(Clearly), then, the (present) world is arranged according to this rule, and the state of things in yonder world too is made known to you.
پس بدین داور جهان منظوم شد ** حال آن عالم همت معلوم شد
Another Story in answer to the Necessitarian, confirming (Man's) power of choice and the validity of the (Divine) commands and prohibitions, and showing that the Necessitarian's excuse is not accepted in any religious sect or in any religion and that it does not save him from being duly punished for the (sinful) actions which he has committed, just as the Necessitarian Iblís was not saved (from punishment) by saying (to God), ‘Because Thou hast made me to err.’ And the little indicates the much.
حکایت هم در جواب جبری و اثبات اختیار و صحت امر و نهی و بیان آنک عذر جبری در هیچ ملتی و در هیچ دینی مقبول نیست و موجب خلاص نیست از سزای آن کار کی کرده است چنانک خلاص نیافت ابلیس جبری بدان کی گفت بما اغویتنی والقلیل یدل علی الکثیر
A certain man was climbing up a tree and vigorously scattering the fruit in the manner of thieves.
آن یکی می‌رفت بالای درخت ** می‌فشاند آن میوه را دزدانه سخت
The owner of the orchard came along and said (to him), ‘O rascal, where is your reverence for God? What are you doing?’
صاحب باغ آمد و گفت ای دنی ** از خدا شرمیت کو چه می‌کنی
He replied, ‘If a servant of God eat from God's orchard the dates which God has bestowed upon him as a gift,
گفت از باغ خدا بنده‌ی خدا ** گر خورد خرما که حق کردش عطا
Why do you vulgarly blame (him)? Stinginess at the table of the all-Rich Lord!’3080
عامیانه چه ملامت می‌کنی ** بخل بر خوان خداوند غنی
‘O Aybak,’ said he, ‘fetch that rope, that I may give my answer to Bu ’l-Hasan (to this fine fellow).’
گفت ای ایبک بیاور آن رسن ** تا بگویم من جواب بوالحسن
Then at once he bound him tightly to the tree and thrashed him hard on the back and legs with a cudgel.
پس ببستش سخت آن دم بر درخت ** می‌زد او بر پشت و ساقش چوب سخت
He (the thief) cried, ‘Pray, have some reverence for God! Thou art killing me miserably who am innocent.’
گفت آخر از خدا شرمی بدار ** می‌کشی این بی‌گنه را زار زار
He answered, ‘With God's cudgel this servant of His is soundly beating the back of another servant.
گفت از چوب خدا این بنده‌اش ** می‌زند بر پشت دیگر بنده خوش
’Tis God's cudgel, and the back and sides belong to Him: I am (only) the slave and instrument of His command.’3085
چوب حق و پشت و پهلو آن او ** من غلام و آلت فرمان او
He (the thief) said, ‘O cunning knave, I make a recantation of Necessitarianism: there is free-will, there is free-will, (there is) free-will!’
گفت توبه کردم از جبر ای عیار ** اختیارست اختیارست اختیار
His (God's universal) power of choice brought (our individual) powers of choice into existence: His power of choice is like a rider (hidden) beneath the dust (which he raises).
اختیارات اختیارش هست کرد ** اختیارش چون سواری زیر گرد
His (God's) power of choice makes our power of choice; His command is based on (is exercised in virtue of) a power of choice (in us).
اختیارش اختیار ما کند ** امر شد بر اختیاری مستند
Every created being has it in his power to exercise authority over the form (that is) without free-will,
حاکمی بر صورت بی‌اختیار ** هست هر مخلوق را در اقتدار
So that he (who is in possession of that power) drags (whither he pleases) the (lifeless) prey devoid of will, (or) so that having seized Zayd by the ear, he leads him away.3090
تا کشد بی‌اختیاری صید را ** تا برد بگرفته گوش او زید را
But (it is) the action of the Lord (that), without (using) any instrument, makes his free-will a noose for him (to catch Zayd).
لیک بی هیچ آلتی صنع صمد ** اختیارش را کمند او کند
His (God's) free-will makes him a fetter for Zayd: God makes him (Zayd's captor) His prey without (the help of) dog or snare.
اختیارش زید را قدیش کند ** بی‌سگ و بی‌دام حق صیدش کند
The carpenter has authority over a piece of wood, and the artist has authority over (the portrait of) a beauty;
آن دروگر حاکم چوبی بود ** وآن مصور حاکم خوبی بود
The ironsmith is a superintendent of iron; the builder also is a ruler over his tools.
هست آهنگر بر آهن قیمی ** هست بنا هم بر آلت حاکمی
This (matter) is extraordinary; for all this (human) free-will is bowing low, like a slave, in (homage to) His (God's) free-will.3095
نادر این باشد که چندین اختیار ** ساجد اندر اختیارش بنده‌وار
When did the power forcibly exercised by you over inanimate objects deprive them of (their) inanimateness?
قدرت تو بر جمادات از نبرد ** کی جمادی را از آنها نفی کرد
Similarly, His (God's) power over (our) acts of free-will does not deprive any act of free-will of that (quality).
قدرتش بر اختیارات آنچنان ** نفی نکند اختیاری را از آن