From this ambush this same intoxication of (self-)existence waylaid a hundred thousand generations of old.
صد هزاران قرن پیشین را همین ** مستی هستی بزد ره زین کمین
By this (self-)existence an ‘Azázíl was made to be Iblís, saying, “Why should Adam become lord over me?
شد عزرائیلی ازین مستی بلیس ** که چرا آدم شود بر من رئیس
I too am noble and nobly-born: I am capable of receiving and ready for (receiving) a hundred excellences.
خواجهام من نیز و خواجهزادهام ** صد هنر را قابل و آمادهام
In excellence I am inferior to none, that I should stand before my enemy to do him service.
در هنر من از کسی کم نیستم ** تا به خدمت پیش دشمن بیستم
I am born of fire, he of mud: what is the position (rank) of mud compared with fire?1925
من ز آتش زادهام او از وحل ** پیش آتش مر وحل را چه محل
Where was he in the period when I was the Prince of the World and the glory of Time?”
او کجا بود اندر آن دوری که من ** صدر عالم بودم و فخر زمن
(On the words of God) “He created the Jinn from smokeless fire,” and His words concerning Iblís: “verily he was one of the Jinn, and he transgressed.”
خلق الجان من مارج من نار و قوله تعالی فی حق ابلیس انه کان من الجن ففسق
The fire (of pride and jealousy) was flaming in the soul of the fool (Iblís), because he was (born) of fire: the son is (endued with) the inward nature of his father.
شعله میزد آتش جان سفیه ** که آتشی بود الولد سر ابیه
No; I have spoken in error; ’twas the compelling might of God: why, (then), adduce any cause (for it)?
نه غلط گفتم که بد قهر خدا ** علتی را پیش آوردن چرا
The causeless action (of God) is quit of (all) causes: it is lasting (without change) and firmly stablished from eternity.
کار بیعلت مبرا از علل ** مستمر و مستقرست از ازل
In the perfection of the holy work sped on (by Him) what room is there for (any) temporal cause or temporal thing?1930
در کمال صنع پاک مستحث ** علت حادث چه گنجد یا حدث
What is (the real meaning of) “the inward nature of (his) father”? His (God's) work (creative energy) is our father: (His) work is the kernel, and the formal (physical) father is the skin (shell).
سر آب چه بود آب ما صنع اوست ** صنع مغزست و آب صورت چو پوست
O nut-like body, know that Love is thy friend: thy soul (inspired by Love) will seek thy kernel and batter thy shell (to pieces).
عشق دان ای فندق تن دوستت ** جانت جوید مغز و کوبد پوستت
The man doomed to Hell whose skin is his friend—(God who hath said) “We will give them (other) skins in exchange” bestows a (new) skin upon him.
دوزخی که پوست باشد دوستش ** داد بدلنا جلودا پوستش
Thy spiritual principle and kernel is dominant over the Fire, but thy skins (sensual faculties) are fuel for the Fire.
معنی و مغزت بر آتش حاکمست ** لیک آتش را قشورت هیزمست
(In the case of) a wooden pot in which river-water is (contained), the power of fire is entirely (directed) against the vessel containing it.1935
کوزهی چوبین که در وی آب جوست ** قدرت آتش همه بر ظرف اوست
Man's spiritual principle is a ruler over the Fire: when is Málik (the Ruler) of Hell destroyed therein?
معنی انسان بر آتش مالکست ** مالک دوزخ درو کی هالکست
Do not, then, increase (pamper) thy body; increase (cherish and cultivate) thy spiritual principle, in order that thou mayst be the Fire's sovereign, like Málik.
پس میفزا تو بدن معنی فزا ** تا چو مالک باشی آتش را کیا
Thou hast ever been adding skins to thy skin: necessarily thou art (black) as a skin (enveloped) in (layers of) soot.
پوستها بر پوست میافزودهای ** لاجرم چون پوست اندر دودهای
Since the Fire hath no fodder (fuel) except the skin, the vengeance of God will tear the skin off that pride (of thine).
زانک آتش را علف جز پوست نیست ** قهر حق آن کبر را پوستین کنیست
This arrogance is a product of the skin; hence power and riches are friends to that pride.1940
این تکبر از نتیجهی پوستست ** جاه و مال آن کبر را زان دوستست
What is this arrogance? (It consists in) being oblivious to the essential principle and frozen (insensible)—like the oblivion of ice to the sun.
این تکبر چیست غفلت از لباب ** منجمد چون غفلت یخ ز آفتاب
When it (the ice) becomes conscious of the sun, the ice does not endure: it becomes soft and warm and moves on rapidly.
چون خبر شد ز آفتابش یخ نماند ** نرم گشت و گرم گشت و تیز راند
From seeing the kernel (essential principle) the whole body becomes (filled with) desire: it becomes miserable and passionately in love, for “Wretched is he who desires.”
شد ز دید لب جملهی تن طمع ** خوار و عاشق شد که ذل من طمع
When it does not see the kernel, it is content with the skin: (then) the bondage of “Glorious is he who is content” is its prison.
چون نبیند مغز قانع شد به پوست ** بند عز من قنع زندان اوست
Here glory is infidelity, and wretchedness is (true) religion: until the stone became naughted, when did it become the gem set in a ring?1945
عزت اینجا گبریست و ذل دین ** سنگ تا فانی نشد کی شد نگین