این قصاص نقد حیلت‌سازیست ** پیش زخم آن قصاص این بازیست3665
This immediate retaliation (which is exacted in the present world) is (only) a makeshift: in comparison with the blow of that (future) retaliation this is a (mere) play.
زین لعب خواندست دنیا را خدا ** کین جزا لعبست پیش آن جزا
God hath called the present world a play because this penalty is a play in comparison with that penalty.
این جزا تسکین جنگ و فتنه‌ایست ** آن چو اخصا است و این چون ختنه‌ایست
This penalty is a means of allaying war and civil strife: that one is like a castration, while this one resembles a circumcision.
بیان آنک خلق دوزخ گرسنگانند و نالانند به حق کی روزیهای ما را فربه گردان و زود زاد به ما رسان کی ما را صبر نماند
Explaining that the people of Hell are hungry and make lamentable entreaty to God, saying, "Cause our portions to be fat and let the provender reach us quickly, for we can endure no more."
این سخن پایان ندارد موسیا ** هین رها کن آن خران را در گیا
This discourse hath no end. (God said), “Hark, O Moses, let those asses go to the grass,
تا همه زان خوش علف فربه شوند ** هین که گرگانند ما را خشم‌مند
That they may all be fattened by that goodly fodder. Hark, (let them in), for We have wrathful wolves.
ناله‌ی گرگان خود را موقنیم ** این خران را طعمه‌ی ایشان کنیم3670
We surely know the plaintive cry of Our wolves: We make these asses a means of livelihood for them.
این خران را کیمیای خوش دمی ** از لب تو خواست کردن آدمی
The gracious alchemy breathed from thy lips wished to make these asses human.
تو بسی کردی به دعوت لطف و جود ** آن خران را طالع و روزی نبود
Much kindness and favour didst thou show in calling them (to God), (but) ’twas not the fortune and provision allotted to those asses.
پس فرو پوشان لحاف نعمتی ** تا بردشان زود خواب غفلتی
Therefore let the quilt of bounty cover them, that the slumber of forgetfulness may overtake them speedily,
تا چو بجهند از چنین خواب این رده ** شمع مرده باشد و ساقی شده
So that, when this troop (of asses) shall start up from suchlike slumber, the candle will have been extinguished and the cup-bearer will have gone.
داشت طغیانشان ترا در حیرتی ** پس بنوشند از جزا هم حسرتی3675
Their rebellious disobedience kept thee in a (great) perplexity: therefore they shall suffer in retribution a (great) sorrow,
تا که عدل ما قدم بیرون نهد ** در جزا هر زشت را درخور دهد
To the end that Our justice may step forth and bestow in retribution what is appropriate to every evil-doer;
که آن شهی که می‌ندیدندیش فاش ** بود با ایشان نهان اندر معاش
For the King, whom they were not seeing openly, was (always) with them secretly in their lives.”
چون خرد با تست مشرف بر تنت ** گر چه زو قاصر بود این دیدنت
Inasmuch as the intellect is with thee, overseeing thy body, and though this perception of thine is unable to apprehend it,
نیست قاصر دیدن او ای فلان ** از سکون و جنبشت در امتحان
(Yet) its perception, O such and such, is not unable to apprehend thy motion and rest when it tries,
چه عجب گر خالق آن عقل نیز ** با تو باشد چون نه‌ای تو مستجیز3680
What wonder if the Creator of that intellect too is with thee? How art thou not conceding (the truth of that)?
از خرد غافل شود بر بد تند ** بعد آن عقلش ملامت می‌کند
He (some one) pays no heed to his intellect and embarks on evil; afterwards his intellect rebukes him.
تو شدی غافل ز عقلت عقل نی ** کز حضورستش ملامت کردنی
You forgot your intellect, your intellect did not (forget you), since that act of rebuke is the result of its presence (attention).
گر نبودی حاضر و غافل بدی ** در ملامت کی ترا سیلی زدی
If it had not been present (attentive) and had been heedless, how should it have slapped you in rebuke?
ور ازو غافل نبودی نفس تو ** کی چنان کردی جنون و تفس تو
And if your carnal soul had not been inattentive to it, how should your madness and heat have acted thus?
پس تو و عقلت چو اصطرلاب بود ** زین بدانی قرب خورشید وجود3685
Hence you and your intellect are like the astrolabe: by this means you may know the nearness of the Sun of existence.
قرب بی‌چونست عقلت را به تو ** نیست چپ و راست و پس یا پیش رو
Your intellect is indescribably near to you: it is neither to the left nor to the right nor behind nor in front.
قرب بی‌چون چون نباشد شاه را ** که نیابد بحث عقل آن راه را
How (then) should not the King be indescribably near? for intellectual search cannot find the way (to Him).
نیست آن جنبش که در اصبع تراست ** پیش اصبع یا پسش یا چپ و راست
The motion that you have in your finger is not in front of your finger or behind it or to the left or to the right.
وقت خواب و مرگ از وی می‌رود ** وقت بیداری قرینش می‌شود
At the time of sleep and death it (the motion) goes from it (the finger); at the time of waking it rejoins it.