پس چه باشد مکه و شام و عراق ** که نماید او نبرد و اشتیاق
What, then, would Mecca and Syria and ‘Iráq be (worth to him), that he should show fight and longing (to gain possession of them)?
آن گمان بر وی ضمیر بد کند ** که قیاس از جهل و حرص خود کند
(Only) the evil mind which judges by its own ignorance and cupidity will think that of him (impute that motive to him).
آبگینهی زرد چون سازی نقاب ** زرد بینی جمله نور آفتاب
When you make yellow glass a veil (between your eyes and the sun), you see all the sunlight yellow.
بشکن آن شیشهی کبود و زرد را ** تا شناسی گرد را و مرد را
Break those blue and yellow glasses, in order that you may know (distinguish) the dust and the man (who is concealed by it).
گرد فارس گرد سر افراشته ** گرد را تو مرد حق پنداشته3960
The dust (of the body) has lifted up its head (risen) around the (spiritual) horseman: you have fancied the dust to be the man of God.
گرد دید ابلیس و گفت این فرع طین ** چون فزاید بر من آتش جبین
Iblís saw (only) the dust, and said, “How should this offspring of clay (Adam) be superior to me of the fiery brow?”
تا تو میبینی عزیزان را بشر ** دان که میراث بلیس است آن نظر
So long as thou art regarding the holy (prophets and saints) as men, know that that view is an inheritance from Iblís.
گر نه فرزند بلیسی ای عنید ** پس به تو میراث آن سگ چون رسید
If thou art not the child of Iblís, O contumacious one, then how has the inheritance of that cur come to thee?
من نیم سگ شیر حقم حق پرست ** شیر حق آن است کز صورت برست
“I am not a cur, I am the Lion of God, a worshipper of God: the lion of God is he that has escaped from (phenomenal) form.
شیر دنیا جوید اشکاری و برگ ** شیر مولی جوید آزادی و مرگ3965
The lion of this world seeks a prey and provision; the lion of the Lord seeks freedom and death.
چون که اندر مرگ بیند صد وجود ** همچو پروانه بسوزاند وجود
Inasmuch as in death he sees a hundred existences, like the moth he burns away (his own) existence.”
شد هوای مرگ طوق صادقان ** که جهودان را بد این دم امتحان
Desire for death became the badge of the sincere, for this word (declaration) was (made) a test for the Jews.
در نبی فرمود کای قوم یهود ** صادقان را مرگ باشد گنج و سود
He (God) said in the Qur‘án, “O people of the Jews, death is treasure and gain to the sincere.
همچنان که آرزوی سود هست ** آرزوی مرگ بردن ز آن به است
Even as there is desire for profit (in the hearts of the worldly), the desire to win death is better than that (in the eyes of the sincere).
ای جهودان بهر ناموس کسان ** بگذرانید این تمنا بر زبان3970
O Jews, for the sake of (being held in) honour by men of worth, let this wish be uttered on your tongues.”
یک جهودی این قدر زهره نداشت ** چون محمد این علم را بر فراشت
Not a single Jew had so much courage (as to respond), when Mohammed raised this banner (gave this challenge).
گفت اگر رانید این را بر زبان ** یک یهودی خود نماند در جهان
He said, “If ye utter this on your tongues, truly not one Jew will be left in the world.”
پس یهودان مال بردند و خراج ** که مکن رسوا تو ما را ای سراج
Then the Jews brought the property (tribute in kind) and land-tax, saying, “Do not put us to shame, O Lamp (of the world).”
این سخن را نیست پایانی پدید ** دست با من ده چو چشمت دوست دید
“There is no end in sight to this discourse: give me thy hand, since thine eye hath seen the Friend.”
گفتن امیر المؤمنین علی کرم الله وجهه با قرین خود که چون خدو انداختی در روی من نفس من جنبید و اخلاص عمل نماند، مانع کشتن تو آن شد
How the Prince of the Faithful, ‘Ali—may God honour his person! said to his antagonist, " When thou didst spit in my face, my fleshly self was aroused and I could no longer act with entire sincerity (towards God): that hindered me from slaying thee."
گفت امیر المؤمنین با آن جوان ** که به هنگام نبرد ای پهلوان3975
The Prince of the Faithful said to that youth, “In the hour of battle, O knight,
چون خدو انداختی در روی من ** نفس جنبید و تبه شد خوی من
When thou didst spit in my face, my fleshly self was aroused and my good disposition was corrupted.
نیم بهر حق شد و نیمی هوا ** شرکت اندر کار حق نبود روا
Half (of my fighting) came to be for God's sake, and half (for) idle passion: in God’s affair partnership’ is not allowable.
تو نگاریدهی کف مولاستی ** آن حقی کردهی من نیستی
Thou art limned by the hand of the Lord: thou art God's (work), thou art not made by me.
نقش حق را هم به امر حق شکن ** بر زجاجهی دوست سنگ دوست زن
Break God’s image, (but only) by God’s command; cast (a stone) at the Beloved’s glass, (but only) the Beloved’s stone.”
گبر این بشنید و نوری شد پدید ** در دل او تا که زناری برید3980
The fire-worshipper heard this, and a light appeared in his heart, so that he cut a girdle.