The sunbeams of Wisdom struck on soil and clay, so that the earth became receptive of the seed.
پرتو دانش زده بر آب و طین ** تا شده دانه پذیرندهی زمین
The soil is faithful to its trust, and whatever you have sown in it, you carry away the (equivalent in) kind thereof without fraud (on the part of the soil).
خاک امین و هر چه در وی کاشتی ** بیخیانت جنس آن برداشتی
It has derived this faithfulness from that (Divine) faithfulness, inasmuch as the sun of Justice has shone upon it.510
این امانت ز آن امانت یافته ست ** کافتاب عدل بر وی تافته ست
Until springtide brings the token of God, the soil does not reveal its secrets.
تا نشان حق نیارد نو بهار ** خاک سرها را نکرده آشکار
The Bounteous One who gave to an inanimate thing these informations and this faithfulness and this righteousness,
آن جوادی که جمادی را بداد ** این خبرها وین امانت وین سداد
His grace makes an inanimate thing informed, (while) His wrath makes blind the men of understanding.
مر جمادی را کند فضلش خبیر ** عاقلان را کرده قهر او ضریر
Soul and heart cannot endure that ferment: to whom shall I speak? There is not in the world a single ear (capable of apprehension).
جان و دل را طاقت آن جوش نیست ** با که گویم در جهان یک گوش نیست
Wherever there was an ear, through Him it became an eye; wherever there was a stone, through Him it became a jasper.515
هر کجا گوشی بد از وی چشم گشت ** هر کجا سنگی بد از وی یشم گشت
He is an alchemist—what is alchemy (compared with His action)? He is a giver of miracles (to prophets)—what is magic (compared with these miracles)?
کیمیا ساز است چه بود کیمیا ** معجزه بخش است چه بود سیمیا
This uttering of praise (to Him) is (really) the omission of praise on my part, for this (praise) is a proof of (my) being, and being is a sin.
این ثنا گفتن ز من ترک ثناست ** کین دلیل هستی و هستی خطاست
It behoves (us) to be not-being in the presence of His Being: in His presence what is (our) being? Blind and blue.
پیش هست او بباید نیست بود ** چیست هستی پیش او کور و کبود
Were it not blind it would have been melted (consumed) by Him: it would have known the heat of (the Divine) sun;
گر نبودی کور از او بگداختی ** گرمی خورشید را بشناختی
And were it not blue from mourning, how would this region (of phenomenal existence) have (remained) frozen like ice?520
ور نبودی او کبود از تعزیت ** کی فسردی همچو یخ این ناحیت
Setting forth how the vizier incurred perdition (by engaging) in this plot.
بیان خسارت وزیر در این مکر
The vizier was ignorant and heedless, like the (Jewish) king: he was wrestling with the eternal and inevitable,
همچو شه نادان و غافل بد وزیر ** پنجه میزد با قدیم ناگزیر
With a God so mighty that in a moment He causes a hundred worlds like ours to come into existence from non-existence:
با چنان قادر خدایی کز عدم ** صد چو عالم هست گرداند به دم
A hundred worlds like ours He displays to the sight, when He makes your eye seeing by (the light of) Himself.
صد چو عالم در نظر پیدا کند ** چون که چشمت را به خود بینا کند
If the world appears to you vast and bottomless, know that to Omnipotence it is not (so much as) an atom.
گر جهان پیشت بزرگ و بیبنی است ** پیش قدرت ذره ای میدان که نیست
This world, indeed, is the prison of your souls: oh, go in yonder direction, for there lies your open country.525
این جهان خود حبس جانهای شماست ** هین روید آن سو که صحرای شماست
This world is finite, and truly that (other) is infinite: image and form are a barrier to that Reality.
این جهان محدود و آن خود بیحد است ** نقش و صورت پیش آن معنی سد است.
The myriads of Pharaoh's lances were shattered by (the hand of) Moses (armed) with a single staff.
صد هزاران نیزهی فرعون را ** در شکست از موسیی با یک عصا
Myriads were the therapeutic arts of Galen: before Jesus and his (life-giving) breath they were a laughing-stock.
صد هزاران طب جالینوس بود ** پیش عیسی و دمش افسوس بود
Myriads were the books of (pre-Islamic) poems: at the word of an illiterate (prophet) they were (put to) shame.
صد هزاران دفتر اشعار بود ** پیش حرف امیی آن عار بود
(Confronted) with such an all-conquering Lord, how should any one not die (to self), unless he be a vile wretch?530
با چنین غالب خداوندی کسی ** چون نمیرد گر نباشد او خسی
Many a mind (strong and firm) as a mountain did He uproot; the cunning bird He hung up by its two feet.
بس دل چون کوه را انگیخت او ** مرغ زیرک با دو پا آویخت او
To sharpen the intelligence and wits is not the (right) way: none but the broken (in spirit) wins the favour of the King.
فهم و خاطر تیز کردن نیست راه ** جز شکسته مینگیرد فضل شاه