این محک قرآن و حال انبیا ** چون منحک مر قلب را گوید بیا
The Qur’án and the (spiritual) state of the Prophets are this touchstone: they, like a touchstone, say to the counterfeit coin, “Come,
تا ببینی خویش را ز آسیب من ** که نه‌ای اهل فراز و شیب من2305
That by contact with me thou mayst see thyself (and know) that thou art not worthy of my higher and lower (degrees of spirituality).”
عقل را گر اره‌ای سازد دو نیم ** هم‌چو زر باشد در آتش او بسیم
If a saw make Reason (to be severed into) two halves, it (Reason) will be smiling like gold in the fire.
وهم مر فرعون عالم‌سوز را ** عقل مر موسی به جان افروز را
Imagination belongs to Pharaoh, the world-incendiary; Reason to Moses, the spirit-enkindler.
رفت موسی بر طریق نیستی ** گفت فرعونش بگو تو کیستی
Moses went on the way of non-existence (self-negation): Pharaoh said to him, “Tell (me), who art thou?”
گفت من عقلم رسول ذوالجلال ** حجةالله‌ام امانم از ضلال
He said, “I am Reason, the messenger of the Almighty: I am the proof of God, I am the protection against error.”
گفت نی خامش رها کن های هو ** نسبت و نام قدیمت را بگو2310
“Nay,” said he, “hush, cease from (this ecstatic) outcry: tell (me) thy ancient lineage and name.”
گفت که نسبت مر از خاکدانش ** نام اصلم کمترین بندگانش
“My lineage,” he said, “(is derived) from His dust-pit; my original name is ‘the meanest of His slaves.’
بنده‌زاده‌ی آن خداوند وحید ** زاده از پشت جواری و عبید
I am the slave-born (slave) of that unique Lord—born of the (womb and) loins of slaves female and male.
نسبت اصلم ز خاک و آب و گل ** آب و گل را داد یزدان جان و دل
My original lineage (is derived) from earth and water and clay: God gave unto water and clay a soul and heart.
مرجع این جسم خاکم هم به خاک ** مرجع تو هم به خاک ای سهمناک
To earth also will return this earthen body of mine; to earth thou likewise wilt return, O terrible one.
اصل ما و اصل جمله سرکشان ** هست از خاکی و آن را صد نشان2315
Our origin and the origin of all the proud is from a piece of earth, and (there are) a hundred signs thereof;
که مدد از خاک می‌گیرد تنت ** از غذایی خاک پیچد گردنت
For thy body receives support (sustenance) from the earth, and from earthly nutriment thy neck is wrapped in folds (of flesh).
چون رود جان می‌شود او باز خاک ** اندر آن گور مخوف سهمناک
When the spirit departs, it (the body) will again become earth in the dreaded and horrible grave.
هم تو و هم ما و هم اشباه تو ** خاک گردند و نماند جاه تو
Both thou and we and all who resemble thee will become earth, and thy power will remain no more.”
گفت غیر این نسب نامیت هست ** مر ترا آن نام خود اولیترست
He (Pharaoh) said, “Thou hast a name other than this lineage: truly that name is more proper for thee—
بنده‌ی فرعون و بنده‌ی بندگانش ** که ازو پرورد اول جسم و جانش2320
‘Slave of Pharaoh and slave of his slaves,’ (a slave) whose body and soul were first nurtured by him (Pharaoh),
بنده‌ی یاغی طاغی ظلوم ** زین وطن بگریخته از فعل شوم
A hostile, insolent and unrighteous slave, who fled from this country on account of an ill-omened deed.
خونی و غداری و حق‌ناشناس ** هم برین اوصاف خود می‌کن قیاس
Thou art a murderer and treacherous and ungrateful: from just these qualities, forsooth, form a judgement (as to the rest).
در غریبی خوار و درویش و خلق ** که ندانستی سپاس ما و حق
(Thou art) in exile, despised and poor and threadbare, since thou didst not acknowledge gratitude and obligation to me.”
گفت حاشا که بود با آن ملیک ** در خداوندی کسی دیگر شریک
He (Moses) said, “Far be it that any other person should be a partner in Lordship with that King.
واحد اندر ملک او را یار نی ** بندگانش را جز او سالار نی2325
(He is) One: He hath no associate in Kingship; His slaves have no master but Him.
نیست خلقش را دگر کس مالکی ** شرکتش دعوی کند جز هالکی
His creatures have no other owner: does any one claim partnership with Him except one that is doomed to perish?
نقش او کردست و نقاش من اوست ** غیر اگر دعوی کند او ظلم‌جوست
He hath made the design, He is my Designer; if another lay claim (to it), he is a seeker of iniquity.
تو نتوانی ابروی من ساختن ** چون توانی جان من بشناختن
Thou canst not fashion my eyebrow: how canst thou know my soul?
بلک آن غدار و آن طاغی توی ** که کنی با حق دعوی دوی
Nay, ’tis thou who art the traitor and the insolent one, for thou claimest duality with God.
