He is an alchemist—what is alchemy (compared with His action)? He is a giver of miracles (to prophets)—what is magic (compared with these miracles)?
کیمیا ساز است چه بود کیمیا ** معجزه بخش است چه بود سیمیا
This uttering of praise (to Him) is (really) the omission of praise on my part, for this (praise) is a proof of (my) being, and being is a sin.
این ثنا گفتن ز من ترک ثناست ** کین دلیل هستی و هستی خطاست
It behoves (us) to be not-being in the presence of His Being: in His presence what is (our) being? Blind and blue.
پیش هست او بباید نیست بود ** چیست هستی پیش او کور و کبود
Were it not blind it would have been melted (consumed) by Him: it would have known the heat of (the Divine) sun;
گر نبودی کور از او بگداختی ** گرمی خورشید را بشناختی
And were it not blue from mourning, how would this region (of phenomenal existence) have (remained) frozen like ice?520
ور نبودی او کبود از تعزیت ** کی فسردی همچو یخ این ناحیت
Setting forth how the vizier incurred perdition (by engaging) in this plot.
بیان خسارت وزیر در این مکر
The vizier was ignorant and heedless, like the (Jewish) king: he was wrestling with the eternal and inevitable,
همچو شه نادان و غافل بد وزیر ** پنجه میزد با قدیم ناگزیر
With a God so mighty that in a moment He causes a hundred worlds like ours to come into existence from non-existence:
با چنان قادر خدایی کز عدم ** صد چو عالم هست گرداند به دم
A hundred worlds like ours He displays to the sight, when He makes your eye seeing by (the light of) Himself.
صد چو عالم در نظر پیدا کند ** چون که چشمت را به خود بینا کند
If the world appears to you vast and bottomless, know that to Omnipotence it is not (so much as) an atom.
گر جهان پیشت بزرگ و بیبنی است ** پیش قدرت ذره ای میدان که نیست
This world, indeed, is the prison of your souls: oh, go in yonder direction, for there lies your open country.525
این جهان خود حبس جانهای شماست ** هین روید آن سو که صحرای شماست
This world is finite, and truly that (other) is infinite: image and form are a barrier to that Reality.
این جهان محدود و آن خود بیحد است ** نقش و صورت پیش آن معنی سد است.
The myriads of Pharaoh's lances were shattered by (the hand of) Moses (armed) with a single staff.
صد هزاران نیزهی فرعون را ** در شکست از موسیی با یک عصا
Myriads were the therapeutic arts of Galen: before Jesus and his (life-giving) breath they were a laughing-stock.
صد هزاران طب جالینوس بود ** پیش عیسی و دمش افسوس بود
Myriads were the books of (pre-Islamic) poems: at the word of an illiterate (prophet) they were (put to) shame.
صد هزاران دفتر اشعار بود ** پیش حرف امیی آن عار بود
(Confronted) with such an all-conquering Lord, how should any one not die (to self), unless he be a vile wretch?530
با چنین غالب خداوندی کسی ** چون نمیرد گر نباشد او خسی
Many a mind (strong and firm) as a mountain did He uproot; the cunning bird He hung up by its two feet.
بس دل چون کوه را انگیخت او ** مرغ زیرک با دو پا آویخت او
To sharpen the intelligence and wits is not the (right) way: none but the broken (in spirit) wins the favour of the King.
فهم و خاطر تیز کردن نیست راه ** جز شکسته مینگیرد فضل شاه
Oh, many the amassers of treasure, digging holes (in search of treasure), who became an ox's beard (dupe) to that vain schemer (the vizier)!
ای بسا گنج آگنان کنج کاو ** کان خیال اندیش را شد ریش گاو
Who is the ox that you should become his beard? What is earth that you should become its stubble?
گاو که بود تا تو ریش او شوی ** خاک چه بود تا حشیش او شوی
When a woman became pale-faced (ashamed) of (her) wickedness, God metamorphosed her and made her Zuhra (the planet Venus).535
چون زنی از کار بد شد روی زرد ** مسخ کرد او را خدا و زهره کرد
To make a woman Zuhra was metamorphosis: is it not metamorphosis to become earth and clay, O contumacious one?
عورتی را زهره کردن مسخ بود ** خاک و گل گشتن نه مسخ است ای عنود
Your spirit was bearing you towards the highest sphere (of heaven): you went towards the water and the clay amongst the lowest (of the low).
روح میبردت سوی چرخ برین ** سوی آب و گل شدی در اسفلین
By this fall you metamorphosed yourself from that (state of) existence which was the envy of the (spiritual) intelligences.
خویشتن را مسخ کردی زین سفول ** ز آن وجودی که بد آن رشک عقول
Consider, then, how is (what is the character of) this metamorphosis: compared with that metamorphosis (of the woman) this (which you have suffered) is exceedingly vile.
