He grows stout and slinks into a shady place—a lazy, full-fed, cowardly, self-opinionated (creature)!
گویدش دل خانه‌ای ساز ای عمو ** گوید او در خانه کی گنجم بگو
His heart (conscience) says to him, “Build a house, O uncle!” He says, “How shall I find room in the house? Tell (me that).”
استخوان حرص تو در وقت درد ** درهم آید خرد گردد در نورد
In the hour of pain the bones of your greed shrink together and diminish in compass,
گویی از توبه بسازم خانه‌ای ** در زمستان باشدم استانه‌ای
And you say penitently, “I will build a house: it will be a resting-place (refuge) for me in winter”;
چون بشد درد و شدت آن حرص زفت ** همچو سگ سودای خانه از تو رفت
(But) when the pain is gone and your greed has grown stout, the desire for the house departs from you, just as (in the case of) the dog.
شکر نعمت خوشتر از نعمت بود ** شکرباره کی سوی نعمت رود2895
Thanksgiving for the bounty is sweeter than the bounty (itself): how should he that is addicted to thanksgiving go towards (direct his attention to) the bounty?
شکر جان نعمت و نعمت چو پوست ** ز آنک شکر آرد ترا تا کوی دوست
Thanksgiving is the soul of the bounty, and the bounty is as the husk, because thanksgiving brings you to the abode of the Beloved.
نعمت آرد غفلت و شکر انتباه ** صید نعمت کن بدام شکر شاه
Bounty produces heedlessness, and thanksgiving alertness: hunt after bounty with the snare of thanksgiving to the King.
نعمت شکرت کند پرچشم و میر ** تا کنی صد نعمت ایثار فقیر
The bounty of thanksgiving will make you contented and princely, so that you will bestow a hundred bounties on the poor.
سیر نوشی از طعام و نقل حق ** تا رود از تو شکم‌خواری و دق
You will eat your fill of the viands and dessert of God, so that hunger and begging will depart from you.
منع کردن انبیا را از نصیحت کردن و حجت آوردن جبریانه
How the unbelievers stopped the prophets, on whom be peace, from giving admonition and brought forward Necessitarian arguments.
قوم گفتند ای نصوحان بس بود ** اینچ گفتید ار درین ده کس بود2900
The people (of Sabá) said, “O admonishers, what ye have said is enough, if there be any one in this village.
قفل بر دلهای ما بنهاد حق ** کس نداند برد بر خالق سبق
God hath set a lock upon our hearts; none can prevail against the Creator.
نقش ما این کرد آن تصویرگر ** این نخواهد شد بگفت و گو دگر
That Artist made the picture of us to be this: this will not be altered by talking.
سنگ را صد سال گویی لعل شو ** کهنه را صد سال گویی باش نو
A hundred years you may tell the pebble to become a ruby, a hundred years you may tell the old to become new;
خاک را گویی صفات آب گیر ** آب را گویی عسل شو یا که شیر
You may tell earth to assume the qualities of water, you may tell water to become honey or milk—
خالق افلاک او و افلاکیان ** خالق آب و تراب و خاکیان2905
(’Tis all in vain): He is the Creator of the heavens and the heavenly ones, the Creator of water and earth and earthly beings.
آسمان را داد دوران و صفا ** آب و گل را تیره رویی و نما
To heaven He gave its circling motion and its purity; to (the mixed) water and earth its dark appearance and its (power of) growth.
کی تواند آسمان دردی گزید ** کی تواند آب و گل صفوت خرید
How can heaven choose turbidity? How can (the mixed) earth and water buy purity?
قسمتی کردست هر یک را رهی ** کی کهی گردد بجهدی چون کهی
To every one He hath allotted a certain course: how should a mountain by any effort become as a straw?”
جواب انبیا علیهم السلام مر جبریان را
The answer of the prophets, on whom be peace, to the Necessitarians.
انبیا گفتند کاری آفرید ** وصفهایی که نتان زان سر کشید
The prophets said, “Yes: He hath created some qualities from which it is impossible to withdraw one's self,
و آفرید او وصفهای عارضی ** که کسی مبغوض می‌گردد رضی2910
And He hath (also) created qualities (which are only) accidental, so that a hated person becomes acceptable.
سنگ را گویی که زر شو بیهده‌ست ** مس را گویی که زر شو راه هست
If you bid a stone become gold, ’tis futile; (but) if you bid copper become gold, the way (of transmuting it) exists.
ریگ را گویی که گل شو عاجزست ** خاک را گویی که گل شو جایزست
If you bid sand become clay, it is incapable (of doing so); (but) if you bid earth become clay, that is possible.
