چند هنگامه نهی بر راه عام ** گام خستی بر نیامد هیچ کام 3205
How long will you set up a show on the public road? You are footsore (with travel), and no desire (of yours) has been fulfilled.
وقت صحت جمله یارند و حریف ** وقت درد و غم به جز حق کو الیف
When you enjoy good health all of them are your friends and comrades, (but) in the hour of pain and sorrow where is any familiar friend but God?
وقت درد چشم و دندان هیچ کس ** دست تو گیرد به جز فریاد رس
In the hour of eye-ache or toothache will any one take your hand (to help) except Him who comes at the cry of distress?
پس همان درد و مرض را یاد دار ** چون ایاز از پوستین کن اعتبار
Therefore (always) recollect that sickness and pain: take warning (from it), like Ayáz from that sheepskin jacket.
پوستین آن حالت درد توست ** که گرفتست آن ایاز آن را به دست
Your experience of pain is the sheepskin jacket which Ayáz took into his hand.”
باز جواب گفتن آن کافر جبری آن سنی را کی باسلامش دعوت می‌کرد و به ترک اعتقاد جبرش دعوت می‌کرد و دراز شدن مناظره از طرفین کی ماده‌ی اشکال و جواب را نبرد الا عشق حقیقی کی او را پروای آن نماند و ذلک فضل الله یتیه من یشاء
How the Necessitarian infidel again replied to the Sunní who was inviting him to accept Islam and abandon his belief in Necessity, and how the debate was prolonged on both sides; for this difficult and controversial matter cannot be decided except by the real love that has no further interest in it—“and that is God's grace: He bestows it on whom He pleases.”
کافر جبری جواب آغاز کرد ** که از آن حیران شد آن منطیق مرد 3210
The Necessitarian infidel began his reply, by which that eloquent man (the Sunní) was confounded;
لیک گر من آن جوابات و سال ** جمله را گویم بمانم زین مقال
But if I relate all those answers and questions, I shall be unable to get on with this Discourse.
زان مهم‌تر گفتنیها هستمان ** که بدان فهم تو به یابد نشان
We have things of greater importance to say, whereby your understanding will obtain a better clue.
اندکی گفتیم زان بحث ای عتل ** ز اندکی پیدا بود قانون کل
We have told (only) a little of that disputation, O fierce debater, (but) from a little (part) the principle of the whole is evident.
هم‌چنین بحثست تا حشر بشر ** در میان جبری و اهل قدر
Similarly, there is a disputation, (which will continue) till mankind are raised from the dead, between the Necessitarians and the partisans of (absolute) Freewill.
گر فرو ماندی ز دفع خصم خویش ** مذهب ایشان بر افتادی ز پیش 3215
If he (the disputant of either party) had been incapable of refuting his adversary, their (respective) doctrines would have fallen out of sight (would have failed to maintain themselves),
چون برون‌شوشان نبودی در جواب ** پس رمیدندی از آن راه تباب
Since (in that case) they (the disputants) would not have had the means of escape (which consists) in replying (to their opponents), they would therefore have recoiled from the way of perdition (from their erroneous doctrines);
چونک مقضی بد دوام آن روش ** می‌دهدشان از دلایل پرورش
(But) inasmuch as their continuance in that course was (Divinely) destined, God feeds them with (logical) proofs,
تا نگردد ملزم از اشکال خصم ** تا بود محجوب از اقبال خصم
In order that he (the disputant) may not be silenced by his adversary's difficult objection, and that he may be prevented from seeing his adversary's success,
تا که این هفتاد و دو ملت مدام ** در جهان ماند الی یوم القیام
So that these two-and-seventy sects may always remain in the world till the Day of Resurrection.
چون جهان ظلمتست و غیب این ** از برای سایه می‌باید زمین 3220
Since this is the world of darkness and occultation, the earth is necessary for (the existence of) the shadow.
تا قیامت ماند این هفتاد و دو ** کم نیاید مبتدع را گفت و گو
These two-and-seventy (sects) will remain till the Resurrection: the heretic's talk and argument will not fail.
عزت مخزن بود اندر بها ** که برو بسیار باشد قفلها
The high value of a treasury is (shown by the circumstance) that there are many locks upon it.
عزت مقصد بود ای ممتحن ** پیچ پیچ راه و عقبه و راه‌زن
The greatness of the (traveller's) goal, O well-tried man, is (shown by) the intricate windings of the way and the mountain-passes and the brigands (infesting them).
عزت کعبه بود و آن نادیه ** ره‌زنی اعراب و طول بادیه
The greatness of the Ka‘ba and its assembly-place is (shown by) the brigandage of the Beduins and the length of the desert (traversed by the pilgrims).
هر روش هر ره که آن محمود نیست ** عقبه‌ای و مانعی و ره‌زنیست 3225
Every (religious) doctrine, every tenet, that is not praiseworthy is (like) a mountain-pass and a barrier and a brigand.
این روش خصم و حقود آن شده ** تا مقلد در دو ره حیران شده
This doctrine has become the adversary and bitter enemy of that, so that the imitator (who adopts the beliefs of others) is in a dilemma;
صدق هر دو ضد بیند در روش ** هر فریقی در ره خود خوش منش
(For) he sees that both the opponents are firm in their doctrine: every sect is pleased with its own path.
