(As for) any (Christian) who was not wary and possessed of discernment, the words of him (the vizier) were (as) a collar on his neck.
هر که جز آگاه و صاحب ذوق بود ** گفت او در گردن او طوق بود
During six years, in separation from the king, the vizier became a refuge for the followers of Jesus.
مدت شش سال در هجران شاه ** شد وزیر اتباع عیسی را پناه
To him the people wholly surrendered their religion and their hearts: at his command and decree they were ready to die.
دین و دل را کل بدو بسپرد خلق ** پیش امر و حکم او می‌‌مرد خلق
How the king sent messages in secret to the vizier.
پیغام شاه پنهان با وزیر
Messages (passed) between the king and him: the king had words of comfort from him in secret.455
در میان شاه و او پیغامها ** شاه را پنهان بدو آرامها
The king wrote to him, saying, “O my fortunate one, the time is come: quickly set my mind at ease.”
پیش او بنوشت شه کای مقبلم ** وقت آمد زود فارغ کن دلم
He replied: “Behold, O king, I am preparing to cast disorders into the religion of Jesus.”
گفت اینک اندر آن کارم شها ** کافکنم در دین عیسی فتنه‌‌ها
Explanation of the twelve tribes of the Christians.
بیان دوازده سبط از نصارا
The people of Jesus had twelve amírs as rulers in authority over them.
قوم عیسی را بد اندر دار و گیر ** حاکمانشان ده امیر و دو امیر
Each party followed one amír and had become devoted to its own amír from desire (of worldly gain).
هر فریقی مر امیری را تبع ** بنده گشته میر خود را از طمع
These twelve amírs and their followers became in bondage to (a prey to) that vizier of evil sign.460
این ده و این دو امیر و قومشان ** گشته بند آن وزیر بدنشان
They all put trust in his words, they all took his procedure as a pattern.
اعتماد جمله بر گفتار او ** اقتدای جمله بر رفتار او
Each amír would have given up his life in his presence at the time and hour (on the spot), if he (the vizier) had bidden him die.
پیش او در وقت و ساعت هر امیر ** جان بدادی گر بدو گفتی بمیر
How the vizier confused the ordinances of the Gospel.
تخلیط وزیر در احکام انجیل
He prepared a scroll in the name of (addressed to) each one, the (written) form of each scroll (of) a different tenor,
ساخت طوماری به نام هر یکی ** نقش هر طومار دیگر مسلکی
The ordinances of each (of) a diverse kind, this contradicting that from the end to the beginning.
حکم‌‌های هر یکی نوعی دگر ** این خلاف آن ز پایان تا به سر
In one he made the path of asceticism and hunger to be the basis of repentance and the condition (necessary) for conversion.465
در یکی راه ریاضت را و جوع ** رکن توبه کرده و شرط رجوع
In one he said: “Asceticism profits naught: in this Way there is no place (means) of deliverance but generosity.”
در یکی گفته ریاضت سود نیست ** اندر این ره مخلصی جز جود نیست
In one he said: “Your hunger and generosity are (imply) association on your part (of other objects) with (Him who is) the object of your worship.
در یکی گفته که جوع و جود تو ** شرک باشد از تو با معبود تو
Excepting trust (in God) and complete resignation in sorrow and joy, all is a deceit and snare.”
جز توکل جز که تسلیم تمام ** در غم و راحت همه مکر است و دام
In one he said: “It is incumbent (on you) to serve (God); else the thought of putting trust (in Him) is (a cause of) suspicion.”
در یکی گفته که واجب خدمت است ** ور نه اندیشه‌‌ی توکل تهمت است
In one he said: “There are (Divine) commands and prohibitions, (but they) are not for practice (observance): they are (only) to show our weakness (inability to fulfil them),470
در یکی گفته که امر و نهیهاست ** بهر کردن نیست شرح عجز ماست
So that we may behold our weakness therein and at that time recognise the power of Him.”
تا که عجز خود ببینیم اندر آن ** قدرت حق را بدانیم آن زمان
In one he said: “Do not regard your weakness: that weakness is an act of ingratitude. Beware!
در یکی گفته که عجز خود مبین ** کفر نعمت کردن است آن عجز هین
Regard your power, for this power is from Him: know that your power is the gift of Him who is Hú (the Absolute God).”
قدرت خود بین که این قدرت از اوست ** قدرت تو نعمت او دان که هوست
In one he said: “Leave both these (qualities) behind: whatsoever is contained in sight (regard for other than God) is an idol (something which involves dualism).”
در یکی گفته کز این دو بر گذر ** بت بود هر چه بگنجد در نظر
In one he said: “Do not put out this candle (of sight), for this sight is as a candle (lighting the way) to (interior) concentration.475
در یکی گفته مکش این شمع را ** کین نظر چون شمع آمد جمع را
When you relinquish sight and phantasy (too soon), you will have put out the candle of union at midnight.”
