گفت ابراهیم نی رو از میان ** واسطه زحمت بود بعد العیان
Abraham said, ‘No; begone out of the way! After direct vision the intermediary is (only) an inconvenience.’
بهر این دنیاست مرسل رابطه ** مومنان را زانک هست او واسطه
On account of this present life the (Divine) messenger is a link for the true believers, because he is the intermediary (between them and God).
هر دل ار سامع بدی وحی نهان ** حرف و صوتی کی بدی اندر جهان
If every heart were hearing the hidden (Divine) revelation, how should there be in the world any words and sounds (to make it known)?
گرچه او محو حقست و بی‌سرست ** لیک کار من از آن نازکترست2980
Though he (the intercessor) is lost in God and headless (devoid of self existence), yet my case is more delicate than that.
کرده‌ی او کرده‌ی شاهست لیک ** پیش ضعفم بد نماینده‌ست نیک
His act is the act of the king, but to my infirmity the good (which he did) appears to be evil.”
آنچ عین لطف باشد بر عوام ** قهر شد بر نازنینان کرام
That which is the very essence of grace to the vulgar becomes wrath to the noble favourites (of God).
بس بلا و رنج می‌باید کشید ** عامه را تا فرق را توانند دید
Much tribulation and pain must the vulgar endure in order that they may be able to perceive the difference;
کین حروف واسطه ای یار غار ** پیش واصل خار باشد خار خار
For, O (my) companion in the Cave, these intermediary words are, in the sight of one united (with God), thorns, thorns, thorns.
بس بلا و رنج بایست و وقوف ** تا رهد آن روح صافی از حروف2985
Much tribulation and pain and waiting were needed in order that that pure spirit might be delivered from the (intermediary) words;
لیک بعضی زین صدا کرتر شدند ** باز بعضی صافی و برتر شدند
But some (persons) have become more deaf (than others) to this echo; some, again, have become purified and have mounted higher.
هم‌چو آب نیل آمد این بلا ** سعد را آبست و خون بر اشقیا
This tribulation is like the water of the Nile: it is water to the blessed and blood to the damned.
هر که پایان‌بین‌تر او مسعودتر ** جدتر او کارد که افزون دید بر
The more one descries the end, the more blessed is he: the greater one sees the crop (to be), the more zealously he sows,
زانک داند کین جهان کاشتن ** هست بهر محشر و برداشتن
Because he knows that this world of sowing is for the sake of the (Last) Congregation and (for the sake of) gathering in (the harvest).
هیچ عقدی بهر عین خود نبود ** بلک از بهر مقام ربح و سود2990
No contract (of sale) was (ever made) for the sake of itself; nay, but for the sake of (being in) the position of (making) gain and profit.
هیچ نبود منکری گر بنگری ** منکری‌اش بهر عین منکری
There is no disbeliever, if you look (carefully), whose disbelief is for the sake of the disbelief itself;
بل برای قهر خصم اندر حسد ** یا فزونی جستن و اظهار خود
Nay, but (it is) for the purpose of subduing his adversary in envy (of him), or seeking superiority and self-display.
وآن فزونی هم پی طمع دگر ** بی‌معانی چاشنی ندهد صور
And that superiority too is for the sake of some other desire: the forms give no relish without the essential meanings.
زان همی‌پرسی چرا این می‌کنی ** که صور زیتست و معنی روشنی
You ask “Why art thou doing this?” because the forms are (as) the oil, and the essential meaning is (as) the light.
ورنه این گفتن چرا از بهر چیست ** چونک صورت بهر عین صورتیست2995
Otherwise, wherefore is this saying “why”?—since (hypothetically) the form is for the sake of the form itself.
این چرا گفتن سال از فایده‌ست ** جز برای این چرا گفتن بدست
This saying “why” is a question concerning the use (reason): it is bad to say “why” for any cause but this.
از چه رو فایده‌ی جویی ای امین ** چون بود فایده این خود همین
Wherefore, O trusty one, should you desire (to know) the use (reason)?—since (hypothetically) the use of this (form) is only this (form itself).
پس نقوش آسمان و اهل زمین ** نیست حکمت کان بود بهر همین
Hence it is not (in accordance with) wisdom that the forms of heaven and (those of) the people of the earth should be (created) for this only.
گر حکیمی نیست این ترتیب چیست ** ور حکیمی هست چون فعلش تهیست
If there is no Wise (Creator), what is (the reason of) this orderly arrangement (the cosmos)? And if there is a Wise (Creator), how is His action devoid (of meaning)?
کس نسازد نقش گرمابه و خضاب ** جز پی قصد صواب و ناصواب3000
No one makes pictures and colouring in a bath-house except for (some) purpose (either) right or wrong.
مطالبه کردن موسی علیه‌السلام حضرت را کی خلقت خلقا اهلکتهم و جواب آمدن
How Moses, on whom be peace, besought the Lord, saying, "Thou didst create creatures and destroy them," and how the answer came.
