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 آفتاب2835
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 گروه2840
(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 گزید2845
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 آیتیست2850
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 آیتی2855
He (the philosopher) replied, ‘I do not deem these things to be such a proof as would be a manifest sign to the vulgar.’
گفت چون قلبی و نقدی دم زنند ** که تو قلبی من تکویم ارجمند
He (the other) said, ‘When a base and a genuine coin boast, saying (to each other), “Thou art base; I am good and valuable,”
هست آتش امتحان آخرین ** کاندر آتش در فتند این دو قرین
Fire is the final test: (the test is) that these two rivals should be dropped into the fire.
عام و خاص از حالشان عالم شوند ** از گمان و شک سوی ایقان روند
(Then) the vulgar and the elect will become acquainted with their (real) state and will advance from opinion and doubt to certain knowledge.
آب و آتش آمد ای جان امتحان ** نقد و قلبی را که آن باشد نهان
Water and fire, O (dear) soul, are the test for the pure and the base coin that is hidden.
تا من و تو هر دو در آتش رویم ** حجت باقی حیرانان شویم2860
Let me and thee, both of us, go into the fire and become a lasting proof for the perplexed.
تا من و تو هر دو در بحر اوفتیم ** که من و تو این کره را آیتیم
Let me and thee, both of us, fall into the sea, for thou and I are a sign unto this multitude.’
هم‌چنان کردند و در آتش شدند ** هر دو خود را بر تف آتش زدند
Even so they did and entered the fire: both cast themselves upon the heat of the fire.
از خدا گوینده مرد مدعی ** رست و سوزید اندر آتش آن دعی
The God-proclaiming man who engaged in controversy was saved, while that bastard (impostor) was burnt in the fire.
از مذن بشنو این اعلام را ** کوری افزون‌روان خام را
Hear from the muezzin this announcement, to the confusion of the foolish transgressors,
که نسوزیدست این نام از اجل ** کش مسمی صدر بودست و اجل2865
That this name (Mohammed) has not been burnt (destroyed) by Death, since its bearer was a prince and most noble.
صد هزاران زین رهان اندر قران ** بر دریده پرده‌های منکران
In the course of time hundreds of thousands of the veils of the unbelievers have been rent by this laying down of stakes.
چون گرو بستند غالب شد صواب ** در دوام و معجزات و در جواب
When they (the devout men and the philosopher) made the wager, the truth prevailed as regards immortality and evidentiary miracles and the answer (given to unbelievers).
فهم کردم کانک دم زد از سبق ** وز حدوث چرخ پیروزست و حق
I perceived that he who spoke (in support) of the priority (of non-existence) and of the temporal origin of the celestial sphere was victorious and in the right.”
حجت منکر هماره زردرو ** یک نشان بر صدق آن انکار کو
The unbeliever's argument is always shamefaced: where is a single sign that indicates the truth of that unbelief?
یک مناره در ثنای منکران ** کو درین عالم که تا باشد نشان2870
Where in this world is (to be found) a single minaret in praise (honour) of the unbelievers, so that it should be a sign (of their veracity)?
منبری کو که بر آنجا مخبری ** یاد آرد روزگار منکری
Where is (to be found) a single pulpit where a preacher commemorates the life of an unbeliever?
روی دینار و درم از نامشان ** تا قیامت می‌دهد زین حق نشان
The face of gold and silver coins, from (bearing) their (the prophets') names, is giving a token of this truth till the Resurrection.
سکه‌ی شاهان همی گردد دگر ** سکه‌ی احمد ببین تا مستقر
The dies of the kings are ever being changed: behold the die of Ahmad (Mohammed) till the end of the world.
بر رخ نقره و یا روی زری ** وا نما بر سکه نام منکری
Show (me) the name of a single unbeliever on the design (stamped) on the face of any piece of silver or gold!
خود مگیر این معجز چون آفتاب ** صد زبان بین نام او ام‌الکتاب2875
Even (supposing that you) do not admit (arguments), behold this Miracle, (manifest) like the sun, hundred-tongued, whereof the name is Ummu ’l-Kitáb.
زهره نی کس را که یک حرفی از آن ** یا بدزدد یا فزاید در بیان
None dares either steal (take away) a single letter thereof or add to the plain Word.
یار غالب شو که تا غالب شوی ** یار مغلوبان مشو هین ای غوی
Become a friend to the conqueror, that thou mayst conquer: beware, do not become a friend to the vanquished, O misguided man!
حجت منکر همین آمد که من ** غیر این ظاهر نمی‌بینم وطن
The unbeliever's argument is just this, that he says, “I see no place of abode except this external (world).”
هیچ نندیشد که هر جا ظاهریست ** آن ز حکمتهای پنهان مخبریست
He never reflects that, wherever there is anything external, that (object) gives information of hidden wise purposes.
فایده‌ی هر ظاهری خود باطنیست ** هم‌چو نفع اندر دواها کامنست2880
The usefulness of every external object is, indeed, internal: it is latent, like the beneficial quality in medicines.
تفسیر این آیت کی و ما خلقنا السموات والارض و ما بینهما الا بالحق نیافریدمشان بهر همین کی شما می‌بینید بلک بهر معنی و حکمت باقیه کی شما نمی‌بینید آن را
Commentary on the Verse, "And We did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them save with real ground": (i.e.) "I did not create them for the sake of just this which ye see; nay, but for the sake of the essential meaning and everlasting providence which ye see not."