- Had he seen the workshop of the Everlasting (God), he would have ceased to move hand or foot in plotting. 770
- گر بدیدی کارگاه لا یزال ** دست و پایش خشک گشتی ز احتیال
- Moses (lay) safe within his (Pharaoh's) house, while outside he was killing the infants in vain,
- اندرون خانهاش موسی معاف ** و ز برون میکشت طفلان را گزاف
- Even as the sensual man who pampers his body and suspects some one else of a bitter hatred (against him),
- همچو صاحب نفس کاو تن پرورد ** بر دگر کس ظن حقدی میبرد
- Saying, “This one is a foe, and that one is envious and an enemy,” (though) in truth his envier and enemy is that body (of his).
- کاین عدو و آن حسود و دشمن است ** خود حسود و دشمن او آن تن است
- He is like Moses, and his body is his Pharaoh: he keeps running (to and fro) outside, asking, “Where is my enemy?”
- او چو موسی و تنش فرعون او ** او به بیرون میدود که کو عدو
- His fleshly soul (is) luxuriating in the house, which is his body, (while) he gnaws his hand in rancour against some one else. 775
- نفسش اندر خانهی تن نازنین ** بر دگر کس دست میخاید به کین
- How men blamed a person who killed his mother because he suspected her (of adultery).
- ملامت کردن مردم شخصی را که مادرش را کشت به تهمت
- A certain man killed his mother in wrath, with blows of a dagger and also with blows of his fist.
- آن یکی از خشم مادر را بکشت ** هم به زخم خنجر و هم زخم مشت
- Some one said to him, “From evil nature you have not borne in mind what is due to motherhood.
- آن یکی گفتش که از بد گوهری ** یاد ناوردی تو حق مادری
- Hey, tell (me) why you killed your mother. What did she do? Pray, tell (me), O foul villain!”
- هی تو مادر را چرا کشتی بگو ** او چه کرد آخر بگو ای زشت خو
- He said, “She did a deed that is a disgrace to her; I killed her because that earth (her grave) is her coverer (hides her shame).”
- گفت کاری کرد کان عار وی است ** کشتمش کان خاک ستار وی است
- The other said, “O honoured sir, kill that one (who was her partner in guilt).” “Then,” he replied, “I should kill a man every day. 780
- گفت آن کس را بکش ای محتشم ** گفت پس هر روز مردی را کشم
- I killed her, I was saved from shedding the blood of a multitude: ’tis better that I cut her throat than the throats of (so many) people.”
- کشتم او را رستم از خونهای خلق ** نای او برم به است از نای خلق
- That mother of bad character, whose wickedness is in every quarter, is your fleshly soul.
- نفس تست آن مادر بد خاصیت ** که فساد اوست در هر ناحیت
- Come, kill it, for on account of that vile (creature) you are every moment assailing one who is venerable.
- هین بکش او را که بهر آن دنی ** هر دمی قصد عزیزی میکنی
- Through it this fair world is narrow (distressful) to you, for its sake (you are at) war with God and man.
- از وی این دنیای خوش بر تست تنگ ** از پی او با حق و با خلق جنگ
- (If) you have killed the fleshly soul, you are delivered from (the necessity of) excusing yourself: nobody in the world remains your enemy. 785
- نفس کشتی باز رستی ز اعتذار ** کس ترا دشمن نماند در دیار
- If any one should raise a difficulty about my words in regard to the prophets and saints,
- گر شکال آرد کسی بر گفت ما ** از برای انبیا و اولیا
- (And should say), “Had not the prophets a killed (mortified) fleshly soul? Why, then, had they enemies and enviers?”—
- کانبیا را نه که نفس کشته بود ** پس چراشان دشمنان بود و حسود
- Give ear, O seeker of truth, and hear the answer to this difficulty and doubt.
- گوش کن تو ای طلبکار صواب ** بشنو این اشکال و شبهت را جواب
- Those unbelievers were (really) enemies to themselves: they were striking at themselves such blows (as they struck).
- دشمن خود بودهاند آن منکران ** زخم بر خود میزدند ایشان چنان
- An enemy is one who attempts (another's) life; he that is himself destroying his own life is not an enemy (to others). 790
- دشمن آن باشد که قصد جان کند ** دشمن آن نبود که خود جان میکند
- The little bat is not an enemy to the sun: it is an enemy to itself in the veil (of its own blindness).
- نیست خفاشک عدوی آفتاب ** او عدوی خویش آمد در حجاب
- The glow of the sun kills it; how should the sun ever suffer annoyance from it?
- تابش خورشید او را میکشد ** رنج او خورشید هرگز کی کشد
- An enemy is one from whom torment proceeds, (one who) hinders the ruby from (receiving the rays of) the sun.
- دشمن آن باشد کز او آید عذاب ** مانع آید لعل را از آفتاب
- All the infidels hinder themselves from (receiving) the rays of the prophets' (spiritual) jewel.
- مانع خویشند جملهی کافران ** از شعاع جوهر پیغمبران