اصبع لطفست و قهر و در میان ** کلک دل با قبض و بسطی زین بنان
(These) are the fingers of Grace and Wrath, and between them the pen, the heart, is in a state of distress or ease (caused) by these fingers.
ای قلم بنگر گر اجلالیستی ** که میان اصبعین کیستی
O pen, if thou art one that (duly) magnifies (God), consider whose two fingers thou art between.
جمله قصد و جنبشت زین اصبعست ** فرق تو بر چار راه مجمعست2780
All thy volition and movement are (controlled) by this finger: thy head (point) is on the crossways of the assembly-place.
این حروف حالهات از نسخ اوست ** عزم و فسخت هم ز عزم و فسخ اوست
These letters (symbolising) thy (diverse) states are of His inditing: thy forming a purpose and changing it is just from His forming a purpose and changing it.
جز نیاز و جز تضرع راه نیست ** زین تقلب هر قلم آگاه نیست
There is no way but supplication and self-abasement: not every pen is conscious of this subjection to (Divine) control.
این قلم داند ولی بر قدر خود ** قدر خود پیدا کند در نیک و بد
The pen knows this (control), but (only) according to its (fore-ordained) measure: it manifests its measure (of knowledge) in good and evil (actions).
آنچ در خرگوش و پیل آویختند ** تا ازل را با حیل آمیختند
(As regards) that (apologue) which they attached to the hare and the elephant, so that they confused (the dispensation of) eternity with (mere) tricks,
بیان آنک هر کس را نرسد مثل آوردن خاصه در کار الهی
[Explaining that it is not seemly for every one to adduce parables, especially concerning Divine actions.]
کی رسدتان این مثلها ساختن ** سوی آن درگاه پاک انداختن2785
How is it seemly for you to make these similitudes and cast them at (apply them to) that holy Court?
آن مثل آوردن آن حضرتست ** که بعلم سر و جهر او آیتست
That use of similitudes belongs to the Lord, for He is the (sole) authority for the knowledge of the hidden and the manifest.
تو چه دانی سر چیزی تا تو کل ** یا به زلفی یا به رخ آری مثل
What dost thou know of the hidden nature of anything, that thou, baldpate, shouldst use a lock of hair or a cheek as similitudes?
موسیی آن را عصا دید و نبود ** اژدها بد سر او لب می‌گشود
A Moses deemed that (wood) a rod, but it was not (a rod): it was a dragon: its hidden nature was opening its lips (revealing itself).
چون چنان شاهی نداند سر چوب ** تو چه دانی سر این دام و حبوب
Inasmuch as such a (spiritual) king knows not the hidden nature of wood, how shouldst thou know the hidden nature of this snare and bait?
چون غلط شد چشم موسی در مثل ** چون کند موشی فضولی مدخل2790
Since the eye of Moses was at fault in the similitude, how should a meddling mouse find an entrance (to perception of the truth)?
آن مثالت را چو اژدرها کند ** تا به پاسخ جزو جزوت بر کند
He (God) will make that comparison of thine a dragon, that in answer it may tear thee to pieces.
این مثال آورد ابلیس لعین ** تا که شد ملعون حق تا یوم دین
The accursed Iblís used this (kind of) comparison, so that he fell under God's curse till the Day of Judgement.
این مثال آورد قارون از لجاج ** تا فرو شد در زمین با تخت و تاج
Qárún (Korah) from contumacy used this (kind of) comparison, so that he sank down into the earth with his throne and diadem.
این مثالت را چو زاغ و بوم دان ** که ازیشان پست شد صد خاندان
Know that this comparison of thine is like crows and owls by which a hundred households are laid low.
مثلها زدن قوم نوح باستهزا در زمان کشتی ساختن
How the people of Noah uttered similitudes derisively at the time of his building the Ark
نوح اندر بادیه کشتی بساخت ** صد مثل‌گو از پی تسخیر بتاخت2795
Noah built an Ark in the desert : a hundred speakers of parables ran up to ridicule (him).
در بیابانی که چاه آب نیست ** می‌کند کشتی چه نادان و ابلهیست
He is making a ship (Ark) in the desert where no well of water exists: what an ignorant fool he is!"
