“There is no end in sight to this discourse: give me thy hand, since thine eye hath seen the Friend.”
این سخن را نیست پایانی پدید ** دست با من ده چو چشمت دوست دید
How the Prince of the Faithful, ‘Ali—may God honour his person! said to his antagonist, " When thou didst spit in my face, my fleshly self was aroused and I could no longer act with entire sincerity (towards God): that hindered me from slaying thee."
گفتن امیر المؤمنین علی کرم الله وجهه با قرین خود که چون خدو انداختی در روی من نفس من جنبید و اخلاص عمل نماند، مانع کشتن تو آن شد
The Prince of the Faithful said to that youth, “In the hour of battle, O knight,3975
گفت امیر المؤمنین با آن جوان ** که به هنگام نبرد ای پهلوان
When thou didst spit in my face, my fleshly self was aroused and my good disposition was corrupted.
چون خدو انداختی در روی من ** نفس جنبید و تبه شد خوی من
Half (of my fighting) came to be for God's sake, and half (for) idle passion: in God’s affair partnership’ is not allowable.
نیم بهر حق شد و نیمی هوا ** شرکت اندر کار حق نبود روا
Thou art limned by the hand of the Lord: thou art God's (work), thou art not made by me.
تو نگاریدهی کف مولاستی ** آن حقی کردهی من نیستی
Break God’s image, (but only) by God’s command; cast (a stone) at the Beloved’s glass, (but only) the Beloved’s stone.”
نقش حق را هم به امر حق شکن ** بر زجاجهی دوست سنگ دوست زن
The fire-worshipper heard this, and a light appeared in his heart, so that he cut a girdle.3980
گبر این بشنید و نوری شد پدید ** در دل او تا که زناری برید
He said, “I was sowing the seed of wrong: I fancied thee (to be) otherwise (than thou art).
گفت من تخم جفا میکاشتم ** من ترا نوعی دگر پنداشتم
Thou hast (really) been the balance (endued) with the (just) nature of the One (God); nay, thou hast been the tongue of every balance.
تو ترازوی احد خو بودهای ** بل زبانهی هر ترازو بودهای
Thou hast been my race and stock and kin, thou hast been the radiance of the candle of my religion.
تو تبار و اصل و خویشم بودهای ** تو فروغ شمع کیشم بودهای
I am the (devoted) slave of that eye-seeking Lamp from which thy lamp received splendour.
من غلام آن چراغ چشم جو ** که چراغت روشنی پذرفت از او
I am the slave of the the billow of that Sea of Light which brings a pearl like this into view.3985
من غلام موج آن دریای نور ** که چنین گوهر بر آرد در ظهور
Offer me the profession of the (Moslem) Faith, for I regard you as the exalted one of the time.”
عرضه کن بر من شهادت را که من ** مر ترا دیدم سرافراز زمن
Near fifty persons of his kindred and tribe lovingly turned their faces towards the Religion (of Islam).
قرب پنجه کس ز خویش و قوم او ** عاشقانه سوی دین کردند رو
By the sword of clemency he ('Ali) redeemed so many throats and such a multitude from the sword.
او به تیغ حلم چندین حلق را ** وا خرید از تیغ و چندین خلق را
The sword of clemency is sharper than the sword of iron; nay, it is more productive of victory than a hundred armies.
تیغ حلم از تیغ آهن تیزتر ** بل ز صد لشکر ظفر انگیزتر
Oh, alas, two mouthfuls were eaten, and thereby the ferment of thought was frozen up.3990
ای دریغا لقمهای دو خورده شد ** جوشش فکرت از آن افسرده شد
A grain of wheat eclipsed the sun of Adam, as the descending node is (the cause of) eclipse to the brilliance of the full-moon.
گندمی خورشید آدم را کسوف ** چون ذنب شعشاع بدری را خسوف
Behold the beauty of the heart, how its moon scatters the Pleiades (how its light is broken and disordered) by a single handful of clay.
اینت لطف دل که از یک مشت گل ** ماه او چون میشود پروین گسل
When the bread was spirit, it was beneficial; since it became form, it rouses disbelief.
نان چو معنی بود خوردش سود بود ** چون که صورت گشت انگیزد جحود
As (for example) the green thistles which a camel eats, and gains from eating them a hundred benefits and pleasures:
همچو خار سبز کاشتر میخورد ** ز ان خورش صد نفع و لذت میبرد
When the camel from the desert eats those same thistles, after their greenness is gone and they have become dry,3995
چون که آن سبزیش رفت و خشک گشت ** چون همان را میخورد اشتر ز دشت
They rend his palate and cheek— oh, alas that such a well-nourished rose became a sword!
میدراند کام و لنجش ای دریغ ** کان چنان ورد مربی گشت تیغ
When the bread was spirit, it was (like) the green thistles; since it became form, it is now dry and gross.
نان چو معنی بود بود آن خار سبز ** چون که صورت شد کنون خشک است و گبز
According as thou hadst formerly been in the habit of eating it, O gracious being,
تو بدان عادت که او را پیش از این ** خورده بودی ای وجود نازنین