وعده کردی مر مرا تو بارها ** که بیابد اهلت از طوفان رها
Many times Thou didst promise me, saying, ‘Thy family shall be saved from the Deluge.’
دل نهادم بر امیدت من سلیم ** پس چرا بربود سیل از من گلیم
I (in) simple (faith) fixed my heart on hope of Thee: why, then, has the Flood swept my garment away from me?”
گفت او از اهل و خویشانت نبود ** خود ندیدی تو سپیدی او کبود
He (God) said, “He was not of thy family and kinsfolk: didst not thou thyself see (that) thou art white, he blue?”
چونک دندان تو کرمش در فتاد ** نیست دندان بر کنش ای اوستاد1335
When the worm (of decay) has fallen upon thy tooth, it is not a tooth (any more): tear it out, O master.
تا که باقی تن نگردد زار ازو ** گرچه بود آن تو شو بیزار ازو
In order that the rest of thy body may not be made miserable by it, become quit of it, although it was (once) thine.
گفت بیزارم ز غیر ذات تو ** غیر نبود آنک او شد مات تو
He (Noah) said, “I am quit of aught other than Thy Essence; he that has died in Thee is not other (than Thou).
تو همی دانی که چونم با تو من ** بیست چندانم که با باران چمن
Thou knowest how I am to Thee: I am (to Thee) as the orchard to the rain, and twenty times as much—
زنده از تو شاد از تو عایلی ** مغتذی بی واسطه و بی حایلی
Living by Thee, rejoicing because of Thee, a pauper receiving sustenance without any medium or intervention;
متصل نه منفصل نه ای کمال ** بلک بی چون و چگونه و اعتلال1340
Not united, not separated, O Perfection; nay, devoid of quality or description or causation.
ماهیانیم و تو دریای حیات ** زنده‌ایم از لطفت ای نیکو صفات
We are the fishes, and Thou the Sea of Life: we live by Thy favour, O Thou whose attributes are excellent.
تو نگنجی در کنار فکرتی ** نی به معلولی قرین چون علتی
Thou art not contained in the bosom of any thought, nor art Thou joined with the effect, as a cause.
پیش ازین طوفان و بعد این مرا ** تو مخاطب بوده‌ای در ماجرا
Before this Flood and after it, Thou hast been the object of my address in (every) colloquy.
با تو می‌گفتم نه با ایشان سخن ** ای سخن‌بخش نو و آن کهن
I was speaking with Thee, not with them, O Thou that art the Giver of speech (both) newly and of old.
نه که عاشق روز و شب گوید سخن ** گاه با اطلال و گاهی با دمن1345
Is it not the case that the lover, day and night, converses now with the ruins (of the beloved's abode), now with the traces (of her habitation)?
روی با اطلال کرده ظاهرا ** او کرا می‌گوید آن مدحت کرا
To outward seeming, he has turned his face towards the ruins, (but) to whom is he (really) saying that song of praise, to whom?
شکر طوفان را کنون بگماشتی ** واسطه‌ی اطلال را بر داشتی
Thanks (be to Thee)! Now Thou hast let loose the Flood and removed the ruins which stood between (me and Thee).
زانک اطلال لیم و بد بدند ** نه ندایی نه صدایی می‌زدند
(I thank Thee) because they were vile and evil ruins, uttering neither a cry nor an echo.
من چنان اطلال خواهم در خطاب ** کز صدا چون کوه واگوید جواب
I desire such ruins to speak with as answer back, like the mountain, by an echo,
تا مثنا بشنوم من نام تو ** عاشقم برنام جان آرام تو1350
So that I may hear Thy name redoubled, (for) I am in love with Thy soul-soothing name.
هرنبی زان دوست دارد کوه را ** تا مثنا بشنود نام ترا
That is why every prophet holds the mountains dear: (’tis) that he may hear Thy name redoubled.
آن که پست مثال سنگ لاخ ** موش را شاید نه ما را در مناخ
That low mountain, resembling stony ground, is suitable for a mouse, not for us, as a resting-place.
من بگویم او نگردد یار من ** بی صدا ماند دم گفتار من
(When) I speak, it does not join with me: the breath of my speech remains without (any) echo.
با زمین آن به که هموارش کنی ** نیست همدم با قدم یارش کنی
’Tis better that thou level it with the earth; it is not in accord with thy breath (voice): thou shouldst join it with thy foot.”
گفت ای نوح ار تو خواهی جمله را ** حشر گردانم بر آرم از ثری1355
He (God) said, “O Noah, if thou desire, I will assemble them all and raise them from (their graves in) the earth.
بهر کنعانی دل تو نشکنم ** لیکت از احوال آگه می‌کنم
I will not break thy heart for the sake of a Canaan, but I am acquainting (thee) with (their real) states.”
گفت نه نه راضیم که تو مرا ** هم کنی غرقه اگر باید ترا
He (Noah) said, “Nay, nay, I am content that Thou shouldst drown me too, if it behove Thee (to do so).
هر زمانم غرقه می‌کن من خوشم ** حکم تو جانست چون جان می‌کشم
Keep drowning me every instant, I am pleased: Thy ordinance is my (very) soul, I bear it (with me) as my soul.
