بنگر اندر خانه و کاشانهها ** در مهندس بود چون افسانهها965
Look on houses and edifices: they were as tales in the (mind of) the architect.
آن فلان خانه که ما دیدیم خوش ** بود موزون صفه و سقف و درش
Such-and-such a house, which seemed to us beautiful, of which the hall, roof, and door were well-proportioned—
از مهندس آن عرض و اندیشهها ** آلت آورد و ستون از بیشهها
(’Twas) the accident (design) and ideas (proceeding) from the architect (that) brought the tools (into existence) and the pillars (which come) from the forests.
چیست اصل و مایهی هر پیشهای ** جز خیال و جز عرض و اندیشهای
What but some fancy and accident and idea is the origin and source of every handicraft?
جمله اجزای جهان را بیغرض ** درنگر حاصل نشد جز از عرض
Look disinterestedly on all the (various) parts of the world: they are not the result of (anything) except accident.
اول فکر آخر آمد در عمل ** بنیت عالم چنان دان در ازل970
The beginning, which is thought, comes to an end in action; know that in such wise was the construction of the world in eternity.
میوهها در فکر دل اول بود ** در عمل ظاهر به آخر میشود
The fruits are first in the mind's thought, (but only) at the last do they become manifest actually:
چون عمل کردی شجر بنشاندی ** اندر آخر حرف اول خواندی
When you have done work (and) planted the tree—at the end (when the fruit appears) you read the first words.
گر چه شاخ و برگ و بیخش اول است ** آن همه از بهر میوه مرسل است
Although its boughs, leaves, and roots are first, (yet) all those are sent for the sake of the fruit.
پس سری که مغز آن افلاک بود ** اندر آخر خواجهی لولاک بود
Hence that hidden Thought which was the brain (core) of those (nine) heavens was in the end the lord of lawlák.
نقل اعراض است این بحث و مقال ** نقل اعراض است این شیر و شگال975
This discussion and talk are (involve) the carrying over of accidents; this lion and jackal are (examples of) the carrying over of accidents.
جمله عالم خود عرض بودند تا ** اندر این معنی بیامد هل أتی
Indeed, all created beings were accidents (once), so that in this sense (the text) was revealed—Did there not come…?
این عرضها از چه زاید از صور ** وین صور هم از چه زاید از فکر
Whence arise these accidents? From ideas. And whence arise these ideas? From thoughts.
این جهان یک فکرت است از عقل کل ** عقل چون شاه است و صورتها رسل
This world is one thought (emanating) from the Universal Intellect: the Intellect is like a king, and the ideas (are his) envoys.
عالم اول جهان امتحان ** عالم ثانی جزای این و آن
The first world is the world of probation; the second world is the (world of) recompense for this and that.
چاکرت شاها جنایت میکند ** آن عرض زنجیر و زندان میشود980
Thy servant, O King, commits a sin: that accident becomes (a substance, namely) chains and prison.
بندهات چون خدمت شایسته کرد ** آن عرض نه خلعتی شد در نبرد
When thy slave performed goodly service, did not that accident become a robe of honour in the battle (between the flesh and the spirit)?
این عرض با جوهر آن بیضه است و طیر ** این از آن و آن از این زاید به سیر
This accident with the substance (belonging to it) is egg and bird: this is produced by that, and that by this, in succession.”
گفت شاهنشه چنین گیر المراد ** این عرضهای تو یک جوهر نزاد
The King said, “Take the meaning (to be) so: (why then) have these accidents of yours not produced any substance?”
گفت مخفی داشته ست آن را خرد ** تا بود غیب این جهان نیک و بد
“(Divine) Wisdom,” replied the slave, “has kept it concealed, in order that this world of good and evil may be a mystery,
ز انکه گر پیدا شدی اشکال فکر ** کافر و مومن نگفتی جز که ذکر985
Because, if the (substantial) forms of thought were to become manifest, infidel and believer (alike) would speak naught but praise (of God).
پس عیان بودی نه غیب ای شاه این ** نقش دین و کفر بودی بر جبین
Then, were this clearly seen, O King, not hidden, and were the mark of religion or infidelity (visible) on the forehead,
کی درین عالم بت و بتگر بدی ** چون کسی را زهرهی تسخر بدی
How would there be idol and idolater in this world? How would any one have the stomach to mock (at holy things)?
پس قیامت بودی این دنیای ما ** در قیامت کی کند جرم و خطا
Then this world of ours would be (like) the Resurrection: who commits sin and wrong at the Resurrection?”
گفت شه پوشید حق پاداش بد ** لیک از عامه نه از خاصان خود
The King said, “God has veiled the retribution of evil, but (only) from the vulgar, not from His own elect.
