گفت ای منصف چو ایشان غالب‌اند ** یار او باشم که باشد زورمند
He replied, “O reasonable man, since they are predominant I shall (necessarily) be on the side of the stronger.
یار آن تانم بدن کو غالبست ** آن طرف افتم که غالب جاذبست
I can side (only) with him who is predominant: I (must) fall in the direction to which the predominant one is pulling (me).
چون خدا می‌خواست از من صدق زفت ** خواست او چه سود چون پیشش نرفت
Since (according to thy assertion) God was desiring of me a firm belief (in Islam), what is the use of His desire when He does not succeed (in attaining His object)?
نفس و شیطان خواست خود را پیش برد ** وآن عنایت قهر گشت و خرد و مرد
The carnal soul and the Devil have carried their will to success, while that act of (Divine) favour has been defeated and pulverised.
تو یکی قصر و سرایی ساختی ** اندرو صد نقش خوش افراختی 2920
(’Tis as if) thou hadst built a palace and pavilion and erected therein a hundred beautiful (ornamental) designs,
خواستی مسجد بود آن جای خیر ** دیگری آمد مر آن را ساخت دیر
And desired that that goodly place should be a mosque— and (then) some one else had come and made it a Christian monastery;
یا تو بافیدی یکی کرباس تا ** خوش بسازی بهر پوشیدن قبا
Or (as if) thou hadst woven a piece of linen cloth, in order deftly to make it a coat for some one to wear,
تو قبا می‌خواستی خصم از نبرد ** رغم تو کرباس را شلوار کرد
And (when) thou wert desiring (it to be) a coat, a rival, from (motives of) hostility, made the linen stuff into a pair of trousers in spite of thee.
چاره کرباس چه بود جان من ** جز زبون رای آن غالب شدن
What resource has the linen, my dear friend, but to submit to the purpose of the one who is predominant?
او زبون شد جرم این کرباس چیست ** آنک او مغلوب غالب نیست کیست 2925
(Since) he (the owner of the cloth) is reduced to submission, what is the crime of this linen? Who is he that is not dominated by the predominant?
چون کسی بی‌خواست او بر وی براند ** خاربن در ملک و خانه‌ی او نشاند
When some one has forced his way in against his (the householder's) will and planted a thornbush in his property and house,
صاحب خانه بدین خواری بود ** که چنین بر وی خلاقت می‌رود
The master of the house is humiliated because such a shabbiness (abasement) is inflicted on him.
هم خلق گردم من ار تازه و نوم ** چونک یار این چنین خواری شوم
I too, though I am fresh and new, would become shabby (abased) through being associated with such a contemptible person.
چونک خواه نفس آمد مستعان ** تسخر آمد ایش شاء الله کان
Since the will of the carnal soul is besought for help, ’tis mockery (to say) that whatever God wills shall come to pass.
من اگر ننگ مغان یا کافرم ** آن نیم که بر خدا این ظن برم 2930
(Even) if I am a disgrace to the Magians or am an infidel, I am not such (a miscreant) as to think this of God,
که کسی ناخواه او و رغم او ** گردد اندر ملکت او حکم جو
That any one should seek to exercise authority in His kingdom against His will and in spite of Him,
ملکت او را فرو گیرد چنین ** که نیارد دم زدن دم آفرین
And thus should occupy His kingdom, so that the Creator of the breath dare not breathe a word (in opposition),
دفع او می‌خواهد و می‌بایدش ** دیو هر دم غصه می‌افزایدش
(And that though) He wishes to repel him and must needs (do so), (yet) the Devil at every moment is increasing His anxiety.
بنده‌ی این دیو می‌باید شدن ** چونک غالب اوست در هر انجمن
(On this hypothesis) I must worship the Devil, inasmuch as he is predominant in every assembly,
تا مبادا کین کشد شیطان ز من ** پس چه دستم گیرد آنجا ذوالمنن 2935
Lest the Devil take vengeance on me—and then in that case how can the Gracious (God) lend me a (helping) hand?
