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,
عامیانه چه ملامت می‌کنی ** بخل بر خوان خداوند غنی 3080
Why do you vulgarly blame (him)? Stinginess at the table of the all-Rich Lord!’
گفت ای ایبک بیاور آن رسن ** تا بگویم من جواب بوالحسن
‘O Aybak,’ said he, ‘fetch that rope, that I may give my answer to Bu ’l-Hasan (to this fine fellow).’
پس ببستش سخت آن دم بر درخت ** می‌زد او بر پشت و ساقش چوب سخت
Then at once he bound him tightly to the tree and thrashed him hard on the back and legs with a cudgel.
گفت آخر از خدا شرمی بدار ** می‌کشی این بی‌گنه را زار زار
He (the thief) cried, ‘Pray, have some reverence for God! Thou art killing me miserably who am innocent.’
گفت از چوب خدا این بنده‌اش ** می‌زند بر پشت دیگر بنده خوش
He answered, ‘With God's cudgel this servant of His is soundly beating the back of another servant.
چوب حق و پشت و پهلو آن او ** من غلام و آلت فرمان او 3085
’Tis God's cudgel, and the back and sides belong to Him: I am (only) the slave and instrument of His command.’
گفت توبه کردم از جبر ای عیار ** اختیارست اختیارست اختیار
He (the thief) said, ‘O cunning knave, I make a recantation of Necessitarianism: there is free-will, there is free-will, (there is) free-will!’
اختیارات اختیارش هست کرد ** اختیارش چون سواری زیر گرد
His (God's universal) power of choice brought (our individual) powers of choice into existence: His power of choice is like a rider (hidden) beneath the dust (which he raises).
اختیارش اختیار ما کند ** امر شد بر اختیاری مستند
His (God's) power of choice makes our power of choice; His command is based on (is exercised in virtue of) a power of choice (in us).
حاکمی بر صورت بی‌اختیار ** هست هر مخلوق را در اقتدار
Every created being has it in his power to exercise authority over the form (that is) without free-will,
تا کشد بی‌اختیاری صید را ** تا برد بگرفته گوش او زید را 3090
So that he (who is in possession of that power) drags (whither he pleases) the (lifeless) prey devoid of will, (or) so that having seized Zayd by the ear, he leads him away.
لیک بی هیچ آلتی صنع صمد ** اختیارش را کمند او کند
But (it is) the action of the Lord (that), without (using) any instrument, makes his free-will a noose for him (to catch Zayd).
اختیارش زید را قدیش کند ** بی‌سگ و بی‌دام حق صیدش کند
His (God's) free-will makes him a fetter for Zayd: God makes him (Zayd's captor) His prey without (the help of) dog or snare.
آن دروگر حاکم چوبی بود ** وآن مصور حاکم خوبی بود
The carpenter has authority over a piece of wood, and the artist has authority over (the portrait of) a beauty;
هست آهنگر بر آهن قیمی ** هست بنا هم بر آلت حاکمی
The ironsmith is a superintendent of iron; the builder also is a ruler over his tools.
نادر این باشد که چندین اختیار ** ساجد اندر اختیارش بنده‌وار 3095
This (matter) is extraordinary; for all this (human) free-will is bowing low, like a slave, in (homage to) His (God's) free-will.
قدرت تو بر جمادات از نبرد ** کی جمادی را از آنها نفی کرد
When did the power forcibly exercised by you over inanimate objects deprive them of (their) inanimateness?
قدرتش بر اختیارات آنچنان ** نفی نکند اختیاری را از آن
Similarly, His (God's) power over (our) acts of free-will does not deprive any act of free-will of that (quality).
خواستش می‌گوی بر وجه کمال ** که نباشد نسبت جبر و ضلال
Declare that His (God's) will is (exercised) in a complete manner, (but) without there being (involved in it) the attribution (to Him) of compulsion (jabr) and (responsibility for) error (disobedience to His commands).
چونک گفتی کفر من خواست ویست ** خواست خود را نیز هم می‌دان که هست
Since you have said, ‘My unbelief is willed by Him,’ know that it is also willed by yourself;
زانک بی‌خواه تو خود کفر تو نیست ** کفر بی‌خواهش تناقض گفتنیست 3100
For without your will your unbelief does not exist at all: involuntary unbelief is a self-contradiction.
امر عاجز را قبیحست و ذمیم ** خشم بتر خاصه از رب رحیم
’Tis abominable and blameworthy to lay a command on one incapable (of obeying it); and anger (on account of his disobedience) is worse, especially from the Merciful Lord.