از پی آن گفت حق خود را سمیع ** تا ببندی لب ز گفتار شنیع
God has called Himself Samí‘ (Hearing), in order that thou mayst close thy lips (and refrain) from foul speech.
از پی آن گفت حق خود را علیم ** تا نیندیشی فسادی تو ز بیم
God has called Himself ‘Alím (Knowing), in order that thou mayst fear to meditate a wicked deed.
نیست اینها بر خدا اسم علم ** که سیه کافور دارد نام هم
These are not proper names applicable to God: (proper names are merely designations), for even a negro may have the name Káfúr (Camphor).
اسم مشتقست و اوصاف قدیم ** نه مثال علت اولی سقیم
The Names (of God) are derivative and (denote) Eternal Attributes: (they are) not unsound like (the doctrine of) the First Cause.
ورنه تسخر باشد و طنز و دها ** کر را سامع ضریران را ضیا220
Otherwise, it would be ridicule and mockery and deception, (like calling) a deaf person Samí‘ (Hearer) and blind men Ziyá (Radiance);
یا علم باشد حیی نام وقیح ** یا سیاه زشت را نام صبیح
Or (as though) Hayí (Bashful) should be the proper name of an impudent fellow, or Sabíh (Beautiful) the name of a hideous blackamoor.
طفلک نوزاده را حاجی لقب ** یا لقب غازی نهی بهر نسب
You may confer the title of Hájjí (Pilgrim) or Ghází (Holy Warrior) on a newborn child for the purpose of (indicating his) lineage;
گر بگویند این لقبها در مدیح ** تا ندارد آن صفت نبود صحیح
(But) if these titles are used in praise, they are not correct unless he (the person so described) possess that (particular) quality.
تسخر و طنزی بود آن یا جنون ** پاک حق عما یقول الظالمون
(Otherwise), it would be a ridicule and mockery (so to use them), or madness: God is clear of (untouched by) what the unrighteous say.
من همی دانستمت پیش از وصال ** که نکورویی ولیکن بدخصال225
I knew, before (our meeting), that thou art good-looking but evil-natured;
من همی دانستمت پیش از لقا ** کز ستیزه راسخی اندر شقا
I knew, before coming face to face (with thee), that by reason of contumacy thou art set fast in damnation.
چونک چشمم سرخ باشد در غمش ** دانمش زان درد گر کم بینمش
When my eye is red in ophthalmia, I know it (the redness) is from the disease, (even) if I do not see it (the redness).
تو مرا چون بره دیدی بی شبان ** تو گمان بردی ندارم پاسبان
Thou deemedst me as a lamb without the shepherd, thou thoughtest that I have none keeping watch (over me).
عاشقان از درد زان نالیده‌اند ** که نظر ناجایگه مالیده‌اند
The cause why lovers have moaned in grief is that they have rubbed their eyes malapropos.
بی‌شبان دانسته‌اند آن ظبی را ** رایگان دانسته‌اند آن سبی را230
They have regarded that Gazelle as being shepherdless, they have regarded that Captive as (one who may be taken) cost-free,
تا ز غمزه تیر آمد بر جگر ** که منم حارس گزافه کم نگر
Till (suddenly) an arrow from the glance (of Divine jealousy) comes (descends) upon the heart, (as though) to say, ‘I am the Keeper: do not look wantonly.
کی کم از بره کم از بزغاله‌ام ** که نباشد حارس از دنباله‌ام
How am I meaner than a lamb, meaner than a kid, that there should not be a keeper behind me?
حارسی دارم که ملکش می‌سزد ** داند او بادی که آن بر من وزد
I have a Keeper whom it beseems to hold dominion: He knoweth the wind that blows upon me.
سرد بود آن باد یا گرم آن علیم ** نیست غافل نیست غایب ای سقیم
Whether that wind was cold or hot, that Knowing One is not unaware, is not absent, O infirm man.
نفس شهوانی ز حق کرست و کور ** من به دل کوریت می‌دیدم ز دور235
The appetitive soul is deaf and blind to God: I with my heart was seeing thy blindness from afar.
هشت سالت زان نپرسیدم به هیچ ** که پرت دیدم ز جهل پیچ پیچ
For eight years I did not inquire after thee at all, because I saw thee (to be) full of ignorance, fold on fold.
خود چه پرسم آنک او باشد بتون ** که تو چونی چون بود او سرنگون
Why, indeed, should I inquire after one who is in t he bath-stove (of lust), and say (to him) ‘How art thou?’ when he is (plunged) headlong (in sensuality)?
مثال دنیا چون گولخن و تقوی چون حمام
Comparison of this world to a bath-stove and of piety to the bath.
شهوت دنیا مثال گلخنست ** که ازو حمام تقوی روشنست
The lust of this world is like the bath-stove by which the bath, piety, is (made) resplendent;
لیک قسم متقی زین تون صفاست ** زانک در گرمابه است و در نقاست
But the pious man's portion from this stove is (naught but) purity, because he is in the hot-bath and in cleanliness.
اغنیا ماننده‌ی سرگین‌کشان ** بهر آتش کردن گرمابه‌بان240
The rich resemble those who carry dung for the bath-keeper's fire-making.
اندریشان حرص بنهاده خدا ** تا بود گرمابه گرم و با نوا
God hath implanted cupidity in them, in order that the bath may be hot and well-provided.
ترک این تون گوی و در گرمابه ران ** ترک تون را عین آن گرمابه دان
Abandon this stove and advance into the hot-bath: know that abandonment of the stove is the very essence of that bath.
هر که در تونست او چون خادمست ** مر ورا که صابرست و حازمست
Any one who is in the stove is as a servant to him that is self-denying and on his guard.
هر که در حمام شد سیمای او ** هست پیدا بر رخ زیبای او
Whosoever has entered the bath, his (characteristic) sign is visible upon his comely face.
تونیان را نیز سیما آشکار ** از لباس و از دخان و از غبار245
The signs of the stokers are conspicuous too—in their dress and in the smoke and dust (which blacken them).
ور نبینی روش بویش را بگیر ** بو عصا آمد برای هر ضریر
And if you see not his (the stoker's) face, smell him; smell is (as) a staff for every one that is blind;
ور نداری بو در آرش در سخن ** از حدیث نو بدان راز کهن
And if you have not (the sense of) smell, induce him to speak, and from the new talk learn the old secret.
پس بگوید تونیی صاحب ذهب ** بیست سله چرک بردم تا به شب
Then a gold-possessing stoker will say, “I have brought in twenty baskets of filth, (working from dawn) till nightfall.”
حرص تو چون آتشست اندر جهان ** باز کرده هر زبانه صد دهان
Your cupidity is like fire in the (material) world: every (flaming) tongue (thereof) has opened a hundred mouths (to swallow filthy lucre).
پیش عقل این زر چو سرگین ناخوشست ** گرچه چون سرگین فروغ آتشست250
In the sight of Reason, this gold is foul as dung, although, like dung, it is (the cause of) the blazing of the fire.
آفتابی که دم از آتش زند ** چرک تر را لایق آتش کند
The sun, which emulates the fire, makes the moist filth fit for the fire.
آفتاب آن سنگ را هم کرد زر ** تا بتون حرص افتد صد شرر
The sun also made the stone gold, in order that a hundred sparks might fall into the stove of cupidity.