- In reality every foe (of yours) is your medicine: he is an elixir and beneficial and one that seeks to win your heart;
- در حقیقت هر عدو داروی تست ** کیمیا و نافع و دلجوی تست
- For you flee away from him into solitude and would fain implore help of God's grace. 95
- که ازو اندر گریزی در خلا ** استعانت جویی از لطف خدا
- Your friends are really enemies, for they make you far from the (Divine) Presence and occupied (with them).
- در حقیقت دوستانت دشمن‌اند ** که ز حضرت دور و مشغولت کنند
- There is an animal whose name is ushghur (porcupine): it is (made) stout and big by blows of the stick.
- هست حیوانی که نامش اشغرست ** او به زخم چوب زفت و لمترست
- The more you cudgel it, the more it thrives: it grows fat on blows of the stick.
- تا که چوبش می‌زنی به می‌شود ** او ز زخم چوب فربه می‌شود
- Assuredly the true believer's soul is a porcupine, for it is (made) stout and fat by the blows of tribulation.
- نفس مومن اشغری آمد یقین ** کو به زخم رنج زفتست و سمین
- For this reason the tribulation and abasement (laid) upon the prophets is greater than (that laid upon) all the (other) creatures in the world, 100
- زین سبب بر انبیا رنج و شکست ** از همه خلق جهان افزونترست
- So that their souls became stouter than (all other) souls; for no other class of people suffered that affliction.
- تا ز جانها جانشان شد زفت‌تر ** که ندیدند آن بلا قوم دگر
- The hide is afflicted by the medicine (tan-liquor), (but) it becomes sweet like Tá’if leather;
- پوست از دارو بلاکش می‌شود ** چون ادیم طایفی خوش می‌شود
- And if he (the tanner) did not rub the bitter and acrid (liquor) into it, it would become fetid, unpleasant, and foul-smelling.
- ورنه تلخ و تیز مالیدی درو ** گنده گشتی ناخوش و ناپاک بو
- Know that Man is an untanned hide, made noisome and gross by humours.
- آدمی را پوست نامدبوغ دان ** از رطوبتها شده زشت و گران
- Give (him) bitter and acrid (discipline) and much rubbing (tribulation), that he may become pure and lovely and exceedingly strong; 105
- تلخ و تیز و مالش بسیار ده ** تا شود پاک و لطیف و با فره
- But if you cannot (mortify yourself), be content, O cunning one, if God give you tribulation without choice (on your part),
- ور نمی‌توانی رضا ده ای عیار ** گر خدا رنجت دهد بی‌اختیار
- For affliction (sent) by the Friend is (the means of) your being purified: His knowledge is above your contrivance.
- که بلای دوست تطهیر شماست ** علم او بالای تدبیر شماست
- The affliction becomes sweet (to the sufferer) when he sees happiness: the medicine becomes sweet (to the sick man) when he regards health.
- چون صفا بیند بلا شیرین شود ** خوش شود دارو چو صحت‌بین شود
- He sees victory for himself in the very essence of checkmate; therefore he says, “Kill me, O trusty ones!”
- برد بیند خویش را در عین مات ** پس بگوید اقتلونی یا ثقات
- This policeman became a (source of) profit in respect of another, but he became reprobate in respect of himself. 110
- این عوان در حق غیری سود شد ** لیک اندر حق خود مردود شد
- The mercy appertaining to the Faith was cut off from him; the hate inherent in the Devil enfolded him.
- رحم ایمانی ازو ببریده شد ** کین شیطانی برو پیچیده شد
- He became a factory of anger and hatred: know that hate is the root of error and infidelity.
- کارگاه خشم گشت و کین‌وری ** کینه دان اصل ضلال و کافری
- How they asked Jesus, on whom be peace, saying, "O Spirit of God, what is the hardest thing to bear of all the hard things in existence?"
- سال کردن از عیسی علیه‌السلام کی در وجود از همه‌ی صعبها صعب‌تر چیست
- A sober-minded man said to Jesus, “What is the hardest to bear of all things in existence?”
- گفت عیسی را یکی هشیار سر ** چیست در هستی ز جمله صعب‌تر
- He replied, “O (my dear) soul, the hardest is God's anger, on account of which Hell is trembling as we (are).”
- گفتش ای جان صعب‌تر خشم خدا ** که از آن دوزخ همی لرزد چو ما
- He said, “What is the security against this anger of God?” Jesus said, “To abandon thine own anger at once.” 115
- گفت ازین خشم خدا چه بود امان ** گفت ترک خشم خویش اندر زمان
- Therefore, as the policeman became this anger's mine (source), his ugly anger surpassed even (that of) a wild beast.
- پس عوان که معدن این خشم گشت ** خشم زشتش از سبع هم در گذشت
- What hope is there for him of (Divine) mercy, unless perchance that graceless man should turn back from that (vile) quality?
- چه امیدستش به رحمت جز مگر ** باز گردد زان صفت آن بی‌هنر
- Although the world cannot do without them, this statement is a (means of) casting (those who hear it) into error.
- گرچه عالم را ازیشان چاره نیست ** این سخن اندر ضلال افکندنیست