If you are aware of His jabr (compulsion), where is your humility? Where is your feeling of (being loaded with) the chain of His jabbárí (almightiness)?
بسته در زنجیر چون شادی کند ** کی اسیر حبس آزادی کند
How should one make merry who is bound in chains? When does the captive in prison behave like the man who is free?
ور تو می‌‌بینی که پایت بسته‌‌اند ** بر تو سرهنگان شه بنشسته‌‌اند
And if you consider that your foot is shackled (and that) the king's officers are sitting (as custodians) over you,
پس تو سرهنگی مکن با عاجزان ** ز آن که نبود طبع و خوی عاجز آن
Then do not act like an officer (tyrannously) towards the helpless, inasmuch as that is not the nature and habit of a helpless man.
چون تو جبر او نمی‌‌بینی مگو ** ور همی‌‌بینی نشان دید کو
Since you do not feel His compulsion, do not say (that you are compelled); and if you feel it, where is the sign of your feeling?
در هر آن کاری که میل استت بدان ** قدرت خود را همی‌‌بینی عیان635
In every act for which you have inclination, you are clearly conscious of your power (to perform it),
و اندر آن کاری که میلت نیست ** و خواست خویش را جبری کنی کاین از خداست
(But) in the act for which you have no inclination and desire, you make yourself a necessitarian, saying, “This is from God.”
انبیا در کار دنیا جبری‌‌اند ** کافران در کار عقبی جبری‌‌اند
The prophets are necessitarians in regard to the works of this world, (while) the infidels are necessitarians in regard to the works of the next world.
انبیا را کار عقبی اختیار ** جاهلان را کار دنیا اختیار
To the prophets the works of the next world are (a matter of) freewill; to the foolish the works of this world are (a matter of) freewill,
ز آن که هر مرغی به سوی جنس خویش ** می‌‌پرد او در پس و جان پیش پیش
Because every bird flies to its own congener: it (follows) behind, and its spirit (goes) before, (leading it on).
کافران چون جنس سجین آمدند ** سجن دنیا را خوش آیین آمدند640
Inasmuch as the infidels were congeners of Sijjn (Hell), they were well-disposed to the prison (sijn) of this world.
انبیا چون جنس علیین بدند ** سوی علیین جان و دل شدند
Inasmuch as the prophets were congeners of ‘Illiyyín (Heaven), they went towards the ‘Illiyyín of spirit and heart.
این سخن پایان ندارد لیک ما ** باز گوییم آن تمامی قصه را
This discourse hath no end, but let us (now) relate the story to its completion.
نومید کردن وزیر مریدان را از رفض خلوت
How the vizier made the disciples lose hope of his abandoning seclusion.
آن وزیر از اندرون آواز داد ** کای مریدان از من این معلوم باد
The vizier cried out from within, “O disciples, be this made known to you from me,
که مرا عیسی چنین پیغام کرد ** کز همه یاران و خویشان باش فرد
That Jesus hath given me a such-like message: ‘Be separated from all friends and kinsfolk.
روی در دیوار کن تنها نشین ** وز وجود خویش هم خلوت گزین645
Set thy face to the wall, sit alone, and choose to be secluded even from thine own existence.’
بعد از این دستوری گفتار نیست ** بعد از این با گفت و گویم کار نیست
After this there is no permission (for me) to speak; after this I have nothing to do with talk.
الوداع ای دوستان من مرده‌‌ام ** رخت بر چارم فلک بر برده‌‌ام
Farewell, O friends! I am dead: I have carried my belongings up to the Fourth Heaven,
تا به زیر چرخ ناری چون حطب ** من نسوزم در عنا و در عطب
In order that beneath the fiery sphere I may not burn like firewood in woe and perdition,
پهلوی عیسی نشینم بعد از این ** بر فراز آسمان چارمین
(But) henceforth may sit beside Jesus at the top of the Fourth Heaven.”
ولی عهد ساختن وزیر هر یک امیر را جدا جدا
How the vizier appointed each one of the amírs separately as his successor.
و آن گهانی آن امیران را بخواند ** یک به یک تنها به هر یک حرف راند650
And then he summoned those amírs one by one and conversed with each (of them) alone.
