حیله کرد انسان و حیلهش دام بود ** آن که جان پنداشت خون آشام بود
Man devised (something), and his device was a snare (wherein he was trapped): that which he thought to be life was (actually) the drainer of his blood (his destroyer).
در ببست و دشمن اندر خانه بود ** حیلهی فرعون زین افسانه بود
He locked the door while the foe was in the house: the plot of Pharaoh was a story of this sort.
صد هزاران طفل کشت آن کینه کش ** و آن که او میجست اندر خانهاش920
That vengeful man slew hundreds of thousands of babes, while the one he was searching after was in his (Pharaoh's) house.
دیدهی ما چون بسی علت در اوست ** رو فنا کن دید خود در دید دوست
Since in our eyesight (foresight) there is much defect, go, let your own sight pass away (faná) in the sight of the Friend (God).
دید ما را دید او نعم العوض ** یابی اندر دید او کل غرض
His sight for ours—what a goodly recompense! In His sight you will find the whole object of your desire.
طفل تا گیرا و تا پویا نبود ** مرکبش جز گردن بابا نبود
So long as the child could neither grasp (exert strength) nor run, he had nothing to ride on but his father's neck;
چون فضولی گشت و دست و پا نمود ** در عنا افتاد و در کور و کبود
When he became a busybody and plied hand and foot (exerted himself), he fell into trouble and wretchedness.
جانهای خلق پیش از دست و پا ** میپریدند از وفا اندر صفا925
The spirits of created beings, before (the creation of) hand and foot, by reason of their faithfulness were flying in (the realm of) purity;
چون به امر اهبطوا بندی شدند ** حبس خشم و حرص و خرسندی شدند
When they were constrained by the (Divine) command, Get ye down, they became engaoled in anger and covetousness and contentment.
ما عیال حضرتیم و شیر خواه ** گفت الخلق عیال للإله
We are the family of the Lord and craving after milk (like infants): he (the Prophet) said, ‘The people are God's family.’
آن که او از آسمان باران دهد ** هم تواند کاو ز رحمت نان دهد
He who gives rain from heaven is also able, from His mercy, to give us bread.”
باز ترجیحنهادن شیر جهد را بر توکل
How the lion pronounced exertion to be superior to trust in God.
گفت شیر آری ولی رب العباد ** نردبانی پیش پای ما نهاد
“Yes,” said the lion; “but the Lord of His servants set a ladder before our feet.
پایه پایه رفت باید سوی بام ** هست جبری بودن اینجا طمع خام930
Step by step must we climb towards the roof: to be a necessitarian here is (to indulge in) foolish hopes.
پای داری چون کنی خود را تو لنگ ** دست داری چون کنی پنهان تو چنگ
You have feet: why do you make yourself out to be lame? you have hands: why do you conceal the fingers (whereby you grasp)?
خواجه چون بیلی به دست بنده داد ** بیزبان معلوم شد او را مراد
When the master put a spade in the slave's hand, his object was made known to him (the slave) without (a word falling from his) tongue.
دست همچون بیل اشارتهای اوست ** آخر اندیشی عبارتهای اوست
Hand and spade alike are His (God's) implicit signs; (our powers of) thinking upon the end are His explicit declarations.
چون اشارتهاش را بر جان نهی ** در وفای آن اشارت جان دهی
When you take His signs to heart, you will devote your life to fulfilling that indication (of His will).
پس اشارتهای اسرارت دهد ** بار بر دارد ز تو کارت دهد935
Then He will give you hints (for the understanding) of mysteries, He will remove the burden from you and give you (spiritual) authority.
حاملی محمول گرداند ترا ** قابلی مقبول گرداند ترا
Do you bear (His burden)? He will cause you to be borne (aloft). Do you receive (His commands)? He will cause you to be received (into His favour).
قابل امر ویی قایل شوی ** وصل جویی بعد از آن واصل شوی
If you accept His command, you will become the spokesman (thereof); if you seek union (with Him), thereafter you will become united.
سعی شکر نعمتش قدرت بود ** جبر تو انکار آن نعمت بود
Freewill is the endeavour to thank (God) for His beneficence: your necessitarianism is the denial of that beneficence.
شکر قدرت قدرتت افزون کند ** جبر نعمت از کفت بیرون کند
Thanksgiving for the power (of acting freely) increases your power; necessitarianism takes the (Divine) gift (of freewill) out of your hand.
جبر تو خفتن بود در ره مخسب ** تا نبینی آن در و درگه مخسب940
Your necessitarianism is (like) sleeping on the road: do not sleep! Sleep not, until you see the gate and the threshold!
هان مخسب ای جبری بیاعتبار ** جز به زیر آن درخت میوهدار
Beware! do not sleep, O inconsiderate sluggard, save underneath that fruit-laden tree,
تا که شاخ افشان کند هر لحظه باد ** بر سر خفته بریزد نقل و زاد
So that every moment the wind may shake the boughs and shower upon the sleeper (spiritual) dessert and provision for the journey.
