Were it not for the reflexion (effect) of snow-weaving (chilling) ignorance, that Mount Qáf would be consumed by the fire of longing.
گر نبودی عکس جهل برفباف ** سوختی از نار شوق آن کوه قاف
The Fire (of Hell) in sooth is (only) an atom of God's wrath; it is (only) a whip to threaten the base.
آتش از قهر خدا خود ذرهایست ** بهر تهدید لیمان درهایست
Notwithstanding such a wrath, which is mighty and surpassing all, observe that the coolness of His clemency is prior to it.
با چنین قهری که زفت و فایق است ** برد لطفش بین که بر وی سابق است
(’Tis) a spiritual priority, unqualified and unconditioned. Have you seen the prior and the posterior without duality (have you seen them to be one)?
سبق بیچون و چگونهی معنوی ** سابق و مسبوق دیدی بیدوی
If you have not seen them (as one), that is because of feeble understanding; for the minds of God's creatures are (but) a single grain of that mine.3745
گر ندیدی آن بود از فهم پست ** که عقول خلق زان کان یک جوست
Lay the blame on yourself, not on the evidences of the (true) Religion: how should the bird of clay reach the sky of the (true) Religion?
عیب بر خود نه نه بر آیات دین ** کی رسد بر چرخ دین مرغ گلین
The bird's lofty soaring-place is (only) the air, since its origin is from lust and sensuality.
مرغ را جولانگه عالی هواست ** زانک نشو او ز شهوت وز هواست
Therefore be dumbfounded without nay or yea, in order that a litter may come from (the Divine) Mercy to carry you.
پس تو حیران باش بیلا و بلی ** تا ز رحمت پیشت آید محملی
Forasmuch as you are too dull to apprehend these wonders (of God), if you say “yea” you will be prevaricating;
چون ز فهم این عجایب کودنی ** گر بلی گویی تکلف میکنی
And if you say “nay,” the “nay” will behead (undo) you: on account of that “nay” (the Divine) Wrath will shut your (spiritual) window.3750
ور بگویی نی زند نی گردنت ** قهر بر بندد بدان نی روزنت
Be, then, only dumbfounded and distraught, nothing else, that God's aid may come in from before and behind.
پس همین حیران و واله باش و بس ** تا درآید نصر حق از پیش و پس
When you have become dumbfounded and crazed and naughted, you have said with mute eloquence, “Lead us.”
چونک حیران گشتی و گیج و فنا ** با زبان حال گفتی اهدنا
It (the wrath of God) is mighty, mighty; but when you begin to tremble, that mighty (wrath) becomes assuaged and equable,
زفت زفتست و چو لرزان میشوی ** میشود آن زفت نرم و مستوی
Because the mighty shape is for (terrifying) the unbeliever; when you have become helpless, it is mercy and kindness.
زانک شکل زفت بهر منکرست ** چونک عاجز آمدی لطف و برست
How Gabriel, on whom be peace, showed himself to Mustafá (Mohammed), God bless and save him, in his own shape; and how, when one of his seven hundred wings became visible, it covered the horizon (on all sides), and the sun with all its radiance was veiled over.
نمودن جبرئیل علیهالسلام خود را به مصطفی صلیالله علیه و سلم به صورت خویش و از هفتصد پر او چون یک پر ظاهر شد افق را بگرفت و آفتاب محجوب شد با همه شعاعش
Mustafá said in the presence of Gabriel, “Even as thy shape (really) is, O friend,3755
مصطفی میگفت پیش جبرئیل ** که چنانک صورت تست ای خلیل
Show it to me sensibly and visibly, that I may behold thee as spectators (who fix their eyes on an object of interest).”
مر مرا بنما تو محسوس آشکار ** تا ببینم مر ترا نظارهوار
He replied, “Thou canst not (bear this) and hast not the power to endure it; the sense (of sight) is weak and frail: ’twould be grievous for thee (to behold me).”
گفت نتوانی و طاقت نبودت ** حس ضعیفست و تنک سخت آیدت
“Show thyself,” said he, “that this body may perceive to what an extent the senses are frail and resourceless.”
گفت بنما تا ببیند این جسد ** تا چد حد حس نازکست و بیمدد
Man's bodily senses are infirm, but he hath a potent nature within.
آدمی را هست حس تن سقیم ** لیک در باطن یکی خلقی عظیم
This body resembles flint and steel, but in quality (intrinsically) it is a striker of fire.3760
بر مثال سنگ و آهن این تنه ** لیک هست او در صفت آتشزنه
Flint and steel are the birth-place whence fire is brought into being: (from them) fire is born, domineering over both its parents.
سنگ وآهن مولد ایجاد نار ** زاد آتش بر دو والد قهربار
Fire, again, exercises sway over the bodily nature: it is dominant over the body and flaming;
باز آتش دستکار وصف تن ** هست قاهر بر تن او و شعلهزن
Yet again, there is in the body an Abraham-like flame whereby the tower of fire is subdued.
باز در تن شعله ابراهیموار ** که ازو مقهور گردد برج نار
In consequence (of this) the all-accomplished Prophet said symbolically, “We are the hindmost and the foremost.”
لاجرم گفت آن رسول ذو فنون ** رمز نحن الاخرون السابقون
The material form of these twain (flint and steel) is vanquished by a (hammer and) anvil, (but) in quality (intrinsically) they are superior to the mine of iron ores.3765
ظاهر این دو بسندانی زبون ** در صفت از کان آهنها فزون