گر به دامی افکنم من یک امیر ** از امیران خفیه دارم نه از وزیر990
If I entrap one Amír, I keep it hidden from the (other) Amírs, (but) not from the Vizier.
حق به من بنمود پس پاداش کار ** وز صورهای عملها صد هزار
God, then, has shown to me the retribution of work and myriads of the (substantial) forms of actions.
تو نشانی ده که من دانم تمام ** ماه را بر من نمیپوشد غمام
Give a sign (outwardly), for I know all: the cloud does not veil the moon from me.”
گفت پس از گفت من مقصود چیست ** چون تو میدانی که آن چه بود چیست
The slave said, “Then what is the object of my speaking, since thou knowest what is (the real nature of) that which has been?”
گفت شه حکمت در اظهار جهان ** آن که دانسته برون آید عیان
The King said, “The wisdom (of God) in making the world manifest (was) that the (thing) known should come forth (to be seen) plainly.
آن چه میدانست تا پیدا نکرد ** بر جهان ننهاد رنج طلق و درد995
Until He made visible that which He knew, He did not lay upon the world the pain of parturition and the throes (thereof).
یک زمان بیکار نتوانی نشست ** تا بدی یا نیکیی از تو نجست
You cannot sit inactive for one moment: (you cannot rest) till some badness or goodness has issued from you.
این تقاضاهای کار از بهر آن ** شد موکل تا شود سرت عیان
These demands (cravings) for action were appointed in order that your inward consciousness should come clearly into (outward) view.
پس کلابهی تن کجا ساکن شود ** چون سر رشتهی ضمیرش میکشد
How, then, should the reel, which is the body, become still, when the thread's end, which is the mind, is pulling it?
تاسهی تو شد نشان آن کشش ** بر تو بیکاری بود چون جان کنش
The sign of that pulling is your anguish: to be inactive is to you like the death-agony.
این جهان و آن جهان زاید ابد ** هر سبب مادر اثر از وی ولد1000
This world and that world are for ever giving birth: every cause is a mother, the effect is the child (born) from it.
چون اثر زایید آن هم شد سبب ** تا بزاید او اثرهای عجب
When the effect was born, that too became a cause, so that it might give birth to wondrous effects.
این سببها نسل بر نسل است لیک ** دیدهای باید منور نیک نیک
These causes are generation on generation, but it needs a very well illumined eye (to see all the links in their chain).”
شاه با او در سخن اینجا رسید ** یا بدید از وی نشانی یا ندید
The King, in conversation with him, arrived at this point: he either saw or did not see a sign.
گر بدید آن شاه جویا دور نیست ** لیک ما را ذکر آن دستور نیست
If that searching King saw (such a sign), ’tis not strange; but we are not permitted to mention it.
چون ز گرمابه بیامد آن غلام ** سوی خویشش خواند آن شاه و همام1005
When that (other) slave came from the warm bath, that King and lofty personage called him to his presence,
گفت صحا لک نعیم دایم ** بس لطیفی و ظریف و خوب رو
(And) said, “Health (to you)! Lasting happiness be yours! You are very fine and elegant and good-looking.
ای دریغا گر نبودی در تو آن ** که همیگوید برای تو فلان
Oh, alas! If there were not in you that which so-and-so says about you,
شاد گشتی هر که رویت دیدهیی ** دیدنت ملک جهان ارزیدیی
Whoever beheld your face would become glad; the sight of you would be worth the empire of the world.”
گفت رمزی ز آن بگو ای پادشاه ** کز برای من بگفت آن دین تباه
He said, “O King, utter some hint of what that miscreant said about me.”
گفت اول وصف دو روییت کرد ** کاشکارا تو دوایی خفیه درد1010
The King said, “In the first place he described you as double-faced, saying that you are ostensibly a remedy (but) secretly a disease.”
خبث یارش را چو از شه گوش کرد ** در زمان دریای خشمش جوش کرد
When he heard from the King the malice of his companion, at once the sea of his anger surged up.
کف بر آورد آن غلام و سرخ گشت ** تا که موج هجو او از حد گذشت
That slave foamed and reddened, so that the billows of his vituperation exceeded (all) bounds.
کاو ز اول دم که با من یار بود ** همچو سگ در قحط بس گه خوار بود
He said, “From the first moment that he was associated with me, he was a great eater of dung, like a dog in (time of) famine.”
چون دمادم کرد هجوش چون جرس ** دست بر لب زد شهنشاهش که بس
As he satirised him in succession (without intermission), like a bell, the King put his hand on his (the slave's) lips, saying, “Enough!”