زور آدم‌زاد را حدی بود ** مشت خاک اشکست لشکر کی شود
The strength of one born of Adam has a limit: how should a handful of earth become (the cause of) the rout of an army?
مشت مشت تست و افکندن ز ماست ** زین دو نسبت نفی و اثباتش رواست
“(O Mohammed), the handful is thy handful, and the throwing is from Me”: on account of these two relations (both) the denial and the affirmation of it (the throwing) are right.
یعرفون الانبیا اضدادهم ** مثل ما لا یشتبه اولادهم
The prophets are known by their enemies, just as their (the enemies') children are not doubtful (to their parents).
همچو فرزندان خود دانندشان ** منکران با صد دلیل و صد نشان
The unbelievers know them (the prophets) as (they know) their children by a hundred indications and a hundred signs,
لیک از رشک و حسد پنهان کنند ** خویشتن را بر ندانم می‌زنند3665
But, from jealousy and envy, they conceal (their knowledge) and attach themselves to (become addicted to saying) “I do not know.”
پس چو یعرف گفت چون جای دگر ** گفت لایعرفهم غیری فذر
Then, since He (God) hath said, “He (the unbeliever) knows,” how hath He said in another place?—“None knoweth them except Me, so leave off (seeking to know them);
انهم تحت قبابی کامنون ** جز که یزدانشان نداند ز آزمون
Verily, they are hidden beneath My tents.” None knows them by (immediate) experience except God.
هم بنسبت گیر این مفتوح را ** که بدانی و ندانی نوح را
Regard also as (explicable) by means of relation this (subject) which was opened (above), (namely) that you know and do not know Noah.
مسله‌ی فنا و بقای درویش
The question of the faná and baqá of the dervish.
گفت قایل در جهان درویش نیست ** ور بود درویش آن درویش نیست
The speaker said, “There is no dervish in the world; and if there be a dervish, that dervish is (really) non-existent.”
هست از روی بقای ذات او ** نیست گشته وصف او در وصف هو3670
He exists in respect of the survival of his essence, (but) his attributes have become non-existent in the attributes of Him (God).
چون زبانه‌ی شمع پیش آفتاب ** نیست باشد هست باشد در حساب
Like the flame of a candle in the presence of the sun, he is (really) non-existent, (though he is) existent in (formal) calculation.
هست باشد ذات او تا تو اگر ** بر نهی پنبه بسوزد زان شرر
Its (the flame's) essence is existent, so that, if you put cotton upon it, it (the cotton) will be consumed by the sparks;
نیست باشد روشنی ندهد ترا ** کرده باشد آفتاب او را فنا
(But) it is (really) non-existent: it gives you no light: the sun will have naughted it.
در دو صد من شهد یک اوقیه خل ** چون در افکندی و در وی گشت حل
When you have thrown an ounce of vinegar into two hundred maunds of sugar, and it has become dissolved therein,
نیست باشد طعم خل چون می‌چشی ** هست اوقیه فزون چون برکشی3675
The flavour of the vinegar, when you taste (the sugar), is non-existent, (though) the ounce exists (as a) surplus when you weigh.
پیش شیری آهوی بیهوش شد ** هستی‌اش در هست او روپوش شد
In the presence of a lion a deer becomes senseless: her existence becomes a (mere) veil for his existence.
این قیاس ناقصان بر کار رب ** جوشش عشقست نه از ترک ادب
These analogies drawn by imperfect men concerning the action of the Lord are (like) the emotion of love, (they are) not from irreverence.
نبض عاشق بی ادب بر می‌جهد ** خویش را در کفه‌ی شه می‌نهد
The lover's pulse bounds up without reverence, he lays himself on the scale of the King's balance.
بی‌ادب‌تر نیست کس زو در جهان ** با ادب‌تر نیست کس زو در نهان
None is more irreverent than he in the world (outwardly); none is more reverent than he in secret (inwardly).
هم بنسبت دان وفاق ای منتجب ** این دو ضد با ادب با بی‌ادب3680
Know, O chosen one, that these two opposites also, “reverent” and “irreverent,” are reconciled by means of relation.
بی‌ادب باشد چو ظاهر بنگری ** که بود دعوی عشقش هم‌سری
He (the lover) is irreverent when you regard the outward aspect, for his claim of love is (involves) equality (with the Beloved);
چون به باطن بنگری دعوی کجاست ** او و دعوی پیش آن سلطان فناست
(But) when you regard the inward aspect, where is the claim? He and (his) claim are naughted in the presence of that Sultan.
مات زید زید اگر فاعل بود ** لیک فاعل نیست کو عاطل بود
Máta Zaydun (Zayd died): if Zayd is the agent (grammatical subject), (yet) he is not the agent, for he is defunct.
او ز روی لفظ نحوی فاعلست ** ورنه او مفعول و موتش قاتلست
He is the agent (only) in respect of the grammatical expression; otherwise, he is the one acted upon (the object of the action), and Death is his slayer.
فاعل چه کو چنان مقهور شد ** فاعلیها جمله از وی دور شد3685
What agent (is he), since he has been so overpowered and all the qualities of an agent have been removed from him?