گر بکشتم من عوانی را به سهو ** نه برای نفس کشتم نه به لهو2330
If I inadvertently killed a ruffian, I killed (him) neither for self's sake nor in sport.
من زدم مشتی و ناگاه اوفتاد ** آنک جانش خود نبد جانی بداد
I struck (him) a blow with my fist, and he suddenly fell: one who really had no soul gave up a soul.
من سگی کشتم تو مرسل‌زادگان ** صدهزاران طفل بی‌جرم و زیان
I killed a cur: thou the children of him who was sent (by God)—hundreds of thousands of innocent and harmless babes—
کشته‌ای و خونشان در گردنت ** تا چه آید بر تو زین خون خوردنت
Hast killed, and their blood is on thy neck: consider what shall come upon thee because of this blood-drinking of thine.
کشته‌ای ذریت یعقوب را ** بر امید قتل من مطلوب را
Thou hast killed the progeny of Jacob—those sought after in hope of slaying me.
کوری تو حق مرا خود برگزید ** سرنگون شد آنچ نفست می‌پزید2335
In despite of thee God Himself chose me out: that (plot) which thy soul was concocting was overthrown.”
گفت اینها را بهل بی‌هیچ شک ** این بود حق من و نان و نمک
He (Pharaoh) said, “Let these things be without any doubt (grant that all this is true): is it (the gratitude) due to me and to the bread and salt (which thou hast eaten)
که مرا پیش حشر خواری کنی ** روز روشن بر دلم تاری کنی
That thou shouldst treat me with contumely in the presence of the assembled people and make the bright day dark to my heart?”
گفت خواری قیامت صعب‌تر ** گر نداری پاس من در خیر و شر
He (Moses) said, “The contumely of the Resurrection is more grievous, (which thou wilt suffer) if thou do not pay regard to me in good and evil.
زخم کیکی را نمی‌توانی کشید ** زخم ماری را تو چون خواهی چشید
Thou canst not bear the bite of a flea: how wilt thou taste (endure) the bite of a snake?
ظاهرا کار تو ویران می‌کنم ** لیک خاری را گلستان می‌کنم2340
In appearance I am ruining thy work, but (in reality) I am making a thorn into a rose-garden.
بیان آنک عمارت در ویرانیست و جمعیت در پراکندگیست و درستی در شکست‌گیست و مراد در بی‌مرادیست و وجود در عدم است و علی هذا بقیة الاضداد والازواج
Explaining that cultivation consists in devastation and composure in distraction and wholeness in brokenness and success in failure and existence in non-existence; and thus (with) the rest of the contraries and pairs.
آن یکی آمد زمین را می‌شکافت ** ابلهی فریاد کرد و بر نتافت
A certain man came and was cleaving the soil: a fool cried out and could not control himself,
کین زمین را از چه ویران می‌کنی ** می‌شکافی و پریشان می‌کنی
Saying, ‘Wherefore are you ruining this soil and cleaving and scattering it?’
گفت ای ابله برو و بر من مران ** تو عمارت از خرابی باز دان
‘O fool,’ said he, ‘begone, do not interfere with me: recognise (the difference of) cultivation from devastation.
کی شود گلزار و گندم‌زار این ** تا نگردد زشت و ویران این زمین
How should this (soil) become a rose-garden or cornfield till this soil becomes ugly and ruined?
کی شود بستان و کشت و برگ و بر ** تا نگردد نظم او زیر و زبر2345
How should it become orchards and crops and leaves and fruit till its arrangement is turned upside down?’
تا بنشکافی به نشتر ریش چغز ** کی شود نیکو و کی گردید نغز
Till you pierce the purulent ulcer with a lancet, how will it become well and how will you become healthy?
تا نشوید خلطهاات از دوا ** کی رود شورش کجا آید شفا
Till he (the physician) cleanse your (corrupt) humours with medicine, how will the indisposition be removed? How will a cure be effected?
پاره پاره کرده درزی جامه را ** کس زند آن درزی علامه را
When a tailor cuts (the cloth for) a garment piece by piece, will any one strike that expert tailor,
که چرا این اطلس بگزیده را ** بردریدی چه کنم بدریده را
Saying, ‘Why have you torn this choice satin? What can I do with a torn (garment)?’
هر بنای کهنه که آبادان کنند ** نه که اول کهنه را ویران کنند2350
Whenever they (the builders) put an old building in good repair, do not they first ruin the old one?
هم‌چنین نجار و حداد و قصاب ** هستشان پیش از عمارتها خراب
Likewise the carpenter, the iron-smith and the butcher—with them (too) there is destruction before restorations.
آن هلیله و آن بلیله کوفتن ** زان تلف گردند معموری تن
The pounding of myrobalan and bastard myrobalan—by reason of that destruction they become the means of restoring the body (to health).
تا نکوبی گندم اندر آسیا ** کی شود آراسته زان خوان ما
Until you crush wheat in the mill, how will our table be garnished with it?