پیش چه بود یاد مرگ و نزع خویش ** پس چه باشد مردن یاران ز پیش

What is (meant by looking) forward? To think of thy own death and last agony. What is (meant by looking) backward? (To remember) the predecease of thy friends.

نه ترا بر ظلم توبه‌ی پر خروش ** ای دغا گندم‌نمای جوفروش 1830

Thou hast (in thy record) no wailful penitence for thy injustice, O rogue who showest wheat and sellest barley.

چون ترازوی تو کژ بود و دغا ** راست چون جویی ترازوی جزا

Since thy scales were wrong and false, how shouldst thou require the scales of thy retribution to be right?

چونک پای چپ بدی در غدر و کاست ** نامه چون آید ترا در دست راست

Since thou wert a left foot (wert going to the left) in fraud and dishonesty, how should the scroll come into thy right hand?

چون جزا سایه‌ست ای قد تو خم ** سایه‌ی تو کژ فتد در پیش هم

Since retribution is (like) the shadow, accordingly thy shadow, O man of bent figure, falls crookedly before thee.’”

زین قبل آید خطابات درشت ** که شود که را از آن هم کوز پشت

(To him) from this quarter (Heaven) come (such) harsh words of rebuke that even the back of a mountain would be bowed by them.

بنده گوید آنچ فرمودی بیان ** صد چنانم صد چنانم صد چنان 1835

The servant (of God) answers: “I am a hundred, hundred, hundred times as much as that which Thou hast declared.

خود تو پوشیدی بترها را به حلم ** ورنه می‌دانی فضیحتها به علم

Verily, in Thy forbearance Thou hast thrown a veil over worse things (than those mentioned); otherwise (Thou mightst have declared them, for) Thou knowest with Thy knowledge (all my) shameful deeds;

لیک بیرون از جهاد و فعل خویش ** از ورای خیر و شر و کفر و کیش

But, outside of my own exertion and action, beyond good and evil and religion and infidelity,

وز نیاز عاجزانه‌ی خویشتن ** وز خیال و وهم من یا صد چو من

And beyond my feeble supplication and the fancy and imagination of myself or a hundred like me,

بودم اومیدی به محض لطف تو ** از ورای راست باشی یا عتو

Beyond living righteously or behaving disobediently—I had a (great) hope in Thy pure lovingkindness.

بخشش محضی ز لطف بی‌عوض ** بودم اومید ای کریم بی‌عوض 1840

I had hope in the pure bounty (flowing) from Thy spontaneous loving kindness, O Gracious Disinterested One.

رو سپس کردم بدان محض کرم ** سوی فعل خویشتن می‌ننگرم

I turn my face back to that pure grace: I am not looking towards my own actions.

سوی آن اومید کردم روی خویش ** که وجودم داده‌ای از پیش بیش

I turn my face towards that hope, for Thou hast given me existence older than of old.

خلعت هستی بدادی رایگان ** من همیشه معتمد بودم بر آن

Thou gavest (me) existence, free of cost, as a robe of honour: I have always relied upon that (generosity).”

چون شمارد جرم خود را و خطا ** محض بخشایش در آید در عطا

When he recounts his sins and trespasses, the Pure Bounty begins to show munificence,

کای ملایک باز آریدش به ما ** که بدستش چشم دل سوی رجا 1845

Saying, “O angels, bring him back to Us, for his inward eye has (ever) been (turned) towards hope.

لاابالی وار آزادش کنیم ** وآن خطاها را همه خط بر زنیم

Like one who recks of naught, We will set him free and cancel all his trespasses.

لا ابالی مر کسی را شد مباح ** کش زیان نبود ز غدر و از صلاح

(To say) ‘I reck not’ is permitted to that One (alone) who loses nothing by perfidy and (gains nothing) by probity.

آتشی خوش بر فروزیم از کرم ** تا نماند جرم و زلت بیش و کم

We will kindle up a goodly fire of grace, in order that no sin and fault, great or small, may endure—

آتشی کز شعله‌اش کمتر شرار ** می‌بسوزد جرم و جبر و اختیار

Such a fire that the least spark of the flame thereof is consuming (all) sin and necessity and free-will.

شعله در بنگاه انسانی زنیم ** خار را گلزار روحانی کنیم 1850

We will set fire to the tenement of Man and make the thorns (in it) a spiritual garden of roses.

ما فرستادیم از چرخ نهم ** کیمیا یصلح لکم اعمالکم

We have sent from the Ninth Sphere (the highest Heaven) the elixir (namely), He will rectify for you your actions.”

خود چه باشد پیش نور مستقر ** کر و فر اختیار بوالبشر

What in sooth is Adam's (Man's) sovereignty and power of choice beside the Light of the Everlasting Abode?

گوشت‌پاره آلت گویای او ** پیه‌پاره منظر بینای او

His speaking organ is a piece of flesh; the seat of his vision is a piece of fat;