گر جوابش نیست می‌بندد ستیز ** بر همان دم تا به روز رستخیز
If it has no reply (to the arguments brought against it), it will cling obstinately to the same formula till the Day of Resurrection,
که مهان ما بدانند این جواب ** گرچه از ما شد نهان وجه صواب
Saying, “Our great authorities know the reply to this, although the right method (of answering) is hidden from us.”
پوزبند وسوسه عشقست و بس ** ورنه کی وسواس را بستست کس 3230
The only muzzle for evil suggestions (of doubt) is Love; else, when has any one (ever) stopped (such) temptation?
Become a lover, seek a fair minion, hunt a waterfowl from river to river.
کی بری زان آب کان آبت برد ** کی کنی زان فهم فهمت را خورد
How will you get water (spirituality) from that one who takes your water away? How will you apprehend (the truth) from that one (who) consumes your (spiritual) apprehension?
غیر این معقولها معقولها ** یابی اندر عشق با فر و بها
In Love, (which is) glorious and resplendent, you will find intelligible things other than these intelligible things.
غیر این عقل تو حق را عقلهاست ** که بدان تدبیر اسباب سماست
To God belong intelligences other than this intelligence of yours, (intelligences) by which the mediate celestial things are ruled;
که بدین عقل آوری ارزاق را ** زان دگر مفرش کنی اطباق را 3235
For by this (individual) intelligence you procure the means of subsistence, (while) by that other (universal intelligence) you make the tiers of Heaven a carpet (under your feet).
چون ببازی عقل در عشق صمد ** عشر امثالت دهد یا هفت‌صد
When you gamble away (sacrifice) your intelligence in love of the Lord, He gives you ten like unto it or seven hundred.
آن زنان چون عقلها درباختند ** بر رواق عشق یوسف تاختند
Those women (of Egypt), when they gambled away (sacrificed) their intelligences, sped onward to the pavilion of Joseph's love.
عقلشان یک‌دم ستد ساقی عمر ** سیر گشتند از خرد باقی مرد
(Love which is) the cupbearer of life took away their intelligence in one moment: they drank their fill of wisdom all the rest of their lives.
اصل صد یوسف جمال ذوالجلال ** ای کم از زن شو فدای آن جمال
The beauty of the Almighty is the source of a hundred Josephs: O you who are less than a woman, devote yourself to that beauty!
عشق برد بحث را ای جان و بس ** کو ز گفت و گو شود فریاد رس 3240
O (dear) soul, Love alone cuts disputation short, for it (alone) comes to the rescue when you cry for help against arguments.
حیرتی آید ز عشق آن نطق را ** زهره نبود که کند او ماجرا
Eloquence is dumbfounded by Love: it dare not engage in altercation;
که بترسد گر جوابی وا دهد ** گوهری از لنج او بیرون فتد
For he (the lover) fears that, if he answer back, a pearl (his inner experience) may fall out of his mouth.
لب ببندد سخت او از خیر و شر ** تا نباید کز دهان افتد گهر
He closes his lips tight against (uttering) good or evil (words) lest the pearl should fall from his mouth (and be lost),
هم‌چنانک گفت آن یار رسول ** چون نبی بر خواندی بر ما فصول
Even as the Companion of the Prophet said, “Whenever the Prophet recited sections (of the Qur’án) to us,
آن رسول مجتبی وقت نثار ** خواستی از ما حضور و صد وقار 3245
At the moment of munificence that chosen Messenger would demand of us attentiveness and a hundred reverences.”
آنچنان که بر سرت مرغی بود ** کز فواتش جان تو لرزان شود
’Tis as when a bird is (perched) on your head, and your soul trembles for fear of its flitting,
پس نیاری هیچ جنبیدن ز جا ** تا نگیرد مرغ خوب تو هوا
So you dare not stir from your place, lest your beautiful bird should take to the air;
دم نیاری زد ببندی سرفه را ** تا نباید که بپرد آن هما
You dare not breathe, you suppress a cough, lest that humá should fly away;
ور کست شیرین بگوید یا ترش ** بر لب انگشتی نهی یعنی خمش
And if any one speak sweet or sour (words) to you, you lay a finger on your lip, meaning, “Hush!”
حیرت آن مرغست خاموشت کند ** بر نهد سردیگ و پر جوشت کند 3250
Bewilderment is (like) that bird: it makes you silent: it puts the lid on the kettle and fills you with the boiling (of love).
پرسیدن پادشاه قاصدا ایاز را کی چندین غم و شادی با چارق و پوستین کی جمادست می‌گویی تا ایاز را در سخن آورد
How the King (Mahmúd) purposely asked Ayáz, “(Why) art thou telling all this sorrow and joy to a rustic shoe and a sheepskin jacket, which are inanimate?” (His purpose was) that he might induce Ayáz to speak.
ای ایاز این مهرها بر چارقی ** چیست آخر هم‌چو بر بت عاشقی
(The King said), “O Ayáz, pray, why are these marks of affection, like (those of) a lover to his adored one, (shown by thee) to a rustic shoe?
هم‌چو مجنون از رخ لیلی خویش ** کرده‌ای تو چارقی را دین و کیش
Thou hast made a rustic shoe (the object of) thy devotion and religion, as Majnún (made) of his Laylá’s face (an object of the same kind).
با دو کهنه مهر جان آمیخته ** هر دو را در حجره‌ای آویخته
Thou hast mingled thy soul’s love with two old articles (of dress) and hung them both in a chamber.
چند گویی با دو کهنه نو سخن ** در جمادی می‌دمی سر کهن
How long wilt thou speak new words to (those) two old things and breathe the ancient secret into a substance devoid of life?