ننگرم کس را وگر هم بنگرم ** او بهانه باشد و تو منظرم
I do not look at any one (but Thee), and even if I do look at (any one), he is (only) a pretext, and Thou art the (real) object of my regard.
عاشق صنع توم در شکر و صبر ** عاشق مصنوع کی باشم چو گبر1360
I am in love with Thy making (both) in (the hour of) thanksgiving and (in the hour of) patience; how should I be in love, like the infidel, with that which Thou hast made?”
عاشق صنع خدا با فر بود ** عاشق مصنوع او کافر بود
He that loves God's making is glorious; he that loves what He hath made is an unbeliever.
توفیق میان این دو حدیث کی الرضا بالکفر کفر و حدیث دیگر من لم یرض بقضایی فلیطلب ربا سوای
Reconciliation of these two Traditions: “To be satisfied with infidelity is an act of infidelity,” and “If any one is not satisfied with My ordainment, let him seek a lord other than Me.”
دی سالی کرد سایل مر مرا ** زانک عاشق بود او بر ماجرا
Yesterday an inquirer put a question to me, because he was fond of disputation.
گفت نکته‌ی الرضا بالکفر کفر ** این پیمبر گفت و گفت اوست مهر
He said, “This Prophet uttered the deep saying, ‘To be satisfied with infidelity is an act of infidelity’; his words are (conclusive like) a seal.
باز فرمود او که اندر هر قضا ** مر مسلمان را رضا باید رضا
Again, he said that the Moslem must be satisfied (acquiesce) in every ordainment, must be satisfied.
نه قضای حق بود کفر و نفاق ** گر بدین راضی شوم باشد شقاق1365
Is not infidelity and hypocrisy the ordainment of God? If I become satisfied with this (infidelity), ’twill be opposition (disobedience to God),
ور نیم راضی بود آن هم زیان ** پس چه چاره باشدم اندر میان
And if I am not satisfied, that too will be detrimental: between (these two alternatives), then, what means (of escape) is there for me?”
گفتمش این کفر مقضی نه قضاست ** هست آثار قضا این کفر راست
I said to him, “This infidelity is the thing ordained, it is not the ordainment; this infidelity is truly the effects of the ordainment.
پس قضا را خواجه از مقضی بدان ** تا شکالت دفع گردد در زمان
Therefore know (distinguish), sire, the ordainment from the thing ordained, so that thy difficulty may be removed at once.
راضیم در کفر زان رو که قضاست ** نه ازین رو که نزاع و خبث ماست
I acquiesce in infidelity in that respect that it is the ordainment (of God), not in this respect that it is our contentiousness and wickedness.
کفر از روی قضا خود کفر نیست ** حق را کافر مخوان اینجا مه‌ایست1370
In respect of the ordainment, infidelity indeed is not infidelity. Do not call God ‘infidel,’ do not stand here.
کفر جهلست و قضای کفر علم ** هر دو کی یک باشد آخر حلم و خلم
Infidelity is ignorance, and the ordainment of infidelity is knowledge: how, pray, should hilm (forbearance) and khilm (anger) both be one (and the same)?
زشتی خط زشتی نقاش نیست ** بلک از وی زشت را بنمودنیست
The ugliness of the script is not the ugliness of the artist; nay, ’tis an exhibition of the ugly by him.
قوت نقاش باشد آنک او ** هم تواند زشت کردن هم نکو
The power (skill) of the artist is that he can make both the ugly and the beautiful.”
گر کشانم بحث این را من بساز ** تا سال و تا جواب آید دراز
If I develop the investigation of this (subject) methodically, so that question and answer become lengthy,
ذوق نکته‌ی عشق از من می‌رود ** نقش خدمت نقش دیگر می‌شود1375
The savour of Love's mystery will go from me, the form of piety will be deformed.
مثل در بیان آنک حیرت مانع بحث و فکرتست
A parable illustrating the fact that (mystical) bewilderment prevents investigation and consideration.
آن یکی مرد دومو آمد شتاب ** پیش یک آیینه دار مستطاب
A certain man, whose hair was of two colours, came in haste to a highly esteemed barber.
گفت از ریشم سپیدی کن جدا ** که عروس نو گزیدم ای فتی
He said, “Remove the hoariness from my beard, for I have chosen a new bride, O young man.”
ریش او ببرید و کل پیشش نهاد ** گفت تو بگزین مرا کاری فتاد
He cut off his beard and laid the whole of it before him, and said, “Do thou pick out (the white hairs), for it happens that I have some important business.”
این سال وآن جوابست آن گزین ** که سر اینها ندارد درد دین
That “pick (them) out” is dialectic, for religious emotion has no care for these things (hair-splitting disputes).
آن یکی زد سیلیی مر زید را ** حمله کرد او هم برای کید را1380
A certain man slapped Zayd on the neck; he (Zayd) at once rushed at him with warlike purpose.
گفت سیلی‌زن سالت می‌کنم ** پس جوابم گوی وانگه می‌زنم
The assailant said, “I will ask thee a question, so answer me (first) and then strike me.