Land, through sowing, is turned into ears of corn; remedies for the hair turn the hair into chains (make it long and curly).950
از زراعت خاکها شد سنبله ** داروی مو کرد مو را سلسله
Conjugal intercourse was the accident; it passed away, and the substance, (which is) the child, was produced from us.
آن نکاح زن عرض بد شد فنا ** جوهر فرزند حاصل شد ز ما
The mating of horse or camel is the accident; the object is the birth of the colt, (which is) the substance.
جفت کردن اسب و اشتر را عرض ** جوهر کره بزاییدن غرض
Similarly, the planting of the garden is the accident; the produce (of the garden) became the substance: take ( it and) behold the object!
هست آن بستان نشاندن هم عرض ** گشت جوهر کشت بستان نک غرض
Regard, also, the practice of alchemy as the accident; if a substance is produced by that alchemy, bring (it into view).
هم عرض دان کیمیا بردن بکار ** جوهری ز آن کیمیا گر شد بیار
Burnishing is the accident, O prince; from this accident is born the substance, purity.955
صیقلی کردن عرض باشد شها ** زین عرض جوهر همیزاید صفا
Do not say, then, ‘I have done deeds’; show the income (fruit) of those accidents, do not evade (my request).
پس مگو که من عملها کردهام ** دخل آن اعراض را بنما مرم
This attribution of qualities is (only) an accident. Be silent: do not kill for sacrifice the goat's shadow!”
این صفت کردن عرض باشد خمش ** سایهی بز را پی قربان مکش
The slave said, “O King, the mind cannot but despair if you say that accidents are not carried over.
گفت شاها بیقنوط عقل نیست ** گر تو فرمایی عرض را نقل نیست
O King, there is nothing but despair for the servant (of God), if the accident that has gone is not coming back.
پادشاها جز که یاس بنده نیست ** گر عرض کان رفت باز آینده نیست
If there were no carrying over and resurrection of accidents, action would be vain and words (mere) babble.960
گر نبودی مر عرض را نقل و حشر ** فعل بودی باطل و اقوال فشر
These accidents are carried over in another guise: the resurrection of everything mortal is another (mode of) existence.
این عرضها نقل شد لونی دگر ** حشر هر فانی بود کونی دگر
The carrying over of everything is just as befits it: what befits the herd is its drover.
نقل هر چیزی بود هم لایقش ** لایق گله بود هم سایقش
At the time of the Resurrection every accident has a (particular) form, and the form of every accident has a turn (of appearing before God).
وقت محشر هر عرض را صورتی است ** صورت هر یک عرض را نوبتی است
Look on thyself. Wert not thou an accident—the movement of copulation, and copulation with a purpose?
بنگر اندر خود نه تو بودی عرض ** جنبش جفتی و جفتی با غرض
Look on houses and edifices: they were as tales in the (mind of) the architect.965
بنگر اندر خانه و کاشانهها ** در مهندس بود چون افسانهها
Such-and-such a house, which seemed to us beautiful, of which the hall, roof, and door were well-proportioned—
آن فلان خانه که ما دیدیم خوش ** بود موزون صفه و سقف و درش
(’Twas) the accident (design) and ideas (proceeding) from the architect (that) brought the tools (into existence) and the pillars (which come) from the forests.
از مهندس آن عرض و اندیشهها ** آلت آورد و ستون از بیشهها
What but some fancy and accident and idea is the origin and source of every handicraft?
چیست اصل و مایهی هر پیشهای ** جز خیال و جز عرض و اندیشهای
Look disinterestedly on all the (various) parts of the world: they are not the result of (anything) except accident.
جمله اجزای جهان را بیغرض ** درنگر حاصل نشد جز از عرض
The beginning, which is thought, comes to an end in action; know that in such wise was the construction of the world in eternity.970
اول فکر آخر آمد در عمل ** بنیت عالم چنان دان در ازل
The fruits are first in the mind's thought, (but only) at the last do they become manifest actually:
میوهها در فکر دل اول بود ** در عمل ظاهر به آخر میشود
When you have done work (and) planted the tree—at the end (when the fruit appears) you read the first words.
چون عمل کردی شجر بنشاندی ** اندر آخر حرف اول خواندی
Although its boughs, leaves, and roots are first, (yet) all those are sent for the sake of the fruit.
گر چه شاخ و برگ و بیخش اول است ** آن همه از بهر میوه مرسل است
Hence that hidden Thought which was the brain (core) of those (nine) heavens was in the end the lord of lawlák.
پس سری که مغز آن افلاک بود ** اندر آخر خواجهی لولاک بود