روشنست این لیکن از طمع سحور ** آن خورنده چشم می‌بندد ز نور 3055
This (power of choice) is manifest, but in his desire for the meal taken before dawn that (greedy) eater shuts his eyes to the light.
چونک کلی میل او نان خوردنیست ** رو به تاریکی نهد که روز نیست
Since all his desire is for eating bread, he sets his face towards the darkness, saying, ‘It is not (yet) day.’
حرص چون خورشید را پنهان کند ** چه عجب گر پشت بر برهان کند
Inasmuch as greed causes the sun to be hidden (from him), what wonder if he turn his back on the convincing proof?
حکایت هم در بیان تقریر اختیار خلق و بیان آنک تقدیر و قضا سلب کننده‌ی اختیار نیست
A Story illustrating and confirming the view that mankind have the power of choice, and showing that Pre-ordination and Predestination do not annul the power of choice.
گفت دزدی شحنه را کای پادشاه ** آنچ کردم بود آن حکم اله
A thief said to the magistrate, ‘O (my) king, that which I have done was decreed by God.’
گفت شحنه آنچ من هم می‌کنم ** حکم حقست ای دو چشم روشنم
The magistrate replied, ‘That which I am doing is also decreed by God, O light of my eyes.’
از دکانی گر کسی تربی برد ** کین ز حکم ایزدست ای با خرد 3060
If any one take a radish from a (greengrocer's) shop, saying, ‘This is decreed by God, O man of understanding,’
بر سرش کوبی دو سه مشت ای کره ** حکم حقست این که اینجا باز نه
You (the greengrocer) will give him two or three blows on the head with your fist, (as though to say), ‘O detestable man, this (beating) is God's decree that you put it (the radish) back here.’
در یکی تره چو این عذر ای فضول ** می‌نیاید پیش بقالی قبول
Since this excuse, O trifler, is not accepted (even) by a greengrocer in the case of (stealing) a single vegetable,
چون بدین عذر اعتمادی می‌کنی ** بر حوالی اژدهایی می‌تنی
How are you placing (such) a reliance on this excuse and frequenting the neighbourhood of (such) a dragon?
از چنین عذر ای سلیم نانبیل ** خون و مال و زن همه کردی سبیل
By (making) an excuse like this, O ignoble simpleton, you sacrifice all—your life, your property, and your wife;
هر کسی پس سبلت تو بر کند ** عذر آرد خویش را مضطر کند 3065
(For) afterwards every one will pluck your moustache and offer (the same) excuse and make himself out to be acting under compulsion.
حکم حق گر عذر می‌شاید ترا ** پس بیاموز و بده فتوی مرا
If ‘the decree of God’ seems to you a proper excuse, then instruct me and give me a canonical decision (on the point);
که مرا صد آرزو و شهوتست ** دست من بسته ز بیم و هیبتست
For I have a hundred desires and lusts, (but) my hand is tied by fear and awe (of God).
پس کرم کن عذر را تعلیم ده ** برگشا از دست و پای من گره
Do me a favour, then: teach me the excuse, untie the knots from my hands and feet!
اختیاری کرده‌ای تو پیشه‌ای ** که اختیاری دارم و اندیشه‌ای
You have chosen a handicraft, (thereby) saying (virtually), ‘I have a (certain) choice and a (certain) thought.’
ورنه چون بگزیده‌ای آن پیشه را ** از میان پیشه‌ها ای کدخدا 3070
Otherwise, how have you chosen that (particular) handicraft out of all the rest, O master of the house?
چونک آید نوبت نفس و هوا ** بیست مرده اختیار آید ترا
When the hour comes for the flesh and the passions (to be indulged), there comes to you as great a power of choice as is possessed by twenty men;
چون برد یک حبه از تو یار سود ** اختیار جنگ در جانت گشود
When your friend deprives you of a farthing of profit, the power to pick a quarrel (with him) is (at once) developed in your soul;
چون بیاید نوبت شکر نعم ** اختیارت نیست وز سنگی تو کم
(But) when the hour comes for thanksgiving on account of (God's) benefactions, you have no power of choice and are inferior to a stone.
دوزخت را عذر این باشد یقین ** که اندرین سوزش مرا معذور بین
Assuredly this will be the excuse of your Hell, (namely), ‘Consider me excused for this burning!’
Since no one holds you excusable on this plea, and (since) this (plea) does not keep you out of the hands of the executioner,
پس بدین داور جهان منظوم شد ** حال آن عالم همت معلوم شد
(Clearly), then, the (present) world is arranged according to this rule, and the state of things in yonder world too is made known to you.
حکایت هم در جواب جبری و اثبات اختیار و صحت امر و نهی و بیان آنک عذر جبری در هیچ ملتی و در هیچ دینی مقبول نیست و موجب خلاص نیست از سزای آن کار کی کرده است چنانک خلاص نیافت ابلیس جبری بدان کی گفت بما اغویتنی والقلیل یدل علی الکثیر
Another Story in answer to the Necessitarian, confirming (Man's) power of choice and the validity of the (Divine) commands and prohibitions, and showing that the Necessitarian's excuse is not accepted in any religious sect or in any religion and that it does not save him from being duly punished for the (sinful) actions which he has committed, just as the Necessitarian Iblís was not saved (from punishment) by saying (to God), ‘Because Thou hast made me to err.’ And the little indicates the much.
آن یکی می‌رفت بالای درخت ** می‌فشاند آن میوه را دزدانه سخت
A certain man was climbing up a tree and vigorously scattering the fruit in the manner of thieves.
صاحب باغ آمد و گفت ای دنی ** از خدا شرمیت کو چه می‌کنی
The owner of the orchard came along and said (to him), ‘O rascal, where is your reverence for God? What are you doing?’
گفت از باغ خدا بنده‌ی خدا ** گر خورد خرما که حق کردش عطا
He replied, ‘If a servant of God eat from God's orchard the dates which God has bestowed upon him as a gift,