مرتضی را گفت روزی یک عنود ** کو ز تعظیم خدا آگه نبود
One day a contumacious man, who was ignorant of the reverence due to God, said to Murtazá (‘Alí),
بر سر بامی و قصری بس بلند ** حفظ حق را واقفی ای هوشمند
On the top of an exceedingly high terrace or pavilion, “Art thou conscious of God's protection, O intelligent man?”
گفت آری او حفیظست و غنی ** هستی ما را ز طفلی و منی355
“Yes,” he replied; “He is the Protector and the Self-sufficient for (preserving) my existence from (the time of) infancy and conception.”
گفت خود را اندر افکن هین ز بام ** اعتمادی کن بحفظ حق تمام
He (the Jew) said, “Come, cast thyself down from the roof, put an entire confidence in the protection of God,
تا یقین گرددمرا ایقان تو ** و اعتقاد خوب با برهان تو
So that thy sure faith and thy goodly proven conviction may become evident to me.”
پس امیرش گفت خامش کن برو ** تا نگردد جانت زین جرات گرو
Then the Prince said to him, “Be silent, go, lest for this boldness thy soul be pawned (given over to perdition).”
کی رسد مر بنده را که با خدا ** آزمایش پیش آرد ز ابتلا
How is it right for a servant (of God) to venture on an experiment with God by making trial (of Him)?
بنده را کی زهره باشد کز فضول ** امتحان حق کند ای گیج گول360
How should a servant (of God) have the stomach vaingloriously to put Him to the test, O mad fool?
آن خدا را می‌رسد کو امتحان ** پیش آرد هر دمی با بندگان
To God (alone) belongs that (right), who brings forward a test for His servants at every moment,
تا به ما ما را نماید آشکار ** که چه داریم از عقیده در سرار
In order that He may show us plainly to ourselves (and reveal) what beliefs we hold in secret.
هیچ آدم گفت حق را که ترا ** امتحان کردم درین جرم و خطا
Did Adam ever say to God, “I made trial of Thee in (committing) this sin and trespass,
تا ببینم غایت حلمت شها ** اه کرا باشد مجال این کرا
That I might see the utmost limit of Thy clemency, O King?” Ah, who would be capable of (seeing) this, who?
عقل تو از بس که آمد خیره‌سر ** هست عذرت از گناه تو بتر365
Forasmuch as your understanding is confused, your excuse is worse than your crime.
آنک او افراشت سقف آسمان ** تو چه دانی کردن او را امتحان
How can you make trial of Him who raised aloft the vault of heaven?
ای ندانسته تو شر و خیر را ** امتحان خود را کن آنگه غیر را
O you that have not known good and evil, (first) make trial of yourself, and then of others.
امتحان خود چو کردی ای فلان ** فارغ آیی ز امتحان دیگران
When you have made trial of yourself, O such-and-such, you will be unconcerned with making trial of others.
چون بدانستی که شکردانه‌ای ** پس بدانی کاهل شکرخانه‌ای
When you have come to know that you are a grain of sugar, then you will know that you belong to the sugar-house.
پس بدان بی‌امتحانی که اله ** شکری نفرستدت ناجایگاه370
Know, then, without making any trial, that (if) you are sugar, God will not send you to the wrong place.
این بدان بی‌امتحان از علم شاه ** چون سری نفرستدت در پایگاه
Without making trial, know this of the King's (God's) knowledge: when you are a (spiritual) chief, He will not send you (down) to the vestibule.
هیچ عاقل افکند در ثمین ** در میان مستراحی پر چمین
Does any intelligent man let a precious pearl fall into the midst of a privy full of ordure?
زانک گندم را حکیم آگهی ** هیچ نفرستد به انبار کهی
Inasmuch as a sagacious and attentive man will nowise send wheat to a straw-barn,
شیخ را که پیشوا و رهبرست ** گر مریدی امتحان کرد او خرست
If a novice has made trial of the Shaykh who is the (spiritual) leader and guide, he is an ass.
امتحانش گر کنی در راه دین ** هم تو گردی ممتحن ای بی‌یقین375
If you make trial of him in the way of religion, you will be tried (by tribulation), O man without faith.
جرات و جهلت شود عریان و فاش ** او برهنه کی شود زان افتتاش
Your audacity and ignorance will become naked and exposed to view: how should he be made naked by that scrutiny?
گر بیاید ذره سنجد کوه را ** بر درد زان که ترازوش ای فتی
If the mote come and weigh the mountain, its scales will be shattered by the mountain, O youth;
کز قیاس خود ترازو می‌تند ** مرد حق را در ترازو می‌کند
For he (the novice) applies the scales of his own judgement and puts the man of God in the scales;
چون نگنجد او به میزان خرد ** پس ترازوی خرد را بر درد
(But) since he (the Shaykh) is not contained by the scales of intellect, consequently he shatters the scales of intellect.
