پس ز پس می‌بیند او تا اصل اصل ** پیش می‌بیند عیان تا روز فصل
Therefore he sees back to the root of the root (the primal origin), and he sees forward clairvoyantly to the Day of Decision.
هر کسی اندازه‌ی روشن‌دلی ** غیب را بیند به قدر صیقلی
Every one, according to the measure of his spiritual enlightenment, sees the things unseen in proportion to the polishing (of the heart's mirror).
هر که صیقل بیش کرد او بیش دید ** بیشتر آمد برو صورت پدید2910
The more he polishes, the more he sees and the more visible does the form (of things unseen) become to him.
گر تو گویی کان صفا فضل خداست ** نیز این توفیق صیقل زان عطاست
If you say that that (spiritual) purity is (bestowed by) the grace of God, this success in polishing (the heart) is also (derived) from that (Divine) bounty.
قدر همت باشد آن جهد و دعا ** لیس للانسان الا ما سعی
That (devotional) work and prayer is in proportion to the (worshipper's) aspiration: Man hath nothing but what he hath striven after.
واهب همت خداوندست و بس ** همت شاهی ندارد هیچ خس
God alone is the giver of aspiration: no base churl aspires to be a king.
نیست تخصیص خدا کس را به کار ** مانع طوع و مراد و اختیار
God's assignment of a particular lot to any one does not hinder (him from exercising) consent and will and choice;
لیک چون رنجی دهد بدبخت را ** او گریزاند به کفران رخت را2915
But when He brings some trouble on an ill-fated man, he (that man) ungratefully packs off in flight;
نیکبختی را چو حق رنجی دهد ** رخت را نزدیکتر وا می‌نهد
(Whereas), when God brings some trouble on a good-fortuned (blessed) man, he always (approaches and) abides nearer (to God).
بددلان از بیم جان در کارزار ** کرده اسباب هزیمت اختیار
In battle the pusillanimous from fear for their lives have chosen the means (resource) of flight,
پردلان در جنگ هم از بیم جان ** حمله کرده سوی صف دشمنان
(While) the courageous, also from fear for their lives, have charged towards the ranks of the enemy.
رستمان را ترس و غم وا پیش برد ** هم ز ترس آن بددل اندر خویش مرد
Rustams (heroes) are borne onward by (their) fear and pain; from fear, too, the man of infirm spirit dies within himself.
چون محک آمد بلا و بیم جان ** زان پدید آید شجاع از هر جبان2920
Tribulation and fear for one's life are like a touchstone: thereby the brave man is distinguished from every coward.
وحی کردن حق به موسی علیه‌السلام کی ای موسی من کی خالقم تعالی ترا دوست می‌دارم
How God made a revelation to Moses, on whom be peace, saying, "O Moses, I who am the exalted Creator love thee."
گفت موسی را به وحی دل خدا ** کای گزیده دوست می‌دارم ترا
God spoke to Moses by inspiration of the heart, saying, “O chosen one, I love thee.”
گفت چه خصلت بود ای ذوالکرم ** موجب آن تا من آن افزون کنم
He (Moses) said, “O Bountiful One, (tell me) what disposition (in me) is the cause of that, in order that I may augment it.”
گفت چون طفلی به پیش والده ** وقت قهرش دست هم در وی زده
He (God) said, “Thou art like a child in the presence of its mother: when she chastises it, it still lays hold of her.
خود نداند که جز او دیار هست ** هم ازو مخمور هم از اوست مست
It does not even know that there is any one in the world except her: it is both afflicted with headache (sorrow) by her and intoxicated (with joy) by her.
مادرش گر سیلیی بر وی زند ** هم به مادر آید و بر وی تند2925
If its mother give it a slap, still it comes to its mother and clings to her.
از کسی یاری نخواهد غیر او ** اوست جمله شر او و خیر او
It does not seek help from any one but her: she is all its evil and its good.
خاطر تو هم ز ما در خیر و شر ** التفاتش نیست جاهای دگر
Thy heart, likewise, in good or evil (plight) never turns from Me to other quarters.
غیر من پیشت چون سنگست و کلوخ ** گر صبی و گر جوان و گر شیوخ
In thy sight all besides Me are as stones and clods, whether (they be) boys or youths or old men.”
هم‌چنانک ایاک نعبد در حنین ** در بلا از غیر تو لانستعین
Just as Thee we worship in yearning entreaty, (so) in tribulation we ask help of none but Thee.
هست این ایاک نعبد حصر را ** در لغت و آن از پی نفی ریا2930
This Thee we worship is (used) idiomatically for the purpose of (expressing) appropriation, and that (appropriation) is for the purpose of negating hypocrisy.
هست ایاک نستعین هم بهر حصر ** حصر کرده استعانت را و قصر
Of Thee we ask help also is for the purpose of appropriation: he (who recites these words) appropriates and restricts the asking of help,
که عبادت مر ترا آریم و بس ** طمع یاری هم ز تو داریم و بس
Meaning, “We perform worship to Thee alone; we have hope of help from Thee alone.”