گفت هر یک را به دین عیسوی ** نایب حق و خلیفه‌‌ی من توی
He said to each one, “In the religion of Jesus thou art the vicar of God and my khalífa (vicegerent),
و آن امیران دگر اتباع تو ** کرد عیسی جمله را اشیاع تو
And those other amírs are thy followers: Jesus hath made all of them thy assistants.
هر امیری کو کشید گردن بگیر ** یا بکش یا خود همی‌‌دارش اسیر
Any amír who lifts his neck (in rebellion), seize him and either kill him or hold him captive;
لیک تا من زنده‌‌ام این وامگو ** تا نمیرم این ریاست را مجو
But do not declare this whilst I am alive: do not seek this supreme authority until I am dead.
تا نمیرم من تو این پیدا مکن ** دعوی شاهی و استیلا مکن655
Until I am dead, do not reveal this: do not lay claim to sovereignty and dominion.
اینک این طومار و احکام مسیح ** یک به یک بر خوان تو بر امت فصیح
Here is this scroll and the ordinances of the Messiah: recite them distinctly, one by one, to his people.”
هر امیری را چنین گفت او جدا ** نیست نایب جز تو در دین خدا
Thus he spoke to each amír separately, (saying), “There is no vicar in the religion of God except thee.”
هر یکی را کرد او یک یک عزیز ** هر چه آن را گفت این را گفت نیز
He honoured each, one by one, (in this way): whatever he said to that (amír) he also said to this.
هر یکی را او یکی طومار داد ** هر یکی ضد دگر بود المراد
To each he gave one scroll: every one was purposely the contrary of the other.
جملگی طومارها بد مختلف ** چون حروف آن جمله از یا تا الف660
The text of those scrolls was diverse; all were (different), like the letters from alif to yá.
حکم این طومار ضد حکم آن ** پیش از این کردیم این ضد را بیان
The rule (laid down) in this scroll was contrary to the rule in that: we have already explained (the nature of) this contradiction.
کشتن وزیر خویشتن را در خلوت
How the vizier killed himself in seclusion.
بعد از آن چل روز دیگر در ببست ** خویش کشت و از وجود خود برست
After that, he shut the door for other forty days (and then) killed himself and escaped from his existence.
چون که خلق از مرگ او آگاه شد ** بر سر گورش قیامت‌‌گاه شد
When the people learned of his death, there came to pass at his grave the scene of the Resurrection.
خلق چندان جمع شد بر گور او ** موکنان جامه دران در شور او
So great a multitude gathered at his grave, tearing their hair, rending their garments in wild grief for him,
کان عدد را هم خدا داند شمرد ** از عرب وز ترک و از رومی و کرد665
That only God can reckon the number of them—Arabs and Turks and Greeks and Kurds.
خاک او کردند بر سرهای خویش ** درد او دیدند درمان جای خویش
They put his (grave's) earth on their heads; they deemed anguish for him to be the remedy for themselves.
آن خلایق بر سر گورش مهی ** کرده خون را از دو چشم خود رهی
During a month those multitudes over his grave made a way for blood from their eyes (shed tears of anguish).
طلب کردن امت عیسی علیه السلام از امرا که ولی عهد از شما کدام است
How the people of Jesus—on him be peace!—asked the amírs, “Which one of you is the successor?”
بعد ماهی خلق گفتند ای مهان ** از امیران کیست بر جایش نشان
After a month the people said, “O chiefs, which of (the) amírs is designated in his place,
تا به جای او شناسیمش امام ** دست و دامن را بدست او دهیم
That we may acknowledge him as our religious leader instead of him (the vizier), and give our hands and skirts into his hand?
چون که شد خورشید و ما را کرد داغ ** چاره نبود بر مقامش از چراغ670
Since the sun is gone and has branded us (left the brand of sorrow in our hearts), is not a lamp the (only) resource in his stead?
چون که شد از پیش دیده وصل یار ** نایبی باید از او مان یادگار
Since union with the beloved has vanished from before our eyes, we must needs have a vicar as a memorial of him (i.e. one who will recall him to our memory).
چون که گل بگذشت و گلشن شد خراب ** بوی گل را از که یابیم از گلاب
Since the rose is past and the garden ravaged, from whom shall we get the perfume of the rose? From rosewater.”
چون خدا اندر نیاید در عیان ** نایب حق‌‌اند این پیغمبران
Inasmuch as God comes not into sight, these prophets are the vicars of God.