If He make me a fountain, I give water; and if He make me fire, I give heat.
گر مرا باران کند خرمن دهم ** ور مرا ناوک کند در تن جهم
If He make rain of me, I give a cornstack; and if He make an arrow of me, I dart into the body.
گر مرا ماری کند زهر افکنم ** ور مرا یاری کند خدمت کنم
If He make me a snake (márí), I emit venom; and if He make me a friend (yárí), I do (kindly) service.
من چو کلکم در میان اصبعین ** نیستم در صف طاعت بین بین 1690
I am as a pen between His two fingers: I am not a waverer in the ranks of obedience (to Him).”
خاک را مشغول کرد او در سخن ** یک کفی بربود از آن خاک کهن
He (Azrael) engaged the Earth in (this) discourse, (and meanwhile) he snatched from the old Earth a handful (of clay).
ساحرانه در ربود از خاکدان ** خاک مشغول سخن چون بی‌خودان
(Deftly) like a magician he snatched it from the Earth, (whilst) the Earth was absorbed, like those beside themselves, in (listening to) his words.
برد تا حق تربت بی‌رای را ** تا به مکتب آن گریزان پای را
He brought the inconsiderate clay to God: (he brought) the runaway (back) to school.
گفت یزدان که به علم روشنم ** که ترا جلاد این خلقان کنم
God said, “(I swear) by My resplendent knowledge, I will make thee the executioner of these (My) creatures.”
گفت یا رب دشمنم گیرند خلق ** چون فشارم خلق را در مرگ حلق 1695
He replied, “O Lord, Thy creatures will regard me as their enemy when I strangle them at death.
تو روا داری خداوند سنی ** که مرا مبغوض و دشمن‌رو کنی
Dost Thou deem it right, O exalted Lord, to make me hated and like a foe in appearance?”
گفت اسبابی پدید آرم عیان ** از تب و قولنج و سرسام و سنان
He (God) said, “I will bring into clear view certain causes, (such as) fever and dysentery and phrenitis and spear(-wounds);
که بگردانم نظرشان را ز تو ** در مرضها و سببهای سه تو
For (so) I will turn their attention from thee to the diseases and threefold causes (of death).”
گفت یا رب بندگان هستند نیز ** که سببها را بدرند ای عزیز
He (Azrael) replied, “O Lord, there are also servants (of Thine) who rend (shatter the illusion of) causes, O Almighty.”
چشمشان باشد گذاره از سبب ** در گذشته از حجب از فضل رب 1700
Their eye pierces through the cause: by the grace of the Lord, it has passed beyond (all) veils.
سرمه‌ی توحید از کحال حال ** یافته رسته ز علت و اعتلال
It has obtained the collyrium of Unity from the oculist of ecstasy and has been delivered from ailment and infirmity.
ننگرند اندر تب و قولنج و سل ** راه ندهند این سببها را به دل
They do not look at fever and dysentery and consumption: they do not admit these causes into their heart;
زانک هر یک زین مرضها را دواست ** چون دوا نپذیرد آن فعل قضاست
For every one of these diseases has its cure: when it becomes incurable, that is the act of the (Divine) Decree.
هر مرض دارد دوا می‌دان یقین ** چون دوای رنج سرما پوستین
Know for certain that every disease has its cure, as (for example) a fur is the cure for the pain of cold;
چون خدا خواهد که مردی بفسرد ** سردی از صد پوستین هم بگذرد 1705
(Yet), when God wills that a man shall be frozen, the cold penetrates even a hundred furs
در وجودش لرزه‌ای بنهد که آن ** نه به جامه به شود نه از آشیان
And puts into his body a tremor that will not be made better by (wrapping himself in) clothes or by (snuggling in) the house.
چون قضا آید طبیب ابله شود ** وان دوا در نفع هم گمره شود
When the Decree comes, the physician is made foolish, and the medicine too loses its beneficial effect.
کی شود محجوب ادراک بصیر ** زین سببهای حجاب گول‌گیر
How should the perception of the (mystic) seer be veiled by these (secondary) causes, which are a veil to catch the dolt?
اصل بیند دیده چون اکمل بود ** فرع بیند چونک مرد احول بود
When the eye is quite perfect, it sees the root (origin); when a man is squint-eyed, it sees the branch (derivative).
جواب آمدن کی آنک نظر او بر اسباب و مرض و زخم تیغ نیاید بر کار تو عزرائیل هم نیاید کی تو هم سببی اگر چه مخفی‌تری از آن سببها و بود کی بر آن رنجور مخفی نباشد کی و هو اقرب الیه منکم و لکن لا تبصرون
The (Divine) answer, (namely), “One who does not regard causes and diseases and sword-wounds will likewise pay no regard to thy action, O Azrael, for thou too art a (secondary) cause, although thou art more concealed than those (other) causes.” And maybe it (the real nature of Azrael) is not concealed from the sick (dying) man, for He (God) is nigher to him than ye are, but ye do not see.
گفت یزدان آنک باشد اصل دان ** پس ترا کی بیند او اندر میان 1710
God said, “He who perceives the origin (does not regard the derivative): how, then, should he be conscious of thy intervention?
گرچه خویش را عامه پنهان کرده‌ای ** پیش روشن‌دیدگان هم پرده‌ای
Although thou hast concealed thyself (thy real nature) from the vulgar, still to the clear-eyed (mystics) thou art (no more than) a veil (instrument).”