نیزه‌ها گم گشت جمله و آن قضیب ** بر سر آب ایستاده چون رقیب
All the lances disappeared, while that wand stood on the surface of the water like a sentry.
ز اهتمام آن قضیب آن سیل زفت ** روبگردانید و آن سیلاب رفت 2795
From anxious regard for that wand the mighty torrent turned its face away, and the flood-water departed.
چون بدیدند از وی آن امر عظیم ** پس مقر گشتند آن میران ز بیم
When they beheld that great matter wrought by him, those Amírs, (overcome) by dread, confessed—
جز سه کس که حقد ایشان چیره بود ** ساحرش گفتند و کاهی از جحود
Save three persons, whose rancour was prevailing: they, from disbelief, called him a magician and soothsayer.
ملک بر بسته چنان باشد ضعیف ** ملک بر رسته چنین باشد شریف
The kingship that has been tied on (artificially) is weak like that; the kingship that has grown up (naturally) is august like this.
نیزه‌ها را گر ندیدی با قضیب ** نامشان بین نام او بین این نجیب
If thou didst not see the lances together with the wand, (yet) consider the names of them (the Amírs) and consider the name of him (Mohammed), O noble one!
نامشان را سیل تیز مرگ برد ** نام او و دولت تیزش نمرد 2800
Their names the rapid torrent of death has borne away; his name and his puissant fortune are not dead.
پنج نوبت می‌زنندش بر دوام ** هم‌چنین هر روز تا روز قیام
For him the drum is always beaten five times (daily): on this wise every day till the Day of Resurrection.
گر ترا عقلست کردم لطفها ** ور خری آورده‌ام خر را عصا
“If thou hast intelligence, (thou wilt see that) I have done kindnesses; and if thou art an ass, I have brought the rod for the ass.
آنچنان زین آخرت بیرون کنم ** کز عصا گوش و سرت پر خون کنم
I will turn thee out of this stable in such wise that I will make thy ears and head bloody with (blows of) the rod.
اندرین آخر خران و مردمان ** می‌نیابند از جفای تو امان
In this stable asses and men are getting no quarter from thy oppression.
نک عصا آورده‌ام بهر ادب ** هر خری را کو نباشد مستحب 2805
Lo, I have brought the rod, for correction's sake, for every ass that is not approved.
اژدهایی می‌شود در قهر تو ** که اژدهایی گشته‌ای در فعل و خو
It will become a dragon in subduing thee, for thou hast become a dragon in (thy) deeds and disposition.
اژدهای کوهیی تو بی‌امان ** لیک بنگر اژدهای آسمان
Thou art a mountain-dragon without mercy; but look at the dragon of Heaven!
این عصا از دوزخ آمد چاشنی ** که هلا بگریز اندر روشنی
This rod comes as a taste (sample) from Hell, saying, ‘Ho! take refuge in the Light;
ورنه در مانی تو در دندان من ** مخلصت نبود ز در بندان من
Else thou wilt be left helpless in my teeth: there will be no escape for thee through my passes.’
این عصایی بود این دم اژدهاست ** تا نگویی دوزخ یزدان کجاست 2810
This was a rod; it is now a dragon, to the end that thou mayst not say, ‘Where is God's Hell?’”
در بیان آنک شناسای قدرت حق نپرسد کی بهشت و دوزخ کجاست
Explaining that one who knows the power of God will not ask, "Where are Paradise and Hell?"
هر کجا خدا دوزخ کند ** اوج را بر مرغ دام و فخ کند
God makes Hell to be wheresoever He will: He makes the zenith to be a snare and trap for the bird.
هم ز دندانت برآید دردها ** تا بگویی دوزخست و اژدها
Likewise from thy teeth arise pangs of pain, to the end that thou mayst say, “‘Tis Hell and the dragon.”
یا کند آب دهانت را عسل ** که بگویی که بهشتست و حلل
Or He makes the water of thy mouth to be (sweet as) honey, that thou mayst say, “’Tis Paradise and the robes (of Paradise).”
از بن دندان برویاند شکر ** تا بدانی قوت حکم قدر
He makes sugar to grow from the roots of the teeth, that thou mayst know the power of the ordinance of the (Divine) decree.
پس به دندان بی‌گناهان را مگز ** فکر کن از ضربت نامحترز 2815
Do not, then, bite the innocent with thy teeth: bethink thee of the stroke that is not to be guarded against.
نیل را بر قبطیان حق خون کند ** سبطیان را از بلا محصون کند
God makes the Nile to be blood for the Egyptians; He makes the Israelites safe from calamity,
تا بدانی پیش حق تمییز هست ** در میان هوشیار راه و مست
That thou mayst know that with God there is discrimination between the sober (traveller) on the Way and the intoxicated.
نیل تمییز از خدا آموختست ** که گشاد آن را و این را سخت بست
The Nile has learned from God to discriminate, for it opened (the door) for these (Israelites) and shut fast (the door) against those (Egyptians).
