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.
سرمه‌ی توحید از کحال حال ** یافته رسته ز علت و اعتلال
It has obtained the collyrium of Unity from the oculist of ecstasy and has been delivered from ailment and infirmity.
ننگرند اندر تب و قولنج و سل ** راه ندهند این سببها را به دل
They do not look at fever and dysentery and consumption: they do not admit these causes into their heart;
زانک هر یک زین مرضها را دواست ** چون دوا نپذیرد آن فعل قضاست
For every one of these diseases has its cure: when it becomes incurable, that is the act of the (Divine) Decree.
هر مرض دارد دوا می‌دان یقین ** چون دوای رنج سرما پوستین
Know for certain that every disease has its cure, as (for example) a fur is the cure for the pain of cold;
چون خدا خواهد که مردی بفسرد ** سردی از صد پوستین هم بگذرد 1705
(Yet), when God wills that a man shall be frozen, the cold penetrates even a hundred furs
در وجودش لرزه‌ای بنهد که آن ** نه به جامه به شود نه از آشیان
And puts into his body a tremor that will not be made better by (wrapping himself in) clothes or by (snuggling in) the house.
چون قضا آید طبیب ابله شود ** وان دوا در نفع هم گمره شود
When the Decree comes, the physician is made foolish, and the medicine too loses its beneficial effect.
کی شود محجوب ادراک بصیر ** زین سببهای حجاب گول‌گیر
How should the perception of the (mystic) seer be veiled by these (secondary) causes, which are a veil to catch the dolt?
اصل بیند دیده چون اکمل بود ** فرع بیند چونک مرد احول بود
When the eye is quite perfect, it sees the root (origin); when a man is squint-eyed, it sees the branch (derivative).
جواب آمدن کی آنک نظر او بر اسباب و مرض و زخم تیغ نیاید بر کار تو عزرائیل هم نیاید کی تو هم سببی اگر چه مخفی‌تری از آن سببها و بود کی بر آن رنجور مخفی نباشد کی و هو اقرب الیه منکم و لکن لا تبصرون
The (Divine) answer, (namely), “One who does not regard causes and diseases and sword-wounds will likewise pay no regard to thy action, O Azrael, for thou too art a (secondary) cause, although thou art more concealed than those (other) causes.” And maybe it (the real nature of Azrael) is not concealed from the sick (dying) man, for He (God) is nigher to him than ye are, but ye do not see.
گفت یزدان آنک باشد اصل دان ** پس ترا کی بیند او اندر میان 1710
God said, “He who perceives the origin (does not regard the derivative): how, then, should he be conscious of thy intervention?