خشم کردن پادشاه بر ندیم و شفاعت کردن شفیع آن مغضوب علیه را و از پادشاه درخواستن و پادشاه شفاعت او قبول کردن و رنجیدن ندیم از این شفیع کی چرا شفاعت کردی
How a king was enraged with his boon-companion, and an intercessor interceded on behalf of the object of (the king's) anger and begged the king (to pardon the offender); and how (when) the king accepted his intercession, the boon-companion resented the action of the intercessor and asked, "Why did you intercede?"
پادشاهی بر ندیمی خشم کرد ** خواست تا از وی برآرد دود و گرد
A king was enraged with a boon-companion and was about to reduce him to smoke and dust.
کرد شه شمشیر بیرون از غلاف ** تا زند بر وی جزای آن خلاف
The king drew his sword from the scabbard that he might inflict upon him the punishment for that disobedience.
هیچ کس را زهره نه تا دم زند ** یا شفیعی بر شفاعت بر تند2935
No one had the courage to utter a word nor any intercessor to venture on intercession,
جز عمادالملک نامی در خواص ** در شفاعت مصطفی‌وارانه خاص
Except one amongst the courtiers named ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk, (who was) privileged in respect of intercession, like Mustafá (Mohammed).
بر جهید و زود در سجده فتاد ** در زمان شه تیغ قهر از کف نهاد
He sprang up and at once prostrated himself: the king immediately put away from his hand the sword of vengeance,
گفت اگر دیوست من بخشیدمش ** ور بلیسی کرد من پوشیدمش
And said, “If he is the (very) Devil, I forgive him; and if he has done a satanic deed, I cover it up.
چونک آمد پای تو اندر میان ** راضیم گر کرد مجرم صد زیان
Since thou hast intervened, I am satisfied, (even) if the culprit has committed a hundred acts of harm.
صد هزاران خشم را توانم شکست ** که ترا آن فضل و آن مقدار هست2940
I can break (annul) a hundred thousand angers, seeing that thou hast such excellence and such worth;
لابه‌ات را هیچ نتوانم شکست ** زآنک لابه‌ی تو یقین لابه‌ی منست
(But) nowise can I break (annul) thy supplication, because thy supplication is assuredly my supplication.
گر زمین و آسمان بر هم زدی ** ز انتقام این مرد بیرون نامدی
(Even) if he had thrown earth and heaven into confusion, this man would not have escaped from (my) vengeance;
ور شدی ذره به ذره لابه‌گر ** او نبردی این زمان از تیغ سر
And if (the whole world) atom by atom had become a suppliant (for his release), he would not have saved his head from the sword at this moment.
بر تو می‌ننهیم منت ای کریم ** لیک شرح عزت تست ای ندیم
We confer no obligation on thee (by this), O noble one; but (on the contrary) ’tis (only) to explain thy honour (the honour in which I hold thee), O boon-companion.
این نکردی تو که من کردم یقین ** ایی صفاتت در صفات ما دفین2945
Thou didst not make this (intercession), for assuredly I made it, O thou whose qualities are buried in my qualities.
تو درین مستعملی نی عاملی ** زانک محمول منی نی حاملی
In this (matter) thou art the one employed to do the work, not the (prime) doer (of it), inasmuch as thou art borne by me and art not (thyself) the bearer.
ما رمیت اذ رمیت گشته‌ای ** خویشتن در موج چون کف هشته‌ای
Thou hast become (the instrument of my action, according to the text) Thou didst not throw when thou threwest: like the foam, thou hast abandoned thyself in the wave.
لا شدی پهلوی الا خانه‌گیر ** این عجب که هم اسیری هم امیر
Thou hast become ‘not’; (now) take up thy abode beside ‘except.’ This is wonderful, that thou art both a prisoner and a prince.
آنچ دادی تو ندای شاه داد ** اوست بس الله اعلم بالرشاد
Thou didst not give what thou gavest: the king gave it. He alone is. God best knoweth the right course.”
وآن ندیم رسته از زخم و بلا ** زین شفیع آزرد و برگشت از ولا2950
And the boon-companion who had been delivered from the stroke of calamity was offended with this intercessor and drew back from (his former) fealty.
دوستی ببرید زان مخلص تمام ** رو به حایط کرد تا نارد سلام
He cut off all (relations of) friendship with that sincere man, and turned his face to the wall in order that he might not give (him) the salaam.
زین شفیع خویشتن بیگانه شد ** زین تعجب خلق در افسانه شد
He became estranged from his intercessor; in astonishment at this the people began to talk,
که نه مجنونست یاری چون برید ** از کسی که جان او را وا خرید
Saying, “(If) he is not mad, how did he cut off friendly relations with the person who redeemed his life?
وا خریدش آن دم از گردن زدن ** خاک نعل پاش بایستی شدن
He (the intercessor) redeemed (saved) him from beheading at that moment: he (the culprit) ought to have become the dust of his (the intercessor's) shoe.
بازگونه رفت و بیزاری گرفت ** با چنین دلدار کین‌داری گرفت2955
He has gone the reverse way and has taken (the course of) renouncing (his friend): he has taken to cherishing enmity against a beloved like this.”
پس ملامت کرد او را مصلحی ** کیین جفا چون می‌کنی با ناصحی
Then a certain mentor reproached him, saying, “Why are you acting so unjustly towards a loyal friend?
جان تو بخرید آن دلدار خاص ** آن دم از گردن زدن کردت خلاص
That elect beloved redeemed your life and saved you from beheading at that moment.