کار من بیعلت است و مستقیم ** هست تقدیرم نه علت ای سقیم
My action is uncaused and upright (independent): I have (the power of) predetermination, (I have) no cause, O infirm one.
عادت خود را بگردانم به وقت ** این غبار از پیش بنشانم به وقت
I alter My custom at the time (I choose): at the time (I will) I lay the dust (that rises) in front.
بحر را گویم که هین پر نار شو ** گویم آتش را که رو گلزار شو
I say to the sea, ‘Hark, be full of fire!’ I say to the fire, ‘Go, be a rose-garden!’
کوه را گویم سبک شو همچو پشم ** چرخ را گویم فرو در پیش چشم
I say to the mountain, ‘Be light as wool!’ I say to heaven, ‘Be rent asunder before the eye!’
گویم ای خورشید مقرون شو به ماه ** هر دو را سازم چو دو ابر سیاه1630
I say, ‘O sun, be joined to the moon!’ I make them both like two black clouds.
چشمهی خورشید را سازیم خشک ** چشمهی خون را به فن سازیم مشک
We make dry the fountain of the sun: by Our art We turn into musk the fountain of blood.”
آفتاب و مه چو دو گاو سیاه ** یوغ بر گردن ببنددشان اله
Sun and moon (shall be) like two black oxen: God will fasten a yoke upon their necks.
انکار فلسفی بر قرائت إن أصبح ماؤکم غورا
How a philosopher showed disbelief at the recitation of (the text), “if your water shall have sunk into the ground.”
مقریی میخواند از روی کتاب ** ماؤکم غورا ز چشمه بندم آب
A teacher of Qur’án-recitation was reading from the page of the Book, “(if) your water (shall have) sunk into the ground: (that is, if) I stop the water from (reaching) the spring,
آب را در غورها پنهان کنم ** چشمهها را خشک و خشکستان کنم
And hide the water in the depths, and make the springs dry and a place of drought,
آب را در چشمه کی آرد دگر ** جز من بیمثل با فضل و خطر1635
Who shall bring the water to the spring again except Me who have no like, the Gracious, the Glorious?”
فلسفی منطقی مستهان ** میگذشت از سوی مکتب آن زمان
A contemptible philosopher and logician was passing beside the school at that moment.
چون که بشنید آیت او از ناپسند ** گفت آریم آب را ما با کلند
When he heard the verse (of the Qur’án), he said in disapproval, “We bring the water (back) with a mattock;
ما بزخم بیل و تیزی تبر ** آب را آریم از پستی ز بر
With strokes of the spade and (with) the sharpness of the axe we bring the water up from below.”
شب بخفت و دید او یک شیر مرد ** زد طپانچه هر دو چشمش کور کرد
At night he fell asleep and saw (in dream) a lion-hearted man (who) gave (him) a blow on the face and blinded both his eyes,
گفت زین دو چشمهی چشم ای شقی ** با تبر نوری بر آر ار صادقی1640
And said, “O wretch, if you are speaking the truth, bring up some light with an axe from these two springs of vision.”
روز بر جست و دو چشم کور دید ** نور فایض از دو چشمش ناپدید
At (dawn of) day he jumped up and found (he had) two blind eyes: from both his eyes the overflowing light had vanished.
گر بنالیدی و مستغفر شدی ** نور رفته از کرم ظاهر شدی
If he had moaned and asked pardon (of God), the departed light would have appeared (again) through (God's) kindness;
لیک استغفار هم در دست نیست ** ذوق توبه نقل هر سر مست نیست
But (the power of) asking pardon, also, is not in (our) hands: the savour of repentance is not the dessert of every inebriate.
زشتی اعمال و شومی جحود ** راه توبه بر دل او بسته بود
The wickedness of (his) actions and the disastrousness of (his) denial (of the Truth) had barred the way of repentance to his heart.
دل به سختی همچو روی سنگ گشت ** چون شکافد توبه آن را بهر کشت1645
His heart became in hardness as the face of a rock: how should repentance cleave it for sowing?
چون شعیبی کو که تا او را دعا ** بهر کشتن خاک سازد کوه را
Where is one like Shu‘ayb, that by prayer he may make the mountain earth (fit) for sowing?
از نیاز و اعتقاد آن خلیل ** گشت ممکن امر صعب و مستحیل
Through the supplication and (firm) belief of that Friend (Abraham) the thing that was hard and impossible became possible.
یا به دریوزهی مقوقس از رسول ** سنگلاخی مزرعی شد با اصول
Or, (to give another example), through the Muqawqis' begging the Prophet a stony ground became a goodly cornfield.
همچنین بر عکس آن انکار مرد ** مس کند زر را و صلحی را نبرد
So, contrariwise, a man's disbelief turns gold into copper and peace into war.
کهربای مسخ آمد این دغا ** خاک قابل را کند سنگ و حصا1650
This falseness draws after it an evil transformation: it turns ground capable (of tillage) into stones and pebbles.
