- (His) bestowing that evil is even His perfection: I will tell you a parable (in illustration), O respected one.
- آن بدی دادن کمال اوست هم ** من مثالی گویمت ای محتشم
- A painter made two kinds of pictures––beautiful pictures and pictures devoid of beauty.
- کرد نقاشی دو گونه نقشها ** نقشهای صاف و نقشی بیصفا
- He painted Joseph and fair-formed houris, he painted ugly afreets and devils.
- نقش یوسف کرد و حور خوش سرشت ** نقش عفریتان و ابلیسان زشت
- Both kinds of pictures are (evidence of) his mastery: those (ugly ones) are not (evidence of) his ugliness; they are (evidence of) his bounty.
- هر دو گونه نقش استادی اوست ** زشتی او نیست آن رادی اوست
- He makes the ugly of extreme ugliness––it is invested with all (possible) uglinesses–– 2540
- زشت را در غایت زشتی کند ** جمله زشتیها به گردش بر تند
- In order that the perfection of his skill may be displayed, (and that) the denier of his mastery may be put to shame.
- تا کمال دانشش پیدا شود ** منکر استادیش رسوا شود
- And if he cannot make the ugly, he is deficient (in skill) hence He (God) is the Creator of (both) the infidel and the sincere (faithful).
- ور نداند زشت کردن ناقص است ** زین سبب خلاق گبر و مخلص است
- From this point of view, then, (both) infidelity and faith are bearing witness to His Lordliness, and both are bowing down in worship.
- پس از این رو کفر و ایمان شاهدند ** بر خداوندیش و هر دو ساجدند
- But know that the faithful (believer) bows down willingly, because he is seeking (God’s) pleasure and aiming (at that).
- لیک مومن دان که طوعا ساجد است ** ز انکه جویای رضا و قاصد است
- The infidel too is a worshipper of God, (though) unwillingly; but his aim is (directed towards) another object of desire. 2545
- هست کرها گبر هم یزدان پرست ** لیک قصد او مرادی دیگر است