And if two persons bring news to you in the night, you will recognise both of them in the daytime by their (manner of) speaking.
ور دو کس در شب خبر آرد ترا ** روز از گفتن شناسی هر دو را
(If) during the night the sound of a lion and the sound of a dog have come (into some one's ear) and he has not seen their forms on account of the darkness,
بانگ شیر و بانگ سگ در شب رسید ** صورت هر دو ز تاریکی ندید
When day breaks and they begin to make (the same) sound again, the intelligent (hearer) will know them by the sound (which they make).
روز شد چون باز در بانگ آمدند ** پس شناسدشان ز بانگ آن هوشمند
The upshot is this, that both the Devil and the (angelic) Spirit who present (objects of desire to us) exist for the purpose of completing (actualising) the power of choice.
مخلص این که دیو و روح عرضه‌دار ** هر دو هستند از تتمه‌ی اختیار
There is an invisible power of choice within us; when it sees two (alternative) objects of desire it waxes strong.3005
اختیاری هست در ما ناپدید ** چون دو مطلب دید آید در مزید
Teachers beat (school-)children: how should they inflict that correction upon a black stone?
اوستادان کودکان را می‌زنند ** آن ادب سنگ سیه را کی کنند
Do you ever say to a stone, ‘Come to-morrow; and if you don't come, I will give your bad behaviour the punishment it deserves’?
هیچ گویی سنگ را فردا بیا ** ور نیایی من دهم بد را سزا
Does any reasonable man strike a brickbat? Does any one reprove a stone?
هیچ عاقل مر کلوخی را زند ** هیچ با سنگی عتابی کس کند
In (the eyes of) reason, Necessitarianism (jabr) is more shameful than the doctrine of (absolute) Free-will (qadar), because the Necessitarian is denying his own (inward) sense.
در خرد جبر از قدر رسواترست ** زانک جبری حس خود را منکرست
The man who holds the doctrine of (absolute) Free-will does not deny his (inward) sense: (he says), ‘The action of God is not mediated by the senses, O son.’3010
منکر حس نیست آن مرد قدر ** فعل حق حسی نباشد ای پسر