- God said, “I know that this question of thine is not from disbelief and heedlessness and idle fancy;
- گفت حق دانم که این پرسش ترا ** نیست از انکار و غفلت وز هوا
- Else I should have corrected and chastised thee: I should have afflicted thee on account of this question.
- ورنه تادیب و عتابت کردمی ** بهر این پرسش ترا آزردمی
- But (I know that) thou wishest to discover in My actions the wisdom and hidden meaning of (phenomenal) duration, 3005
- لیک میخواهی که در افعال ما ** باز جویی حکمت و سر بقا
- That thou mayst acquaint the vulgar therewith and by this means make every raw (ignorant) person to become cooked.
- تا از آن واقف کنی مر عام را ** پخته گردانی بدین هر خام را
- Thou hast become a questioner on purpose to disclose (this matter) to the vulgar, albeit thou art acquainted with it;
- قاصدا سایل شدی در کاشفی ** بر عوام ار چه که تو زان واقفی
- For this questioning is the half of knowledge, and this ability (to ask questions) does not belong to every outsider.”
- زآنک نیم علم آمد این سال ** هر برونی را نباشد آن مجال
- Both question and answer arise from knowledge, just as the thorn and the rose from earth and water.
- هم سال از علم خیزد هم جواب ** همچنانک خار و گل از خاک و آب
- Both perdition and salvation arise from knowledge, just as bitter and sweet (fruit) from moisture. 3010
- هم ضلال از علم خیزد هم هدی ** همچنانک تلخ و شیرین از ندا
- This hatred and love arise from acquaintance, and from wholesome food (arise both) sickness and (bodily) powers.
- ز آشنایی خیزد این بغض و ولا ** وز غذای خویش بود سقم و قوی
- That Kalím (Moses) became (like) an ignorant enquirer in order that he might make the ignorant acquainted with this mystery.
- مستفید اعجمی شد آن کلیم ** تا عجمیان را کند زین سر علیم