پس ببین کین مسخ کردن چون بود ** پیش آن مسخ این به غایت دون بود
You urged the steed of ambition towards the stars: you did not acknowledge Adam who was worshipped (by the angels).540
اسب همت سوی اختر تاختی ** آدم مسجود را نشناختی
After all, you are a son of Adam. O degenerate! how long will you regard lowness as nobility?
آخر آدم زادهای ای ناخلف ** چند پنداری تو پستی را شرف
How long will you say, “I will conquer a whole world, I will make this world full of myself”?
چند گویی من بگیرم عالمی ** این جهان را پر کنم از خود همی
If the world should be filled with snow from end to end, the glow of the sun would melt it with a single look.
گر جهان پر برف گردد سربهسر ** تاب خور بگدازدش با یک نظر
God by a single spark (of His mercy) maketh naught his (the vizier's) burden (of sin) and (the burden) of a hundred viziers and a hundred thousand.
وزر او و صد وزیر و صد هزار ** نیست گرداند خدا از یک شرار
He maketh the essence of that (false) imagination to be wisdom; He maketh the essence of that poisoned water to be a (wholesome) drink.545
عین آن تخییل را حکمت کند ** عین آن زهر آب را شربت کند
That which raises doubt He turneth into certainty; He maketh loving kindnesses grow from the causes of hatred.
آن گمان انگیز را سازد یقین ** مهرها رویاند از اسباب کین
He cherisheth Abraham in the fire; He turneth fear into security of spirit.
پرورد در آتش ابراهیم را ** ایمنی روح سازد بیم را
By His burning (destroying) of secondary causes I am distraught; in (my) fancies of Him I am like a sophist (sceptic or agnostic).
از سبب سوزیش من سوداییام ** در خیالاتش چو سوفسطاییام
How the vizier started another plan to mislead the (Christian) folk.
مکر دیگر انگیختن وزیر در اضلال قوم
The vizier formed in his mind another plan: he abandoned preaching and sat alone in seclusion.
مکر دیگر آن وزیر از خود ببست ** وعظ را بگذاشت و در خلوت نشست
He inspired ardour in his disciples from (their) longing (to see him); he remained in seclusion forty or fifty days.550
در مریدان در فکند از شوق سوز ** بود در خلوت چهل پنجاه روز
The people became mad from longing for him and on account of being separated from his (spiritual) feeling and discourse and intuition.
خلق دیوانه شدند از شوق او ** از فراق حال و قال و ذوق او
They were making supplication and lament, while he in solitude was bent double by austerities.
لابه و زاری همیکردند و او ** از ریاضت گشته در خلوت دو تو
They said, “Without thee we have no light: how (what) is the state of a blind man without a leader?
گفته ایشان نیست ما را بیتو نور ** بیعصا کش چون بود احوال کور
By way of showing favour (to us) and for God's sake, do not keep us parted from thee any longer.
از سر اکرام و از بهر خدا ** بیش از این ما را مدار از خود جدا
We are as children and thou art our nurse: do thou spread over us that shadow (of thy protection).”555
ما چو طفلانیم و ما را دایه تو ** بر سر ما گستران آن سایه تو
He said, “My soul is not far from them that love (me), but there is no permission to come forth.”
گفت جانم از محبان دور نیست ** لیک بیرون آمدن دستور نیست
Those amírs came for intercession, and the disciples came in reproach,
آن امیران در شفاعت آمدند ** و آن مریدان در شناعت آمدند
Saying, “O noble sir, what a misfortune is this for us! Without thee we are left orphaned (deprived) of our hearts and our religion.
کاین چه بد بختی است ما را ای کریم ** از دل و دین مانده ما بیتو یتیم
Thou art making a pretence while we in grief are heaving cold (fruitless) sighs from the burning heat of our hearts.
تو بهانه میکنی و ما ز درد ** میزنیم از سوز دل دمهای سرد
We have become accustomed to thy sweet discourse, we have drunk of the milk of thy wisdom.560
ما به گفتار خوشت خو کردهایم ** ما ز شیر حکمت تو خوردهایم
Allah! Allah! do not thou (O vizier) treat us with such cruelty: show kindness to-day, do not (put off till) to-morrow.
الله الله این جفا با ما مکن ** خیر کن امروز را فردا مکن
Does thy heart give to thee (consent) that these who have lost their hearts (to thee) should at last, being without thee, become (numbered) amongst them that have nothing left?
میدهد دل مر ترا کاین بیدلان ** بیتو گردند آخر از بیحاصلان
They all are writhing like fishes on dry land: let loose the water, remove the dam from the stream.
جمله در خشکی چو ماهی میتپند ** آب را بگشا ز جو بر دار بند
O thou like whom there is none in the world, for God's sake, for God's sake, come to the aid of thy people!”
ای که چون تو در زمانه نیست کس ** الله الله خلق را فریاد رس
How the vizier refused the request of the disciples.
دفع گفتن وزیر مریدان را
He said: “Beware, O ye enslaved by words and talk, ye who seek admonition and discourse (conveyed) by the tongue and (through the) ear.565
گفت هان ای سخرگان گفتوگو ** وعظ و گفتار زبان و گوش جو