آن محمد خفته و تکیه زده ** آمده سر گرد او گردان شده
(But when) Mohammed went to sleep and reclined (on his bed), the secret came (to him) and circled round him.
او خورد حلوا که روزیشست باز ** آن نه کانگشتان او باشد دراز
He whose allotted portion is open (for him to take) eats the sweetmeat, not he whose fingers are long.
نجم ثاقب گشته حارس دیوران ** که بهل دزدی ز احمد سر ستان
The gleaming star became a watchman and drove the devils away, saying, “Abandon theft and receive the secret from Ahmad (Mohammed).”
ای دویده سوی دکان از پگاه ** هین به مسجد رو بجو رزق اله
O thou whose eyes from early (in the day) are (turned) towards (thy) shop, hark, go to the mosque and seek the portion allotted by God.
پس رسول آن گفتشان را فهم کرد ** گفت آن خنده نبودم از نبرد4535
The Prophet, then, apprehended their words and said, “That laughter of mine was not from hostility.
مردهاند ایشان و پوسیدهی فنا ** مرده کشتن نیست مردی پیش ما
They (the captives) are dead and rotted by decay: in my judgement it is not the part of a (true) man to kill the dead.
خود کیند ایشان که مه گردد شکاف ** چونک من پا بفشرم اندر مصاف
Who are they indeed? for the moon is split when I plant my foot on the battlefield.
آنگهی کزاد بودیت و مکین ** مر شما را بسته میدیدم چنین
At the time when ye were free and powerful, I was seeing you bound (in chains), like this.
ای بنازیده به ملک و خاندان ** نزد عاقل اشتری بر ناودان
O thou that pridest thyself on thy possessions and household, in the view of the intelligent thou art (as) the camel on the water-spout.
نقش تن را تا فتاد از بام طشت ** پیش چشمم کل آت آت گشت4540
(Ever) since the bowl, (which is) the bodily form, fell from the roof, there has rolled before my (inward) eye (the reality denoted by the words) ‘Everything that is (destined) to come shall come.’
بنگرم در غوره می بینم عیان ** بنگرم در نیست شی بینم عیان
I look on the unripe grape, and I see the wine clearly; I look on nonentity, and I see the entity clearly.
بنگرم سر عالمی بینم نهان ** آدم و حوا نرسته از جهان
I look on the inmost consciousness, and I see a universe hidden, (with) Adam and Eve not (yet) arisen from the world.
مر شما را وقت ذرات الست ** دیدهام پا بسته و منکوس و پست
You I have seen, fettered and overthrown and abject, at the time (when mankind were assembled in the shape) of ants (on the Day) of Alast.
از حدوث آسمان بی عمد ** آنچ دانسته بدم افزون نشد
That which I had (already) known was not increased by the coming into existence of the pillarless heaven.
من شما را سرنگون میدیدهام ** پیش از آن کز آب و گل بالیدهام4545
I have ever seen you (fallen) headlong, ere I grew from the water and the clay.
نو ندیدم تا کنم شادی بدان ** این همیدیدم در آن اقبالتان
I did not see (anything) new, that I should rejoice thereat: I used to see this (same thing) during your former prosperity.
بستهی قهر خفی وانگه چه قهر ** قند میخوردید و در وی درج زهر
Bound in (the chains of) invisible Wrath—and then what (a fearful) Wrath!— ye were eating sugar wherein poison was contained.
این چنین قندی پر از زهر ار عدو ** خوش بنوشد چت حسد آید برو
If thy enemy delight in eating such a poisonous sugar, what envy of him would come to thee?
با نشاط آن زهر میکردید نوش ** مرگتان خفیه گرفته هر دو گوش
Ye were eating that poison with glee, (while) Death had secretly laid hold of both your ears.
من نمیکردم غزا از بهر آن ** تا ظفر یابم فرو گیرم جهان4550
I did not make war for the sake of gaining victory and conquering the world,
کین جهان جیفهست و مردار و رخیص ** بر چنین مردار چون باشم حریص
For this world is a carcase and carrion and vile: how should I be covetous of such carrion as this?
سگ نیم تا پرچم مرده کنم ** عیسیام آیم که تا زندهش کنم
I am not a dog that I should tear off the top-knot of the dead; I am (like) Jesus: I come to make him (the dead) living.
زان همیکردم صفوف جنگ چاک ** تا رهانم مر شما را از هلاک
I was cleaving the battle-ranks for the purpose that I might deliver you from destruction.
زان نمیبرم گلوهای بشر ** تا مرا باشد کر و فر و حشر
I do not cut men's throats in order that power and glory and followers may be mine,
زان همیبرم گلویی چند تا ** زان گلوها عالمی یابد رها4555
(But) I cut some throats in order that a (whole) world (of people) may obtain deliverance from those throats,