I protected you, I did not spurn you, in the bodies of the ancestors of the ancestors of your ancestors.
چون شدی سر پشت پایت چون زنم ** کارگاه خویش ضایع چون کنم
Now that you have come to the head, how should I smite the sole of your foot? How should I let My workshop go to waste?
چون فدای بی‌وفایان می‌شوی ** از گمان بد بدان سو می‌روی
How are you becoming devoted to the unfaithful and going in that direction from ill thoughts (of Me)?
من ز سهو و بی‌وفاییها بری ** سوی من آیی گمان بد بری
I am clear of negligence and infidelities, (yet) you come to Me and think evil.
این گمان بد بر آنجا بر که تو ** می‌شوی در پیش همچون خود دوتو340
Think this evil thought against the place where you cringe before one like yourself.
بس گرفتی یار و همراهان زفت ** گر ترا پرسم که کو گویی که زفت
You got many powerful friends and companions: if I ask you, ‘Where (is so and- so)?’ you will say, ‘He is gone.’
یار نیکت رفت بر چرخ برین ** یار فسقت رفت در قعر زمین
Your good friend is gone up to the highest Heaven, your wicked friend is gone to the bottom of the earth.
تو بماندی در میانه آنچنان ** بی‌مدد چون آتشی از کاروان
You are left in the middle (between them) so helpless (as you are), like a fire (left behind) from a caravan.”
دامن او گیر ای یار دلیر ** کو منزه باشد از بالا و زیر
O valiant friend, lay hold of the skirt of Him who is exempt from “above” and “below.”
نه چو عیسی سوی گردون بر شود ** نه چو قارون در زمین اندر رود345
Neither doth He ascend to Heaven, like Jesus, nor go (down) into the earth, like Qárún (Korah).
با تو باشد در مکان و بی‌مکان ** چون بمانی از سرا و از دکان
He is with you in space and in the spaceless (world) when you leave house and shop behind.
او بر آرد از کدورتها صفا ** مر جفاهای ترا گیرد وفا
He brings forth purity from defilements, He takes your acts of wrong as faithful performance (of duty).
چون جفا آری فرستد گوشمال ** تا ز نقصان وا روی سوی کمال
When you commit wrong, He sends chastisement, to the end that you may go back from imperfection towards perfection.
چون تو وردی ترک کردی در روش ** بر تو قبضی آید از رنج و تبش
When you have neglected a part of your orisons in the Way, there comes over you a painful and hot feeling of contraction.
آن ادب کردن بود یعنی مکن ** هیچ تحویلی از آن عهد کهن350
That is the corrective act (of God), meaning, “Do not make any change in the ancient covenant
پیش از آن کین قبض زنجیری شود ** این که دلگیریست پاگیری شود
Before (the day when) this contraction shall become a chain, (and when) this which (now) grips the heart shall become a fetter gripping the foot.”
رنج معقولت شود محسوس و فاش ** تا نگیری این اشارت را بلاش
Your mental pain shall become perceptible to the senses and manifest. See (therefore) that you do not hold this indication as naught.
در معاصی قبضها دلگیر شد ** قبضها بعد از اجل زنجیر شد
The (spiritual) contractions (which occur) in (the case of) sins affect (only) the heart; after death (these) contractions become (actual) chains.
نعط من اعرض هنا عن ذکرنا ** عیشة ضنک و نجزی بالعمی
“Whosoever here (in this world) shall turn his back upon Our commemoration, We shall give him a straitened life (hereafter) and reward him with blindness.”
دزد چون مال کسان را می‌برد ** قبض و دلتنگی دلش را می‌خلد355
When a thief is carrying off people's property, contraction and straitness of heart prick his heart (conscience),
او همی‌گوید عجب این قبض چیست ** قبض آن مظلوم کز شرت گریست
(And) he says, “I wonder what this contraction is”: (say), “The contraction (distress) of the injured person who wept at thy wickedness.”
چون بدین قبض التفاتی کم کند ** باد اصرار آتشش را دم کند
When he pays no regard to this contraction, the wind of perseverance (in evil) blows (fans) its (the evil's) fire.
قبض دل قبض عوان شد لاجرم ** گشت محسوس آن معانی زد علم
The contraction that grips the heart turns into the grip of the policeman: inevitably those ideas become sensible (materialised) and display themselves.
غصه‌ها زندان شدست و چارمیخ ** غصه بیخست و بروید شاخ بیخ
The pangs have become prison and the cross (crucifixion): the pang is (as) the root, and the root produces boughs.
بیخ پنهان بود هم شد آشکار ** قبض و بسط اندرون بیخی شمار360
The root was hidden, it is (now) revealed. Consider (your) inward contraction and expansion as a root.
