Giving and grace and favour are the fundamental substance of His coin: wrath is (only) as a speck of alloy on it.
اصل نقدش داد و لطف و بخشش است ** قهر بر وی چون غباری از غش است
He made the world for kindness' sake: His sun caressed the motes (in its beams).
از برای لطف عالم را بساخت ** ذرهها را آفتاب او نواخت
If separation (from Him) is big with His wrath, ’tis for the sake of knowing the worth of union with Him,
فرقت از قهرش اگر آبستن است ** بهر قدر وصل او دانستن است
So that separation from Him may give the soul chastisement, (and that) the soul may know the value of the days of union.
تا دهد جان را فراقش گوشمال ** جان بداند قدر ایام وصال
The Prophet has declared that God said, ‘My purpose in creating was to do good:2635
گفت پیغمبر که حق فرموده است ** قصد من از خلق احسان بوده است
I created to the intent that they (My creatures) might draw some gain from Me, and that they might smear their hands with My honey;
آفریدم تا ز من سودی کنند ** تا ز شهدم دستآلودی کنند
Not to the end that I might draw some gain (from them), and that I might tear off a coat from one (who is) naked.’
نی برای آن که تا سودی کنم ** و ز برهنه من قبایی بر کنم
During the short while since He drove me from His presence, mine eye hath remained (fixed) upon His beauteous face;
چند روزی که ز پیشم رانده است ** چشم من در روی خوبش مانده است
(And my thought has always been), ‘Such wrath from such a face! Oh, wonderful!’ (whereas) every one (else) has become occupied with (considering) the (secondary) cause (His wrath).
کز چنان رویی چنین قهر ای عجب ** هر کسی مشغول گشته در سبب
I do not look at the cause (His wrath), which is temporal, inasmuch as the temporal (only) produces something temporal (like itself).2640
من سبب را ننگرم کان حادث است ** ز انکه حادث حادثی را باعث است