کرد نقاشی دو گونه نقشها ** نقشهای صاف و نقشی بیصفا
A painter made two kinds of pictures––beautiful pictures and pictures devoid of beauty.
نقش یوسف کرد و حور خوش سرشت ** نقش عفریتان و ابلیسان زشت
He painted Joseph and fair-formed houris, he painted ugly afreets and devils.
هر دو گونه نقش استادی اوست ** زشتی او نیست آن رادی اوست
Both kinds of pictures are (evidence of) his mastery: those (ugly ones) are not (evidence of) his ugliness; they are (evidence of) his bounty.
زشت را در غایت زشتی کند ** جمله زشتیها به گردش بر تند2540
He makes the ugly of extreme ugliness––it is invested with all (possible) uglinesses––
تا کمال دانشش پیدا شود ** منکر استادیش رسوا شود
In order that the perfection of his skill may be displayed, (and that) the denier of his mastery may be put to shame.
ور نداند زشت کردن ناقص است ** زین سبب خلاق گبر و مخلص است
And if he cannot make the ugly, he is deficient (in skill) hence He (God) is the Creator of (both) the infidel and the sincere (faithful).
پس از این رو کفر و ایمان شاهدند ** بر خداوندیش و هر دو ساجدند
From this point of view, then, (both) infidelity and faith are bearing witness to His Lordliness, and both are bowing down in worship.
لیک مومن دان که طوعا ساجد است ** ز انکه جویای رضا و قاصد است
But know that the faithful (believer) bows down willingly, because he is seeking (God’s) pleasure and aiming (at that).
هست کرها گبر هم یزدان پرست ** لیک قصد او مرادی دیگر است2545
The infidel too is a worshipper of God, (though) unwillingly; but his aim is (directed towards) another object of desire.
قلعه‌ای سلطان عمارت میکند ** لیک دعوی امارت میکند
(It is true that) he keeps the King’s fortress in good repair; but he is claiming to be in command.
گشته یاغی تا که ملک او بود ** عاقبت خود قلعه سلطانی شود
He has become a rebel, to the intent that it may be his domain; (but) verily, in the end the fortress comes to be the King’s.
مومن آن قلعه برای پادشاه ** میکند معمور نه از بهر جاه
The faithful believer keeps that fortress in good repair for the sake of the King, not for place (and power).
زشت گوید ای شه زشت آفرین ** قادری بر خوب و بر زشت مهین
The ugly one (the infidel) says, “O King who createst the ugly, Thou art able for (able to create) the beautiful as well as the despicable (and) ugly.”
خوب گوید ای شه حسن و بها ** پاک گردانیدیم از عیبها2550
The beautiful one (the faithful believer) says, “O King of beauty and comeliness, Thou hast made me free from defects.”
وصیت کردن پیغامبر صلی الله علیه و آله مر آن بیمار را و دعا آموزانیدنش
How the Prophet, God bless and save him, gave injunctions to the sick man and taught him to pray.
گفت پیغمبر مر آن بیمار را ** این بگو کای سهل کن دشوار را
The Prophet said to the sick man: “Say thus:––‘O Thou that makest easy that which is hard,
آتنا فی دار دنیانا حسن ** آتنا فی دار عقبانا حسن
Give good unto us in our present abode, and give good unto us in our future abode!
راه را بر ما چو بستان کن لطیف ** منزل ما خود تو باشی ای شریف
Make the way agreeable to us as a garden: Thou indeed, O Glorious One, art our goal.’”
مومنان در حشر گویند ای ملک ** نی که دوزخ بود راه مشترک
At the Gathering (for Judgement) the true believers will say, “O angel, is it not (the case) that Hell is the common road,
مومن و کافر بر او یابد گذار ** ما ندیدیم اندر این ره دود و نار2555
2555(And that) true believer and infidel (alike) pass by it? We saw no smoke or fire in this road (which we have traversed).
نک بهشت و بارگاه ایمنی ** پس کجا بود آن گذرگاه دنی
Lo, here is Paradise and the Court of safety: where, then, was that vile place of passage? ”
پس ملک گوید که آن روضهی خضر ** که فلان جا دیدهاید اندر گذر
Then the angel will say, “The garden of greenery which ye saw in a certain spot as ye passed––
دوزخ آن بود و سیاستگاه سخت ** بر شما شد باغ و بستان و درخت
That was Hell and the terrible place of chastisement, (but) unto you it became gardens and pleasaunces and trees.