لطف او عاقل کند مر نیل را ** قهر او ابله کند قابیل را
His grace makes the Nile intelligent; His wrath makes Cain foolish.
در جمادات از کرم عقل آفرید ** عقل از عاقل به قهر خود برید 2820
He, from kindness, created intelligence in lifeless things; He, because of His wrath, cut off intelligence from the intelligent one.
در جماد از لطف عقلی شد پدید ** وز نکال از عاقلان دانش رمید
By (His) grace an intelligence appeared in lifeless matter, and through (His) chastisement knowledge fled from the intelligent.
عقل چون باران به امر آنجا بریخت ** عقل این سو خشم حق دید و گریخت
There, by (His) command the rain-like intelligence poured down; here, intelligence saw God's anger and took to flight.
ابر و خورشید و مه و نجم بلند ** جمله بر ترتیب آیند و روند
Clouds and sun and moon and lofty stars, all come and go according to arrangement.
هر یکی ناید مگر در وقت خویش ** که نه پس ماند ز هنگام و نه پیش
None comes but at its appointed hour, so that it neither lags behind the time nor (arrives) before.
چون نکردی فهم این را ز انبیا ** دانش آوردند در سنگ و عصا 2825
How hast not thou understood this from the prophets? They brought knowledge into stone and rod,
تا جمادات دگر را بی لباس ** چون عصا و سنگ داری از قیاس
That thou, (judging) by analogy, might’st undoubtingly deem the other lifeless things to be like rod and stone (in this respect).
طاعت سنگ و عصا ظاهر شود ** وز جمادات دگر مخبر شود
The obedience (to God) of stone and rod is made manifest and gives information concerning the other lifeless things,
که ز یزدان آگهیم و طایعیم ** ما همه نی اتفاقی ضایعیم
That (they say), “We are cognisant of God and obedient (to Him): we all are (bearing witness to His wisdom) not by chance and in vain.
هم‌چو آب نیل دانی وقت غرق ** کو میان هر دو امت کرد فرق
As (for example) the water of the Nile: thou knowest that at the time of drowning it made a distinction between the two peoples;
چون زمین دانیش دانا وقت خسف ** در حق قارون که قهرش کرد و نسف 2830
(And) as the earth: thou knowest it to be possessed of knowledge, at the time of (its) sinking, in regard to Qárún whom He subdued and swept away;
چون قمر که امر بشنید و شتافت ** پس دو نیمه گشت بر چرخ و شکافت
(And) as the moon, which heard the (Divine) command and hastened (to obey) and then became two halves in the sky and split;
چون درخت و سنگ کاندر هر مقام ** مصطفی را کرده ظاهرالسلام
(And) as the trees and stones which everywhere overtly made the salaam to Mustafá (Mohammed).
جواب دهری کی منکر الوهیت است و عالم را قدیم می‌گوید
Reply to the materialist who disbelieves in the Deity and says that the world is eternal.
دی یکی می‌گفت عالم حادثست ** فانیست این چرخ و حقش وارثست
Yesterday some one was saying, “The world is originated in time: this heaven is passing away, and God is its inheritor.”
فلسفیی گفت چون دانی حدوث ** حادثی ابر چون داند غیوث
A philosopher said, “How do you know (its) temporal origin? How should the rain know the temporality of the cloud?
ذره‌ای خود نیستی از انقلاب ** تو چه می‌دانی حدوث آفتاب 2835
You are not even a mote of the (celestial) revolution: how should you know the temporality of the sun?
کرمکی کاندر حدث باشد دفین ** کی بداند آخر و بدو زمین
The little worm that is buried in filth—how should it know the end and beginning of the earth?
این به تقلید از پدر بشنیده‌ای ** از حماقت اندرین پیچیده‌ای
You have heard this by rote from your father: through foolishness you have become involved in this (belief).
چیست برهان بر حدوث این بگو ** ورنه خامش کن فزون گویی مجو
What is the demonstrative argument for its temporality? Tell (me) or else keep silence and do not seek (indulge in) excessive talk.”
گفت دیدم اندرین بحث عمیق ** بحث می‌کردند روزی دو فریق
He said, “One day I saw two parties searching in this deep sea,
در جدال و در خصام و در ستوه ** گشت هنگامه بر آن دو کس گروه 2840
(Engaged) in disputation and controversy and desperate battle: a crowd gathered round those two persons.
من به سوی جمع هنگامه شدم ** اطلاع از حال ایشان بستدم
I went towards the crowded multitude and took notice of their (the disputants') affair.
آن یکی می‌گفت گردون فانیست ** بی‌گمانی این بنا را بانیست
One was saying, ‘The sky will pass away: without any doubt, this edifice hath a builder.’
وان دگر گفت این قدیم و بی کیست ** نیستش بانی و یا بانی ویست
The other said, ‘It is eternal and timeless: it hath no builder, or else it is (itself) the builder.’