بر گروه عاد صرصر می‌کند ** باز بر هودش معطر می‌کند
He makes it a sarsar (intensely cold and violent) for the people of ‘Ád; again, He makes it perfumed (balmy) for Húd.
می‌کند یک باد را زهر سموم ** مر صبا را می‌کند خرم‌قدوم
One wind He makes (deadly as) the poison of the simoom; He (also) makes the advent of the east-wind to be delightful.
باد دم را بر تو بنهاد او اساس ** تا کنی هر باد را بر وی قیاس135
He hath founded (stablished) the wind of the breath in you, in order that thereby you may judge analogically of every (other) wind.
دم نمی‌گردد سخن بی‌لطف و قهر ** بر گروهی شهد و بر قومیست زهر
The breath does not become speech without (assuming the quality of) gentleness or harshness: it is honey for one set of people and poison for another class.
مروحه جنبان پی انعام کس ** وز برای قهر هر پشه و مگس
The fan is moving for the benefit of the (favoured) person, and for the subjugation of every fly and gnat.
مروحه‌ی تقدیر ربانی چرا ** پر نباشد ز امتحان و ابتلا
Why (then) should not the fan of Divine fore-ordainment be fraught with trial and probation (by means of good and evil)?
چونک جزو باد دم یا مروحه ** نیست الا مفسده یا مصلحه
Inasmuch as the part, namely, the wind of the breath or the fan, is naught but a cause of injury or advantage,
این شمال و این صبا و این دبور ** کی بود از لطف و از انعام دور140
How should this north-wind and this east-wind and this west- wind be remote from (showing) favour and conferring bounty?
یک کف گندم ز انباری ببین ** فهم کن کان جمله باشد همچنین
Look at a handful of wheat froth a granary, and apprehend that the whole of it will be just like this (handful).
کل باد از برج باد آسمان ** کی جهد بی مروحه‌ی آن بادران
How should the whole of the wind rush forth from the mansion of the wind in Heaven without (being impelled by) the fan of that Driver of the wind?
بر سر خرمن به وقت انتقاد ** نه که فلاحان ز حق جویند باد
Is it not the fact that at winnowing-time the labourers on the threshing-floor beseech God for wind,
تا جدا گردد ز گندم کاهها ** تا به انباری رود یا چاهها
In order that the straws may be separated from the wheat, so that it may go into a granary or pits?
چون بماند دیر آن باد وزان ** جمله را بینی به حق لابه‌کنان145
When the blowing wind is long delayed, you may see them all making humble entreaty to God.
همچنین در طلق آن باد ولاد ** گر نیاید بانگ درد آید که داد
Likewise, in parturition, if the wind of childbirth do not come, there comes (from the mother) a woeful cry for help.
گر نمی‌دانند کش راننده اوست ** باد را پس کردن زاری چه خوست
If they (that desire the wind) are not aware that He is its Driver, then what disposes (them) to pray piteously for the wind?
اهل کشتی همچنین جویای باد ** جمله خواهانش از آن رب العباد
Likewise, those in ship are desirous of the wind: they all are begging for it from the Lord of Mankind.
همچنین در درد دندانها ز باد ** دفع می‌خواهی بسوز و اعتقاد
Likewise, in (the case of) toothache you beg ardently and earnestly to be defended from the wind.
از خدا لابه‌کنان آن جندیان ** که بده باد ظفر ای کامران150
The soldiers beseech God humbly, saying, “Give (us) the wind of victory, O Thou whose every wish is fulfilled!”
رقعه‌ی تعویذ می‌خواهند نیز ** در شکنجه‌ی طلق زن از هر عزیز
Also, in the throes of childbirth, folk beg from every venerated (saint) a piece of paper inscribed with a charm (against evil).
پس همه دانسته‌اند آن را یقین ** که فرستد باد رب‌العالمین
Therefore all have known for certain that the wind is sent by the Lord of created beings.
پس یقین در عقل هر داننده هست ** اینک با جنبنده جنباننده هست
Therefore in the mind of every one possessing knowledge this is certain, that with everything that moves there is a mover.
گر تو او را می‌نبینی در نظر ** فهم کن آن را به اظهار اثر
If you do not see him visibly, apprehend him by means of the manifestation of the effect.
تن به جان جنبد نمی‌بینی تو جان ** لیک از جنبیدن تن جان بدان155
The body is moved by the spirit: you do not seethe spirit; but from the movement of the body know the spirit (to be its mover).
گفت او گر ابلهم من در ادب ** زیرکم اندر وفا و در طلب
He (the lover) said, “If I am foolish in manners, I am wise in respect of faithfulness and (eager) pursuit.”
گفت ادب این بود خود که دیده شد ** آن دگر را خود همی‌دانی تو لد
She replied, “Truly the manners were these which have been seen; as for the other (things), thou thyself knowest, perverse fellow!
قصه‌ی آن صوفی کی زن خود را بیگانه‌ای بگرفت
Story of the Súfí who caught his wife with a strange man.
