- At this time thou art the vicegerent of God: it will be despair (for me) if thou prevent me.” 3275
- این زمان قایم مقام حق توی ** یاس باشد گر مرا مانع شوی
- Moses said, “O Lord, surely the stoned (accursed) Devil has subdued this simple man.
- گفت موسی یا رب این مرد سلیم ** سخره کردستش مگر دیو رجیم
- If I teach him, it will be harmful to him; and if I do not teach him, he will become faint-hearted.”
- گر بیاموزم زیانکارش بود ** ور نیاموزم دلش بد میشود
- He (God) said, “Teach him, O Moses, for We in our loving-kindness never have rejected (any one's) prayer.”
- گفت ای موسی بیاموزش که ما ** رد نکردیم از کرم هرگز دعا
- He (Moses) said, “O Lord, he will feel repentance and gnaw his hands and rend his garments.
- گفت یا رب او پشیمانی خورد ** دست خاید جامهها را بر درد
- Power is not suitable to every one: weakness is the best stock-in-trade for the devout.” 3280
- نیست قدرت هر کسی را سازوار ** عجز بهتر مایهی پرهیزکار
- For this reason poverty is everlasting glory, since the hand that cannot reach (to objects of desire) is left with fear of God (and nothing else).
- فقر ازین رو فخر آمد جاودان ** که به تقوی ماند دست نارسان
- Riches and the rich are spurned (by God) because acts of self-denial are relinquished by power.
- زان غنا و زان غنی مردود شد ** که ز قدرت صبرها بدرود شد
- Weakness and poverty are security for a man against the tribulation of the covetous and anxious (fleshly) soul.
- آدمی را عجز و فقر آمد امان ** از بلای نفس پر حرص و غمان
- That anxiety arises from the wanton desires to which that (man who falls a) prey to the ghoul has become habituated.
- آن غم آمد ز آرزوهای فضول ** که بدان خو کرده است آن صید غول
- The eater of clay has a desire for clay: rose-flavoured sugar is indigestible for that wretched man. 3285
- آرزوی گل بود گلخواره را ** گلشکر نگوارد آن بیچاره را
- How Revelation came from God most High to Moses that he should teach him the thing demanded by him, or part of it.
- وحی آمدن از حق تعالی به موسی کی بیاموزش چیزی کی استدعا کند یا بعضی از آن
- God said, “Do thou grant his need: let him have a free hand to choose (good or evil).”
- گفت یزدان تو بده بایست او ** برگشا در اختیار آن دست او
- Choice (free-will) is the salt of devotion; otherwise (there would be no merit): this celestial sphere revolves involuntarily;
- اختیار آمد عبادت را نمک ** ورنه میگردد بناخواه این فلک
- (Hence) its revolution has neither reward nor punishment, for free-will is (accounted) a merit at the time of the Reckoning.
- گردش او را نه اجر و نه عقاب ** که اختیار آمد هنر وقت حساب
- All created beings indeed are glorifiers (of God), (but) that compulsory glorification is not wage-earning.
- جمله عالم خود مسبح آمدند ** نیست آن تسبیح جبری مزدمند
- “Put a sword in his hand, pull him away from weakness (incapacity to choose), so that he may become (either) a holy warrior or a brigand, 3290
- تیغ در دستش نه از عجزش بکن ** تا که غازی گردد او یا راهزن
- Because We have honoured Man by (the gift of) free-will: half (of him) is honeybee, half is snake.”
- زانک کرمنا شد آدم ز اختیار ** نیم زنبور عسل شد نیم مار
- The true believers are a store of honey, like the bee; the infidels, in sooth, are a store of poison, like the snake,
- مومنان کان عسل زنبوروار ** کافران خود کان زهری همچو مار
- Because the true believer ate choice herbs, so that, like a bee, his spittle became (a means of giving) life;
- زانک مومن خورد بگزیده نبات ** تا چو نحلی گشت ریق او حیات
- (While), again, the infidel drank sherbet of filthy water: accordingly from his nourishment poison appeared in him.
- باز کافر خورد شربت از صدید ** هم ز قوتش زهر شد در وی پدید
- Those inspired by God are the fountain of life; those allured by the enticements of sensuality are the poison of death. 3295
- اهل الهام خدا عین الحیات ** اهل تسویل هوا سم الممات
- In the world this praise and “well done!” and “bravo!” are (bestowed) in virtue of free-will and watchful attention.
- در جهان این مدح و شاباش و زهی ** ز اختیارست و حفاظ آگهی
- All profligates, when they are in prison, become devout and ascetic and invokers of God.
- جمله رندان چونک در زندان بوند ** متقی و زاهد و حقخوان شوند
- When the power (to act freely) is gone, the work becomes unsaleable (worthless). Take heed lest Doom seize the capital (which thou hast).
- چونک قدرت رفت کاسد شد عمل ** هین که تا سرمایه نستاند اجل
- The power (of free action) is thy profit-earning capital. Hark, watch over the moment of power and observe (it well)!
- قدرتت سرمایهی سودست هین ** وقت قدرت را نگه دار و ببین