کی کند آن مست جز عدل و صواب ** که ز جام حق کشیدست او شراب
The drunken man who has quaffed wine from God's cup— how should he do aught but justice and right?
جادوان فرعون را گفتند بیست ** مست را پروای دست و پای نیست
The magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘Stop! He that is drunken hath no care for his hands and feet.
دست و پای ما می آن واحدست ** دست ظاهر سایه است و کاسدست 3110
The wine of the One (God) is our (real) hands and feet; the apparent hand is (but) a shadow and worthless.’
معنی ما شاء الله کان یعنی خواست خواست او و رضا رضای او جویید از خشم دیگران و رد دیگران دلتنگ مباشید آن کان اگر چه لفظ ماضیست لیکن در فعل خدا ماضی و مستقبل نباشد کی لیس عند الله صباح و لا مساء
The meaning of ‘whatever God willed came to be,’ i.e. ‘the will is His will and pleasure. Seek His pleasure, be not distressed by the anger of others and the disapproval of others.’ Although the word ‘kána’ (came to be) denotes the past, yet there is no past or future in the action of God, for with God there is neither morn nor eve.
قول بنده ایش شاء الله کان ** بهر آن نبود که تنبل کن در آن
The saying of (God's) servant, ‘whatever God wills comes to pass’ does not signify ‘be lazy (inactive) in that (matter)’;
بلک تحریضست بر اخلاص و جد ** که در آن خدمت فزون شو مستعد
Nay, it is an incitement to entire self-devotion and exertion, meaning, ‘Make yourself exceedingly ready to perform that service.’
گر بگویند آنچ می‌خواهی تو راد ** کار کار تست برحسب مراد
If you are told, O sage, that what you wish (will come to pass, and that) you have full power to act according to your desire,
آنگهان تنبل کنی جایز بود ** کانچ خواهی و آنچ گویی آن شود
Then, if you are neglectful (in serving God), ’tis permissible; for what you wish and say will come to pass.
چون بگویند ایش شاء الله کان ** حکم حکم اوست مطلق جاودان 3115
When (on the contrary) you are told that whatever God wills shall come to pass, and that to Him belongs the authority absolute and everlasting,
پس چرا صد مرده اندر ورد او ** بر نگردی بندگانه گرد او
Why, then, should not you move round Him like a slave, with the will of a hundred men to perform the devotions due to Him?
گر بگویند آنچ می‌خواهد وزیر ** خواست آن اوست اندر دار و گیر
If you are told that what the vizier wishes (is law and that) his will is paramount in the exercise of authority,
گرد او گردان شوی صد مرده زود ** تا بریزد بر سرت احسان و جود
Will you at once move round (pay court to) him with the zeal of a hundred men, that he may pour kindness and munificence on your head,
یا گریزی از وزیر و قصر او ** این نباشد جست و جوی نصر او
Or will you flee from the vizier and his palace? This (flight) is not the way to seek his help.
بازگونه زین سخن کاهل شدی ** منعکس ادراک و خاطر آمدی 3120
You, inversely, have been made remiss by this saying: you have been turned upside down in your apprehension and thought.
امر امر آن فلان خواجه‌ست هین ** چیست یعنی با جز او کمتر نشین
(Suppose you are told that) the command (supreme power) is vested in such and such a lord. Hark, what does this mean? It means, ‘Do not sit (consort) with any one except him.
گرد خواجه گرد چون امر آن اوست ** کو کشد دشمن رهاند جان دوست
Move round (pay constant homage to) the lord, since the (power to) command belongs to him; for he slays his enemy and saves the life of his friend.
هرچه او خواهد همان یابی یقین ** یاوه کم رو خدمت او برگزین
Whatsoever he wills, that same thing you will certainly obtain: do not go astray, prefer his service (to all else).’
نی چو حاکم اوست گرد او مگرد ** تا شوی نامه سیاه و روی زود
(It does) not (mean), ‘Since he is possessed of (supreme) authority, do not move round him (do not frequent his court), so that you may fall into his black books and be disgraced.’
حق بود تاویل که آن گرمت کند ** پر امید و چست و با شرمت کند 3125
The interpretation that makes you ardent and hopeful and active and reverent is the true one;
ور کند سستت حقیقت این بدان ** هست تبدیل و نه تاویلست آن
And if it make you slack (in service), know the real truth to be this, that it is an alteration (of the right sense of the saying), not an interpretation.
این برای گرم کردن آمدست ** تا بگیرد ناامیدان را دو دست
This (saying) has come (down) in order to make (men) ardent (in serving God), that He may take the hands of those who have lost hope (and deliver them).
معنی قرآن ز قرآن پرس و بس ** وز کسی که آتش زدست اندر هوس
Ask the meaning of the Qur’án from the Qur’án alone, and from that one who has set fire to (and extinguished) his idle fancy,
پیش قرآن گشت قربانی و پست ** تا که عین روح او قرآن شدست
And has become a sacrifice to the Qur’án and is (laid) low (in self-abasement), so that the Qur’án has become the essence of his spirit.
روغنی کو شد فدای گل به کل ** خواه روغن بوی کن خواهی تو گل 3130
The oil that has wholly devoted itself to the rose—smell either the oil or the rose as you please.
و هم‌چنین قد جف القلم یعنی جف القلم و کتب لا یستوی الطاعة والمعصیة لا یستوی الامانة و السرقة جف القلم ان لا یستوی الشکر و الکفران جف القلم ان الله لا یضیع اجر المحسنین
And similarly (the Tradition), ‘the Pen has dried’ means that the Pen has dried after writing (the words), ‘Obedience and disobedience (to God) are not on the same level, honesty and stealing are not on the same level.’ The Pen has dried (after writing) that thanksgiving and ingratitude are not on the same level. The Pen has dried (after writing) that God does not let the reward of the righteous be lost.
هم‌چنین تاویل قد جف القلم ** بهر تحریضست بر شغل اهم
Likewise the (true) interpretation of ‘the Pen has dried’ (is that) it (this Tradition) is for the purpose of inciting to the most important work (of all).
پس قلم بنوشت که هر کار را ** لایق آن هست تاثیر و جزا
Therefore the Pen wrote that every action has the effect and consequence appropriate to it.