آنک او خواهد مراد او شود ** از کی کار من دگر نیکو شود
That which he (the Devil) wills, his desire (therein) is fulfilled: by whom (except him) shall my affairs be restored to prosperity?
مثل شیطان بر در رحمان
Parable of the Devil at the door of the Merciful God.
حاش لله ایش شاء الله کان ** حاکم آمد در مکان و لامکان
God forfend! Whatsoever God wills shall come to pass. He is the Ruler over the worlds of space and non-spatiality.
هیچ کس در ملک او بی‌امر او ** در نیفزاید سر یک تای مو
Without His command no one in His kingdom shall add (so much as) the tip of a single hair.
ملک ملک اوست فرمان آن او ** کمترین سگ بر در آن شیطان او
The kingdom is His kingdom, the command is His: that Devil of His is the meanest dog at His door.
ترکمان را گر سگی باشد به در ** بر درش بنهاده باشد رو و سر 2940
If a Turcoman's dog is lying at the door (of the tent), with his face and head resting on the threshold,
کودکان خانه دمش می‌کشند ** باشد اندر دست طفلان خوارمند
(Though) the children of the house keep pulling his tail, he will be humble (submissive) in the children's hands.
باز اگر بیگانه‌ای معبر کند ** حمله بر وی هم‌چو شیر نر کند
If, however, a stranger pass by, he (the dog) will rush at him like a fierce lion;
که اشداء علی الکفار شد ** با ولی گل با عدو چون خار شد
For he is hard on the unbelievers: to a friend he is (as) the rose, to an enemy as the thorn.
ز آب تتماجی که دادش ترکمان ** آنچنان وافی شدست و پاسبان
He has become so faithful and vigilant on account of the tutmáj broth that the Turcoman has given him.
پس سگ شیطان که حق هستش کند ** اندرو صد فکرت و حیلت تند 2945
The dog, then, namely the Devil, whom God causes to exist and in whom He creates a hundred thoughts and cunning plans,
آب روها را غذای او کند ** تا برد او آب روی نیک و بد
And whom He feeds with (men's) honours, so that he takes away the honour of the virtuous and the wicked—
این تتماجست آب روی عام ** که سگ شیطان از آن یابد طعام
(For) the honour of the populace is the tutmáj broth by which the Devil-dog is fed—
بر در خرگاه قدرت جان او ** چون نباشد حکم را قربان بگو
Tell me, how should not his soul be devoted to the (Divine) decree at the door of the tent of Omnipotence?
گله گله از مرید و از مرید ** چون سگ باسط ذراعی بالوصید
Troop on troop of obedient and rebellious (devils), like the dog (of the Seven Sleepers) spreading his fore-paws on the threshold,
بر در کهف الوهیت چو سگ ** ذره ذره امرجو بر جسته رگ 2950
Are (stationed) like dogs at the door of the Cave of the Godhead, (eagerly) seeking the (Divine) command with every particle (of their bodies), and with every nerve agog (to hear the command),
ای سگ دیو امتحان می‌کن که تا ** چون درین ره می‌نهند این خلق پا
(Namely), ‘O Devil-dog, inflict tribulation in order that (thou mayst see) how these creatures (of Mine) set foot on this Way.
حمله می‌کن منع می‌کن می‌نگر ** تا که باشد ماده اندر صدق و نر
Continually rush (at them), prevent (them from advancing), and look to see who (among them) is female (weak) in respect of sincerity, and who is male (strong).’
پس اعوذ از بهر چه باشد چو سگ ** گشته باشد از ترفع تیزتگ
For what purpose, then, is (the cry), ‘I take refuge (with God)’ when the Dog in his arrogance has run swiftly (to the attack)?
