ما هم از وی اعجمی سازیم خویش ** پاسخش آریم چون بیگانه پیش
Let us too feign ourselves to be ignorant thereof and elicit the answer to it (to the question) as (if we were) strangers (seeking information).
خرفروشان خصم یکدیگر شدند ** تا کلید قفل آن عقد آمدند
(Similarly) the ass-sellers became rivals to one another in order that they might open the way to the contract (of sale).
پس بفرمودش خدا ای ذولباب ** چون بپرسیدی بیا بشنو جواب3015
Then God spake unto him, saying, “O thou who possessest the most excellent (understanding), since thou hast asked (the question), come, hear the answer.
موسیا تخمی بکار اندر زمین ** تا تو خود هم وا دهی انصاف این
O Moses, sow some seed in the earth, that thou thyself mayst render justice to this (question).”
چونک موسی کشت و شد کشتش تمام ** خوشه‌هااش یافت خوبی و نظام
When Moses had sown and the seed-corn was complete (in growth) and its ears had gained beauty and symmetry,
داس بگرفت و مر آن را می‌برید ** پس ندا از غیب در گوشش رسید
He took the sickle and was cutting that (crop); then a voice from the Unseen reached his ear,
که چرا کشتی کنی و پروری ** چون کمالی یافت آن را می‌بری
Crying, “Why dost thou sow and tend some seed-corn and (now) art cutting it when it has attained to perfection?”
گفت یا رب زان کنم ویران و پست ** که درینجا دانه هست و کاه هست3020
He replied, “O Lord, I destroy and lay it low because straw is here and (also) grain.
دانه لایق نیست درانبار کاه ** کاه در انبار گندم هم تباه
The grain is not suitable (to be stored) in the straw-barn; the straw likewise is bad (for putting) in the corn-barn.
نیست حکمت این دو را آمیختن ** فرق واجب می‌کند در بیختن
’Tis not wisdom to mix these twain: it (wisdom) makes necessary the separation (of them) in winnowing.”
گفت این دانش تو از کی یافتی ** که به دانش بیدری بر ساختی
He (God) said, “From whom didst thou gain this knowledge, so that by means of the knowledge thou didst construct a threshing-floor?”
گفت تمییزم تو دادی ای خدا ** گفت پس تمییز چون نبود مرا
He replied, “Thou, O God, gavest me discernment.” He (God) said, “Then how should I not have discernment?”
در خلایق روحهای پاک هست ** روحهای تیره‌ی گلناک هست3025
Amongst the created beings are pure spirits; there are (also) spirits dark and muddy.
این صدفها نیست در یک مرتبه ** در یکی درست و در دیگر شبه
These shells are not in one grade: in one (of them) is the pearl and in another the (worthless) bead.
واجبست اظهار این نیک و تباه ** هم‌چنانک اظهار گندمها ز کاه
It is necessary to make manifest (the difference between) this good and evil, just as (it is necessary) to make manifest (distinguish) the wheat from the straw.
بهر اظهارست این خلق جهان ** تا نماند گنج حکمتها نهان
(The creation of) these creatures of the world is for the purpose of manifestation, to the end that the treasure of (Divine) providences may not remain hidden.
He (God) said, “I was a hidden treasure”: hearken! Do not let thy (spiritual) substance be lost: become manifest!
بیان آنک روح حیوانی و عقل جز وی و وهم و خیال بر مثال دوغند و روح کی باقیست درین دوغ هم‌چون روغن پنهانست
Explaining that the animal spirit and the particular (discursive) reason and the imagination and the fancy may be compared to buttermilk, while the spirit, which is everlasting, is hidden in this buttermilk, like the butter.
جوهر صدقت خفی شد در دروغ ** هم‌چو طعم روغن اندر طعم دوغ3030
Thy true substance is concealed in falsehood, like the taste of butter in the taste of buttermilk.
آن دروغت این تن فانی بود ** راستت آن جان ربانی بود
Thy falsehood is this perishable body; thy truth is that lordly spirit.
سالها این دوغ تن پیدا و فاش ** روغن جان اندرو فانی و لاش
(During many) years this buttermilk, (which is) the body, is visible and manifest, (while) the butter, (which is) the spirit, is perishing and naughted within it,
تا فرستد حق رسولی بنده‌ای ** دوغ را در خمره جنباننده‌ای
Till God send a messenger (prophet), a (chosen) servant, a shaker of the buttermilk in the churn,
تا بجنباند به هنجار و به فن ** تا بدانم من که پنهان بود من
That he may shake (it) with method and skill, to the end that I may know that (my true) ego was hidden;
یا کلام بنده‌ای کان جزو اوست ** در رود در گوش او کو وحی جوست3035
Or (till) the speech of a (chosen) servant, which is part is part of (the speech of) him (the prophet), enter into the ear of him who is seeking inspiration.
اذن مومن وحی ما را واعیست ** آنچنان گوشی قرین داعیست
The true believer's ear is retaining our inspiration: such an ear is closely linked to the caller (the perfect saint)—
هم‌چنانک گوش طفل از گفت مام ** پر شود ناطق شود او درکلام
Just as (for example) the infant's ear is filled with its mother's words, (and then) it (the infant) begins to speak articulately;