امتحان هم‌چون تصرف دان درو ** تو تصرف بر چنان شاهی مجو380
Know that to make trial (of him) is like exercising authority over him: do not seek to exercise authority over such a (spiritual) king.
چه تصرف کرد خواهد نقشها ** بر چنان نقاش بهر ابتلا
What authority should the pictures (phenomenal forms) desire to exercise over such an Artist for the purpose of testing Him?
امتحانی گر بدانست و بدید ** نی که هم نقاش آن بر وی کشید
If it (the picture) has known and experienced any trial, is it not the case that the Artist brought that (trial) upon it?
چه قدر باشد خود این صورت که بست ** پیش صورتها که در علم ویست
Indeed, this form that He fashioned—what is it worth in comparison with the forms which are in His knowledge?
وسوسه‌ی این امتحان چون آمدت ** بخت بد دان کمد و گردن زدت
When the temptation to make this trial has come to you, know that ill fortune has come and smitten your neck.
چون چنین وسواس دیدی زود زود ** با خدا گرد و در آ اندر سجود385
When you feel such a temptation, at once, at once turn unto God and begin the prostration (in prayer).
سجده گه را تر کن از اشک روان ** کای خدا تو وا رهانم زین گمان
Make the place of prostration wet with flowing tears and say, “O God, do Thou deliver me from this doubt!”
آن زمان کت امتحان مطلوب شد ** مسجد دین تو پر خروب شد
At the time when it is your object to make trial (of God), the mosque, namely, your religion, becomes filled with kharrúb (carob).
قصه‌ی مسجد اقصی و خروب و عزم کردن داود علیه‌السلام پیش از سلیمان علیه‌السلام بر بنای آن مسجد
Story of the Farther Mosque and the carob and how, before (the reign of) Solomon, on whom be peace, David, on whom be peace, resolved on building that Mosque.
چون درآمد عزم داودی به تنگ ** که بسازد مسجد اقصی به سنگ
When David's resolve that he would build the Farther Mosque with stone came to sore straits,
وحی کردش حق که ترک این بخوان ** که ز دستت برنیاید این مکان
God made a Revelation to him, saying, “Proclaim the abandonment of this (enterprise), for (the building of) this place will not be achieved by thy hand.
نیست در تقدیر ما آنک تو این ** مسجد اقصی بر آری ای گزین390
’Tis not in Our fore-ordainment that thou shouldst raise this Farther Mosque, O chosen one.”
گفت جرمم چیست ای دانای راز ** که مرا گویی که مسجد را مساز
He said, “O Knower of the secret, what is my crime, that Thou forbiddest me to construct the Mosque?”
گفت بی‌جرمی تو خونها کرده‌ای ** خون مظلومان بگردن برده‌ای
He (God) said, “Without (committing) a crime, thou hast wrought much bloodshed: thou hast taken upon thy neck (art responsible for) the blood of (many) persons who have suffered injustice;
که ز آواز تو خلقی بی‌شمار ** جان بدادند و شدند آن را شکار
For from (hearing) thy voice a countless multitude gave up the ghost and fell a prey to it (thy voice).
خون بسی رفتست بر آواز تو ** بر صدای خوب جان‌پرداز تو
Much blood has gone to the score of (is chargeable to) thy voice, to thy beautiful soul-ravishing song.”
گفت مغلوب تو بودم مست تو ** دست من بر بسته بود از دست تو395
He (David) said, “I was overpowered by Thee, drunken with Thee: my hand (power) was tied up by Thy hand.
نه که هر مغلوب شه مرحوم بود ** نه که المغلوب کالمعدوم بود
Was not every one that was overpowered by the King the object of (His) mercy? Was not he (excused on the ground that) ‘The overpowered is like the non-existent’?”
گفت این مغلوب معدومیست کو ** جز به نسبت نیست معدوم ایقنوا
He (God) said, “This overpowered man is that non-existent one who is only relatively non-existent. Have sure faith!
این چنین معدوم کو از خویش رفت ** بهترین هستها افتاد و زفت
Such a non-existent one who hath gone from himself (become selfless) is the best of beings, and the great (one among them).
او به نسبت با صفات حق فناست ** در حقیقت در فنا او را بقاست
He hath passed away (faná) in relation to (the passing away of his attributes in) the Divine attributes, (but) in passing away (from selfhood) he really hath the life everlasting (baqá).
جمله‌ی ارواح در تدبیر اوست ** جمله‌ی اشباح هم در تیر اوست400
All spirits are under his governance; all bodies too are in his control.