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.’

گفت منکر گشته‌ای خلاق را ** روز و شب آرنده و رزاق را

He (his adversary) said, ‘You have denied the Creator, the Producer of day and night and the Giver of sustenance.’

گفت بی برهان نخواهم من شنید ** آنچ گولی آن به تقلیدی گزید 2845

He (the philosopher) said, ‘Without clear evidence, I will not listen to that which an ignoramus has accepted by rote.

هین بیاور حجت و برهان که من ** نشنوم بی حجت این را در زمن

Come, bring the proof and evidence, for never in the world will I hearken to this without proof.’

گفت حجت در درون جانمست ** در درون جان نهان برهانمست

‘The proof,’ he replied, ‘is within my soul: my evidence is hidden within my soul.

تو نمی‌بینی هلال از ضعف چشم ** من همی بینم مکن بر من تو خشم

You, from weakness of eye, are not seeing the new moon: (if) I am seeing it, do not you be angry with me.’

گفت و گو بسیار گشت و خلق گیج ** در سر و پایان این چرخ پسیج

There was much debate, and the people became perplexed as to the beginning and end of this well-ordered celestial sphere.

گفت یارا در درونم حجتیست ** بر حدوث آسمانم آیتیست 2850

He (the pious man) said, ‘Friend, within me is a (decisive) proof: I have a (manifest) sign indicating the temporal origin of the sky.

من یقین دارم نشانش آن بود ** مر یقین‌دان را که در آتش رود

I possess the certainty: for him that hath certain knowledge the token thereof is that he will go into the fire.

در زبان می‌ناید آن حجت بدان ** هم‌چو حال سر عشق عاشقان

Like the inmost feelings of love in lovers, that proof, (you must) know, does not come (to utterance) on the tongue.

نیست پیدا سر گفت و گوی من ** جز که زردی و نزاری روی من

The inmost meaning of my words is not apparent, except (in) the pallor and haggardness of my face.

اشک و خون بر رخ روانه می‌دود ** حجت حسن و جمالش می‌شود

Tears and blood roll on my cheeks and become the proof of His (the Beloved's) comeliness and beauty.’

گفت من اینها ندانم حجتی ** که بود در پیش عامه آیتی 2855

He (the philosopher) replied, ‘I do not deem these things to be such a proof as would be a manifest sign to the vulgar.’