We have things of greater importance to say, whereby your understanding will obtain a better clue.
زان مهم‌تر گفتنیها هستمان ** که بدان فهم تو به یابد نشان
We have told (only) a little of that disputation, O fierce debater, (but) from a little (part) the principle of the whole is evident.
اندکی گفتیم زان بحث ای عتل ** ز اندکی پیدا بود قانون کل
Similarly, there is a disputation, (which will continue) till mankind are raised from the dead, between the Necessitarians and the partisans of (absolute) Freewill.
هم‌چنین بحثست تا حشر بشر ** در میان جبری و اهل قدر
If he (the disputant of either party) had been incapable of refuting his adversary, their (respective) doctrines would have fallen out of sight (would have failed to maintain themselves),3215
گر فرو ماندی ز دفع خصم خویش ** مذهب ایشان بر افتادی ز پیش
Since (in that case) they (the disputants) would not have had the means of escape (which consists) in replying (to their opponents), they would therefore have recoiled from the way of perdition (from their erroneous doctrines);
چون برون‌شوشان نبودی در جواب ** پس رمیدندی از آن راه تباب
(But) inasmuch as their continuance in that course was (Divinely) destined, God feeds them with (logical) proofs,
چونک مقضی بد دوام آن روش ** می‌دهدشان از دلایل پرورش
In order that he (the disputant) may not be silenced by his adversary's difficult objection, and that he may be prevented from seeing his adversary's success,
تا نگردد ملزم از اشکال خصم ** تا بود محجوب از اقبال خصم
So that these two-and-seventy sects may always remain in the world till the Day of Resurrection.
تا که این هفتاد و دو ملت مدام ** در جهان ماند الی یوم القیام
Since this is the world of darkness and occultation, the earth is necessary for (the existence of) the shadow.3220
چون جهان ظلمتست و غیب این ** از برای سایه می‌باید زمین
These two-and-seventy (sects) will remain till the Resurrection: the heretic's talk and argument will not fail.
تا قیامت ماند این هفتاد و دو ** کم نیاید مبتدع را گفت و گو