از پیاز و گندنا و کوکنار ** سر دی پیدا کند دست بهار
From onion, leek, and poppy the hand of Spring reveals the secret of Winter—
آن یکی سرسبز نحن المتقون ** وآن دگر هم‌چون بنفشه سرنگون
One (party) fresh and green, saying, “We are the devout”; and the other drooping their heads like the violet,
چشمها بیرون جهید از خطر ** گشته ده چشمه ز بیم مستقر
Their eyes starting out (of the sockets) from (dread of) the danger, and streaming like ten fountains from fear of the appointed end;
باز مانده دیده‌ها در انتظار ** تا که نامه ناید از سوی یسار
Their eyes remaining in (fearful) expectation, lest the scroll (of their deeds) come (to them) from the left side;
چشم گردان سوی راست و سوی چپ ** زانک نبود بخت نامه‌ی راست زپ 1805
Their eyes rolling to right and left, because the fortune of the scroll (that comes) from the right (side) is not easy (to win).
نامه‌ای آید به دست بنده‌ای ** سر سیه از جرم و فسق آگنده‌ای
(Then) there comes into the hand of (such) a servant (of God) a scroll headed with black and cram-full of crime and wickedness;
اندرو یک خیر و یک توفیق نه ** جز که آزار دل صدیق نه
Containing not a single good deed or act of saving grace— nothing but wounds inflicted on the hearts of the saintly;
پر ز سر تا پای زشتی و گناه ** تسخر و خنبک زدن بر اهل راه
Filled from top to bottom with foulness and sin, with mockery and jeering at the followers of the Way,
آن دغل‌کاری و دزدیهای او ** و آن چو فرعونان انا و انای او
(With all) his rascalities and thieveries and Pharaoh-like expressions of self-glorification.
چون بخواند نامه‌ی خود آن ثقیل ** داند او که سوی زندان شد رحیل 1810
When that odious man reads his scroll, he knows that he is (virtually) on the road to prison.
پس روان گردد چو دزدان سوی دار ** جرم پیدا بسته راه اعتذار
Then he sets out, like robbers going to the gallows; his crime manifest, and the way (possibility) of excusing himself barred.
آن هزاران حجت و گفتار بد ** بر دهانش گشته چون مسمار بد
The thousands of bad pleas and (false) speeches (made during his life) have become like an evil nail (seal) on his mouth.
رخت دزدی بر تن و در خانه‌اش ** گشته پیدا گم شده افسانه‌اش
The stolen property has been discovered on his person and in his house: his (plausible) story has vanished.
پس روان گردد به زندان سعیر ** که نباشد خار را ز آتش گزیر
He sets out, therefore, to the prison of Hell; for thorns have no means of escape from (being burnt in) the fire.
چون موکل آن ملایک پیش و پس ** بوده پنهان گشته پیدا چون عسس 1815
The angels that (formerly) were hidden, (whilst they walked) as custodians before and behind (him), have (now) become visible like policemen.
می‌برندش می‌سپوزندش به نیش ** که برو ای سگ به کهدانهای خویش
They take him along, prodding him with the goad and saying, “Begone, O dog, to thy own kennels!”
می‌کشد پا بر سر هر راه او ** تا بود که بر جهد زان چاه او
He drags his feet (lingers) on every road, that perchance he may escape from the pit (of Hell).
منتظر می‌ایستد تن می‌زند ** در امیدی روی وا پس می‌کند
He stands expectantly, keeping silence and turning his face backward in a (fervent) hope,
اشک می‌بارد چون باران خزان ** خشک اومیدی چه دارد او جز آن
Pouring tears like autumn rain. A mere hope—what has he except that?
هر زمانی روی وا پس می‌کند ** رو به درگاه مقدس می‌کند 1820
(So) at every moment he is looking back and turning his face to the Holy Court (on high).
پس ز حق امر آید از اقلیم نور ** که بگوییدش کای بطال عور
Then from God in the realm of light comes the command— “Say ye to him, ‘O ne’er-do-well destitute (of merit),
انتظار چیستی ای کان شر ** رو چه وا پس می‌کنی ای خیره‌سر
What art thou expecting, O mine of mischief? Why art thou looking back, O giddy-headed man?
نامه‌ات آنست کت آمد به دست ** ای خدا آزار و ای شیطان‌پرست
Thy scroll (record) is that which came into thy hand, O offender against God and worshipper of the Devil.
چون بدیدی نامه‌ی کردار خویش ** چه نگری پس بین جزای کار خویش
Since thou hast seen the scroll of thy deeds, why dost thou look back? Behold the reward of thy works!
بیهده چه مول مولی می‌زنی ** در چنین چه کو امید روشنی 1825
Why art thou tarrying in vain? Where is hope of light in such a (deep) pit as this?
نه ترا از روی ظاهر طاعتی ** نه ترا در سر و باطن نیتی
Neither outwardly hast thou any act of piety (to thy credit), nor inwardly and in thy heart an intention (to perform one);
نه ترا شبها مناجات و قیام ** نه ترا در روز پرهیز و صیام
No nightly orisons and vigils, no abstinence and fasting in the daytime;
نه ترا حفظ زبان ز آزار کس ** نه نظر کردن به عبرت پیش و پس
No holding thy tongue to avoid hurting any one, no looking earnestly forward and backward.
پیش چه بود یاد مرگ و نزع خویش ** پس چه باشد مردن یاران ز پیش
What is (meant by looking) forward? To think of thy own death and last agony. What is (meant by looking) backward? (To remember) the predecease of thy friends.
نه ترا بر ظلم توبه‌ی پر خروش ** ای دغا گندم‌نمای جوفروش 1830
Thou hast (in thy record) no wailful penitence for thy injustice, O rogue who showest wheat and sellest barley.
چون ترازوی تو کژ بود و دغا ** راست چون جویی ترازوی جزا
Since thy scales were wrong and false, how shouldst thou require the scales of thy retribution to be right?
چونک پای چپ بدی در غدر و کاست ** نامه چون آید ترا در دست راست
Since thou wert a left foot (wert going to the left) in fraud and dishonesty, how should the scroll come into thy right hand?
چون جزا سایه‌ست ای قد تو خم ** سایه‌ی تو کژ فتد در پیش هم
Since retribution is (like) the shadow, accordingly thy shadow, O man of bent figure, falls crookedly before thee.’”
زین قبل آید خطابات درشت ** که شود که را از آن هم کوز پشت
(To him) from this quarter (Heaven) come (such) harsh words of rebuke that even the back of a mountain would be bowed by them.
بنده گوید آنچ فرمودی بیان ** صد چنانم صد چنانم صد چنان 1835
The servant (of God) answers: “I am a hundred, hundred, hundred times as much as that which Thou hast declared.
خود تو پوشیدی بترها را به حلم ** ورنه می‌دانی فضیحتها به علم
Verily, in Thy forbearance Thou hast thrown a veil over worse things (than those mentioned); otherwise (Thou mightst have declared them, for) Thou knowest with Thy knowledge (all my) shameful deeds;
لیک بیرون از جهاد و فعل خویش ** از ورای خیر و شر و کفر و کیش
But, outside of my own exertion and action, beyond good and evil and religion and infidelity,
وز نیاز عاجزانه‌ی خویشتن ** وز خیال و وهم من یا صد چو من
And beyond my feeble supplication and the fancy and imagination of myself or a hundred like me,
بودم اومیدی به محض لطف تو ** از ورای راست باشی یا عتو
Beyond living righteously or behaving disobediently—I had a (great) hope in Thy pure lovingkindness.