چونک بیخ بد بود زودش بزن ** تا نروید زشت‌خاری در چمن
When it is a bad root, smite it quickly, so that an ugly thorn may not grow in the garden.
قبض دیدی چاره‌ی آن قبض کن ** زانک سرها جمله می‌روید ز بن
You have felt the contraction: seek a remedy for it, because all heads (excrescences) grow from the bottom (root).
بسط دیدی بسط خود را آب ده ** چون بر آید میوه با اصحاب ده
You have felt the expansion: water your expansion, and when the fruit appears, give it to your friends.
باقی قصه‌ی اهل سبا
The remainder of the Story of the people of Saba.
آن سبا ز اهل صبا بودند و خام ** کارشان کفران نعمت با کرام
Saba were folk given over to dalliance and foolish; ‘twas their practice to show ingratitude to the generous.
باشد آن کفران نعمت در مثال ** که کنی با محسن خود تو جدال365
By was of illustration, it would be ingratitude to dispute with your benefactor,
که نمی‌باید مرا این نیکوی ** من برنجم زین چه رنجم می‌شوی
Saying, “O do not want this kindness, I am annoyed by it: why art thou troubling me?
لطف کن این نیکوی را دور کن ** من نخواهم چشم زودم کور کن
Do (me) a favour, take away this kindness; I do not desire an eye: blind me at once!”
پس سبا گفتند باعد بیننا ** شیننا خیر لنا خذ زیننا
Hence the people of Saba said, “ (O Lord), put a far distance between us: our blemish is better for us, take away our adornment.
ما نمی‌خواهیم این ایوان و باغ ** نه زنان خوب و نه امن و فراغ
We do not desire these palaces and orchards, nor fair women nor that safety and ease (which we now enjoy).
شهرها نزدیک همدیگر بدست ** آن بیابانست خوش کانجا ددست370
Towns near to each other are bad; the desert, where the wild beasts are, is good.”
یطلب الانسان فی الصیف الشتا ** فاذا جاء الشتا انکر ذا
Man craves winter in summer, and when winter comes, he likes it not,
فهو لا یرضی بحال ابدا ** لا بضیق لا بعیش رغدا
For he is never content with any state (of things), neither with poverty nor with a life of plenty
قتل الانسان ما اکفره ** کلما نال هدی انکره
May Man be killed! How ungrateful he is!Whenever he obtains guidance, he spurns it.
نفس زین سانست زان شد کشتنی ** اقتلوا انفسکم گفت آن سنی
The carnal soul is of this sort, hence it ought to be killed : that Exalted One hath said, “Kill yourselves.”
خار سه سویست هر چون کش نهی ** در خلد وز زخم او تو کی جهی375
It is a triagonal thorn: however you may place it, it will pierce, and how will you escape from its stab?
آتش ترک هوا در خار زن ** دست اندر یار نیکوکار زن
Set the thorn on fire with renunciation of sensual passion, and cling to the righteous friend.
چون ز حد بردند اصحاب سبا ** که بپیش ما وبا به از صبا
When the people of Saba carried (their ingratitude) beyond bounds, saying, “In our opinion, pestilence is better than the zephyr,”
ناصحانشان در نصیحت آمدند ** از فسوق و کفر مانع می‌شدند
Their counselors began to admonish (them) and restrain (them) from impiety and ingratitude;
قصد خون ناصحان می‌داشتند ** تخم فسق و کافری می‌کاشتند
(But) they sought to take the lives of their counselors, and sowed the seed of impiety and unthankfulness.
چون قضا آید شود تنگ این جهان ** از قضا حلوا شود رنج دهان380
When the (Divine) decree comes to pass, this (whole) world becomes cramped (so that there is no escape); by the (Divine) decree sweetmeat becomes anguish to the mouth.
گفت اذا جاء القضا ضاق الفضا ** تحجب الابصار اذ جاء القضا
He ( the Prophet) said, “When the Decree comes, the (widest) expanse is narrow; when the Decree comes, the eyes are veiled.”
چشم بسته می‌شود وقت قضا ** تا نبیند چشم کحل چشم را
The eye is bandaged at the time if the Decree, so that the eye does not see the eye’s collyrium.
مکر آن فارس چو انگیزید گرد ** آن غبارت ز استغاثت دور کرد
When the cunning of that Horseman has raised the dust, the dust keeps thee off from calling for aid.
سوی فارس رو مرو سوی غبار ** ورنه بر تو کوبد آن مکر سوار
Go towards the Horseman, go not towards the dust; else the cunning of the Rider will beat upon thee.
گفت حق آن را که این گرگش بخورد ** دید گرد گرگ چون زاری نکرد385
God said, “He whom this wolf devoured, he saw the wolf’s dust; how did not he make piteous moan?”