ز آن چه گفتم من ز فهم سنگ و چوب ** در بیانش قصه‌‌ای هش دار خوب
Listen to a goodly tale in explanation of what I have said concerning the (spiritual) apprehension of (possessed by) stone and wood.
نالیدن ستون حنانه چون برای پیغامبر علیه السلام منبر ساختند که جماعت انبوه شد گفتند ما روی مبارک تو را به هنگام وعظ نمی‌‌بینیم و شنیدن رسول و صحابه آن ناله را و سؤال و جواب مصطفی صلی الله علیه و اله و سلم با ستون صریح
How the moaning pillar complained when they made a pulpit for the Prophet, on whom be peace—for the multitude had become great, and said, “We do not see thy blessed face when thou art exhorting us”—and how the Prophet and his Companions heard that complaint, and how Mustafá conversed with the pillar in clear language.
استن حنانه از هجر رسول ** ناله می‌‌زد همچو ارباب عقول
The moaning pillar was complaining of (its) separation from the Prophet, just as rational beings (might do).
گفت پیغمبر چه خواهی ای ستون ** گفت جانم از فراقت گشت خون
The Prophet said, “O pillar, what dost thou want?” It said, “My soul is turned to blood because of parting from thee.
مسندت من بودم از من تاختی ** بر سر منبر تو مسند ساختی2115
I was thy support: (now) thou hast run away from me: thou hast devised a place to lean against upon the pulpit.”
گفت خواهی که ترا نخلی کنند ** شرقی و غربی ز تو میوه چنند
“Dost thou desire,” said he, “to be made a date-palm, (so that) the people of the East and the West shall gather fruit from thee?
یا در آن عالم حقت سروی کند ** تا تر و تازه بمانی تا ابد
Or that He (God) should make thee a cypress in yonder world, so that thou wilt remain everlastingly fresh and flourishing?”
گفت آن خواهم که دایم شد بقاش ** بشنو ای غافل کم از چوبی مباش
It replied, “I desire that whereof the life is enduring for ever.” Hearken, O heedless one! Be not thou less than a piece of wood!
آن ستون را دفن کرد اندر زمین ** تا چو مردم حشر گردد یوم دین
He (the Prophet) buried that pillar in the earth, that it may be raised from the dead, like mankind, on the day of Resurrection,
تا بدانی هر که را یزدان بخواند ** از همه کار جهان بی‌‌کار ماند2120
That (hence) thou mayst know that every one whom God has called (to Himself) remains disengaged from all the work of this world.
هر که را باشد ز یزدان کار و بار ** یافت بار آن جا و بیرون شد ز کار
Whosoever hath his work and business from God, gains admission there and goes forth from (abandons worldly) work.
آن که او را نبود از اسرار داد ** کی کند تصدیق او ناله‌‌ی جماد
He that hath no gift (portion) of spiritual mysteries, how should he believe in the complaining of inanimate things?
گوید آری نه ز دل بهر وفاق ** تا نگویندش که هست اهل نفاق
He says “Yes,” not from his heart (but) for agreement's sake, lest people should say that he is a hypocrite (in his religion).
گر نیندی واقفان امر کن ** در جهان رد گشته بودی این سخن
Unless there were knowers of the (Divine) command “Be!”, this doctrine (that inanimate things are capable of speech) would have been rejected in the world.
صد هزاران ز اهل تقلید و نشان ** افکندشان نیم وهمی در گمان2125
Myriads of conformists and legalists are cast into doubt by a half-imagination,
که به ظن تقلید و استدلالشان ** قایم است و جمله پر و بالشان
For their conformity and their drawing evidence from logical proofs and all their wings and wing-feathers (every means which they employ in order to arrive at the truth) depend on opinion.
شبهه‌‌ای انگیزد آن شیطان دون ** در فتند این جمله کوران سر نگون
The vile Devil raises a doubt (in their minds): all these blind ones fall in headlong.
پای استدلالیان چوبین بود ** پای چوبین سخت بی‌‌تمکین بود
The leg of the syllogisers is of wood: a wooden leg is very infirm,
غیر آن قطب زمان دیده‌‌ور ** کز ثباتش کوه گردد خیره‌‌سر
Unlike the Qutb (supreme saint) of the age, the possessor of (spiritual) vision, by whose steadfastness the mountain is made giddy-headed (amazed).
پای نابینا عصا باشد عصا ** تا نیفتد سر نگون او بر حصا2130
The blind man's leg is a staff, a staff, so that he may not fall headlong on the pebbles.
آن سواری کاو سپه را شد ظفر ** اهل دین را کیست سلطان بصر
The cavalier that became (the cause of) victory for the army, who is he for (the army of) the religious? The Lord of (spiritual) sight.
با عصا کوران اگر ره دیده‌‌اند ** در پناه خلق روشن دیده‌‌اند
If, with (the aid of) a staff, the blind have seen their way, (yet) they are under the protection of the clear-sighted people.
گرنه بینایان بدندی و شهان ** جمله کوران مرده‌‌اندی در جهان
Were there no men of vision and (spiritual) kings, all the blind in the world would be dead.
نی ز کوران کشت آید نه درود ** نه عمارت نه تجارتها و سود
From the blind comes neither sowing nor reaping nor cultivation nor tradings and profit.
گر نکردی رحمت و افضالتان ** در شکستی چوب استدلالتان2135
If He (God) did not bestow mercy and grace upon you, the wood of your logical deduction would break.
این عصا چه بود قیاسات و دلیل ** آن عصا کی دادشان بینا جلیل
What is this staff? Inferences and (logical) demonstration. Who gave them (the blind) that staff? The all-seeing and almighty One.