صوفیی آمد به سوی خانه روز ** خانه یک در بود و زن با کفش‌دوز
A Súfí came (back) to his house in the daytime: the house had (only) one door, and his wife was with a cobbler.
جفت گشته با رهی خویش زن ** اندر آن یک حجره از وسواس تن
Uxor copulata erat cum servo (amatore) suo in illo uno cubiculo propter corporis libidenem. [(His) wife was copulating with her slave (lover) in that one chamber due to bodily temptation.]
چون بزد صوفی به جد در چاشتگاه ** هر دو درماندند نه حیلت نه راه160
When in the forenoon the Súfí knocked on the door with all his might, both (the lovers) were at a loss (what to do): (there was) neither device nor way (of escape).
هیچ معهودش نبد کو آن زمان ** سوی خانه باز گردد از دکان
It was never known (it was unprecedented) for him to return home from the shop at that time,
قاصدا آن روز بی‌وقت آن مروع ** از خیالی کرد تا خانه رجوع
But on that day the alarmed man purposely returned to his house at an unseasonable hour, because of a fancy (suspicion).
اعتماد زن بر آن کو هیچ بار ** این زمان فا خانه نامد او ز کار
The wife's confidence was (based) on the fact that he had never come home from his work at this time.
آن قیاسش راست نامد از قضا ** گرچه ستارست هم بدهد سزا
By (Divine) destiny, her reasoning did not come (turn out to be) right: though He (God) is the Coverer (of sins), still He will impose the penalty.
چونک بد کردی بترس آمن مباش ** زانک تخمست و برویاند خداش165
When you have done evil, be afraid, do not be secure, since it (the evil) is seed, and God will cause it to grow.
چند گاهی او بپوشاند که تا ** آیدت زان بد پشیمان و حیا
For awhile He covers it up, to the end that sorrow and shame for (having committed) that evil may come to you.
عهد عمر آن امیر مومنان ** داد دزدی را به جلاد و عوان
In the time of ‘Umar, that Prince of the Faithful gave a thief over to the executioner and officer of police.
بانگ زد آن دزد کای میر دیار ** اولین بارست جرمم زینهار
The thief cried out, saying, ‘O Prince of the land, this is my first offence. Mercy!’
گفت عمر حاش لله که خدا ** بار اول قهر بارد در جزا
‘God forfend,’ said ‘Umar, ‘that God should inflict severe punishment the first time.
بارها پوشد پی اظهار فضل ** باز گیرد از پی اظهار عدل170
He covers up (the sin) many times in order to manifest His grace; then again, He chastises (the sinner) in order to manifest His justice,
تا که این هر دو صفت ظاهر شود ** آن مبشر گردد این منذر شود
To the end that both these attributes may be displayed, and the former be hope-inspiring and the latter deterrent.’
بارها زن نیز این بد کرده بود ** سهل بگذشت آن و سهلش می‌نمود
The woman, too, had committed this wickedness many times: it passed lightly (over her) and seemed light to her.
آن نمی‌دانست عقل پای‌سست ** که سبو دایم ز جو ناید درست
The feeble intelligence (which she had) was unaware that the pitcher does not for ever come (back) whole from the brook.
آنچنانش تنگ آورد آن قضا ** که منافق را کند مرگ فجا
That (Divine) destiny brought her to such straits as sudden death does (in the case of) the (religious) hypocrite,
نه طریق و نه رفیق و نه امان ** دست کرده آن فرشته سوی جان175
(When there is) neither way (of escape) nor comrade (to help) nor (hope of) quarter, (and when) the Angel (of Death) has put out his hand to (seize) the soul.
آنچنان کین زن در آن حجره جفا ** خشک شد او و حریفش ز ابتلا
(Such is the state of the hypocrite), even as this woman in that chamber of iniquity was paralysed, she and her companion, by the tribulation.
گفت صوفی با دل خود کای دو گبر ** از شما کینه کشم لیکن به صبر
The Súfí said to himself, ‘O ye two miscreants, I will take vengeance on you, but with patience.
لیک نادانسته آرم این نفس ** تا که هر گوشی ننوشد این جرس
(I will not act in haste) but at this moment I will feign ignorance, that every ear may not hear this bell.’
از شما پنهان کشد کینه محق ** اندک اندک هم‌چو بیماری دق
He (God) who manifests the right takes vengeance on you secretly, little by little, like the malady of phthisis.
مرد دق باشد چو یخ هر لحظه کم ** لیک پندارد بهر دم بهترم180
The man suffering from phthisis dwindles incessantly like ice, but at every moment he thinks he is better.
هم‌چو کفتاری که می‌گیرندش و او ** غره‌ی آن گفت کین کفتار کو
(He is) like the hyena which they (the hunters) are catching, and which is duped by their saying, ‘Where is this hyena?’
هیچ پنهان‌خانه آن زن را نبود ** سمج و دهلیز و ره بالا نبود
That woman had no secret room; she had no subterranean cellar or passage, no way to the top (of the house),