آن یکی می‌گفت ای کشتی بتاز ** و آن یکی می‌گفت پرش هم بساز
One was saying, "O ship, run!" while another said, "Make wings for it too ! "
او همی‌گفت این به فرمان خداست ** این بچربکها نخواهد گشت کاست
He (Noah) said, "This is by the command of God: this will not be defeated by jeers."
حکایت آن دزد کی پرسیدند چه می‌کنی نیمشب در بن این دیوار گفت دهل می‌زنم
Story of the thief who was asked, “What are you doing at the bottom of this wall at midnight?” and replied, “I am beating a drum.”
این مثل بشنو که شب دزدی عنید ** در بن دیوار حفره می‌برید
Hear this parable—how a wicked thief was cutting a hole at the bottom of a wall.
نیم‌بیداری که او رنجور بود ** طقطق آهسته‌اش را می‌شنود2800
Some one half-awake, who was ill, heard the soft tapping of his (pick),
رفت بر بام و فرو آویخت سر ** گفت او را در چه کاری ای پدر
And went on the roof and hung his head down and said to him, “What are you about, O father?
خیر باشد نیمشب چه می‌کنی ** تو کیی گفتا دهل‌زن ای سنی
All is well, I hope. What are you doing (here) at midnight? Who are you?” He said, “A drummer, O honourable sir.”
در چه کاری گفت می‌کوبم دهل ** گفت کو بانگ دهل ای بوسبل
“What are you about?” He said, “I am beating the drum.” He (the sick man) said, “Where is the noise of the drum, O artful one?”
گفت فردا بشنوی این بانگ را ** نعره یا حسرتا وا ویلتا
He said, “You will hear this noise to-morrow, (namely) cries of ‘Oh, alas!’ and ‘Oh, woe is me!’”
آن دروغست و کژ و بر ساخته ** سر آن کژ را تو هم نشناخته2805
That (story of the hare and the elephant) is a lie and false and made up; moreover, thou hast not perceived the secret (the esoteric meaning) of that falsehood.
جواب آن مثل کی منکران گفتند از رسالت خرگوش پیغام به پیل از ماه آسمان
The answer to the parable which the unbelievers related concerning the hare's being sent as ambassador with a message to the elephant from the Moon in heaven.
سر آن خرگوش دان دیو فضول ** که به پیش نفس تو آمد رسول
Know that the hidden nature of that hare is the insolent Devil who came as an ambassador to thy soul,
تا که نفس گول را محروم کرد ** ز آب حیوانی که از وی خضر خورد
In order that he might deprive thy foolish soul of the Water of Life whence Khizr drank.
بازگونه کرده‌ای معنیش را ** کفر گفتی مستعد شو نیش را
Thou hast perverted its (the parable's) meaning, thou hast uttered blasphemy: prepare thyself for the sting (of Divine chastisement).
اضطراب ماه گفتی در زلال ** که بترسانید پیلان را شغال
Thou hast spoken of the moon's being disturbed in the limpid water, whereby the jackal (hare) frightened the elephants;
قصه‌ی خرگوش و پیل آری و آب ** خشیت پیلان ز مه در اضطراب2810
Thou relatest the story of the hare and the elephant and the water, and the elephant's fear of the moon when it was disturbed:
این چه ماند آخر ای کوران خام ** با مهی که شد زبونش خاص و عام
O ye half-baked blind men, pray, how does this bear any resemblance to the Moon to whom (both) lords and commons are subject?
چه مه و چه آفتاب و چه فلک ** چه عقول و چه نفوس و چه ملک
What is the moon and what is the sun and what is the sky? What are intelligences and souls and angels?
آفتاب آفتاب آفتاب ** این چه می‌گویم مگر هستم بخواب
“The Sun of the sun of the sun”: what is this I am saying (of God)? Surely I am asleep.
صد هزاران شهر را خشم شهان ** سرنگون کردست ای بد گم‌رهان
The wrath of the (spiritual) kings has overthrown hundreds of thousands of cities, O ye wicked who have lost the way.
کوه بر خود می‌شکافد صد شکاف ** آفتابی از کسوفش در شغاف2815
At their beck the mountain splits on itself into a hundred fissures; a sun is (enveloped) in a veil (of darkness) through the eclipse (occultation) of him (the perfect saint).