گفت رو کان وصف از آن هایلترست ** که بیان بر وی تواند برد دست
It answered, “Go, for those qualities are too terrible for (oral) exposition to put its hand on them,
یا قلم را زهره باشد که به سر ** بر نویسد بر صحایف زان خبر
Or for the pen to dare inscribe with its point information concerning them on the pages (of books).”
گفت کمتر داستانی باز گو ** از عجبهای حق ای حبر نکو
He said, “Relate a lesser tale concerning the wonders of God, O goodly divine.”
گفت اینک دشت سیصدساله راه ** کوههای برف پر کردست شاه3735
It said, “Look, the King (God) hath made a plain full of snow-mountains, for the distance of a three hundred years' journey—
کوه بر که بیشمار و بیعدد ** میرسد در هر زمان برفش مدد
Mountain on mountain, beyond count and number: the snow comes continually to replenish them.
کوه برفی میزند بر دیگری ** میرساند برف سردی تا ثری
One snow-mountain is being piled on another: the snow brings coldness to the earth.
کوه برفی میزند بر کوه برف ** دم به دم ز انبار بیحد و شگرف
At every moment snow-mountain is being piled on snow-mountain from the illimitable and vast storehouse.
گر نبودی این چنین وادی شها ** تف دوزخ محو کردی مر مرا
O king, if there were not a valley (of snow) like this, the glowing heat of Hell would annihilate me.”
غافلان را کوههای برف دان ** تا نسوزد پردههای عاقلان3740
Know that (in this world) the heedless are (like) snow-mountains, to the end that the veils of the intelligent may not be consumed.
گر نبودی عکس جهل برفباف ** سوختی از نار شوق آن کوه قاف
Were it not for the reflexion (effect) of snow-weaving (chilling) ignorance, that Mount Qáf would be consumed by the fire of longing.
آتش از قهر خدا خود ذرهایست ** بهر تهدید لیمان درهایست
The Fire (of Hell) in sooth is (only) an atom of God's wrath; it is (only) a whip to threaten the base.
با چنین قهری که زفت و فایق است ** برد لطفش بین که بر وی سابق است
Notwithstanding such a wrath, which is mighty and surpassing all, observe that the coolness of His clemency is prior to it.
سبق بیچون و چگونهی معنوی ** سابق و مسبوق دیدی بیدوی
(’Tis) a spiritual priority, unqualified and unconditioned. Have you seen the prior and the posterior without duality (have you seen them to be one)?
گر ندیدی آن بود از فهم پست ** که عقول خلق زان کان یک جوست3745
If you have not seen them (as one), that is because of feeble understanding; for the minds of God's creatures are (but) a single grain of that mine.
عیب بر خود نه نه بر آیات دین ** کی رسد بر چرخ دین مرغ گلین
Lay the blame on yourself, not on the evidences of the (true) Religion: how should the bird of clay reach the sky of the (true) Religion?
مرغ را جولانگه عالی هواست ** زانک نشو او ز شهوت وز هواست
The bird's lofty soaring-place is (only) the air, since its origin is from lust and sensuality.
پس تو حیران باش بیلا و بلی ** تا ز رحمت پیشت آید محملی
Therefore be dumbfounded without nay or yea, in order that a litter may come from (the Divine) Mercy to carry you.
چون ز فهم این عجایب کودنی ** گر بلی گویی تکلف میکنی
Forasmuch as you are too dull to apprehend these wonders (of God), if you say “yea” you will be prevaricating;
ور بگویی نی زند نی گردنت ** قهر بر بندد بدان نی روزنت3750
And if you say “nay,” the “nay” will behead (undo) you: on account of that “nay” (the Divine) Wrath will shut your (spiritual) window.
پس همین حیران و واله باش و بس ** تا درآید نصر حق از پیش و پس
Be, then, only dumbfounded and distraught, nothing else, that God's aid may come in from before and behind.
چونک حیران گشتی و گیج و فنا ** با زبان حال گفتی اهدنا
When you have become dumbfounded and crazed and naughted, you have said with mute eloquence, “Lead us.”
زفت زفتست و چو لرزان میشوی ** میشود آن زفت نرم و مستوی
It (the wrath of God) is mighty, mighty; but when you begin to tremble, that mighty (wrath) becomes assuaged and equable,
زانک شکل زفت بهر منکرست ** چونک عاجز آمدی لطف و برست
Because the mighty shape is for (terrifying) the unbeliever; when you have become helpless, it is mercy and kindness.
نمودن جبرئیل علیهالسلام خود را به مصطفی صلیالله علیه و سلم به صورت خویش و از هفتصد پر او چون یک پر ظاهر شد افق را بگرفت و آفتاب محجوب شد با همه شعاعش
How Gabriel, on whom be peace, showed himself to Mustafá (Mohammed), God bless and save him, in his own shape; and how, when one of his seven hundred wings became visible, it covered the horizon (on all sides), and the sun with all its radiance was veiled over.
مصطفی میگفت پیش جبرئیل ** که چنانک صورت تست ای خلیل3755
Mustafá said in the presence of Gabriel, “Even as thy shape (really) is, O friend,
مر مرا بنما تو محسوس آشکار ** تا ببینم مر ترا نظارهوار
Show it to me sensibly and visibly, that I may behold thee as spectators (who fix their eyes on an object of interest).”