Do not grapple with Destiny, O fierce and furious one, lest Destiny also pick a quarrel with thee.910
با قضا پنجه مزن ای تند و تیز ** تا نگیرد هم قضا با تو ستیز
One must be dead in presence of the decree of God, so that no blow may come from the Lord of the daybreak.”
مرده باید بود پیش حکم حق ** تا نیاید زخم از رب الفلق
How the lion upheld the superiority of exertion and acquisition to trust in God and resignation.
ترجیح نهادن شیر جهد و اکتساب را بر توکل و تسلیم
“Yes,” he said; “(but) if trust in God is the (true) guide, (yet use of) the means too is the Prophet's rule (Sunna).
گفت آری گر توکل رهبر است ** این سبب هم سنت پیغمبر است
The Prophet said with a loud voice, ‘While trusting in God bind the knee of thy camel.’
گفت پیغمبر به آواز بلند ** با توکل زانوی اشتر ببند
Hearken to the signification of ‘The earner (worker) is beloved of God’: through trusting in God do not become neglectful as to the (ways and) means.”
رمز الکاسب حبیب الله شنو ** از توکل در سبب کاهل مشو
How the beasts preferred trust in God to exertion.
ترجیح نهادن نخجیران توکل را بر اجتهاد
The party (of beasts) answered him, saying, “Regard acquisition (work), arising from the infirmity of (God's) creatures, as a mouthful of deceit proportionate to the size of the gullet.915
قوم گفتندش که کسب از ضعف خلق ** لقمهی تزویر دان بر قدر حلق
There is no work better than trust in God: what, indeed, is dearer (to God) than resignation?
نیست کسبی از توکل خوبتر ** چیست از تسلیم خود محبوبتر
Often do they flee from affliction (only) to (fall into) affliction; often do they recoil from the snake (only) to (meet with) the dragon.
بس گریزند از بلا سوی بلا ** بس جهند از مار سوی اژدها
Man devised (something), and his device was a snare (wherein he was trapped): that which he thought to be life was (actually) the drainer of his blood (his destroyer).
حیله کرد انسان و حیلهش دام بود ** آن که جان پنداشت خون آشام بود
He locked the door while the foe was in the house: the plot of Pharaoh was a story of this sort.
در ببست و دشمن اندر خانه بود ** حیلهی فرعون زین افسانه بود
That vengeful man slew hundreds of thousands of babes, while the one he was searching after was in his (Pharaoh's) house.920
صد هزاران طفل کشت آن کینه کش ** و آن که او میجست اندر خانهاش
Since in our eyesight (foresight) there is much defect, go, let your own sight pass away (faná) in the sight of the Friend (God).
دیدهی ما چون بسی علت در اوست ** رو فنا کن دید خود در دید دوست
His sight for ours—what a goodly recompense! In His sight you will find the whole object of your desire.
دید ما را دید او نعم العوض ** یابی اندر دید او کل غرض
So long as the child could neither grasp (exert strength) nor run, he had nothing to ride on but his father's neck;
طفل تا گیرا و تا پویا نبود ** مرکبش جز گردن بابا نبود
When he became a busybody and plied hand and foot (exerted himself), he fell into trouble and wretchedness.
چون فضولی گشت و دست و پا نمود ** در عنا افتاد و در کور و کبود
The spirits of created beings, before (the creation of) hand and foot, by reason of their faithfulness were flying in (the realm of) purity;925
جانهای خلق پیش از دست و پا ** میپریدند از وفا اندر صفا
When they were constrained by the (Divine) command, Get ye down, they became engaoled in anger and covetousness and contentment.
چون به امر اهبطوا بندی شدند ** حبس خشم و حرص و خرسندی شدند
We are the family of the Lord and craving after milk (like infants): he (the Prophet) said, ‘The people are God's family.’
ما عیال حضرتیم و شیر خواه ** گفت الخلق عیال للإله
He who gives rain from heaven is also able, from His mercy, to give us bread.”
آن که او از آسمان باران دهد ** هم تواند کاو ز رحمت نان دهد
How the lion pronounced exertion to be superior to trust in God.
باز ترجیحنهادن شیر جهد را بر توکل
“Yes,” said the lion; “but the Lord of His servants set a ladder before our feet.
گفت شیر آری ولی رب العباد ** نردبانی پیش پای ما نهاد
Step by step must we climb towards the roof: to be a necessitarian here is (to indulge in) foolish hopes.930
پایه پایه رفت باید سوی بام ** هست جبری بودن اینجا طمع خام
You have feet: why do you make yourself out to be lame? you have hands: why do you conceal the fingers (whereby you grasp)?
پای داری چون کنی خود را تو لنگ ** دست داری چون کنی پنهان تو چنگ
When the master put a spade in the slave's hand, his object was made known to him (the slave) without (a word falling from his) tongue.
خواجه چون بیلی به دست بنده داد ** بیزبان معلوم شد او را مراد
Hand and spade alike are His (God's) implicit signs; (our powers of) thinking upon the end are His explicit declarations.
دست همچون بیل اشارتهای اوست ** آخر اندیشی عبارتهای اوست
When you take His signs to heart, you will devote your life to fulfilling that indication (of His will).
چون اشارتهاش را بر جان نهی ** در وفای آن اشارت جان دهی