He became beside himself for a while on account of its sourness; after that, he said to him, “O (you who are) soul and world,1520
ساعتی بیخود شد از تلخی آن ** بعد از آن گفتش که ای جان و جهان
How did you make all this poison an antidote? How did you deem this cruelty to be kindness?
نوش چون کردی تو چندین زهر را ** لطف چون انگاشتی این قهر را
What patience is this? For what reason is this great fortitude? Or, perchance, in your opinion this life of yours is an enemy (which you would fain destroy).
این چه صبر است این صبوری از چه روست ** یا مگر پیش تو این جانت عدوست
Why did not you cunningly bring (forward) a plea, saying, ‘I have an excuse (for declining to eat): desist for a while’.”
چون نیاوردی به حیلت حجتی ** که مرا عذری است بس کن ساعتی
Luqmán said, “From thy munificent hand I have eaten so much that I am (bent) double with shame.
گفت من از دست نعمت بخش تو ** خوردهام چندان که از شرمم دو تو
I was ashamed not to eat one bitter thing from thy hand, O thou who art possessed of knowledge.1525
شرمم آمد که یکی تلخ از کفت ** من ننوشم ای تو صاحب معرفت
Since all parts of me have grown from thy bounty and are plunged in thy bait and snare—
چون همه اجزام از انعام تو ** رستهاند و غرق دانه و دام تو
If I make outcry and complaint because of one bitter thing, may the dust of a hundred roads be on (all) parts of me!
گر ز یک تلخی کنم فریاد و داد ** خاک صد ره بر سر اجزام باد
It (the melon) had the enjoyment of thy sugar-bestowing hand: how could it (such enjoyment) leave any bitterness in this melon?”
لذت دست شکر بخشت بداشت ** اندر این بطیخ تلخی کی گذاشت
By love bitter things become sweet; by love pieces of copper become golden;
از محبت تلخها شیرین شود ** از محبت مسها زرین شود
By love dregs become clear; by love pains become healing;1530
از محبت دردها صافی شود ** از محبت دردها شافی شود
By love the dead is made living; by love the king is made a slave.
از محبت مرده زنده میکنند ** از محبت شاه بنده میکنند
This love, moreover, is the result of knowledge: who (ever) sat in foolishness on such a throne?
این محبت هم نتیجهی دانش است ** کی گزافه بر چنین تختی نشست
On what occasion did deficient knowledge give birth to this love? Deficient (knowledge) gives birth to love, but (only love) for that which is (really) lifeless.
دانش ناقص کجا این عشق زاد ** عشق زاید ناقص اما بر جماد
When it sees in a lifeless being the colour (appearance) of a desired one, (’tis as though) it heard the voice of a beloved in a whistle.
بر جمادی رنگ مطلوبی چو دید ** از صفیری بانگ محبوبی شنید
Deficient knowledge cannot discriminate: of necessity it deems the lightning to be the sun.1535
دانش ناقص نداند فرق را ** لاجرم خورشید داند برق را
When the Prophet called the “deficient” (man) accursed, (his meaning) as interpreted was “deficiency of mind,”
چون که ملعون خواند ناقص را رسول ** بود در تاویل نقصان عقول
Because one whose body is deficient is the object of (Divine) mercy: cursing and repulse (directed) against the object of (Divine) mercy are improper.
ز انکه ناقص تن بود مرحوم رحم ** نیست بر مرحوم لایق لعن و زخم
’Tis deficiency of mind that is the bad disease: it is the cause of (God's) curse and merits banishment (from His presence),
نقص عقل است آن که بد رنجوری است ** موجب لعنت سزای دوری است
Forasmuch as the perfecting of minds is not remote (impossible), but the perfecting of the body is not within our power.
ز انکه تکمیل خردها دور نیست ** لیک تکمیل بدن مقدور نیست
The miscreance and Pharaoh-like pride of every infidel who is far (from God) have all been produced by deficiency of mind.1540
کفر و فرعونی هر گبر بعید ** جمله از نقصان عقل آمد پدید
Relief for bodily deficiency has come in the (words of the) Qur’án—it is no crime in the blind man.
بهر نقصان بدن آمد فرج ** در نبی که ما علی الاعمی حرج
Lightning is transient and very faithless: without clearness (of mind) you will not know the transient from the permanent.
برق آفل باشد و بس بیوفا ** آفل از باقی ندانی بیصفا
The lightning laughs: say, at whom is it laughing? At him that sets his heart upon its light.
برق خندد بر که میخندد بگو ** بر کسی که دل نهد بر نور او
The lights of the sky are hamstrung (feeble and imperfect): how are they like (that Light which is) neither of the east nor of the west?
نورهای چرخ ببریده پی است ** آن چو لا شرقی و لا غربی کی است