این اعوذ آنست کای ترک خطا ** بانگ بر زن بر سگت ره بر گشا
This (cry), ‘I take refuge,’ is (as though you should say), ‘O Turcoman of Khitá, call thy dog off and leave the way clear,
تا بیایم بر در خرگاه تو ** حاجتی خواهم ز جود و جاه تو 2955
That I may come to the door of thy tent and beg what I need from thy bounty and high estate.’
چونک ترک از سطوت سگ عاجزست ** این اعوذ و این فغان ناجایزست
When the Turcoman is incapable of (restraining) the dog's fury, this (expression), ‘I take refuge,’ and this cry of distress are improper (inadmissible),
ترک هم گوید اعوذ از سگ که من ** هم ز سگ در مانده‌ام اندر وطن
(Since) the Turcoman too will say, ‘I take refuge from the dog; for I too am helpless against the dog in my home.
تو نمی‌یاری برین در آمدن ** من نمی‌آرم ز در بیرون شدن
Thou canst not come to this door, nor can I go forth from the door.’
خاک اکنون بر سر ترک و قنق ** که یکی سگ هر دو را بندد عنق
Now dust be on the head of the Turcoman and the stranger-guest, since one dog binds the necks of (subjugates) them both!
حاش لله ترک بانگی بر زند ** سگ چه باشد شیر نر خون قی کند 2960
God forfend! (If) the Turcoman utter a shout, what of the dog? (Even) a fierce lion would (be terrified and) vomit blood.”
ای که خود را شیر یزدان خوانده‌ای ** سالها شد با سگی در مانده‌ای
O thou who hast called thyself “the Lion of God,” for (many) years thou hast been powerless against a dog.
چون کند این سگ برای تو شکار ** چون شکار سگ شدستی آشکار
How should this dog hunt on thy behalf when thou hast manifestly become a prey to the dog?
جواب گفتن مومن سنی کافر جبری را و در اثبات اختیار بنده دلیل گفتن سنت راهی باشد کوفته‌ی اقدام انبیا علیهم السلام بر یمین آن راه بیابان جبر کی خود را اختیار نبیند و امر و نهی را منکر شود و تاویل کند و از منکر شدن امر و نهی لازم آید انکار بهشت کی جزای مطیعان امرست و دوزخ جزای مخالفان امر و دیگر نگویم بچه انجامد کی العاقل تکفیه الاشاره و بر یسار آن راه بیابان قدرست کی قدرت خالق را مغلوب قدرت خلق داند و از آن آن فسادها زاید کی آن مغ جبری بر می‌شمرد
The reply of the Sunní (orthodox) believer to the Necessitarian infidel, and the proof by which he established the power of choice possessed by (every) servant of God. The Sunna is a road trodden by the feet of the prophets, on whom be peace. On the right hand of that road lies the desert of Necessity (jabr), where he (the Necessitarian) regards himself as having no power of choice and denies the (Divine) command and prohibition and employs (false) interpretation (ta’wíl); and from the (Divine) command and prohibition being denied there necessarily follows the denial of Paradise, since Paradise is the reward of those who obey the (Divine) command, while Hell is the reward of those who disobey it. I will not state to what else it ultimately leads: an indication is enough for the wise. And on the left hand of that road lies the desert of Freewill (qadar), where he (who holds that doctrine) regards the power of the Creator as overcome by the power of the creatures; and thence arise the corruptions (vicious opinions) which have been enumerated (above) by the Magian who was a Necessitarian.
گفت مؤمن بشنو ای جبری خطاب ** آن خود گفتی نک آوردم جواب
The true believer replied, “O Necessitarian, hear the words addressed (to you); you have said your say: lo, I bring the answer.
بازی خود دیدی ای شطرنج‌باز ** بازی خصمت ببین پهن و دراز
You have seen your own game, O chess-player: (now) see your adversary's game in all its breadth and length.
نامه‌ی عذر خودت بر خواندی ** نامه‌ی سنی بخوان چه ماندی 2965
You have read (to me) your letter of apology: (now) read the Sunní's letter. Why have you remained (an infidel)?