He grows stout and slinks into a shady place—a lazy, full-fed, cowardly, self-opinionated (creature)!
گویدش دل خانه‌ای ساز ای عمو ** گوید او در خانه کی گنجم بگو
His heart (conscience) says to him, “Build a house, O uncle!” He says, “How shall I find room in the house? Tell (me that).”
استخوان حرص تو در وقت درد ** درهم آید خرد گردد در نورد
In the hour of pain the bones of your greed shrink together and diminish in compass,
گویی از توبه بسازم خانه‌ای ** در زمستان باشدم استانه‌ای
And you say penitently, “I will build a house: it will be a resting-place (refuge) for me in winter”;
چون بشد درد و شدت آن حرص زفت ** همچو سگ سودای خانه از تو رفت
(But) when the pain is gone and your greed has grown stout, the desire for the house departs from you, just as (in the case of) the dog.
شکر نعمت خوشتر از نعمت بود ** شکرباره کی سوی نعمت رود2895
Thanksgiving for the bounty is sweeter than the bounty (itself): how should he that is addicted to thanksgiving go towards (direct his attention to) the bounty?
شکر جان نعمت و نعمت چو پوست ** ز آنک شکر آرد ترا تا کوی دوست
Thanksgiving is the soul of the bounty, and the bounty is as the husk, because thanksgiving brings you to the abode of the Beloved.
نعمت آرد غفلت و شکر انتباه ** صید نعمت کن بدام شکر شاه
Bounty produces heedlessness, and thanksgiving alertness: hunt after bounty with the snare of thanksgiving to the King.
نعمت شکرت کند پرچشم و میر ** تا کنی صد نعمت ایثار فقیر
The bounty of thanksgiving will make you contented and princely, so that you will bestow a hundred bounties on the poor.
سیر نوشی از طعام و نقل حق ** تا رود از تو شکم‌خواری و دق
You will eat your fill of the viands and dessert of God, so that hunger and begging will depart from you.
منع کردن انبیا را از نصیحت کردن و حجت آوردن جبریانه
How the unbelievers stopped the prophets, on whom be peace, from giving admonition and brought forward Necessitarian arguments.
قوم گفتند ای نصوحان بس بود ** اینچ گفتید ار درین ده کس بود2900
The people (of Sabá) said, “O admonishers, what ye have said is enough, if there be any one in this village.
قفل بر دلهای ما بنهاد حق ** کس نداند برد بر خالق سبق
God hath set a lock upon our hearts; none can prevail against the Creator.
نقش ما این کرد آن تصویرگر ** این نخواهد شد بگفت و گو دگر
That Artist made the picture of us to be this: this will not be altered by talking.
سنگ را صد سال گویی لعل شو ** کهنه را صد سال گویی باش نو
A hundred years you may tell the pebble to become a ruby, a hundred years you may tell the old to become new;
خاک را گویی صفات آب گیر ** آب را گویی عسل شو یا که شیر
You may tell earth to assume the qualities of water, you may tell water to become honey or milk—
خالق افلاک او و افلاکیان ** خالق آب و تراب و خاکیان2905
(’Tis all in vain): He is the Creator of the heavens and the heavenly ones, the Creator of water and earth and earthly beings.
آسمان را داد دوران و صفا ** آب و گل را تیره رویی و نما
To heaven He gave its circling motion and its purity; to (the mixed) water and earth its dark appearance and its (power of) growth.
کی تواند آسمان دردی گزید ** کی تواند آب و گل صفوت خرید
How can heaven choose turbidity? How can (the mixed) earth and water buy purity?
قسمتی کردست هر یک را رهی ** کی کهی گردد بجهدی چون کهی
To every one He hath allotted a certain course: how should a mountain by any effort become as a straw?”
جواب انبیا علیهم السلام مر جبریان را
The answer of the prophets, on whom be peace, to the Necessitarians.
انبیا گفتند کاری آفرید ** وصفهایی که نتان زان سر کشید
The prophets said, “Yes: He hath created some qualities from which it is impossible to withdraw one's self,
و آفرید او وصفهای عارضی ** که کسی مبغوض می‌گردد رضی2910
And He hath (also) created qualities (which are only) accidental, so that a hated person becomes acceptable.
سنگ را گویی که زر شو بیهده‌ست ** مس را گویی که زر شو راه هست
If you bid a stone become gold, ’tis futile; (but) if you bid copper become gold, the way (of transmuting it) exists.