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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?
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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.
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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!
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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)?
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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?
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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.
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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.”
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باز تقریر کردن معاویه با ابلیس مکر او را
- How Mu‘áwiya again exposed the deceitfulness of Iblís.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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,
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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,
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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.
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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).
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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.”
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باز جواب گفتن ابلیس معاویه را
- How Iblís again replied to Mu‘áwiya.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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نیکوان را ره نمایی میکنم ** شاخههای خشک را بر میکنم 2675
- To the good I act as guide, the dry branches I rip off.
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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.
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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,
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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گر غذای نفس جوید ابتر است ** ور غذای روح خواهد سرور است
- If he seek the food of the flesh, he is bobtailed (worthless), and if he desire the food of the spirit, he is a (spiritual) chief.
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گر کند او خدمت تن هست خر ** ور رود در بحر جان یابد گهر
- If he serve the body, he is an ass; and if he go into the sea of the spirit, he will find pearls.
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گر چه این دو مختلف خیر و شراند ** لیک این هر دو به یک کار اندراند
- Although these twain—good and evil—are different, yet these twain are (engaged) in one work.
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انبیا طاعات عرضه میکنند ** دشمنان شهوات عرضه میکنند 2685
- The prophets offer devotions, the enemies (of God) offer lusts.
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نیک را چون بد کنم یزدان نیام ** داعیم من خالق ایشان نیام
- How should I make the good man bad? I am not God. I am (only) a prompter, I am not their creator.
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خوب را من زشت سازم رب نهام ** زشت را و خوب را آیینهام
- (How) should I make the fair foul? I am not the Lord. I am (only) a mirror for the foul and the fair.
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سوخت هندو آینه از درد را ** کاین سیه رو مینماید مرد را
- The Hindoo burnt a mirror in vexation, saying, ‘This (mirror) causes a man to look black-faced.’
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او مرا غماز کرد و راست گو ** تا بگویم زشت کو و خوب کو
- He (God) hath made me an informer and truth-teller, that I may tell where the ugly one is and where the beautiful.
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من گواهم بر گوا زندان کجاست ** اهل زندان نیستم ایزد گواست 2690
- I am a witness: how is prison (the right place) for a witness? I do not deserve (to go to) prison, God is the witness (to my innocence).
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هر کجا بینم نهال میوهدار ** تربیتها میکنم من دایهوار
- Wherever I see a fruitful sapling, I foster (it) diligently like a nurse.
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هر کجا بینم درخت تلخ و خشک ** میبرم تا وارهد از پشک مشک
- Wherever I see a sour and dry tree, I cut it down, in order that the musk may be delivered (separated) from the dung.
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خشک گوید باغبان را کای فتی ** مر مرا چه میبری سر بیخطا
- The dry (tree) says to the gardener, ‘O young man, why do you cut off my head without fault (on my part)?’
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باغبان گوید خمش ای زشت خو ** بس نباشد خشکی تو جرم تو
- The gardener says, ‘Be silent, O evil-natured one! Is not thy dryness sin enough in thee?’