قصه وکیل صدر جهان کی متهم شد و از بخارا گریخت از بیم جان باز عشقش کشید رو کشان کی کار جان سهل باشد عاشقان را
Story of the Sadr-i Jahán's Wakíl (minister), who fell under suspicion and fled from Bukhárá in fear of his life; then love drew him back irresistibly, for the matter of life is of small account to lovers.
در بخارا بنده‌ی صدر جهان ** متهم شد گشت از صدرش نهان
In Bukhárá the servant of the Sadr-i Jahán incurred suspicion and hid from his Sadr (prince).
مدت ده سال سرگردان بگشت ** گه خراسان گه کهستان گاه دشت
During ten years he roamed distractedly, now in Khurásán, now in the mountain-land, now in the desert.
از پس ده سال او از اشتیاق ** گشت بی‌طاقت ز ایام فراق
After ten years, through longing he became unable to endure the days of separation (from his beloved).
گفت تاب فرقتم زین پس نماند ** صبر کی داند خلاعت را نشاند
He said, “Henceforth I cannot bear to be parted (from him) any more: how can patience allay (the lover's) state of abandonment?”
از فراق این خاکها شوره بود ** آب زرد و گنده و تیره شود3690
From separation these soils are nitrous (barren), and water becomes yellow and stinking and dark;
The life-increasing wind (air) becomes unhealthy and pestilential; a fire turns to ashes and dust.
باغ چون جنت شود دار المرض ** زرد و ریزان برگ او اندر حرض
The orchard which resembled Paradise becomes the abode of disease, (with) its leaves yellow and dropping in decay.
عقل دراک از فراق دوستان ** همچو تیرانداز اشکسته کمان
The penetrating intellect, through separation from its friends, (becomes) like an archer whose bow is broken.
دوزخ از فرقت چنان سوزان شدست ** پیر از فرقت چنان لرزان شدست
From separation Hell has become so burning; from separation the old man has become so trembling.
گر بگویم از فراق چون شرار ** تا قیامت یک بود از صد هزار3695
If I should speak of separation, (which is) like sparks of fire, till the Resurrection, ’twould be (only) one (part) out of a hundred thousand.
پس ز شرح سوز او کم زن نفس ** رب سلم رب سلم گوی و بس
Therefore do not breathe (a word) in description of its burning: say only “Lord, save (me)! Lord, save (me)!”
هرچه از وی شاد گردی در جهان ** از فراق او بیندیش آن زمان
Everything by which you are rejoiced in the world—think at that time of the parting from it.
زانچ گشتی شاد بس کس شاد شد ** آخر از وی جست و همچون باد شد
Many a one has been gladdened by what made you glad: at last it escaped from him and became even as wind.
از تو هم بجهد تو دل بر وی منه ** پیش از آن کو بجهد از وی تو بجه
It will escape from you also: set not your heart upon it. Do you yourself escape from it before it escapes (from you).
پیدا شدن روح القدس بصورت آدمی بر مریم بوقت برهنگی و غسل کردن و پناه گرفتن بحق تعالی
The appearance of the Holy Spirit (Gabriel) in the shape of a man to Mary when she was undressed and washing herself, and how she took refuge with God.
همچو مریم گوی پیش از فوت ملک ** نقش را کالعوذ بالرحمن منک3700
Before the slipping away of your possessions, say to the form (of created things), like Mary, “(I take) refuge from thee with the Merciful (God).”
دید مریم صورتی بس جان‌فزا ** جان‌فزایی دلربایی در خلا
Mary in her chamber saw a form that gave increase of life— a life-increasing, heart-ravishing one.
پیش او بر رست از روی زمین ** چون مه وخورشید آن روح الامین
That trusted Spirit rose up before her from the face of the earth, like the moon and the sun.
از زمین بر رست خوبی بی‌نقاب ** آنچنان کز شرق روید آفتاب
Beauty unveiled rose up from the earth (in) such (splendour) as the sun rises from the East.
لرزه بر اعضای مریم اوفتاد ** کو برهنه بود و ترسید از فساد
A trembling came over Mary's limbs, for she was undressed and was afraid of evil.
صورتی که یوسف ار دیدی عیان ** دست از حیرت بریدی چو زنان3705
(’Twas) such a form that if Joseph had beheld it plainly, he would have cut his hand in amazement, like the (Egyptian) women.
همچو گل پیشش برویید آن ز گل ** چون خیالی که بر آرد سر ز دل
It blossomed from the earth like a rose before her—like a phantasy which lifts its head from the heart.
گشت بی‌خود مریم و در بی‌خودی ** گفت بجهم در پناه ایزدی
Mary became selfless (beside herself), and in her selflessness she said, “I will leap into the Divine protection,”
زانک عادت کرده بود آن پاک‌جیب ** در هزیمت رخت بردن سوی غیب
Because that pure-bosomed one had made a habit of betaking herself in flight to the Unseen.
چون جهان را دید ملکی بی‌قرار ** حازمانه ساخت زان حضرت حصار
Since she deemed the world a kingdom without permanence, she prudently made a fortress of that (Divine) Presence,
تا به گاه مرگ حصنی باشدش ** که نیابد خصم راه مقصدش3710
In order that in the hour of death she should have a stronghold which the Enemy would find no way to attack.