از برای لطف عالم را بساخت ** ذرهها را آفتاب او نواخت
He made the world for kindness' sake: His sun caressed the motes (in its beams).
فرقت از قهرش اگر آبستن است ** بهر قدر وصل او دانستن است
If separation (from Him) is big with His wrath, ’tis for the sake of knowing the worth of union with Him,
تا دهد جان را فراقش گوشمال ** جان بداند قدر ایام وصال
So that separation from Him may give the soul chastisement, (and that) the soul may know the value of the days of union.
گفت پیغمبر که حق فرموده است ** قصد من از خلق احسان بوده است 2635
The Prophet has declared that God said, ‘My purpose in creating was to do good:
آفریدم تا ز من سودی کنند ** تا ز شهدم دستآلودی کنند
I created to the intent that they (My creatures) might draw some gain from Me, and that they might smear their hands with My honey;
نی برای آن که تا سودی کنم ** و ز برهنه من قبایی بر کنم
Not to the end that I might draw some gain (from them), and that I might tear off a coat from one (who is) naked.’
چند روزی که ز پیشم رانده است ** چشم من در روی خوبش مانده است
During the short while since He drove me from His presence, mine eye hath remained (fixed) upon His beauteous face;
کز چنان رویی چنین قهر ای عجب ** هر کسی مشغول گشته در سبب
(And my thought has always been), ‘Such wrath from such a face! Oh, wonderful!’ (whereas) every one (else) has become occupied with (considering) the (secondary) cause (His wrath).
من سبب را ننگرم کان حادث است ** ز انکه حادث حادثی را باعث است 2640
I do not look at the cause (His wrath), which is temporal, inasmuch as the temporal (only) produces something temporal (like itself).
لطف سابق را نظاره میکنم ** هر چه آن حادث دو پاره میکنم
I am regarding (His eternally) precedent mercy: whatsoever is temporal I rend in twain.
ترک سجده از حسد گیرم که بود ** آن حسد از عشق خیزد نز جحود
Grant that my declining to worship (Adam) was from envy; (yet) that envy arises from love (of God), not from denial (of obedience to His command).
هر حسد از دوستی خیزد یقین ** که شود با دوست غیری همنشین
’Tis certain, all envy arises from love, (for fear) lest another become the companion of the beloved.
هست شرط دوستی غیرت پزی ** همچو شرط عطسه گفتن دیر زی
Brooding jealousy is the necessary consequence of love, just as saying ‘Live long!’ must follow the sneeze.
چون که بر نطعش جز این بازی نبود ** گفت بازی کن چه دانم در فزود 2645
Since there was no play but this on His board, and He said, ‘Play,’ what more can I do?
آن یکی بازی که بد من باختم ** خویشتن را در بلا انداختم
I played the one play (move) that there was, and cast myself into woe.
در بلا هم میچشم لذات او ** مات اویم مات اویم مات او
Even in woe I am tasting His delights: I am mated by Him, mated by Him, mated by Him!
چون رهاند خویشتن را ای سره ** هیچ کس در شش جهت از شش دره
How shall any one, O noble sir, in (this world of) six directions deliver himself from the shashdara (the place with six doors)?
جزو شش از کل شش چون وارهد ** خاصه که بیچون مر او را کژ نهد
How shall the part of the six escape from the whole of the six, especially when the Unconditioned sets it wrong?
هر که در شش او درون آتش است ** اوش برهاند که خلاق شش است 2650
Whoever is in the six is in the fire; (only) He that is the creator of the six will deliver him.
خود اگر کفر است و گر ایمان او ** دست باف حضرت است و آن او
Truly, whether it be infidelity or faith in Him (to which he is predestined), he is the hand-loom (instrument) of the Lord and belongs to Him.”
باز تقریر کردن معاویه با ابلیس مکر او را
How Mu‘áwiya again exposed the deceitfulness of Iblís.
گفت امیر او را که اینها راست است ** لیک بخش تو ازینها کاست است
The Amír said to him, “These things are true, but your share in these things is wanting.
صد هزاران را چو من تو ره زدی ** حفره کردی در خزینه آمدی
You have waylaid hundreds of thousands like me: you have made a hole and have come into the treasure-house.
آتشی از تو نسوزم چاره نیست ** کیست کز دست تو جامهش پاره نیست
You are fire and naphtha: you are fire: I cannot help being burned by you. Who is there whose raiment is not torn to pieces by your hand?
طبعت ای آتش چو سوزانیدنی است ** تا نسوزانی تو چیزی چاره نیست 2655
Inasmuch as it is your nature, O fire, to be a cause of burning, there is no help but you must burn something.
لعنت این باشد که سوزانت کند ** اوستاد جمله دزدانت کند
This is God's curse (on you), that He makes you burn (things) and makes you the master of all thieves.