چون عصا شد آلت جنگ و نفیر ** آن عصا را خرد بشکن ای ضریر
Since the staff has become a weapon of quarrel and attack, break that staff to pieces, O blind man!
او عصاتان داد تا پیش آمدید ** آن عصا از خشم هم بر وی زدید
He gave you the staff that ye might approach (Him): with that staff ye struck even at Him in your anger.
حلقه‌‌ی کوران به چه کار اندرید ** دیدبان را در میانه آورید
O company of the blind, what are ye doing? Bring the seer between (you and God)!
دامن او گیر کاو دادت عصا ** در نگر کادم چها دید از عصی2140
Lay hold of His skirt who gave thee the staff: consider what (dreadful) things Adam suffered from disobedience.
معجزه‌‌ی موسی و احمد را نگر ** چون عصا شد مار و استن با خبر
Consider the miracles of Moses and Ahmad (Mohammed), how the staff became a serpent and the pillar was endowed with knowledge.
از عصا ماری و از استن حنین ** پنج نوبت می‌‌زنند از بهر دین
From the staff (came) a serpent and from the pillar a moaning: they (the staff and the pillar) are beating (the drums of honour) five times daily for the sake of the Religion.
گرنه نامعقول بودی این مزه ** کی بدی حاجت به چندین معجزه
Unless this savour (perception of spiritual truths) were non-intellectual, how should all these miracles have been necessary?
هر چه معقول است عقلش می‌‌خورد ** بی‌‌بیان معجزه بی‌‌جر و مد
Whatever is intelligible, the intellect is swallowing (receiving) it without the evidence of miracles and without contention.
این طریق بکر نامعقول بین ** در دل هر مقبلی مقبول بین2145
This virgin (untrodden) Way deem unintelligible, deem (it) accepted in the heart of every fortunate (elect) one.
همچنان کز بیم آدم دیو و دد ** در جزایر در رمیدند از حسد
As in fear of Adam devil and wild beast fled to the islands, from envy,
هم ز بیم معجزات انبیا ** سر کشیده منکران زیر گیا
So in fear of the miracles of the prophets have the sceptics slunk away under the grass,
تا به ناموس مسلمانی زی‌‌اند ** در تسلس تا ندانی که کی‌‌اند
That they may live in hypocrisy with the reputation of being Moslems, and that you may not know who they are.
همچو قلابان بر آن نقد تباه ** نقره می‌‌مالند و نام پادشاه
Like counterfeiters, they smear the base coin with silver and (inscribe on it) the name of the King.
ظاهر الفاظشان توحید و شرع ** باطن آن همچو در نان تخم صرع2150
The outward form of their words is profession of the Divine Unity and the religion (of Islam): the inward meaning thereof is like darnel (?) seed in bread.
فلسفی را زهره نی تا دم زند ** دم زند دین حقش بر هم زند
The philosopher has not the stomach (courage) to breathe a word: if he utter a word, the true Religion will confound him.
دست و پای او جماد و جان او ** هر چه گوید آن دو در فرمان او
His hand and foot are inanimate, and whatever his spirit says (commands), those two are under its control.
با زبان گر چه که تهمت می‌‌نهند ** دست و پاهاشان گواهی می‌‌دهند
Albeit they (the sceptics) propound (reasons for) suspicion with their tongues, their hands and feet give testimony (against them).
اظهار معجزه‌‌ی پیغامبر علیه السلام به سخن آمدن سنگ ریزه در دست ابو جهل و گواهی دادن سنگ ریزه بر حقیقت محمد علیه الصلاة و السلام
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, manifested a miracle by the speaking of the gravel in the hand of Abú Jahl—God's curse on him!—and by the gravel's bearing witness to the truth of Mohammed, on whom be God's blessing and peace.
سنگها اندر کف بو جهل بود ** گفت ای احمد بگو این چیست زود
There were some pebbles in the hand of Bú Jahl: “O Ahmad,” said he, “tell quickly what this is.
گر رسولی چیست در مشتم نهان ** چون خبر داری ز راز آسمان2155
If thou art the Messenger (of God), what is hidden in my fist? (Speak), since thou hast knowledge of the mysteries of Heaven.”
گفت چون خواهی بگویم کان چهاست ** یا بگویند آن که ما حقیم و راست
He said, “How dost thou wish (me to do)? Shall I say what those (hidden) things are, or shall they declare that I am truthful and right?”
گفت بو جهل این دوم نادرتر است ** گفت آری حق از آن قادرتر است
Bú Jahl said, “This second (thing) is more extraordinary.” “Yes,” said the Prophet, “(but) God hath greater power than that.”
از میان مشت او هر پاره سنگ ** در شهادت گفتن آمد بی‌‌درنگ
Without delay, from the middle of his (closed) fist every pebble began to pronounce the (Moslem's) profession of faith.
لا إله گفت و إلا الله گفت ** گوهر احمد رسول الله سفت
Each said, “There is no god” and (each) said, “except Allah”; (each) threaded the pearl of “Ahmad is the Messenger of Allah.”
چون شنید از سنگها بو جهل این ** زد ز خشم آن سنگها را بر زمین2160
When Bú Jahl heard this from the pebbles, in his anger he dashed those pebbles on the ground.
بقیه‌‌ی قصه‌‌ی مطرب و پیغام رسانیدن عمر به او آن چه هاتف آواز داد
The rest of the story of the minstrel, and how the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, conveyed to him the message spoken by the heavenly voice.
باز گرد و حال مطرب گوش دار ** ز آن که عاجز گشت مطرب ز انتظار
Turn back and hear the plight of the minstrel, for the minstrel had (now) become desperate from waiting (so long).