گفت موسی ای خداوند حساب ** نقش کردی باز چون کردی خراب
Moses said, “O Lord of the Reckoning, Thou didst create the form: how didst Thou destroy it again?”
نر و ماده نقش کردی جان‌فزا ** وانگهان ویران کنی این را چرا
Thou hast made the form, male and female, that gives unto the spirit increase (of joy); and then Thou dost ruin it: why?”
گفت حق دانم که این پرسش ترا ** نیست از انکار و غفلت وز هوا
God said, “I know that this question of thine is not from disbelief and heedlessness and idle fancy;
ورنه تادیب و عتابت کردمی ** بهر این پرسش ترا آزردمی
Else I should have corrected and chastised thee: I should have afflicted thee on account of this question.
لیک می‌خواهی که در افعال ما ** باز جویی حکمت و سر بقا3005
But (I know that) thou wishest to discover in My actions the wisdom and hidden meaning of (phenomenal) duration,
تا از آن واقف کنی مر عام را ** پخته گردانی بدین هر خام را
That thou mayst acquaint the vulgar therewith and by this means make every raw (ignorant) person to become cooked.
قاصدا سایل شدی در کاشفی ** بر عوام ار چه که تو زان واقفی
Thou hast become a questioner on purpose to disclose (this matter) to the vulgar, albeit thou art acquainted with it;
زآنک نیم علم آمد این سال ** هر برونی را نباشد آن مجال
For this questioning is the half of knowledge, and this ability (to ask questions) does not belong to every outsider.”
هم سال از علم خیزد هم جواب ** هم‌چنانک خار و گل از خاک و آب
Both question and answer arise from knowledge, just as the thorn and the rose from earth and water.
هم ضلال از علم خیزد هم هدی ** هم‌چنانک تلخ و شیرین از ندا3010
Both perdition and salvation arise from knowledge, just as bitter and sweet (fruit) from moisture.
ز آشنایی خیزد این بغض و ولا ** وز غذای خویش بود سقم و قوی
This hatred and love arise from acquaintance, and from wholesome food (arise both) sickness and (bodily) powers.
مستفید اعجمی شد آن کلیم ** تا عجمیان را کند زین سر علیم
That Kalím (Moses) became (like) an ignorant enquirer in order that he might make the ignorant acquainted with this mystery.
ما هم از وی اعجمی سازیم خویش ** پاسخش آریم چون بیگانه پیش
Let us too feign ourselves to be ignorant thereof and elicit the answer to it (to the question) as (if we were) strangers (seeking information).
خرفروشان خصم یکدیگر شدند ** تا کلید قفل آن عقد آمدند
(Similarly) the ass-sellers became rivals to one another in order that they might open the way to the contract (of sale).
پس بفرمودش خدا ای ذولباب ** چون بپرسیدی بیا بشنو جواب3015
Then God spake unto him, saying, “O thou who possessest the most excellent (understanding), since thou hast asked (the question), come, hear the answer.
موسیا تخمی بکار اندر زمین ** تا تو خود هم وا دهی انصاف این
O Moses, sow some seed in the earth, that thou thyself mayst render justice to this (question).”
چونک موسی کشت و شد کشتش تمام ** خوشه‌هااش یافت خوبی و نظام
When Moses had sown and the seed-corn was complete (in growth) and its ears had gained beauty and symmetry,
داس بگرفت و مر آن را می‌برید ** پس ندا از غیب در گوشش رسید
He took the sickle and was cutting that (crop); then a voice from the Unseen reached his ear,
که چرا کشتی کنی و پروری ** چون کمالی یافت آن را می‌بری
Crying, “Why dost thou sow and tend some seed-corn and (now) art cutting it when it has attained to perfection?”
گفت یا رب زان کنم ویران و پست ** که درینجا دانه هست و کاه هست3020
He replied, “O Lord, I destroy and lay it low because straw is here and (also) grain.
دانه لایق نیست درانبار کاه ** کاه در انبار گندم هم تباه
The grain is not suitable (to be stored) in the straw-barn; the straw likewise is bad (for putting) in the corn-barn.
نیست حکمت این دو را آمیختن ** فرق واجب می‌کند در بیختن
’Tis not wisdom to mix these twain: it (wisdom) makes necessary the separation (of them) in winnowing.”
گفت این دانش تو از کی یافتی ** که به دانش بیدری بر ساختی
He (God) said, “From whom didst thou gain this knowledge, so that by means of the knowledge thou didst construct a threshing-floor?”
گفت تمییزم تو دادی ای خدا ** گفت پس تمییز چون نبود مرا
He replied, “Thou, O God, gavest me discernment.” He (God) said, “Then how should I not have discernment?”
در خلایق روحهای پاک هست ** روحهای تیره‌ی گلناک هست3025
Amongst the created beings are pure spirits; there are (also) spirits dark and muddy.
این صدفها نیست در یک مرتبه ** در یکی درست و در دیگر شبه
These shells are not in one grade: in one (of them) is the pearl and in another the (worthless) bead.