Is not infidelity and hypocrisy the ordainment of God? If I become satisfied with this (infidelity), ’twill be opposition (disobedience to God),1365
نه قضای حق بود کفر و نفاق ** گر بدین راضی شوم باشد شقاق
And if I am not satisfied, that too will be detrimental: between (these two alternatives), then, what means (of escape) is there for me?”
ور نیم راضی بود آن هم زیان ** پس چه چاره باشدم اندر میان
I said to him, “This infidelity is the thing ordained, it is not the ordainment; this infidelity is truly the effects of the ordainment.
گفتمش این کفر مقضی نه قضاست ** هست آثار قضا این کفر راست
Therefore know (distinguish), sire, the ordainment from the thing ordained, so that thy difficulty may be removed at once.
پس قضا را خواجه از مقضی بدان ** تا شکالت دفع گردد در زمان
I acquiesce in infidelity in that respect that it is the ordainment (of God), not in this respect that it is our contentiousness and wickedness.
راضیم در کفر زان رو که قضاست ** نه ازین رو که نزاع و خبث ماست
In respect of the ordainment, infidelity indeed is not infidelity. Do not call God ‘infidel,’ do not stand here.1370
کفر از روی قضا خود کفر نیست ** حق را کافر مخوان اینجا مه‌ایست
Infidelity is ignorance, and the ordainment of infidelity is knowledge: how, pray, should hilm (forbearance) and khilm (anger) both be one (and the same)?
کفر جهلست و قضای کفر علم ** هر دو کی یک باشد آخر حلم و خلم
The ugliness of the script is not the ugliness of the artist; nay, ’tis an exhibition of the ugly by him.
زشتی خط زشتی نقاش نیست ** بلک از وی زشت را بنمودنیست
The power (skill) of the artist is that he can make both the ugly and the beautiful.”
قوت نقاش باشد آنک او ** هم تواند زشت کردن هم نکو
If I develop the investigation of this (subject) methodically, so that question and answer become lengthy,
گر کشانم بحث این را من بساز ** تا سال و تا جواب آید دراز