با خدا گفتی شنیدی رو برو ** من چه باشم پیش مکرت ای عدو
You have spoken with God and heard (Him speak) face to face: what should I be (able to do) before your deceit, O enemy?
معرفتهای تو چون بانگ صفیر ** بانگ مرغانی است لیکن مرغ گیر
Your stock of knowledge is like the sound of (the fowler's) whistle: it is the cry of birds, but it is bird-ensnaring.
صد هزاران مرغ را آن ره زده ست ** مرغ غره کاشنایی آمده ست
That (whistle) has waylaid myriads of birds, the bird (in each case) being duped (by the fancy) that a friend is come.
در هوا چون بشنود بانگ صفیر ** از هوا آید شود اینجا اسیر 2660
When it hears in the air the sound of the whistle, it comes (down) from the air and is made captive here.
قوم نوح از مکر تو در نوحهاند ** دل کباب و سینه شرحه شرحهاند
Through your deceit the people of Noah are in lamentation: they have hearts charred and bosoms (torn) to shreds.
عاد را تو باد دادی در جهان ** در فگندی در عذاب و اندهان
You gave ‘Ád in this world to the wind (of destruction): you cast (them) into torment and sorrows.
از تو بود آن سنگسار قوم لوط ** در سیاه آبه ز تو خوردند غوط
Through you was the stoning of the people of Lot: through you were they sunk in the black rain-water.
مغز نمرود از تو آمد ریخته ** ای هزاران فتنهها انگیخته
Through you was the brain of Nimrod crumbled, O you that have raised thousands of turmoils!
عقل فرعون ذکی فیلسوف ** کور گشت از تو نیابید او وقوف 2665
Through you the intelligence of Pharaoh, the acute and sage, became blinded, (so that) he found no understanding.
بو لهب هم از تو نااهلی شده ** بو الحکم هم از تو بو جهلی شده
Through you also Bú Lahab became an unworthy one; through you also Bu ’l- Hakam became a Bú Jahl.
ای بر این شطرنج بهر یاد را ** مات کرده صد هزار استاد را
O you that on this chessboard, for the sake of remembrance, have checkmated hundreds of thousands of masters,
ای ز فرزین بندهای مشکلت ** سوخته دلها سیه گشته دلت
O you by whose difficult attacking moves (our) hearts have been burned and your (own) heart has been blackened,
بحر مکری تو خلایق قطرهای ** تو چو کوهی وین سلیمان ذرهای
You are the sea of cunning, (and all) the creatures (are but) a drop: you are like a mountain and (we) simple ones (are but) a mote.
کی رهد از مکر تو ای مختصم ** غرق طوفانیم الا من عصم 2670
Who shall escape from your cunning, O adversary? We are drowned in the flood, except them that are protected (by God).
بس ستارهی سعد از تو محترق ** بس سپاه و جمع از تو مفترق
By you many a fortunate star has been burned: by you many an army and host have been scattered.”
باز جواب گفتن ابلیس معاویه را
How Iblís again replied to Mu‘áwiya.
گفت ابلیسش گشای این عقد را ** من محکم قلب را و نقد را
Iblís said to him, “Unravel these knot (and apprehend the matter): I am the touchstone for the false coin and the true.
امتحان شیر و کلبم کرد حق ** امتحان نقد و قلبم کرد حق
God hath made me the test of lion and cur, God hath made me the test of genuine coin and counterfeit.
قلب را من کی سیه رو کردهام ** صیرفیام قیمت او کردهام
When have I blackened the false coin's face? I am the money-changer: I have (only) valued it.
نیکوان را ره نمایی میکنم ** شاخههای خشک را بر میکنم 2675
To the good I act as guide, the dry branches I rip off.
این علفها مینهم از بهر چیست ** تا پدید آید که حیوان جنس کیست
I lay these (different) sorts of fodder (before people)—for what purpose? In order that it may be seen of what kind the animal is.
گرگ از آهو چو زاید کودکی ** هست در گرگیش و آهویی شکی
When a wolf bears young to an antelope, and there is some doubt whether it (the young one) has the nature of wolf or antelope,
تو گیاه و استخوان پیشش بریز ** تا کدامین سو کند او گام تیز
Drop you grass and bones in front of it (and see) to which side it quickly steps.
گر به سوی استخوان آید سگ است ** ور گیا خواهد یقین آهو رگ است
If it comes towards the bones, it is canine; and if it craves the grass, it is assuredly of the antelope race.
قهر و لطفی جفت شد با همدگر ** زاد از این هر دو جهانی خیر و شر 2680
A wrath and a mercy were wedded to one another: from these twain was born the world of good and evil.
تو گیاه و استخوان را عرضه کن ** قوت نفس و قوت جان را عرضه کن
Offer grass and bones, offer the food of the flesh and the food of the spirit.