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?”
او نمی‌دانست گرد گرگ را ** با چنین دانش چرا کرد او چرا
Did not he know the wolf’s dust? (Then), with such knowledge, why did he graze?
گوسفندان بوی گرگ با گزند ** می‌بدانند و بهر سو می‌خزند
Sheep know the smell of the harmful wolf and creep away in every direction.
مغز حیوانات بوی شیر را ** می‌بداند ترک می‌گوید چرا
The brain of animals knows the smell of the lion and bids farewell to grazing.
بوی شیر خشم دیدی باز گرد ** با مناجات و حذر انباز گرد
Thou hast smelt the lion of (God’s) wrath. Turn back! Consort with prayer and dread!
وا نگشتند آن گروه از گرد گرگ ** گرگ محنت بعد گرد آمد سترگ390
That multitude (of Saba) did not turn back from the wolf’s dust, and after the dust the wolf of tribulation came on his might.
بر درید آن گوسفندان را بخشم ** که ز چوپان خرد بستند چشم
In wrath he tore to pieces those sheep which shut their eyes to the shepherd, Wisdom.
چند چوپانشان بخواند و نامدند ** خاک غم در چشم چوپان می‌زدند
How oft did the shepherd call them! And they came not: they were throwing the dust of resentment in the eyes of the shepherd,
که برو ما از تو خود چوپان‌تریم ** چون تبع گردیم هر یک سروریم
Saying, “Begone: we ourselves are better shepherds than thou. How should we become (thy) followers? We are chieftains, every one (of us).
طعمه‌ی گرگیم و آن یار نه ** هیزم ناریم و آن عار نه
We are food for the wolf, and we are not for the Friend; we are fuel for the Fire, and we are not for dishonour.”
حمیتی بد جاهلیت در دماغ ** بانگ شومی بر دمنشان کرد زاغ395
A heathen pride was in their brains: the raven croaked disaster over the traces of their habitation.
بهر مظلومان همی‌کندند چاه ** در چه افتادند و می‌گفتند آه
They were digging a pit for the oppressed” they (themselves) fell into the pit, crying “Alas!”