ور نه موسی کی روا دارد که من ** پیش تو یاد آورم از هیچ تن
Otherwise, how should Moses deem it right that I make mention of anybody before thee?
عهد ما بشکست صد بار و هزار ** عهد تو چون کوه ثابت برقرار2495
Our covenant hath been broken hundreds and thousands of times; Thy covenant, like a mountain, stands firm and stable.
عهد ما کاه و به هر بادی زبون ** عهد تو کوه و ز صد که هم فزون
Our covenant is straw and subject to every wind (of passion); Thy covenant is a mountain, and even more than a hundred mountains.
حق آن قوت که بر تلوین ما ** رحمتی کن ای امیر لونها
By the truth of that power (which is Thine), have some mercy upon our mutability, O Ruler of (all) mutations!
خویش را دیدیم و رسوایی خویش ** امتحان ما مکن ای شاه بیش
We have seen ourselves (as we really are) and our shame. Put us not to further trial, O King,
تا فضیحتهای دیگر را نهان ** کرده باشی ای کریم مستعان
So that (by sparing us) Thou wilt have concealed other disgraces, O Bounteous One whose help we implore!
بیحدی تو در جمال و در کمال ** در کژی ما بیحدیم و در ضلال2500
Thou art infinite in beauty and perfection; we are infinite in wrongness and error.
بیحدی خویش بگمار ای کریم ** بر کژی بیحد مشتی لئیم
Direct Thy infinity, O Bounteous One, upon the infinite wrongness of a handful of vile wretches (such as we are).
هین که از تقطیع ما یک تار ماند ** مصر بودیم و یکی دیوار ماند
Oh, come, for of our cloth-piece (only) a single thread remains we were a city, and (only) a single wall remains.
البقیه البقیه ای خدیو ** تا نگردد شاد کلی جان دیو
(Save) the remnant, (save) the remnant, O Sovereign, that the soul of the Devil may not rejoice entirely––
بهر ما نه بهر آن لطف نخست ** که تو کردی گمرهان را باز جست
Not for our sakes, (but) for the sake of the primal grace through which Thou didst seek out them that had lost the way.
چون نمودی قدرتت بنمای رحم ** ای نهاده رحمها در لحم و شحم2505
As Thou hast shown Thy power, (so now) show Thy mercy, O Thou who hast implanted feelings of mercy in flesh and fat.
این دعا گر خشم افزاید ترا ** تو دعا تعلیم فرما مهترا
If this prayer increase Thy wrath, do Thou teach (us) to pray, O Lord,
آن چنان کادم بیفتاد از بهشت ** رجعتش دادی که رست از دیو زشت
Even as, (when) Adam fell from Paradise, Thou gavest him (leave) to turn (in penitence) toward Thee, so that he escaped from the ugly Devil.”
دیو که بود کاو ز آدم بگذرد ** بر چنین نطعی از او بازی برد
Who is the Devil that he should surpass Adam and win the game from him on such a board?
در حقیقت نفع آدم شد همه ** لعنت حاسد شده آن دمدمه
In truth, it all turned out to Adam’s advantage: that guile became a curse to the envious one.
بازیی دید و دو صد بازی ندید ** پس ستون خانهی خود را برید2510
He (the Devil) saw one game, (but) he did not see two hundred games (which he should lose): therefore he cut down the supports of his own house.
آتشی زد شب به کشت دیگران ** باد آتش را به کشت او بران
He set fire by night to the cornfield of others; (meanwhile) O wind, drive the fire into his field!
چشم بندی بود لعنت دیو را ** تا زیان خصم دید آن ریو را
The (Divine) curse was a blind to the Devil, so that he regarded that trickery (of his) as harm to (his) enemy.
لعنت این باشد که کژبینش کند ** حاسد و خود بین و پر کینش کند
The (Divine) curse is that which makes him (any one) see falsely, and makes him envious, self-conceited, and malicious,
تا نداند که هر آن که کرد بد ** عاقبت باز آید و بر وی زند
To the end that he may not know that whoever does evil, it (that evil) will at last come back and smite him.
جمله فرزین بندها بیند بعکس ** مات بر وی گردد و نقصان و وکس2515
He sees all the master-moves invertedly: (hence) they result in check-mate to him and (in) failure and defeat.
ز انکه گر او هیچ بیند خویش را ** مهلک و ناسور بیند ریش را
(The curse blinds him), because, if he regard himself as naught, (if) he regard the wound (his moral and spiritual blindness) as deadly and festering,
درد خیزد زین چنین دیدن درون ** درد او را از حجاب آرد برون
Pain will arise from such looking within, and the pain will bring him out from the veil (of self-conceit).
تا نگیرد مادران را درد زه ** طفل در زادن نیابد هیچ ره
Until mothers are overtaken by the pains of childbirth, the child finds no way to be born.
این امانت در دل و دل حامله ست ** این نصیحتها مثال قابله ست
This (God-given) trust is in the heart, and the heart is pregnant (with it): these counsels (of the prophets and saints) are like the midwife.
قابله گوید که زن را درد نیست ** درد باید درد کودک را رهی است2520
The midwife may say that the woman has no pain; (but) pain is necessary, pain is (makes) a way for the child (to be born).
آن که او بیدرد باشد ره زن است ** ز انکه بیدردی انا الحق گفتن است
He that is without pain is a brigand, because to be without pain is to say “I am God.”
آن انا بیوقت گفتن لعنت است ** آن انا در وقت گفتن رحمت است
To say that “I” out of the (proper) time is a curse (to the speaker); to say that “I” at the (proper) time is a mercy (from God).
آن انا منصور رحمت شد یقین ** آن انا فرعون لعنت شد ببین
The “I” of Mansúr (Halláj) certainly became a mercy; the “I” of Pharaoh became a curse. Mark (this)!
لاجرم هر مرغ بیهنگام را ** سر بریدن واجب است اعلام را
Consequently, it is incumbent (on us) to behead every untimely bird (every cock that crows too soon), in order to give notice (warning).
سر بریدن چیست کشتن نفس را ** در جهاد و ترک گفتن نفس را2525
What is “beheading”? Killing the fleshly soul in the holy (spiritual) war, and renouncing heat (sensual appetite).
آن چنان که نیش کژدم بر کنی ** تا که یابد او ز کشتن ایمنی
Just as you would extract the scorpion’s sting in order that it might be saved from being killed,
بر کنی دندان پر زهری ز مار ** تا رهد مار از بلای سنگسار
(Or) pull out the venomous fang of a snake, in order that the snake might escape from the calamity of being stoned (to death).
هیچ نکشد نفس را جز ظل پیر ** دامن آن نفس کش را سخت گیر
Nothing will slay the fleshly soul except the shadow (protection) of the Pír: grasp tightly the skirt of that slayer of the flesh.
چون بگیری سخت آن توفیق هوست ** در تو هر قوت که آید جذب اوست
When you grasp (it) tightly, that is (done by) the aid of Him (God): whatever strength comes into you is (the effect of) His drawing (you towards Him).
ما رمیت إذ رمیت راست دان ** هر چه کارد جان بود از جان جان2530
Know that true is (the text) thou didst not throw when thou threwest: whatsoever the soul soweth is from the Soul of the soul.
دست گیرنده وی است و بردبار ** دمبهدم آن دم از او امید دار
He is the One that takes the hand (to help), and (He is) burden-bearing (long-suffering): have hope, from moment to moment, of (receiving) that breath (of inspiration) from Him.