رنجها دادست کان را چاره نیست ** آن بمثل لنگی و فطس و عمیست
He hath given (ordained to us) maladies for which there is no remedy, such as lameness, flatness of the nose, and blindness;
رنجها دادست کان را چاره هست ** آن بمثل لقوه و درد سرست
He hath given maladies for which there is a remedy, such as facial paralysis and headache.
این دواها ساخت بهر ایتلاف ** نیست این درد و دواها از گزاف2915
These medicines He hath made for the sake of (restoring) harmony: these maladies and medicines are not in vain.
بلک اغلب رنجها را چاره هست ** چون بجد جویی بیاید آن بدست
Nay, most maladies have a cure: when you seek in earnest, it will come to hand.”
مکرر کردن کافران حجتهای جبریانه را
How the infidels repeated the Necessitarian arguments.
قوم گفتند ای گروه این رنج ما ** نیست زان رنجی که بپذیرد دوا
The people said, “O company (of prophets), this malady of ours is not one of those that admit of cure.
سالها گفتید زین افسون و پند ** سخت‌تر می‌گشت زان هر لحظه بند
For years ye uttered spells and admonitions of this kind, and by them our bondage was made sorer every moment.
گر دوا را این مرض قابل بدی ** آخر از وی ذره‌ای زایل شدی
If this disease were susceptible of cure, some particle of it would at last have been removed.
سده چون شد آب ناید در جگر ** گر خورد دریا رود جایی دگر2920
When hepatitis occurs, water does not enter the liver: if he (the patient) should drink up the (whole) sea, it (the water) would go somewhere else;
لاجرم آماس گیرد دست و پا ** تشنگی را نشکند آن استقا
Consequently the hands and feet become swollen: that water-drinking does not defeat the thirst.”
باز جواب انبیا علیهم السلام ایشان را
How the prophets, on whom be peace, answered them again.
انبیا گفتند نومیدی بدست ** فضل و رحمتهای باری بی‌حدست
The prophets said, “Despair is wicked: the grace and the mercies of the Creator are infinite.
از چنین محسن نشاید ناامید ** دست در فتراک این رحمت زنید
’Tis not proper to despair of such a Benefactor: cling to the saddle-strap of this Mercy.
ای بسا کارا که اول صعب گشت ** بعد از آن بگشاده شد سختی گذشت
Oh, many a plight became hard in the beginning, (but) afterwards it was relieved, and the hardship passed away.
بعد نومیدی بسی اومیدهاست ** از پس ظلمت بسی خورشیدهاست2925
After despair there are many hopes; after darkness there are many suns.
خود گرفتم که شما سنگین شدیت ** قفلها بر گوش و بر دل بر زدیت
I grant indeed that ye have become stony and have put locks upon your ears and hearts;
هیچ ما را با قبولی کار نیست ** کار ما تسلیم و فرمان کردنیست
(But) we have naught to do with any acceptance (on your part): our business is to resign ourselves (to God) and fulfil His command.
او بفرمودستمان این بندگی ** نیست ما را از خود این گویندگی
He hath commanded us (to perform) this service: we have not this office of proclaimer (prophetship) from ourselves.
جان برای امر او داریم ما ** گر به ریگی گوید او کاریم ما
We possess life (only) for the purpose of (executing) the command of God: if He bid us (sow) in a tract of sand, we sow.
غیر حق جان نبی را یار نیست ** با قبول و رد خلقش کار نیست2930
The prophet's soul hath no friend except God: he hath naught to do with the acceptance or rejection of (his message by) the people.
مزد تبلیغ رسالاتش ازوست ** زشت و دشمن‌رو شدیم از بهر دوست
The reward for delivering His messages comes from Him (God): we have become hateful and wear the aspect of enemies (to the people) for the Beloved's sake.
ما برین درگه ملولان نیستیم ** تا ز بعد راه هر جا بیستیم
At this (Divine) Portal we are not weary, so that we should halt everywhere because of the distance of the way.
دل فرو بسته و ملول آنکس بود ** کز فراق یار در محبس بود
Oppressed in heart and weary is that one (alone) who is in prison through being parted from the Friend.
دلبر و مطلوب با ما حاضرست ** در نثار رحمتش جان شاکرست
The Heart-ravisher and Desired One is present with us: amidst the largesse of His mercy our souls are giving thanks.
در دل ما لاله‌زار و گلشنیست ** پیری و پژمردگی را راه نیست2935
In our hearts is an anemone-field and rose-garden: there is no way (of entrance) for old age and decay;