Thereupon all the infidels prostrated themselves (in worship): ‘twas a mystery (of Divine Wisdom), too, that they knocked their heads upon the door.
جمله کفار آن زمان ساجد شدند ** هم سری بود آنک سر بر در زدند
After this there is a perplexing and abstruse argument stay with Solomon and do not stir up the demons!
بعد ازین حرفیست پیچاپیچ و دور ** با سلیمان باش و دیوان را مشور
Hark, relate the story of the Súfí and the Cadi and the offender who was (so) feeble and wretchedly ill.
هین حدیث صوفی و قاضی بیار ** وان ستمکار ضعیف زار زار
The Cadi said (to the Súfí), “Make the roof firm, O son, in order that I may decorate it with good and evil.
گفت قاضی ثبت العرش ای پسر ** تا برو نقشی کنم از خیر و شر
Where is the assailant? Where is that which is subject to vengeance? This man in (consequence of) sickness has become a (mere) phantom.1535
کو زننده کو محل انتقام ** این خیالی گشته است اندر سقام
The law is for the living and self-sufficient: where (how) is the law (binding) upon the occupants of the graveyard?”
شرع بهر زندگان و اغنیاست ** شرع بر اصحاب گورستان کجاست
The class (of men) who are headless (selfless) because of (their spiritual) poverty are in a hundred respects more naughted than those dead (and buried).
آن گروهی کز فقیری بیسرند ** صد جهت زان مردگان فانیتراند
The dead man is naughted (only) from one point of view, namely), as regards loss (of bodily life); the Súfís have been naughted in a hundred respects.
مرده از یک روست فانی در گزند ** صوفیان از صد جهت فانی شدند
(Bodily) death is a single killing, while this (spiritual death) is three hundred thousand (killings), for each one of which there is a blood-price beyond reckoning.
مرگ یک قتلست و این سیصد هزار ** هر یکی را خونبهایی بیشمار
Though God hath killed these folk many a time, (yet) He hath poured forth (infinite) stores (of grace) in payment of the blood-price.1540
گرچه کشت این قوم را حق بارها ** ریخت بهر خونبها انبارها