- He (my friend) says, ‘Kill me first, in order that this hateful crime may not proceed from me.’
- او همیگوید بکش پیشین مرا ** تا نیاید از من این منکر خطا
- I say, ‘Since my death is (to come) from thee, how can I seek to evade the destiny (of God)?’
- من همیگویم چو مرگ من ز تست ** با قضا من چون توانم حیله جست
- He falls before me, saying, ‘O generous man, for God's sake cleave me in twain,
- او همیافتد به پیشم کای کریم ** مر مرا کن از برای حق دو نیم
- That this evil end may not come upon me, and that my soul may not burn (with grief) for (thee who art) its (very) life.’ 3850
- تا نیاید بر من این انجام بد ** تا نسوزد جان من بر جان خود
- I say, ‘Go: the Pen (of Divine ordainment) is dry; by that Pen many a (lofty) landmark is overthrown.
- من همیگویم برو جف القلم ** ز آن قلم بس سر نگون گردد علم
- There is no hatred of thee in my soul, because I do not regard this (act) as (proceeding) from thee.
- هیچ بغضی نیست در جانم ز تو ** ز آن که این را من نمیدانم ز تو
- Thou art God's instrument, God's hand is the (real) agent: how should I assail and oppose God's instrument?’”
- آلت حقی تو فاعل دست حق ** چون زنم بر آلت حق طعن و دق
- He (the knight) said, “For what reason, then, is retaliation (sanctioned)?” “’Tis from God, too,” said ‘Alí, “and that is a hidden mystery.
- گفت او پس آن قصاص از بهر چیست ** گفت هم از حق و آن سر خفی است
- If He takes offence at His own act, (yet) He causes gardens (of good) to grow from that taking offence. 3855
- گر کند بر فعل خود او اعتراض ** ز اعتراض خود برویاند ریاض
- It beseems Him to take offence at His own act, inasmuch as in vengeance and mercy He is One.
- اعتراض او را رسد بر فعل خود ** ز آن که در قهر است و در لطف او احد
- In this city of phenomena He is the Prince; in (all) the realms (of the world) He is the Ruler.
- اندر این شهر حوادث میر اوست ** در ممالک مالک تدبیر اوست
- If He breaks His own instrument, He mends that which has become broken.”
- آلت خود را اگر او بشکند ** آن شکسته گشته را نیکو کند
- Recognise, O noble sir, the indication of (the text), (Whatever) verse We shall cancel or cause to be forgotten, followed by We shall bring a better.
- رمز ننسخ آیه او ننسها ** نأت خیرا در عقب میدان مها
- Every (religious) law that God has cancelled—He has taken away grass and brought roses in exchange. 3860
- هر شریعت را که حق منسوخ کرد ** او گیا برد و عوض آورد ورد
- Night cancels the business of day: behold an inanimateness (inertia) that enlightens the intellect!
- شب کند منسوخ شغل روز را ** بین جمادی خرد افروز را
- Again, night is cancelled by the light of day, so that the inanimateness is consumed by that fire-kindling one.
- باز شب منسوخ شد از نور روز ** تا جمادی سوخت ز آن آتش فروز
- Although that sleep and rest are darkness, is not the Water of Life within the darkness?
- گر چه ظلمت آمد آن نوم و سبات ** نی درون ظلمت است آب حیات
- Did not minds become refreshed in that darkness? Did not a pause (in recitation) become the source of (increased beauty in) the voice?
- نی در آن ظلمت خردها تازه شد ** سکتهای سرمایهی آوازه شد
- For contraries are manifested by means of contraries: in the black core (of the heart) He (God) created the light (of love). 3865
- که ز ضدها ضدها آمد پدید ** در سویدا روشنایی آفرید
- The wars of the Prophet became the pivot (determining cause) of peace: the peace of this latter age was (produced) from those wars.
- جنگ پیغمبر مدار صلح شد ** صلح این آخر زمان ز آن جنگ بد
- That heart-ravisher cut off hundreds of thousands of heads, in order that the heads of the (whole) world's people might win security.
- صد هزاران سر برید آن دلستان ** تا امان یابد سر اهل جهان
- The gardener lops the harmful bough, in order that the date-palm may gain (tallness of) stature and goodness.
- باغبان ز آن میبرد شاخ مضر ** تا بیابد نخل قامتها و بر
- The expert (gardener) digs up the weeds from the garden, in order that his garden and fruit may look flourishing.
- میکند از باغ دانا آن حشیش ** تا نماید باغ و میوه خرمیش
- The physician extracts bad teeth, in order that the beloved (patient) may be saved from pain and sickness. 3870
- میکند دندان بد را آن طبیب ** تا رهد از درد و بیماری حبیب
- Advantages, then, are (concealed) within defects: for martyrs there is life in death.
- بس زیادتها درون نقصهاست ** مر شهیدان را حیات اندر فناست