Azrael, the captain of the (Divine) Decree, went off towards the terrestrial globe for the purpose of requisition.
خاک بر قانون نفیر آغاز کرد ** داد سوگندش بسی سوگند خورد
The Earth, according to rule, began lamenting loudly: she adjured him, she swore many an oath,
کای غلام خاص و ای حمال عرش ** ای مطاع الامر اندر عرش و فرش
Crying, “O favourite youth (page-of-honour), O bearer of the Throne, O thou whose command is obeyed in heaven and earth,
رو به حق رحمت رحمن فرد ** رو به حق آنک با تو لطف کرد
Depart, for the sake of the mercy of the Merciful (God)! Depart, for the sake of Him who hath shown kindness unto thee!
حق شاهی که جز او معبود نیست ** پیش او زاری کس مردود نیست 1655
(Depart), for the sake of that King who alone is worshipped and with whom no one's lamentation is rejected!”
گفت نتوانم بدین افسون که من ** رو بتابم ز آمر سر و علن
He replied, “These conjurations cannot move me to avert my face from (disobey) the Giver of (all) commands secret or manifest.”
گفت آخر امر فرمود او به حلم ** هر دو امرند آن بگیر از راه علم
She said, “After all, He hath commanded forbearance: both (severity and forbearance) are commanded: take (choose) the latter on the ground of knowledge.”
گفت آن تاویل باشد یا قیاس ** در صریح امر کم جو التباس
He replied, “That would be an interpretation or an inference: do not seek to confuse the plain meaning of the command.
فکر خود را گر کنی تاویل به ** که کنی تاویل این نامشتبه
If thou interpret (alter) thine own thought (so as to make it agree with the command), ’tis better than that thou shouldst interpret (pervert) this unequivocal (command).
دل همی‌سوزد مرا بر لابه‌ات ** سینه‌ام پر خون شد از شورابه‌ات 1660
My heart is burning (melting) at thy supplication, my bosom is filled with blood on account of thy salty tears.
نیستم بی‌رحم بل زان هر سه پاک ** رحم بیشستم ز درد دردناک
I am not pitiless; nay, I have greater pity than those three holy ones for the sorrow of the sorrowful.
گر طبانجه می‌زنم من بر یتیم ** ور دهد حلوا به دستش آن حلیم
If I am slapping an orphan, while a mild-natured person may put halwá (sweetmeat) in his hand,
این طبانجه خوشتر از حلوای او ** ور شود غره به حلوا وای او
Those slaps (of mine) are better (for him) than the other's halwá; and if he be beguiled by the halwá, woe to him!
بر نفیر تو جگر می‌سوزدم ** لیک حق لطفی همی‌آموزدم
My heart is burning at thy lamentable cry, but God is teaching me (to know) a (great) kindness—
لطف مخفی در میان قهرها ** در حدث پنهان عقیق بی‌بها 1665
The kindness concealed amidst cruelties, the priceless cornelian hidden in filth.
قهر حق بهتر ز صد حلم منست ** منع کردن جان ز حق جان کندنست
The cruelty done by God is better than a hundred clemencies of mine: to withhold the soul from God is agony to the soul.
بترین قهرش به از حلم دو کون ** نعم رب‌العالمین و نعم عون
His worst cruelty is better than the clemency of both worlds: how excellent is the Lord of created beings and how excellent (His) help!
لطفهای مضمر اندر قهر او ** جان سپردن جان فزاید بهر او
In His cruelty there are secret kindnesses: to surrender the soul for His sake increases (the life of) the soul.
هین رها کن بدگمانی و ضلال ** سر قدم کن چونک فرمودت تعال
Hark, dismiss suspicion and error: make thy head a foot (to hasten towards Him) since He hath bidden thee come.
آن تعال او تعالیها دهد ** مستی و جفت و نهالیها دهد 1670
His ‘Come’ will give (thee) exaltations; it will give (thee) intoxication and (spiritual) brides and couches.
باری آن امر سنی را هیچ هیچ ** من نیارم کرد وهن و پیچ پیچ
In short, never, never can I weaken (the force of) that sublime command and complicate it (by prevarication).”
این همه بشنید آن خاک نژند ** زان گمان بد بدش در گوش بند
The wretched Earth heard all this (counsel), (but) in her ear was a plug arising from that evil suspicion.
باز از نوعی دگر آن خاک پست ** لابه و سجده همی‌کرد او چو مست
Once more in another fashion the lowly Earth made entreaty and prostrated herself, like a drunken man.
گفت نه برخیز نبود زین زیان ** من سر و جان می‌نهم رهن و ضمان
He said, “Nay, arise! There is no loss (to thee) from this (thing), I lay my head and life as a pledge and guarantee.
لابه مندیش و مکن لابه دگر ** جز بدان شاه رحیم دادگر 1675
Do not think of entreating (me), do not make further entreaty except to that merciful and justice-dealing King.
بنده فرمانم نیارم ترک کرد ** امر او کز بحر انگیزید گرد
I am a slave to (His) command, I dare not neglect His command which raised dust from the sea.
جز از آن خلاق گوش و چشم و سر ** نشنوم از جان خود هم خیر و شر
Save from the Creator of ear and eye and head I will hear (accept) neither good nor evil—not even from my own soul.
گوش من از گفت غیر او کرست ** او مرا از جان شیرین جان‌ترست
My ear is deaf to all words but His: He is dearer to me than my sweet soul.
جان ازو آمد نیامد او ز جان ** صدهزاران جان دهم او رایگان
The soul came from Him, not He from the soul: He bestows a hundred thousand souls free of cost.