از نظر چون بگذری و از خیال ** کشته باشی نیم شب شمع وصال
In one he said: “Put it out—have no fear—that you may see myriads of sights in exchange;
در یکی گفته بکش باکی مدار ** تا عوض بینی نظر را صد هزار
For by putting it out the candle of the spirit is increased: by your self-denial your Laylá (beloved) becomes your Majnún (lover).
که ز کشتن شمع جان افزون شود ** لیلی‌‌ات از صبر تو مجنون شود
If any one abandons the world by his own (act of) renunciation, the world comes to him (with homage) more and more.”
ترک دنیا هر که کرد از زهد خویش ** بیش آید پیش او دنیا و پیش
In one he said: “That which God hath given you He made sweet to you in (at the time of) bringing it into existence.480
در یکی گفته که آن چه‌‌ت داد حق ** بر تو شیرین کرد در ایجاد حق
He made it easy (blessed) to you, and do you take it gladly: do not throw yourself into anguish.”
بر تو آسان کرد و خوش آن را بگیر ** خویشتن را در میفگن در زحیر
In one he said: “Let go all that belongs to self, for it is wrong and bad to comply with your nature.”
در یکی گفته که بگذار آن خود ** کان قبول طبع تو ردست و بد
(Many) different roads have become easy (to follow): every one's religion has become (to him) as (dear) as life.
راههای مختلف آسان شده ست ** هر یکی را ملتی چون جان شده ست
If God's making (religion) easy were the (right) road, every Jew and Zoroastrian would have knowledge of Him.
گر میسر کردن حق ره بدی ** هر جهود و گبر از او آگه بدی
In one he said: “That (alone) is made easy (blessed) that (nothing but) spiritual food should be the life of the heart.”485
در یکی گفته میسر آن بود ** که حیات دل غذای جان بود
When the enjoyments of the (sensual) nature are past, like brackish soil they raise no produce and crop.
هر چه ذوق طبع باشد چون گذشت ** بر نیارد همچو شوره ریع و کشت
The produce thereof is naught but penitence; the sale thereof yields only loss.
جز پشیمانی نباشد ریع او ** جز خسارت پیش نارد بیع او
That is not “easy” in the end; its (true) name ultimately is “hard.”
آن میسر نبود اندر عاقبت ** نام او باشد معسر عاقبت
Distinguish the hard from the easy: consider (what is) the goodliness of this and that in the end.
تو معسر از میسر باز دان ** عاقبت بنگر جمال این و آن
In one he said: “Seek a master (teacher): you will not find foresight as to the end among the qualities derived from ancestors.”490
در یکی گفته که استادی طلب ** عاقبت بینی نیابی در حسب
Every sort of religious sect foresaw the end (according to their own surmise): of necessity they fell captive to error.
عاقبت دیدند هر گون ملتی ** لاجرم گشتند اسیر زلتی
To foresee the end is not (as simple as) a hand-loom; otherwise, how would there have been difference in religions?
عاقبت دیدن نباشد دست‌‌باف ** ور نه کی بودی ز دینها اختلاف
In one he said: “You are the master, because you know the master.
در یکی گفته که استا هم تویی ** ز انکه استا را شناسا هم تویی
Be a man and be not subject to men. Go, take your own head (choose your own way), and be not one whose head is turning (bewildered in search of a guide).”
مرد باش و سخره‌‌ی مردان مشو ** رو سر خود گیر و سر گردان مشو
In one he said: “All this (multiplicity) is one: whoever sees two is a squint-eyed manikin.”495
در یکی گفته که این جمله یکی است ** هر که او دو بیند احول مردکی است
In one he said: “How should a hundred be one? He who thinks this is surely mad.”
در یکی گفته که صد یک چون بود ** این کی اندیشد مگر مجنون بود
The doctrines, every one, are contrary to each other: how should they be one? Are poison and sugar one?
هر یکی قولی است ضد همدگر ** چون یکی باشد یکی زهر و شکر
Until you pass beyond (the difference of) poison and sugar, how will you catch a scent from the garden of Unity?
تا ز زهر و از شکر در نگذری ** کی تو از گلزار وحدت بر بری
Twelve scrolls of this style and fashion were drawn up in writing by that enemy to the religion of Jesus.
این نمط وین نوع ده طومار و دو ** بر نوشت آن دین عیسی را عدو
Showing how this difference lies in the form of the doctrine, not in the real nature of the Way.
بیان آن که این اختلافات در صورت روش است نه در حقیقت راه
He had no scent (perception) of the unicolority of Jesus, nor had he a disposition from (imbued with) the tincture of the dyeing-vat of Jesus.500
او ز یک رنگی عیسی بو نداشت ** وز مزاج خم عیسی خو نداشت
From that pure vat a garment of a hundred colours would become as simple and one-coloured as the zephyr.
جامه‌‌ی صد رنگ از آن خم صفا ** ساده و یک رنگ گشتی چون صبا