Thou art I and I am thou, O illustrious one: thou wert ‘Alí— how should I kill ‘Alí?
تو منی و من توام ای محتشم ** تو علی بودی علی را چون کشم
Thou hast committed a sin better than any act of piety, thou hast traversed Heaven in a single moment.”3830
معصیت کردی به از هر طاعتی ** آسمان پیموده‌‌ای در ساعتی
Very fortunate (was) the sin which the man committed: do not rose-leaves spring from a thorn?
بس خجسته معصیت کان کرد مرد ** نی ز خاری بر دمد اوراق ورد
Was not the sin of ‘Umar and his attempt on (the life of) the Prophet leading him to the gate of acceptance?
نی گناه عمر و قصد رسول ** می‌‌کشیدش تا به درگاه قبول
Was not Pharaoh because of the magic of the magicians drawing them (to himself), and did not (spiritual) fortune come to their aid?
نی به سحر ساحران فرعونشان ** می‌‌کشید و گشت دولت عونشان
Had it not been for their magic and denial (of Moses), who would have brought them to rebellious Pharaoh?
گر نبودی سحرشان و آن جحود ** کی کشیدیشان به فرعون عنود
How would they have seen the rod and the miracles? Disobedience (to God) became obedience, O disobedient people.3835
کی بدیدندی عصا و معجزات ** معصیت طاعت شد ای قوم عصات
God hath smitten the neck of despair, inasmuch as sin has become like obedience.
ناامیدی را خدا گردن زده است ** چون گنه مانند طاعت آمده ست
Since He changes evil acts (into good), He makes it (the disobedience) an act of obedience in despite of slanderers (devils).
چون مبدل می‌‌کند او سیئات ** طاعتی‌‌اش می‌‌کند رغم وشات
By this (mercy of God) the stoned (accursed) Devil is driven away and bursts with envy and is cloven asunder.
زین شود مرجوم شیطان رجیم ** و ز حسد او بطرقد گردد دو نیم
He strives to foster a sin (in us) and by means of that sin bring us into a pit;
او بکوشد تا گناهی پرورد ** ز آن گنه ما را به چاهی آورد
When he sees that the sin has become an act of obedience (to God), there comes round for him an unblest hour.3840
چون ببیند کان گنه شد طاعتی ** گردد او را نامبارک ساعتی
“Come in! I open the door to thee. Thou spattest (on me) and I give thee a present.
اندر آ من در گشادم مر ترا ** تف زدی و تحفه دادم مر ترا
Such things I am giving to the doer of iniquity: (thou seest) in what fashion I lay my head before the left foot.
مر جفاگر را چنینها می‌‌دهم ** پیش پای چپ چه سان سر می‌‌نهم
What then do I bestow on the doer of righteousness? Know thou, (I bestow) treasures and kingdoms everlasting.
پس وفاگر را چه بخشم تو بدان ** گنجها و ملکهای جاودان
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, said in the ear of the stirrup-holder of the Prince of the Faithful ‘Alí, may God honour his person, “I tell thee, ‘Alí will be slain by thy hand.”
گفتن پیغامبر علیه السلام به گوش رکابدار امیر المؤمنین علی علیه السلام که کشتن علی بر دست تو خواهد بودن خبرت کردم
I am such a man that the honey of my kindness did not become poison in wrath (even) against my murderer.
من چنان مردم که بر خونی خویش ** نوش لطف من نشد در قهر نیش
The Prophet said in the ear of my servant that one day he would sever this head of mine from my neck.3845
گفت پیغمبر به گوش چاکرم ** کاو برد روزی ز گردن این سرم
The Prophet by (Divine) inspiration informed my friend that in the end my destruction would be (wrought) by his hand.
کرد آگه آن رسول از وحی دوست ** که هلاکم عاقبت بر دست اوست
He (my friend) says, ‘Kill me first, in order that this hateful crime may not proceed from me.’
او همی‌‌گوید بکش پیشین مرا ** تا نیاید از من این منکر خطا
I say, ‘Since my death is (to come) from thee, how can I seek to evade the destiny (of God)?’
من همی‌‌گویم چو مرگ من ز تست ** با قضا من چون توانم حیله جست
He falls before me, saying, ‘O generous man, for God's sake cleave me in twain,
او همی‌‌افتد به پیشم کای کریم ** مر مرا کن از برای حق دو نیم
That this evil end may not come upon me, and that my soul may not burn (with grief) for (thee who art) its (very) life.’3850
تا نیاید بر من این انجام بد ** تا نسوزد جان من بر جان خود
I say, ‘Go: the Pen (of Divine ordainment) is dry; by that Pen many a (lofty) landmark is overthrown.
من همی‌‌گویم برو جف القلم ** ز آن قلم بس سر نگون گردد علم
There is no hatred of thee in my soul, because I do not regard this (act) as (proceeding) from thee.
هیچ بغضی نیست در جانم ز تو ** ز آن که این را من نمی‌‌دانم ز تو
Thou art God's instrument, God's hand is the (real) agent: how should I assail and oppose God's instrument?’”
