Oh, marvellous! Shall He suffer defect through your burning, or shall He become full of sorrow for the pain of your burning?
ای عجب از سوزشت او کم شود ** یا ز درد سوزشت پر غم شود
His mercy is not the mercy of Adam, for sorrow is mingled with the mercy of Adam.
رحمتش نه رحمت آدم بود ** که مزاج رحم آدم غم بود
The mercy of the creature is anxious; the mercy of God is exempt from sorrow and anxiety.
رحمت مخلوق باشد غصهناک ** رحمت حق از غم و غصهست پاک
Know that the mercy of the Unconditioned (God) is like this, O father; naught but the effect thereof comes into the imagination (is conceivable to us).
رحمت بیچون چنین دان ای پدر ** ناید اندر وهم از وی جز اثر
The difference between knowing a thing by comparison and convention and knowing the quiddity of that thing.
فرق میان دانستن چیزی به مثال و تقلید و میان دانستن ماهیت آن چیز
The effects and fruit of His mercy are manifest, but how should any one except Him know its quiddity?3635
ظاهرست آثار و میوهی رحمتش ** لیک کی داند جز او ماهیتش
None knows the quiddities of the attributes of (Divine) Perfection except through (their) effects and by means of comparison.
هیچ ماهیات اوصاف کمال ** کس نداند جز بثار و مثال
The child does not know the quiddity of concubitus, except that you say, “It is like sweetmeat to thee.” [The child does not know the quiddity of sexual intercourse, except that you say, “it is like sweetmeat to thee.”]
طفل ماهیت نداند طمث را ** جز که گویی هست چون حلوا ترا
How should the quiddity of the pleasure of sexual intercourse be like the quiddities of sweetmeat, O master?
کی بود ماهیت ذوق جماع ** مثل ماهیات حلوا ای مطاع
But, since you are childish, that intelligent man offered you the analogy respecting the sweetness (of it),
لیک نسبت کرد از روی خوشی ** با تو آن عاقل چو تو کودکوشی
In order that the child might know it by comparison, though he does not know the quiddity or essence of the matter.3640
تا بداند کودک آن را از مثال ** گر نداند ماهیت یا عین حال
Therefore, if you say “I know,” ’tis not far (from the truth); and if you say, “I do not know,” ’tis not a lie and a falsehood.
پس اگر گویی بدانم دور نیست ** ور ندانم گفت کذب و زور نیست
If some one say (to you), “Do you know Noah, the Messenger of God and the Light of the spirit?”—
گر کسی گوید که دانی نوح را ** آن رسول حق و نور روح را
And if you reply, “How should not I know (him)? for that (spiritual) Moon is more celebrated than the sun and moon:
گر بگویی چون ندانم کان قمر ** هست از خورشید و مه مشهورتر
The little children at school and all the Imáms in the mosques
کودکان خرد در کتابها ** و آن امامان جمله در محرابها
Recite his name distinctly in the Qur’án and tell plainly his story (as it has come down) from the past”—3645
نام او خوانند در قرآن صریح ** قصهاش گویند از ماضی فصیح
You, veracious man, know him by way of description, though the quiddity of Noah has not been revealed (to you).
راستگو دانیش تو از روی وصف ** گرچه ماهیت نشد از نوح کشف
And if you reply, “How should I know Noah? (Only) one like him can know him, O youth.
ور بگویی من چه دانم نوح را ** همچو اویی داند او را ای فتی
I am a lame ant. How should I know the elephant? How should a gnat know Isráfíl?”—
مور لنگم من چه دانم فیل را ** پشهای کی داند اسرافیل را
This saying (answer) is also true in regard to the fact that you do not know him in his quiddity, O so-and-so.
این سخن هم راستست از روی آن ** که بماهیت ندانیش ای فلان
To be unable to perceive the quiddity, uncle, is the condition of common men: do not say it absolutely,3650
عجز از ادراک ماهیت عمو ** حالت عامه بود مطلق مگو
Inasmuch as quiddities and their inmost secret are clearly visible to the eyes of the Perfect.
زانک ماهیات و سر سر آن ** پیش چشم کاملان باشد عیان
Where in existence is (anything) more remote from understanding and mental perception than the consciousness and essence of God?
در وجود از سر حق و ذات او ** دورتر از فهم و استبصار کو
Since that does not remain hidden from (His) familiars, what is the essence and attribute that should remain concealed?
چونک آن مخفی نماند از محرمان ** ذات و وصفی چیست کان ماند نهان
The intellect of the scholastic theologian says, “This is far (from reasonable) and deeply involved (in error): do not listen to an absurdity without some explanation.”
عقل بحثی گوید این دورست و گو ** بی ز تاویل محالی کم شنو
The Qutb (the Head of the Saints) replies, “To thee, O infirm one, that which is above thy (spiritual) state seems absurd.”3655
قطب گوید مر ترا ای سستحال ** آنچ فوق حال تست آید محال