چون شما این نفس دوزخ خوی را ** آتشی گبر فتنه جوی را
Inasmuch as with this soul of hellish nature, (this) miscreant fiery one that seeks (to lead you into) temptation,
جهدها کردید و او شد پر صفا ** نار را کشتید از بهر خدا2560
Ye have striven (oft), and it hath become full of purity, and ye have quenched the fire (thereof) for God’s sake;
آتش شهوت که شعله میزدی ** سبزهی تقوی شد و نور هدی
(Inasmuch as) the fire of lust, which was flaming, hath become the verdure of piety and the light of guidance (unto the true faith);
آتش خشم از شما هم حلم شد ** ظلمت جهل از شما هم علم شد
(Inasmuch as) at once the fire of anger in you hath turned to forbearance, and the darkness of ignorance in you hath turned to knowledge;
آتش حرص از شما ایثار شد ** و آن حسد چون خار بد گلزار شد
(Inasmuch as) the fire of greed in you hath turned to unselfishness, and that envy (which) was like thorns hath turned to roses;
چون شما این جمله آتشهای خویش ** بهر حق کشتید جمله پیش پیش
Inasmuch as ye formerly extinguished all these fires of your own for God’s sake;
نفس ناری را چو باغی ساختید ** اندر او تخم وفا انداختید2565
And made the fiery soul like an orchard and cast in it the seed of fealty,
بلبلان ذکر و تسبیح اندر او ** خوش سرایان در چمن بر طرف جو
(Whilst) therein the nightingales of commemoration and glorification of God (were) singing sweetly in the garden by the river-side;
داعی حق را اجابت کردهاید ** در جحیم نفس آب آوردهاید
(Inasmuch as) ye have answered the call of God and have brought water into the blazing hell of your soul––
دوزخ ما نیز در حق شما ** سبزه گشت و گلشن و برگ و نوا
Our Hell also in regard to you hath become greenery and roses and plenty and riches.”
چیست احسان را مکافات ای پسر ** لطف و احسان و ثواب معتبر
What is the requital for well-doing, O son? Kindness and well-doing and valued recompense.
نی شما گفتید ما قربانیایم ** پیش اوصاف بقا ما فانیایم2570
“Did not ye say, ‘We are devoted (to God) - we are passing away before the attributes of Everlastingness?
ما اگر قلاش و گر دیوانهایم ** مست آن ساقی و آن پیمانهایم
We, whether we be cunning (sane) or mad, are intoxicated with that Cupbearer and that cup.
بر خط و فرمان او سر مینهیم ** جان شیرین را گروگان میدهیم
We lay our heads (submissively) upon His writ and mandate; we give our sweet lives in pawn (to Him).
تا خیال دوست در اسرار ماست ** چاکری و جان سپاری کار ماست
So long as the thought of the Friend is in our inmost hearts, (all) our work is to serve (Him) and yield up our lives.’”
هر کجا شمع بلا افروختند ** صد هزاران جان عاشق سوختند
Wheresoever the candle of tribulation hath been lighted, hundreds of thousands of loving souls are burnt.
عاشقانی کز درون خانهاند ** شمع روی یار را پروانهاند2575
Those lovers that are within the house (and nigh unto Him) are (as) moths to the candle of the face of the Friend.
ای دل آن جا رو که با تو روشناند ** وز بلاها مر ترا چون جوشناند
O heart, go where they are bright toward thee and are as a coat of mail to thee against afflictions,
ز آن میان جان ترا جا میکنند ** تا ترا پر باده چون جامی کنند
And give thee a place within their souls, that they may fill thee with wine, like a cup.
در میان جان ایشان خانه گیر ** در فلک خانه کن ای بدر منیر
Take thy abode within their souls: O radiant full-moon, make thy home in the sky!
چون عطارد دفتر دل واکنند ** تا که بر تو سرها پیدا کنند
Like Mercury, they will open the book of the heart, that they may reveal mysteries unto thee.
پیش خویشان باش چون آوارهای ** بر مه کامل زن ار مه پارهای2580
Stay beside thy kinsfolk––how art thou roaming abroad? Cleave to the perfect Moon if thou art a piece of the moon.
جزو را از کل خود پرهیز چیست ** با مخالف این همه آمیز چیست
What is the (cause of the) part’s keeping aloof from its whole? What is (the cause of) all this mixture with (that which is) diverse?
جنس را بین نوع گشته در روش ** غیبها بین گشته عین از پرتوش
Behold how the genus hath become species in the process (of differentiation): behold how the unseen things have become visible in (their) escape (from occultation).
تا چون زن عشوه خری ای بیخرد ** از دروغ و عشوه کی یابی مدد
So long as thou wouldst fain be wheedled like a woman, O man without wisdom, (thou wilt remain imperfect): how wilt thou be helped by lies and wheedling?
چاپلوس و لفظ شیرین و فریب ** میستانی مینهی چون زر به جیب
Thou art taking flattery and sweet words and cajolement and putting them, like a woman, in thy bosom.
مر ترا دشنام و سیلی شهان ** بهتر آید از ثنای گمرهان2585
For thee the revilings and blows of the (spiritual) kings would be better than the praise of the unrighteous.
صفع شاهان خور مخور شهد خسان ** تا کسی گردی ز اقبال کسان
Swallow the slaps of the (spiritual) kings, do not swallow the honey of the rabble, to the end that through the fortune of (those) personages thou mayst (thyself) become a personage;