پس حکم کرد آتشی را و نکر ** تا شود حل مشکل آن دو نفر
So He caused a fire to be His arbiter and servant, in order that the difficulty (controversy) of those two persons might be solved.
دور دور و قرن قرن این دو فریق ** تا به فرعون و به موسی شفیق
These two (contrary) parties (carried on the struggle) from period to period and from generation to generation, down to (the time of) Pharaoh and God-fearing Moses,
سالها اندر میانشان حرب بود ** چون ز حد رفت و ملولی می‌فزود
Between whom there was war for (many) years. When it passed (all) bounds and was causing excessive weariness,
آب دریا را حکم سازید حق ** تا که ماند کی برد زین دو سبق
God made the water of the sea His arbiter, that it might be left (to the sea to decide) which of these two should prevail.
هم‌چنان تا دور و طور مصطفی ** با ابوجهل آن سپهدار جفا 2165
So (it went on) till the period and time of Mustafá (Mohammed), (who contended) with Abú Jahl, the general of the army of iniquity.
هم نکر سازید از بهر ثمود ** صیحه‌ای که جانشان را در ربود
Moreover He (God) appointed a servant for (the destruction of) Thamúd, (namely), the (awful) Cry that took away their lives.
هم نکر سازید بهر قوم عاد ** زود خیزی تیزرو یعنی که باد
Moreover He appointed a servant for (the destruction of) the people of ‘Ád, one that rises quickly and moves rapidly, that is (to say), the Wind.
هم نکر سازید بر قارون ز کین ** در حلیمی این زمین پوشید کین
Moreover He appointed a discerning servant for (the destruction of) Qárún (Korah): He endued the graciousness of the Earth with enmity,
تا حلیمی زمین شد جمله قهر ** برد قارون را و گنجش را به قعر
So that the graciousness of the Earth turned entirely to wrath, and she bore Qárún and his treasure down to the abyss.
لقمه‌ای را که ستون این تنست ** دفع تیغ جوع نان چون جوشنست 2170
In the case of the food that is a pillar (support) for this body, bread is like a breastplate to repel the sword of hunger;
چونک حق قهری نهد در نان تو ** چون خناق آن نان بگیرد در گلو
(Yet) when God puts a (motive of) wrath into your bread, that bread will stick in your gullet (and choke you) like a quinsy.
این لباسی که ز سرما شد مجیر ** حق دهد او را مزاج زمهریر
This garment that protects you from the cold—God gives it the temperature of intense frost,
تا شود بر تنت این جبه‌ی شگرف ** سرد هم‌چون یخ گزنده هم‌چو برف
So that this greatcoat on your body becomes cold as ice and biting as snow.
تا گریزی از وشق هم از حریر ** زو پناه آری به سوی زمهریر
(This He does) in order that you may flee from the fox-fur and silk and take refuge from them with the intense cold.
تو دو قله نیستی یک قله‌ای ** غافل از قصه‌ی عذاب ظله‌ای 2175
You are not the (statutory) two qullas (ewers), you are (only) one ewer: you have forgotten the (Divine) chastisement inflicted by an overshadowing cloud.
امر حق آمد به شهرستان و ده ** خانه و دیوار را سایه مده
In town and village, to (every) house and wall came the command of God, “Give no shade!
مانع باران مباش و آفتاب ** تا بدان مرسل شدند امت شتاب
Do not ward off the rain and the (heat of the) sun!” so that the people went in haste to that Apostle (Shu‘ayb),
که بمردیم اغلب ای مهتر امان ** باقیش از دفتر تفسیر خوان
Crying, “We are dead for the most part: mercy, O Prince!” Read the rest of it in the book of commentary (on the Qur’án).
چون عصا را مار کرد آن چست‌دست ** گر ترا عقلیست آن نکته بس است
Since that deft-handed One made the rod (of Moses) a serpent, that instance is enough if you have any intelligence.
تو نظر داری ولیک امعانش نیست ** چشمه‌ی افسرده است و کرده ایست 2180
You possess (the faculty of) consideration, but it does not go deep (into the subject): it is a frozen spring and has stopped (flowing).
زین همی گوید نگارنده‌ی فکر ** که بکن ای بنده امعان نظر
Hence the (Divine) Artist who depicts thoughts is saying, “Consider deeply, O (My) servant.”
آن نمی‌خواهد که آهن کوب سرد ** لیک ای پولاد بر داود گرد
He does not mean (to say), “Beat cold iron,” but (what He means is) “O (thou who art hard as) steel, devote thyself to David.”
تن بمردت سوی اسرافیل ران ** دل فسردت رو به خورشید روان
If your body is dead, resort to Isráfíl; if your heart is frozen, repair to the sun of the Spirit.
در خیال از بس که گشتی مکتسی ** نک بسوفسطایی بدظن رسی
Inasmuch as you have wrapped yourself in the garment of phantasy, lo, you will (soon) reach (the position of) the evil-minded sophist (sceptic).
او خود از لب خرد معزول بود ** شد ز حس محروم و معزول از وجود 2185
Verily he was dispossessed of the kernel (which is) Reason: he was dispossessed of (true) perception and deprived of (immediate) experience.
