Divine) Wisdom,” replied the slave, “has kept it concealed, in order that this world of good and evil may be a mystery,
ز انکه گر پیدا شدی اشکال فکر ** کافر و مومن نگفتی جز که ذکر985
Because, if the (substantial) forms of thought were to become manifest, infidel and believer (alike) would speak naught but praise (of God).
پس عیان بودی نه غیب ای شاه این ** نقش دین و کفر بودی بر جبین
Then, were this clearly seen, O King, not hidden, and were the mark of religion or infidelity (visible) on the forehead,