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.
گر بدی کردی نبایستی رمید ** خاصه نیکی کرد آن یار حمید
If he had done evil (towards you), you ought not to have turned away (from him; but) that praiseworthy friend was especially your benefactor.”
گفت بهر شاه مبذولست جان ** او چرا آید شفیع اندر میان
He replied, “Life is freely given for the king's sake: why should he come as an intercessor between (us)?
لی مع‌الله وقت بود آن دم مرا ** لا یسع فیه نبی مجتبی2960
At that moment mine was (the state described by the words) —‘I am with God in a state wherein no chosen prophet is my peer.’
من نخواهم رحمتی جز زخم شاه ** من نخواهم غیر آن شه را پناه
I desire no mercy but the blows of the king; I desire no refuge except that king.
غیر شه را بهر آن لا کرده‌ام ** که به سوی شه تولا کرده‌ام
I have naughted all besides the king for the reason that I have devoted myself to the king.
گر ببرد او به قهر خود سرم ** شاه بخشد شصت جان دیگرم
The king, if he behead me in his wrath, will bestow on me sixty other lives.
کار من سربازی و بی‌خویشی است ** کار شاهنشاه من سربخشی است
’Tis my business to hazard (and lose) my head and to be selfless; ’tis the business of my sovereign king to give (me) a (new) head.”
فخر آن سر که کف شاهش برد ** ننگ آن سر کو به غیری سر برد2965
Honour to the head that is severed by the King's hand! Shame on the head that betakes itself to another!
شب که شاه از قهر در قیرش کشید ** ننگ دارد از هزاران روز عید
The night which the King in his wrath covered with pitch (pitchy darkness) holds in disdain a thousand days of festival.
خود طواف آنک او شه‌بین بود ** فوق قهر و لطف و کفر و دین بود
Verily, the circumambulation performed by him who beholds the King is above wrath and grace and infidelity and religion.
زان نیامد یک عبارت در جهان ** که نهانست و نهانست و نهان
Not one word (capable of) expressing it has (ever) come into the world, for it is hidden, hidden, hidden,
زانک این اسما و الفاظ حمید ** از گلابه‌ی آدمی آمد پدید
Inasmuch as these glorious names and words were manifested from the reel (uttered from the mouth) of Adam.
علم الاسما بد آدم را امام ** لیک نه اندر لباس عین و لام2970
He (God) taught (him) the names was an Imám (an infallible authority) for Adam; but (the teaching was) not in the garb of (letters such as) ‘ayn and lám.
چون نهاد از آب و گل بر سر کلاه ** گشت آن اسمای جانی روسیاه
When he put on his head the cap of water and clay, those spiritual names became black-faced,
که نقاب حرف و دم در خود کشید ** تا شود بر آب و گل معنی پدید
For they assumed the veil of letters and breath, (only) in order that the essential reality might (gradually) be made manifest to the water and clay.
گرچه از یک وجه منطق کاشف است ** لیک از ده وجه پرده و مکنف است
Although from one point of view speech is a revealer, yet from ten points of view it is a curtain and concealer.
گفتن خلیل مر جبرئیل را علیهماالسلام چون پرسیدش کی الک حاجة خلیل جوابش داد کی اما الیک فلا
How Khalíl (Abraham) answered Gabriel, on both of whom be peace, when he asked him, "Hast thou any need?"—"As regards need of thee, no!"
من خلیل وقتم و او جبرئیل ** من نخواهم در بلا او را دلیل
“I am the Khalíl (Abraham) of the present time, and he is the Gabriel: I do not want him as a guide (to deliver me) in calamity.
او ادب ناموخت از جبریل راد ** که بپرسید از خیل حق مراد2975
He did not learn respectfulness (as he might) from noble Gabriel, who asked the Friend of God (Abraham) what was his wish,
که مرادت هست تا یاری کنم ** ورنه بگریزم سبکباری کنم
Saying, ‘Hast thou a wish?—that I may help (thee to obtain it); otherwise, I will flee and make a speedy departure.’
گفت ابراهیم نی رو از میان ** واسطه زحمت بود بعد العیان
Abraham said, ‘No; begone out of the way! After direct vision the intermediary is (only) an inconvenience.’
بهر این دنیاست مرسل رابطه ** مومنان را زانک هست او واسطه
On account of this present life the (Divine) messenger is a link for the true believers, because he is the intermediary (between them and God).
هر دل ار سامع بدی وحی نهان ** حرف و صوتی کی بدی اندر جهان
If every heart were hearing the hidden (Divine) revelation, how should there be in the world any words and sounds (to make it known)?
گرچه او محو حقست و بی‌سرست ** لیک کار من از آن نازکترست2980
Though he (the intercessor) is lost in God and headless (devoid of self existence), yet my case is more delicate than that.
کرده‌ی او کرده‌ی شاهست لیک ** پیش ضعفم بد نماینده‌ست نیک
His act is the act of the king, but to my infirmity the good (which he did) appears to be evil.”
آنچ عین لطف باشد بر عوام ** قهر شد بر نازنینان کرام
That which is the very essence of grace to the vulgar becomes wrath to the noble favourites (of God).
بس بلا و رنج می‌باید کشید ** عامه را تا فرق را توانند دید
Much tribulation and pain must the vulgar endure in order that they may be able to perceive the difference;