Before Omnipotence all the people of the (Divine) court of audience (the world) are as helpless as the (embroiderer's) fabric before the needle.
پیش قدرت خلق جمله بارگه ** عاجزان چون پیش سوزن کارگه
Now He makes the picture thereon (one of) the Devil, now (of) Adam; now He makes the picture thereon (one of) joy, now (one of) grief.
گاه نقشش دیو و گه آدم کند ** گاه نقشش شادی و گه غم کند
There is no power (to any one) that he should move a hand in defence; no (right of) speech, that he should utter a word concerning injury or benefit.
دست نه تا دست جنباند به دفع ** نطق نه تا دم زند در ضر و نفع
Recite from the Qur’án the interpretation of (i.e. a text which interprets) the (preceding) verse: God said, Thou didst not throw when thou threwest.615
تو ز قرآن باز خوان تفسیر بیت ** گفت ایزد ما رميت إذ رمیت
If we let fly an arrow, that (action) is not from us: we are (only) the bow, and the shooter of the arrow is God.
گر بپرانیم تیر آن نه ز ماست ** ما کمان و تیر اندازش خداست
This is not jabr (compulsion); it is the meaning of jabbárí (almightiness): the mention of almightiness is for the sake of (inspiring us with) humility.
این نه جبر این معنی جباری است ** ذکر جباری برای زاری است
Our humility is evidence of necessity, (but) our sense of guilt is evidence of freewill.
زاری ما شد دلیل اضطرار ** خجلت ما شد دلیل اختیار
If there were not freewill, what is this shame? And what is this sorrow and guilty confusion and abashment?
گر نبودی اختیار این شرم چیست ** وین دریغ و خجلت و آزرم چیست
Why is there chiding between pupils and masters? Why is the mind changing (so as to depart) from plans (already formed)?620
زجر استادان و شاگردان چراست ** خاطر از تدبیرها گردان چراست
And if you say that he (the assertor of free-will) takes no heed of the (Divine) compulsion, (and that) God's moon (majesty) hides its face (from him) in the cloud (of his own blindness),
ور تو گویی غافل است از جبر او ** ماه حق پنهان کند در ابر رو
There is a good answer to this; if you hearken, you will relinquish unbelief and incline towards the (true) religion.
هست این را خوش جواب ار بشنوی ** بگذری از کفر و در دین بگروی
Remorse and humility occur at the time of illness: the time of illness is wholly wakefulness (of conscience).
حسرت و زاری گه بیماری است ** وقت بیماری همه بیداری است
At the time when you are becoming ill, you pray God to forgive your trespass;
آن زمان که میشوی بیمار تو ** میکنی از جرم استغفار تو
The foulness of your sin is shown to you, you resolve to come back to the (right) way;625
مینماید بر تو زشتی گنه ** میکنی نیت که باز آیم به ره
You make promises and vows that henceforth your chosen course (of action) will be nothing but obedience (to God):
عهد و پیمان میکنی که بعد از این ** جز که طاعت نبودم کار گزین
Therefore it has become certain that illness gives to you conscience and wakefulness.
پس یقین گشت این که بیماری ترا ** میببخشد هوش و بیداری ترا
Note, then, this principle, O thou that seekest the principle; every one who suffers pain has caught the scent (thereof):
پس بدان این اصل را ای اصل جو ** هر که را درد است او برده ست بو
The more wakeful any one is, the more full of suffering he is; the more aware (of God) he is, the paler he is in countenance.
هر که او بیدارتر پر دردتر ** هر که او آگاهتر رخ زردتر
If you are aware of His jabr (compulsion), where is your humility? Where is your feeling of (being loaded with) the chain of His jabbárí (almightiness)?630
گر ز جبرش آگهی زاریت کو ** بینش زنجیر جباریت کو
How should one make merry who is bound in chains? When does the captive in prison behave like the man who is free?
بسته در زنجیر چون شادی کند ** کی اسیر حبس آزادی کند
And if you consider that your foot is shackled (and that) the king's officers are sitting (as custodians) over you,
ور تو میبینی که پایت بستهاند ** بر تو سرهنگان شه بنشستهاند
Then do not act like an officer (tyrannously) towards the helpless, inasmuch as that is not the nature and habit of a helpless man.
پس تو سرهنگی مکن با عاجزان ** ز آن که نبود طبع و خوی عاجز آن
Since you do not feel His compulsion, do not say (that you are compelled); and if you feel it, where is the sign of your feeling?
چون تو جبر او نمیبینی مگو ** ور همیبینی نشان دید کو
In every act for which you have inclination, you are clearly conscious of your power (to perform it),635
در هر آن کاری که میل استت بدان ** قدرت خود را همیبینی عیان
(But) in the act for which you have no inclination and desire, you make yourself a necessitarian, saying, “This is from God.”
و اندر آن کاری که میلت نیست ** و خواست خویش را جبری کنی کاین از خداست