At the time when you look in front, how at the same time can you look behind you? Recognise this.1485
آن زمان که پیش بینی آن زمان ** تو پس خود کی ببینی این بدان
Inasmuch as the soul does not comprehend (both) the letter and the spirit, how should the soul be the creator of them both?
چون محیط حرف و معنی نیست جان ** چون بود جان خالق این هر دوان
O son, (only) God comprehends all: the (one) action does not hinder Him from the other action.
حق محیط جمله آمد ای پسر ** وا ندارد کارش از کار دگر
Satan said Because Thou hast seduced me: the vile Devil concealed his own act.
گفت شیطان که بما أغویتنی ** کرد فعل خود نهان دیو دنی
Adam said We have done wrong unto ourselves: he was not, like us, unheedful of the action of God.
گفت آدم که ظلمنا نفسنا ** او ز فعل حق نبد غافل چو ما
From respect he concealed it (the action of God) in (regard to) the sin: by casting the sin upon himself he ate fruit (was blessed).1490
در گنه او از ادب پنهانش کرد ** ز آن گنه بر خود زدن او بر بخورد
After his repentance, He (God) said to him, “O Adam, did not I create in thee that sin and (those) tribulations?
بعد توبه گفتش ای آدم نه من ** آفریدم در تو آن جرم و محن
Was it not My foreordainment and destiny? How didst thou conceal that at the time of excusing thyself?”
نه که تقدیر و قضای من بد آن ** چون به وقت عذر کردی آن نهان
He (Adam) said, “I was afraid, (so) I did not let respect go (did not fail to observe due respect).” He (God) said, “I too have observed it towards thee.”
گفت ترسیدم ادب نگذاشتم ** گفت هم من پاس آنت داشتم
هر که آرد حرمت او حرمت برد ** هر که آرد قند لوزینه خورد
For whom are the good women? For the good men. Make thy friend pleased (with thee); offend (him) and see (what will happen).1495
طیبات از بهر که للطیبین ** یار را خوش کن برنجان و ببین
O heart, bring (forward) a parable for the sake of (illustrating) a difference, that thou mayst know (what distinguishes) compulsion from freewill.
یک مثال ای دل پی فرقی بیار ** تا بدانی جبر را از اختیار
(Take the case of) a hand that is shaking from (morbid or involuntary) tremor and (the case of) a person whose hand you cause to shake (by knocking it away) from its place.
دست کان لرزان بود از ارتعاش ** و آن که دستی را تو لرزانی ز جاش
Know that both (these) movements are created by God, but it is impossible to compare the latter with the former.
هر دو جنبش آفریدهی حق شناس ** لیک نتوان کرد این با آن قیاس
You are sorry for having caused it (his hand) to shake: when did you see the man afflicted with (a morbid) tremor (to be) sorry?
ز آن پشیمانی که لرزانیدیاش ** مرتعش را کی پشیمان دیدیاش
This is the intellectual quest— (but) what (sort of) intellect is that ingenious one? (The object of its quest is) perchance (by its means) a man of weak understanding may find his way to that place (gain some idea of the truth).1500
بحث عقل است این چه عقل آن حیلهگر ** تا ضعیفی ره برد آن جا مگر
(Yet) the intellectual quest, though it be (fine as) pearls and coral, is other than the spiritual quest.
بحث عقلی گر در و مرجان بود ** آن دگر باشد که بحث جان بود
The spiritual quest is on another plane: the spiritual wine has another consistency.
بحث جان اندر مقامی دیگر است ** بادهی جان را قوامی دیگر است
At the time when the intellectual quest was in keeping (with the circumstances), this ‘Umar was intimate with Bu ’l-Hakam,
آن زمان که بحث عقلی ساز بود ** این عمر با بو الحکم هم راز بود
(But) when ‘Umar went away from intellect towards spirit, Bu ’l-Hakam became Bú Jahl (the father of ignorance) in the case of that (spiritual quest).
چون عمر از عقل آمد سوی جان ** بو الحکم بو جهل شد در حکم آن
He is perfect on the side of sense-perception and understanding, though indeed he is ignorant in regard to the spirit.1505
سوی حس و سوی عقل او کامل است ** گر چه خود نسبت به جان او جاهل است
Know that the quest of the intellect and the senses is (concerned with) effects or secondary causes. The spiritual quest is either wonder or the father of wonder (either wonderful or beyond wonder).
بحث عقل و حس اثر دان یا سبب ** بحث جانی یا عجب یا بو العجب
The illumination of the spirit comes: (then) there remains not, O thou who seekest illumination, conclusion and premise or that which contradicts (a statement) (or) that which renders (its acceptance) necessary,
ضوء جان آمد نماند ای مستضی ** لازم و ملزوم و نافی مقتضی
Because the seer on whom His (God's) Light is dawning is quite independent of the (logical) proof which resembles a (blind man's) staff.
ز آن که بینایی که نورش بازغ است ** از دلیل چون عصا بس فارغ است
Commentary on “And He is with you wheresoever ye be.”
تفسیر و هو معکم أين ما کنتم
Once more we come back to the tale: when, indeed, did we go forth from the tale?
بار دیگر ما به قصه آمدیم ** ما از آن قصه برون خود کی شدیم