If we come to ignorance, that is His prison, and if we come to knowledge, that is His palace;1510
گر به جهل آییم آن زندان اوست ** ور به علم آییم آن ایوان اوست
And if we come to sleep, we are His intoxicated ones; and if to wakefulness, we are in His hands;
ور به خواب آییم مستان ویایم ** ور به بیداری به دستان ویایم
And if we weep, we are His cloud shedding rain-drops abundantly; and if we laugh, at that time we are His lightning;
ور بگرییم ابر پر زرق ویایم ** ور بخندیم آن زمان برق ویایم
And if (we come) to wrath and war, ’tis the reflexion of His Might; and if to peace and forgiveness, ’tis the reflexion of His Love.
ور به خشم و جنگ عکس قهر اوست ** ور به صلح و عذر عکس مهر اوست
Who are we? In this tangled (complex) world what (thing other than He) indeed hath He (who is single) like alif? Nothing, nothing.
ما کهایم اندر جهان پیچ پیچ ** چون الف او خود چه دارد هیچ هیچ
How the ambassador asked ‘Umar, may God be well-pleased with him, concerning the cause of the tribulation suffered by spirits in this clay of the body.
سؤال کردن رسول روم از عمر از سبب ابتلای ارواح با این آب و گل اجساد
He said, “O ‘Umar, what was the wisdom and mystery of imprisoning that pure one (the spirit) in this dirty place?1515
گفت یا عمر چه حکمت بود و سر ** حبس آن صافی در این جای کدر
The pure water has become hidden in mud: the pure spirit has become bound in bodies.”
آب صافی در گلی پنهان شده ** جان صافی بستهی ابدان شده
He (‘Umar) said, “Thou art making a profound inquiry, thou art confining a meaning in a word.
گفت تو بحثی شگرفی میکنی ** معنیی را بند حرفی میکنی
Thou hast imprisoned the free (unconditioned) meaning, thou hast bound the wind in a word.
حبس کردی معنی آزاد را ** بند حرفی کرده ای تو یاد را
This thou hast done for a benefit (good purpose), O thou who thyself art blind to the benefit (good purpose) of God.
از برای فایده این کردهای ** تو که خود از فایده در پردهای