ابر و خورشید و مه و نجم بلند ** جمله بر ترتیب آیند و روند

Clouds and sun and moon and lofty stars, all come and go according to arrangement.

هر یکی ناید مگر در وقت خویش ** که نه پس ماند ز هنگام و نه پیش

None comes but at its appointed hour, so that it neither lags behind the time nor (arrives) before.

چون نکردی فهم این را ز انبیا ** دانش آوردند در سنگ و عصا 2825

How hast not thou understood this from the prophets? They brought knowledge into stone and rod,

تا جمادات دگر را بی لباس ** چون عصا و سنگ داری از قیاس

That thou, (judging) by analogy, might’st undoubtingly deem the other lifeless things to be like rod and stone (in this respect).

طاعت سنگ و عصا ظاهر شود ** وز جمادات دگر مخبر شود

The obedience (to God) of stone and rod is made manifest and gives information concerning the other lifeless things,

که ز یزدان آگهیم و طایعیم ** ما همه نی اتفاقی ضایعیم

That (they say), “We are cognisant of God and obedient (to Him): we all are (bearing witness to His wisdom) not by chance and in vain.

هم‌چو آب نیل دانی وقت غرق ** کو میان هر دو امت کرد فرق

As (for example) the water of the Nile: thou knowest that at the time of drowning it made a distinction between the two peoples;

چون زمین دانیش دانا وقت خسف ** در حق قارون که قهرش کرد و نسف 2830

(And) as the earth: thou knowest it to be possessed of knowledge, at the time of (its) sinking, in regard to Qárún whom He subdued and swept away;

چون قمر که امر بشنید و شتافت ** پس دو نیمه گشت بر چرخ و شکافت

(And) as the moon, which heard the (Divine) command and hastened (to obey) and then became two halves in the sky and split;

چون درخت و سنگ کاندر هر مقام ** مصطفی را کرده ظاهرالسلام

(And) as the trees and stones which everywhere overtly made the salaam to Mustafá (Mohammed).

جواب دهری کی منکر الوهیت است و عالم را قدیم می‌گوید

Reply to the materialist who disbelieves in the Deity and says that the world is eternal.

دی یکی می‌گفت عالم حادثست ** فانیست این چرخ و حقش وارثست

Yesterday some one was saying, “The world is originated in time: this heaven is passing away, and God is its inheritor.”

فلسفیی گفت چون دانی حدوث ** حادثی ابر چون داند غیوث

A philosopher said, “How do you know (its) temporal origin? How should the rain know the temporality of the cloud?

ذره‌ای خود نیستی از انقلاب ** تو چه می‌دانی حدوث آفتاب 2835

You are not even a mote of the (celestial) revolution: how should you know the temporality of the sun?

کرمکی کاندر حدث باشد دفین ** کی بداند آخر و بدو زمین

The little worm that is buried in filth—how should it know the end and beginning of the earth?

این به تقلید از پدر بشنیده‌ای ** از حماقت اندرین پیچیده‌ای

You have heard this by rote from your father: through foolishness you have become involved in this (belief).

چیست برهان بر حدوث این بگو ** ورنه خامش کن فزون گویی مجو

What is the demonstrative argument for its temporality? Tell (me) or else keep silence and do not seek (indulge in) excessive talk.”

گفت دیدم اندرین بحث عمیق ** بحث می‌کردند روزی دو فریق

He said, “One day I saw two parties searching in this deep sea,

در جدال و در خصام و در ستوه ** گشت هنگامه بر آن دو کس گروه 2840

(Engaged) in disputation and controversy and desperate battle: a crowd gathered round those two persons.

من به سوی جمع هنگامه شدم ** اطلاع از حال ایشان بستدم

I went towards the crowded multitude and took notice of their (the disputants') affair.

آن یکی می‌گفت گردون فانیست ** بی‌گمانی این بنا را بانیست

One was saying, ‘The sky will pass away: without any doubt, this edifice hath a builder.’

وان دگر گفت این قدیم و بی کیست ** نیستش بانی و یا بانی ویست

The other said, ‘It is eternal and timeless: it hath no builder, or else it is (itself) the builder.’

گفت منکر گشته‌ای خلاق را ** روز و شب آرنده و رزاق را

He (his adversary) said, ‘You have denied the Creator, the Producer of day and night and the Giver of sustenance.’

گفت بی برهان نخواهم من شنید ** آنچ گولی آن به تقلیدی گزید 2845

He (the philosopher) said, ‘Without clear evidence, I will not listen to that which an ignoramus has accepted by rote.

هین بیاور حجت و برهان که من ** نشنوم بی حجت این را در زمن

Come, bring the proof and evidence, for never in the world will I hearken to this without proof.’

گفت حجت در درون جانمست ** در درون جان نهان برهانمست

‘The proof,’ he replied, ‘is within my soul: my evidence is hidden within my soul.