هر دلی را سجده هم دستور نیست ** مزد رحمت قسم هر مزدور نیست
Nor is it granted to every heart to fall down in prayer: the wages of (Divine) mercy are not the (allotted) portion of every hireling.
هین بپشت آن مکن جرم و گناه ** که کنم توبه در آیم در پناه
Beware! Do not commit crime and sin in reliance on (the thought), “I will repent and come to (take) refuge (with God).”
میبباید تاب و آبی توبه را ** شرط شد برق و سحابی توبه را
For (true) repentance, there must needs be a glow (of inward feeling) and a flood (of tears): (such) lightning and clouds are the condition indispensable to repentance.
آتش و آبی بباید میوه را ** واجب آید ابر و برق این شیوه را
There must needs be fire and water (rain) for the fruit: clouds and lightning are necessary for this accomplishment.
تا نباشد برق دل و ابر دو چشم ** کی نشیند آتش تهدید و خشم1655
Until there is the lightning of the heart and the rain-clouds of the two eyes, how shall the fire of (Divine) menace and wrath be allayed?
کی بروید سبزهی ذوق وصال ** کی بجوشد چشمهها ز آب زلال
How shall the herbage grow, (the herbage) of the delight of union (with God)? How shall the fountains of clear water gush forth?
کی گلستان راز گوید با چمن ** کی بنفشه عهد بندد با سمن
How shall the rose-beds tell their secret to the garden? How shall the violet make an engagement with the jasmine?
کی چناری کف گشاید در دعا ** کی درختی سر فشاند در هوا
How shall a plane-tree open its hands (spread its leaves) in prayer? How shall any tree toss its head in the air (of love-desire)?
کی شکوفه آستین پر نثار ** بر فشاندن گیرد ایام بهار
How shall the blossoms begin to shake out their sleeves full of largesse in the days of Spring?
کی فروزد لاله را رخ همچو خون ** کی گل از کیسه بر آرد زر برون1660
How shall the cheeks of the anemone flame like blood? How shall the rose bring gold out of its purse?
کی بیاید بلبل و گل بو کند ** کی چو طالب فاخته کوکو کند
How shall the nightingale come and smell the rose? How shall the dove say “coo, coo,” as one that seeks?
کی بگوید لکلک آن لک لک به جان ** لک چه باشد ملک تست ای مستعان
How shall the stork utter with (all) its soul the cry lak, lak? What is (the meaning of) lak? (It means) “Thine is the kingdom, O Thou whose help is invoked.”
کی نماید خاک اسرار ضمیر ** کی شود بیآسمان بستان منیر
How shall the earth show forth the secrets of its inmost mind? How shall the garden become radiant without the sky?
از کجا آوردهاند آن حلهها ** من کریم من رحیم کلها
Whence have they fetched those garments (fair qualities)? (They have derived) all of them from One who is Bounteous and Merciful.
آن لطافتها نشان شاهدی است ** آن نشان پای مرد عابدی است1665
Those graces are the signs of a Witness: they are the footprints of a man devoted to (God's) service.
آن شود شاد از نشان کاو دید شاه ** چون ندید او را نباشد انتباه
(None but) that person that has seen the King is gladdened by the sign; when one has not seen Him, there is no recognition.
روح آن کس کاو به هنگام أ لست ** دید رب خویش و شد بیخویش و مست
The spirit of that one who at the time of Am not I (your Lord)? saw his Lord and became beside himself and intoxicated—
او شناسد بوی می کاو می بخورد ** چون نخورد او می چه داند بوی کرد
He (that spirit) knows the scent of the wine because he drank it (before); when he has not drunk it, how can he scent it?
ز انکه حکمت همچو ناقهی ضاله است ** همچو دلاله شهان را داله است
For Wisdom is like a stray camel: like a go-between, it guides (those who find and recognise it) to (the presence of) kings.
تو ببینی خواب در یک خوش لقا ** کاو دهد وعده و نشانی مر ترا1670
You behold in dream a person of pleasing countenance, who gives you a promise and a sign
که مراد تو شود اینک نشان ** که بپیش آید ترا فردا فلان
That your desire will come to pass; here is the sign—such and such a person will meet you to-morrow.
یک نشانی آن که او باشد سوار ** یک نشانی که ترا گیرد کنار
One sign is that he will be riding; one sign is that he will clasp you to his breast;
یک نشانی که بخندد پیش تو ** یک نشان که دست بندد پیش تو
One sign is that he will smile before you; one sign is that he will fold his hands in your presence;
یک نشانی آن که این خواب از هوس ** چون شود فردا نگویی پیش کس
One sign is that when the morrow comes you will not tell this dream to any one, though you would fain do so.
ز ان نشان با والد یحیی بگفت ** که نیایی تا سه روز اصلا به گفت1675
Concerning that (last-mentioned) sign, He (God) said to Zakariyyá (Zacharias), “Thou shalt not begin to speak at all till three days (have passed).