جبر و خفتن در میان ره زنان ** مرغ بیهنگام کی یابد امان
(How absurd) to be a necessitarian and sleep amidst highwaymen! How should the untimely bird receive quarter?
ور اشارتهاش را بینی زنی ** مرد پنداری و چون بینی زنی
And if you turn up your nose at His signs, you deem (yourself) a man, but when you consider (more deeply), you are (only) a woman.
این قدر عقلی که داری گم شود ** سر که عقل از وی بپرد دم شود945
This measure of understanding which you possess is lost: a head from which the understanding flies away,
ز آن که بیشکری بود شوم و شنار ** میبرد بیشکر را در قعر نار
Because ingratitude is wickedness and disgrace and brings the ingrate to the bottom of Hell-fire.
گر توکل میکنی در کار کن ** کشت کن پس تکیه بر جبار کن
If you are putting trust in God, put trust (in Him) as regards (your) work: sow (the seed), then rely upon the Almighty.”
باز ترجیح نهادن نخجیران توکل را بر جهد
How the beasts once more asserted the superiority of trust in God to exertion.
جمله با وی بانگها برداشتند ** کان حریصان که سببها کاشتند
They all lifted up their voices (to dispute) with him, saying, “Those covetous ones who sowed (the seed of) means,
صد هزار اندر هزار از مرد و زن ** پس چرا محروم ماندند از زمن
Myriads on myriads of men and women—why, then, did they remain deprived of fortune?
صد هزاران قرن ز آغاز جهان ** همچو اژدرها گشاده صد دهان950
From the beginning of the world myriads of generations have opened a hundred mouths, like dragons:
مکرها کردند آن دانا گروه ** که ز بن بر کنده شد ز آن مکر کوه
Those clever people devised plots (of such power) that the mountain thereby was torn up from its foundation.
کرد وصف مکرهاشان ذو الجلال ** لتزول منه اقلال الجبال
The Glorious (God) described their plots (when He said): (though their guile be such) that the tops of the mountains might be moved thereby.
جز که آن قسمت که رفت اندر ازل ** روی ننمود از شکار و از عمل
(But) except the portion which came to pass (was predestined) in eternity, nothing showed its face (accrued to them) from their hunting and doing.
جمله افتادند از تدبیر و کار ** ماند کار و حکمهای کردگار
They all fell from (failed in) plan and act: the acts and decrees of the Maker remained.
کسب جز نامی مدان ای نامدار ** جهد جز وهمی مپندار ای عیار955
O illustrious one, do not regard work as aught but a name! O cunning one, think not that exertion is aught but a vain fancy!”
نگریستن عزراییل بر مردی و گریختن آن مرد در سرای سلیمان و تقریر ترجیح توکل بر جهد و قلت فایدهی جهد
How ‘Azrá‘íl (Azrael) looked at a certain man, and how that man fled to the palace of Solomon; and setting forth the superiority of trust in God to exertion and the uselessness of the latter.
زاد مردی چاشتگاهی در رسید ** در سرا عدل سلیمان در دوید
One forenoon a freeborn (noble) man arrived and ran into Solomon's hall of justice,
رویش از غم زرد و هر دو لب کبود ** پس سلیمان گفت ای خواجه چه بود
His countenance pale with anguish and both lips blue. Then Solomon said, “Good sir, what is the matter?”
گفت عزراییل در من این چنین ** یک نظر انداخت پر از خشم و کین
He replied, “Azrael cast on me such a look, so full of wrath and hate.”
گفت هین اکنون چه میخواهی بخواه ** گفت فرما باد را ای جان پناه
“Come,” said the king, “what (boon) do you desire now? Ask (it)!” “O protector of my life,” said he, “command the wind,
تا مرا ز ینجا به هندستان برد ** بو که بنده کان طرف شد جان برد960
To bear me from here to India. Maybe, when thy slave is come thither he will save his life.”
نک ز درویشی گریزانند خلق ** لقمهی حرص و امل ز آنند خلق
Lo, the people are fleeing from poverty: hence are they a mouthful for (a prey to) covetousness and expectation.
ترس درویشی مثال آن هراس ** حرص و کوشش را تو هندستان شناس
The fear of poverty is like that (man's) terror: know thou that covetousness and striving are (like) India (in this tale).
باد را فرمود تا او را شتاب ** برد سوی قعر هندستان بر آب
He (Solomon) commanded the wind to bear him quickly over the water to the uttermost part of India.
روز دیگر وقت دیوان و لقا ** پس سلیمان گفت عزراییل را
Next day, at the time of conference and meeting, Solomon said to Azrael:
کان مسلمان را بخشم از چه چنان ** بنگریدی تا شد آواره ز خان965
“Didst thou look with anger on that Moslem in order that he might wander (as an exile) far from his home?”
گفت من از خشم کی کردم نظر ** از تعجب دیدمش در رهگذر
Azrael said, “When did I look (on him) angrily? I saw him as I passed by, (and looked at him) in astonishment,
که مرا فرمود حق که امروز هان ** جان او را تو به هندستان ستان
For God had commanded me, saying, ‘Hark, to-day do thou take his spirit in India.’