(And) without fear, whatever comes upon your tongues, like only children with their father;
هر چه آید بر زبانتان بیحذر ** همچو طفلان یگانه با پدر
For what if these words (of yours) are unseemly? My mercy likewise is prior (superior) to My wrath.
ز آن که این دمها چه گر نالایق است ** رحمت من بر غضب هم سابق است
In order to manifest this priority, O angel, I will put in thee incitement to perplexity and doubt,
از پی اظهار این سبق ای ملک ** در تو بنهم داعیهی اشکال و شک
That thou mayst speak and I not take offence at thee, (so that) none who denies My clemency may dare to utter a word.
تا بگویی و نگیرم بر تو من ** منکر حلمم نیارد دم زدن
Within My (infinite) clemency (the clemencies of) a hundred fathers and a hundred mothers at every moment are born and vanish.2675
صد پدر صد مادر اندر حلم ما ** هر نفس زاید در افتد در فنا
Their clemency is (but) the foam of the sea of My clemency: the foam comes and goes, but the sea is (always) there.’’
حلم ایشان کف بحر حلم ماست ** کف رود آید ولی دریا به جاست
What indeed shall I say? Compared with that pearl (Divine clemency) this oyster-shell (human clemency) is naught but the foam of the foam of the foam of foam.
خود چه گویم پیش آن در این صدف ** نیست الا کف کف کف کف
By the truth of that foam, by the truth of that pure sea, (I swear) that these words (of mine) are not (meant to make) trial of thee and are not vain.
حق آن کف حق آن دریای صاف ** که امتحانی نیست این گفت و نه لاف
They are from (inspired by) love and sincerity and humbleness, (I swear) by the truth of that One to whom I turn.
از سر مهر و صفاء است و خضوع ** حق آن کس که بدو دارم رجوع
If this affection (which I am showing) seems to thee a trial, do thou for one moment put the (supposed) trial (of thee) to the test.2680
گر به پیشت امتحان است این هوس ** امتحان را امتحان کن یک نفس
Do not hide thy secret (but reveal it), in order that mine may be revealed: command anything that I am able to do.
سر مپوشان تا پدید آید سرم ** امر کن تو هر چه بر وی قادرم
Do not hide thy heart (but reveal it), in order that mine may be revealed and that I may accept whatever I am capable of (performing).
دل مپوشان تا پدید آید دلم ** تا قبول آرم هر آن چه قابلم
How shall I do? What remedy is in my power? Look what a plight my soul is in.”
چون کنم در دست من چه چاره است ** در نگر تا جان من چه کاره است
How the wife specified to her husband the way to earn daily bread and how he accepted (her proposal).
تعیین کردن زن طریق طلب روزی کدخدای خود را و قبول کردن او
The wife said, “A sun has shone forth, a (whole) world has received light from him—
گفت زن یک آفتابی تافته ست ** عالمی زو روشنایی یافته ست
The Vicar of the Merciful (God), the Khalífa of the Creator: through him the city of Baghdád is (gay and happy) as the season of spring.2685
نایب رحمان خلیفهی کردگار ** شهر بغداد است از وی چون بهار
If thou gain access to that King, thou wilt become a king: how long wilt thou go after every (kind of) misfortune?”
گر بپیوندی بدان شه شه شوی ** سوی هر ادبار تا کی میروی
Companionship with kings is like the Elixir: indeed, how is an Elixir like (to be compared with) their looks (of favour)?
همنشینی مقبلان چون کیمیاست ** چون نظرشان کیمیایی خود کجاست
The eye of Ahmad (Mohammed) was cast upon an Abú Bakr: he by a single act of faith became a Siddíq.
چشم احمد بر ابو بکری زده ** او ز یک تصدیق صدیق آمده
Said the husband, “How should I go to meet the King? How should I go to him without a pretext?
گفت من شه را پذیرا چون شوم ** بیبهانه سوی او من چون روم
I must have some reference or device: is any handicraft right (possible) without tools?2690
نسبتی باید مرا یا حیلتی ** هیچ پیشه راست شد بیآلتی
As (to mention a similar case) the famous Majnún, when he heard from some one that Laylá was a little unwell,
همچو آن مجنون که بشنید از یکی ** که مرض آمد به لیلی اندکی
Cried, ‘Ah, how shall I go (to her) without a pretext? And if I fail to visit her when she is ill, how (wretched) shall I be!
گفت آوه بیبهانه چون روم ** ور بمانم از عیادت چون شوم
Would that I were a skilled physician! I would have gone on foot to Laylá first of all (before any one else).’
لیتنی کنت طبیبا حاذقا ** کنت أمشی نحو لیلی سابقا
God said to us, ‘Say, Come ye,’ in order to signify to us the (means of) vanquishing our feeling of shame.
قل تعالوا گفت حق ما را بدان ** تا بود شرم اشکنی ما را نشان
If bats had sight and means (ability to bear the sunshine), they would fly about and enjoy themselves by day.”2695
شب پران را گر نظر و آلت بدی ** روزشان جولان و خوش حالت بدی