- 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
- So that the rites of the Religion may be multiplied and abound; because a bitter plight is sweetened (by being shared) with friends. 2835
- تا شعار دین شود بسیار و پر ** ز انکه با یاران شود خوش کار مر
- Honour that place (by thy presence) for a short while: declare us to be sincere, and give a good account of us.
- ساعتی آن جایگه تشریف ده ** تزکیهی ما کن ز ما تعریف ده
- Show favour to the mosque and its founders. Thou art the moon, we are the night: comply with us for a moment,
- مسجد و اصحاب مسجد را نواز ** تو مهی ما شب دمی با ما بساز
- In order that by thy beauty night may be made like day, O thou whose beauty is a soul-illumining sun.”
- تا شود شب از جمالت همچو روز ** ای جمالت آفتاب جان فروز
- Alas! would that those words had been from the heart, so that the desire of those folk might have been accomplished!
- ای دریغا کان سخن از دل بدی ** تا مراد آن نفر حاصل شدی
- Courtesy that comes to the tongue without (sincerity of) heart and soul is like herbs on the ash-heap, O friends. 2840
- لطف کاید بیدل و جان در زبان ** همچو سبزهی تون بود ای دوستان