I was (on the point of) dragging my adversary along, (when) you let him escape, saying (to me), ‘Here are (his) traces.’”2810
خصم خود را میکشیدم من کشان ** تو رهانیدی و را کاینک نشان
You speak of (external) relations, (but) I transcend (all) relations. In union (with God) where are signs or evidences?
تو جهت گو من برونم از جهات ** در وصال آیات کو یا بینات
The man that is debarred (from the Essence) sees the (Divine) action (as proceeding) from the Attributes: he that has lost the Essence is in (confined to) the Attributes.
صنع بیند مرد محجوب از صفات ** در صفات آن است کاو گم کرد ذات
Inasmuch as those united (with God) are absorbed in the Essence, O son, how should they look upon His Attributes?
واصلان چون غرق ذاتند ای پسر ** کی کنند اندر صفات او نظر
When your head is at the bottom of the river, how will your eye fall on the colour of the water?
چون که اندر قعر جو باشد سرت ** کی به رنگ آب افتد منظرت
And if you come back from the bottom to the colour of the water, then you have received a coarse woollen garment and given (fine) fur (in exchange).2815
ور به رنگ آب باز آیی ز قعر ** پس پلاسی بستدی دادی تو شعر
The piety of the vulgar is sin in the elect; the unitive state of the vulgar is a veil in the elect.
طاعت عامه گناه خاصگان ** وصلت عامه حجاب خاص دان
If the king make a vizier a police inspector, the king is his enemy, he is not his friend.
مر وزیری را کند شه محتسب ** شه عدوی او بود نبود محب
Also, that vizier will have committed some offence: necessarily change (for the worse) is not (does not occur) without cause.
هم گناهی کرده باشد آن وزیر ** بیسبب نبود تغیر ناگزیر
He that has been a police inspector from the first—to him that (office) has been fortune and livelihood from the beginning;
آن که ز اول محتسب بد خود و را ** بخت و روزی آن بده ست از ابتدا
But he that was first the king's vizier—evil-doing is the cause of making him a police inspector.2820
لیک آن کاول وزیر شه بده ست ** محتسب کردن سبب فعل بد است
When the King has called you from the threshold into His presence, and again has driven you back to the threshold,
چون ترا شه ز آستانه پیش خواند ** باز سوی آستانه باز راند
Know for sure that you have committed a sin and in folly have brought forward (pleaded) compulsion (as the cause),
تو یقین میدان که جرمی کردهای ** جبر را از جهل پیش آوردهای
Saying, “This was my (predestined) portion and lot.” (But) then, why was that good luck in your hands yesterday?
که مرا روزی و قسمت این بده ست ** پس چرا دی بودت آن دولت به دست
Through folly you yourself have cut off your lot. The worthy man augments his lot.
قسمت خود خود بریدی تو ز جهل ** قسمت خود را فزاید مرد اهل
The story of the Hypocrites and their building the Mosque of Opposition.
قصهی منافقان و مسجد ضرار ساختن ایشان
It is fit if you will hearken to another parable concerning perversity (taken) from the narrative in the Qur’án.2825
یک مثال دیگر اندر کژروی ** شاید ار از نقل قرآن بشنوی
The Hypocrites played against the Prophet (just) such a crooked game at odd and even (as was played by Iblís against Mu‘áwiya),
این چنین کژ بازیی در جفت و طاق ** با نبی میباختند اهل نفاق
Saying, “Let us build a mosque for the glory of the Mohammedan religion”; and that was (really) apostasy (on their part).
کز برای عز دین احمدی ** مسجدی سازیم و بود آن مرتدی
Such a crooked game were they playing: they built a mosque other than his mosque.
این چنین کژ بازیی میباختند ** مسجدی جز مسجد او ساختند
They constructed (well) its floor and roof and dome, but they desired to disunite the (Moslem) community.
فرش و سقف و قبهاش آراسته ** لیک تفریق جماعت خواسته
They came to the Prophet with (guileful) entreaty: they knelt as camels before him,2830
نزد پیغمبر به لابه آمدند ** همچو اشتر پیش او زانو زدند
Saying, “O Messenger of God, wilt thou for kindness' sake give thyself the trouble (to walk) to that mosque,
کای رسول حق برای محسنی ** سوی آن مسجد قدم رنجه کنی
To the end that it may be made blessed by thy approach— may thy days flourish until the Resurrection!
تا مبارک گردد از اقدام تو ** تا قیامت تازه باد ایام تو
It is a mosque for muddy and cloudy days, a mosque for days of sore distress in times of poverty,
مسجد روز گل است و روز ابر ** مسجد روز ضرورت وقت فقر
That a (poor) stranger may get charity and room (to shelter) there, and that this house of service may be frequented,
تا غریبی یابد آن جا خیر و جا ** تا فراوان گردد این خدمتسرا