جان کی باشد کش گزینم بر کریم ** کیک چه بود که بسوزم زو گلیم 1680
Who is the soul that I should prefer her to the Gracious (God)? What is a flea that I should burn the blanket on account of it?
من ندانم خیر الا خیر او ** صم و بکم و عمی من از غیر او
I know no good but His good: I am deaf and dumb and blind to all but Him.
گوش من کرست از زاری‌کنان ** که منم در کف او هم‌چون سنان
My ear is deaf to those who make lamentation, for I am as the spear in His hand.
بیان آنک مخلوقی کر ترا ازو ظلمی رسد به حقیقت او هم‌چون آلتیست عارف آن بود کی بحق رجوع کند نه به آلت و اگر به آلت رجوع کند به ظاهر نه از جهل کند بلک برای مصلحتی چنانک ابایزید قدس الله سره گفت کی چندین سالست کی من با مخلوق سخن نگفته‌ام و از مخلوق سخن نشنیده‌ام ولیکن خلق چنین پندارند کی با ایشان سخن می‌گویم و ازیشان می‌شنوم زیرا ایشان مخاطب اکبر را نمی‌بینند کی ایشان چون صدااند او را نسبت به حال من التفات مستمع عاقل به صدا نباشد چنانک مثل است معروف قال الجدار للوتد لم تشقنی قال الوتد انظر الی من یدقنی
[Explaining that when injury befalls you from a creature of God, he in reality is like an instrument. The gnostic is he that refers (all action) to God, not to the instrument; and if he refer it to the instrument formally, he does so not in ignorance but for a purpose. Thus Abú Yazíd, may God sanctify his spirit, said, “During all these years I have never spoken to any creature or heard any creature speak to me; but people fancy that I am speaking and listening to them, because they do not see the Most Great Speaker, of whom they in relation to me are (only) the echo.” The intelligent hearer pays no heed to the echo. There is a well-known proverb to this effect, (namely), “The wall said to the nail, ‘Why are you splitting me?’ The nail replied, ‘Look at him who is hitting me.’”]
احمقانه از سنان رحمت مجو ** زان شهی جو کان بود در دست او
Do not foolishly beg the spear for mercy: beg (mercy) of the King in whose hand it (the spear) is (held).
باسنان و تیغ لابه چون کنی ** کو اسیر آمد به دست آن سنی
How shouldst thou supplicate the spear and sword which are captives in the hand of that Exalted One?
او به صنعت آزرست و من صنم ** آلتی کو سازدم من آن شوم 1685
He is (like) Ázar in craftsmanship, and I am the idol (made by Him): whatever instrument He may make of me, I become that.
گر مرا ساغر کند ساغر شوم ** ور مرا خنجر کند خنجر شوم
If He make me a cup, I become a cup; and if He make me a dagger, I become a dagger.
گر مرا چشمه کند آبی هم ** ور مرا آتش کند تابی دهم
If He make me a fountain, I give water; and if He make me fire, I give heat.
گر مرا باران کند خرمن دهم ** ور مرا ناوک کند در تن جهم
If He make rain of me, I give a cornstack; and if He make an arrow of me, I dart into the body.
گر مرا ماری کند زهر افکنم ** ور مرا یاری کند خدمت کنم
If He make me a snake (márí), I emit venom; and if He make me a friend (yárí), I do (kindly) service.
من چو کلکم در میان اصبعین ** نیستم در صف طاعت بین بین 1690
I am as a pen between His two fingers: I am not a waverer in the ranks of obedience (to Him).”
خاک را مشغول کرد او در سخن ** یک کفی بربود از آن خاک کهن
He (Azrael) engaged the Earth in (this) discourse, (and meanwhile) he snatched from the old Earth a handful (of clay).
ساحرانه در ربود از خاکدان ** خاک مشغول سخن چون بی‌خودان
(Deftly) like a magician he snatched it from the Earth, (whilst) the Earth was absorbed, like those beside themselves, in (listening to) his words.
برد تا حق تربت بی‌رای را ** تا به مکتب آن گریزان پای را
He brought the inconsiderate clay to God: (he brought) the runaway (back) to school.
گفت یزدان که به علم روشنم ** که ترا جلاد این خلقان کنم
God said, “(I swear) by My resplendent knowledge, I will make thee the executioner of these (My) creatures.”
گفت یا رب دشمنم گیرند خلق ** چون فشارم خلق را در مرگ حلق 1695
He replied, “O Lord, Thy creatures will regard me as their enemy when I strangle them at death.
تو روا داری خداوند سنی ** که مرا مبغوض و دشمن‌رو کنی
Dost Thou deem it right, O exalted Lord, to make me hated and like a foe in appearance?”
گفت اسبابی پدید آرم عیان ** از تب و قولنج و سرسام و سنان
He (God) said, “I will bring into clear view certain causes, (such as) fever and dysentery and phrenitis and spear(-wounds);
که بگردانم نظرشان را ز تو ** در مرضها و سببهای سه تو
For (so) I will turn their attention from thee to the diseases and threefold causes (of death).”
گفت یا رب بندگان هستند نیز ** که سببها را بدرند ای عزیز
He (Azrael) replied, “O Lord, there are also servants (of Thine) who rend (shatter the illusion of) causes, O Almighty.”
چشمشان باشد گذاره از سبب ** در گذشته از حجب از فضل رب 1700
Their eye pierces through the cause: by the grace of the Lord, it has passed beyond (all) veils.