’Tis the Justice of the Dispenser, ’tis an act of (just) dispensation: the wonder is this, that (in the Divine dispensation) there is neither compulsion nor injustice.
عدل قسامست و قسمت کردنیست ** این عجب که جبر نی و ظلم نیست
Were there compulsion, how would there be repentance? Were there injustice, how would there be protection?
جبر بودی کی پشیمانی بدی ** ظلم بودی کی نگهبانی بدی
The day is ended: the lesson will be to-morrow: how should the day (of this life) contain our mystery?1645
روز آخر شد سبق فردا بود ** راز ما را روز کی گنجا بود
O thou who hast put firm confidence in the breath (vain words) and flattery of a scoundrel,
ای بکرده اعتماد واثقی ** بر دم و بر چاپلوس فاسقی
Thou hast raised up a tent of bubbles: in the end (thou wilt find that) that tent has exceedingly weak ropes.
قبه‌ای بر ساختستی از حباب ** آخر آن خیمه‌ست بس واهی‌طناب
Hypocrisy is like lightning, and in its gleam the travellers cannot see the way.
زرق چون برقست و اندر نور آن ** راه نتوانند دیدن ره‌روان
This world and its people are good-for-nothing: both are unanimous in respect of (their) faithlessness.
این جهان و اهل او بی‌حاصل‌اند ** هر دو اندر بی‌وفایی یکدل‌اند
The son of the world (the worldling) is faithless like the world: though he turn the face towards thee, that face is (really) the nape (back).1650
زاده‌ی دنیا چو دنیا بی‌وفاست ** گرچه رو آرد به تو آن رو قفاست
The people of that (other) world, like that world, on account of (their) probity continue for ever in (observance of their) covenant and promise.
اهل آن عالم چو آن عالم ز بر ** تا ابد در عهد و پیمان مستمر
When, in sooth, did two prophets oppose each other? When did they wrest (their) evidential miracles (spiritual powers and privileges) from one another?
خود دو پیغمبر به هم کی ضد شدند ** معجزات از همدگر کی بستدند
How should the fruit of that world become stale? Intellectual joy does not turn into sorrows.
کی شود پژمرده میوه‌ی آن جهان ** شادی عقلی نگردد اندهان
The fleshly soul is unplighted (bound by no covenant); for that reason it ought to be killed: it is base, and base is the spot to which its desires are directed.
نفس بی‌عهدست زان رو کشتنیست ** او دنی و قبله‌گاه او دنیست
This assembly (the world) is well-adapted for fleshly souls: the grave and shroud are suitable to the dead.1655
نفسها را لایقست این انجمن ** مرده را درخور بود گور و کفن
Although the fleshly soul is sagacious and acute, its qibla (objective) is this world, (therefore) regard it as dead.
نفس اگر چه زیرکست و خرده‌دان ** قبله‌اش دنیاست او را مرده دان
(But when) the water of God's inspiration has reached this dead (soul), the living (soul) comes into view (rises) from the tomb of a corpse.
آب وحی حق بدین مرده رسید ** شد ز خاک مرده‌ای زنده پدید
Until inspiration comes, do not thou (meanwhile) be duped by that rouge (vanity) of “May his life be long!”
تا نیاید وحش تو غره مباش ** تو بدان گلگونه‌ی طال بقاش
Seek the applause and renown that does not die away, the splendour of the sun that does not sink.
بانگ و صیتی جو که آن خامل نشد ** تاب خورشیدی که آن آفل نشد
Those abstruse sciences and disputations are (like) the people of Pharaoh: Death is like the water of the Nile.1660
آن هنرهای دقیق و قال و قیل ** قوم فرعون‌اند اجل چون آب نیل
Although their brilliance and pomp and show and enchantment drag the people along by the scruff of the neck,
رونق و طاق و طرنب و سحرشان ** گرچه خلقان را کشد گردن کشان
Know that all (that) is (like) the enchantments of the magicians; know that Death is (like) the rod (of Moses) which became a dragon.
سحرهای ساحران دان جمله را ** مرگ چوبی دان که آن گشت اژدها
It made one mouthful of all (their) sorceries. There was a world filled with night: the dawn devoured it.
جادویها را همه یک لقمه کرد ** یک جهان پر شب بد آن را صبح خورد
The light is not made greater and more by that (act of) devouring; nay, it is just the same as it has (always) been before.
نور از آن خوردن نشد افزون و بیش ** بل همان سانست کو بودست پیش
It is increased in respect of the effect (which it has produced), but not in respect of its essence: the essence hath (suffers) no increase or diminution.1665
در اثر افزون شد و در ذات نی ** ذات را افزونی و آفات نی
God was not increased by (His) bringing the world into existence: that which He was not formerly He has not become now;
حق ز ایجاد جهان افزون نشد ** آنچ اول آن نبود اکنون نشد
But the effect (phenomenal being) was increased by (His) bringing created things into existence: there is (a great) difference between these two increases.
لیک افزون گشت اثر ز ایجاد خلق ** در میان این دو افزونیست فرق