آلت حقی تو فاعل دست حق ** چون زنم بر آلت حق طعن و دق
He (the knight) said, “For what reason, then, is retaliation (sanctioned)?” “’Tis from God, too,” said ‘Alí, “and that is a hidden mystery.
گفت او پس آن قصاص از بهر چیست ** گفت هم از حق و آن سر خفی است
If He takes offence at His own act, (yet) He causes gardens (of good) to grow from that taking offence.3855
گر کند بر فعل خود او اعتراض ** ز اعتراض خود برویاند ریاض
It beseems Him to take offence at His own act, inasmuch as in vengeance and mercy He is One.
اعتراض او را رسد بر فعل خود ** ز آن که در قهر است و در لطف او احد
In this city of phenomena He is the Prince; in (all) the realms (of the world) He is the Ruler.
اندر این شهر حوادث میر اوست ** در ممالک مالک تدبیر اوست
If He breaks His own instrument, He mends that which has become broken.”
آلت خود را اگر او بشکند ** آن شکسته گشته را نیکو کند
Recognise, O noble sir, the indication of (the text), (Whatever) verse We shall cancel or cause to be forgotten, followed by We shall bring a better.
رمز ننسخ آیه او ننسها ** نأت خیرا در عقب می‌‌دان مها
Every (religious) law that God has cancelled—He has taken away grass and brought roses in exchange.3860
هر شریعت را که حق منسوخ کرد ** او گیا برد و عوض آورد ورد
Night cancels the business of day: behold an inanimateness (inertia) that enlightens the intellect!
شب کند منسوخ شغل روز را ** بین جمادی خرد افروز را
Again, night is cancelled by the light of day, so that the inanimateness is consumed by that fire-kindling one.
باز شب منسوخ شد از نور روز ** تا جمادی سوخت ز آن آتش فروز
Although that sleep and rest are darkness, is not the Water of Life within the darkness?
گر چه ظلمت آمد آن نوم و سبات ** نی درون ظلمت است آب حیات
Did not minds become refreshed in that darkness? Did not a pause (in recitation) become the source of (increased beauty in) the voice?
نی در آن ظلمت خردها تازه شد ** سکته‌‌ای سرمایه‌‌ی آوازه شد
For contraries are manifested by means of contraries: in the black core (of the heart) He (God) created the light (of love).3865
که ز ضدها ضدها آمد پدید ** در سویدا روشنایی آفرید
The wars of the Prophet became the pivot (determining cause) of peace: the peace of this latter age was (produced) from those wars.
جنگ پیغمبر مدار صلح شد ** صلح این آخر زمان ز آن جنگ بد
That heart-ravisher cut off hundreds of thousands of heads, in order that the heads of the (whole) world's people might win security.
صد هزاران سر برید آن دلستان ** تا امان یابد سر اهل جهان
The gardener lops the harmful bough, in order that the date-palm may gain (tallness of) stature and goodness.
باغبان ز آن می‌‌برد شاخ مضر ** تا بیابد نخل قامتها و بر
The expert (gardener) digs up the weeds from the garden, in order that his garden and fruit may look flourishing.
می‌‌کند از باغ دانا آن حشیش ** تا نماید باغ و میوه خرمیش
The physician extracts bad teeth, in order that the beloved (patient) may be saved from pain and sickness.3870
می‌‌کند دندان بد را آن طبیب ** تا رهد از درد و بیماری حبیب
Advantages, then, are (concealed) within defects: for martyrs there is life in death.
بس زیادتها درون نقصهاست ** مر شهیدان را حیات اندر فناست
When the (martyr's) throat has been cut that swallowed the daily bread, (the spiritual blessings implied in the text) receiving the (Divine) bounty, rejoicing, shall be delicious (to him).
چون بریده گشت حلق رزق خوار ** یرزقون فرحین شد گوار
When the throat of an animal is cut duly (in the manner prescribed by law), there grows (from it) the throat of man, and its excellence is increased (thereby).
حلق حیوان چون بریده شد به عدل ** حلق انسان رست و افزون گشت فضل
When a (martyred) man's throat is cut, come, consider what the result will be! Judge of this (case) by the analogy of that (case).
حلق انسان چون ببرد هین ببین ** تا چه زاید کن قیاس آن بر این
A third throat will be born, and care of it will be (taken by) the sherbet of God and His lights.3875
حلق ثالث زاید و تیمار او ** شربت حق باشد و انوار او
The throat that has been cut drinks (the Divine) sherbet, but (only) the throat that has been delivered from Nay and has died in Yea.
حلق ببریده خورد شربت ولی ** حلق از لا رسته مرده در بلی
Make an end, O pusillanimous short-fingered (infirm) one! How long will the life of thy spirit be (sustained) by bread?
بس کن ای دون همت کوته بنان ** تا کی‌‌ات باشد حیات جان به نان
Like the willow, thou hast no fruit, because thou hast lost thine honour for the sake of white bread.
ز آن نداری میوه‌‌ای مانند بید ** کآبرو بردی پی نان سپید