هین سخن‌خا نوبت لب‌خایی است ** گر بگویی خلق را رسوایی است
Hark, O mouther, ’tis the hour for mumbling: if thou speak (clearly) to the people, ’tis a shameful exposure.
چیست امعان چشمه را کردن روان ** چون ز تن جان رست گویندش روان
What is (the meaning of) im‘án? (It means) causing the spring to flow: when the spirit (ján) has escaped from the body, they call it rawán.
آن حکیمی را که جان از بند تن ** باز رست و شد روان اندر چمن
The philosopher whose spirit was delivered from the bondage of the body and began to wander (rawán) in the garden (of Reality)
دو لقب را او برین هر دو نهاد ** بهر فرق ای آفرین بر جانش باد
Bestowed two (different) titles on these two (spirits) in order to distinguish (the one from the other). Oh, may his spirit be blest!
در بیان آنک بر فرمان رود ** گر گلی را خار خواهد آن شود 2190
(Now hear a story) showing that if he who walks according to the (Divine) command wishes a rose to become a thorn, it will become that.
معجزه‌ی هود علیه السلام در تخلص مومنان امت به وقت نزول باد
The evidentiary miracle of Húd, on whom be peace, in the deliverance of the true believers of the community at the moment when the Wind descended.
مومنان از دست باد ضایره ** جمله بنشستند اندر دایره
All the true believers, (seeking refuge) from the violence of the pernicious Wind, seated themselves in the circle (drawn by Húd).
یاد طوفان بود و کشتی لطف هو ** بس چنین کشتی و طوفان دارد او
The Wind was (like) the Flood, and His (God's) grace was the ship (Ark): He hath many such arks and floods.
پادشاهی را خدا کشتی کند ** تا به حرص خویش بر صفها زند
God makes a king to be (as) an ark (for his subjects), to the end that he, (impelled) by selfishness, may assault the ranks (of his enemies).
قصد شه آن نه که خلق آمن شوند ** قصدش آنک ملک گردد پای‌بند
The king's aim is not that the people should become safe; his aim is that his kingdom should become (like) a fetter (on his foot).
آن خراسی می‌دود قصدش خلاص ** تا بیابد او ز زخم آن دم مناص 2195
The ass that turns the mill is running along: its aim is (to obtain) release, so that it may gain refuge from blows at that moment.
قصد او آن نه که آبی بر کشد ** یاکه کنجد را بدان روغن کند
Its aim is not to draw some water or thereby (by turning the mill) to make sesame into oil.
گاو بشتابد ز بیم زخم سخت ** نه برای بردن گردون و رخت
The ox hurries for fear of (receiving) hard blows, not for the purpose of taking the cart and baggage (to their destination);
لیک دادش حق چنین خوف وجع ** تا مصالح حاصل آید در تبع
But God put such fear of pain in him, to the end that good results might be achieved in consequence (of his fear).
هم‌چنان هر کاسبی اندر دکان ** بهر خود کوشد نه اصلاح جهان
Similarly, every shopkeeper works for himself, not for the improvement of the world.
هر یکی بر درد جوید مرهمی ** در تبع قایم شده زین عالمی 2200
Every one seeks a plaster for his pain, and in consequence of this a whole world is set in order.
حق ستون این جهان از ترس ساخت ** هر یکی از ترس جان در کار باخت
God made of fear the pillar (support) of this world: because of fear every one has devoted himself to work.
حمد ایزد را که ترسی را چنین ** کرد او معمار و اصلاح زمین
Praise be to God that on this wise He has made a fear to be the architect and (means for the) improvement of the world.
این همه ترسنده‌اند از نیک و بد ** هیچ ترسنده نترسد خود ز خود
All these (people) are afraid of (losing) good and (suffering) evil: none that is afraid is himself frightened by himself.
پس حقیقت بر همه حاکم کسیست ** که قریبست او اگر محسوس نیست
In reality, then, (the creator of their fear and) the ruler over (them) all is that One who is near, though He is not perceived by the senses.
هست او محسوس اندر مکمنی ** لیک محسوس حس این خانه نی 2205
He is perceived in a certain hiding-place (the heart), but not perceived by the sense of this house (the body).
آن حسی که حق بر آن حس مظهرست ** نیست حس این جهان آن دیگرست
The sense to which God is manifested is not the sense of this world; it is another.
حس حیوان گر بدیدی آن صور ** بایزید وقت بودی گاو و خر
If the animal sense perceived those (Divine) forms (ideas) an ox or an ass would be the Báyazíd of the time.
آنک تن را مظهر هر روح کرد ** وآنک کشتی را براق نوح کرد
He who made the body to be the theatre in which every spirit is manifested, He who made the Ark to be the Buráq (steed) of Noah,
گر بخواهد عین کشتی را به خو ** او کند طوفان تو ای نورجو
He, if He will, makes (what is) a very ark in (its ordinary) character to be a (destructive) flood for you, O seeker of light.
هر دمت طوفان و کشتی ای مقل ** با غم و شادیت کرد او متصل 2210
At every moment, O man of little means, He has conjoined with your grief and gladness an ark (to save you) and a flood (to destroy you).