With thee, earth is better to us than heaven, O thou by whom (the world from) Arcturus to the Fish is illumined!
با تو ما را خاک بهتر از فلک ** ای سماک از تو منور تا سمک
Without thee, darkness is over heaven for us, (but) compared with thee, O Moon, who is this heaven at all?
بیتو ما را بر فلک تاریکی است ** با تو ای ماه این فلک باری کی است
The heavens have the form of sublimity, (but) the essence of sublimity belongs to the pure spirit.
صورت رفعت بود افلاک را ** معنی رفعت روان پاک را
The form of sublimity is for bodies; beside the essence (reality) bodies are (mere) names.”590
صورت رفعت برای جسمهاست ** جسمها در پیش معنی اسمهاست
The refusal of the vizier to interrupt his seclusion.
جواب گفتن وزیر که خلوت را نمیشکنم
He said: “Cut short your arguments, let my advice make its way into your souls and hearts.
گفت حجتهای خود کوته کنید ** پند را در جان و در دل ره کنید
If I am trustworthy, the trustworthy is not doubted, even though I should call heaven earth.
گر امینم متهم نبود امین ** گر بگویم آسمان را من زمین
If I am (endowed with) perfection, why (this) disbelief in my perfection? and if I am not (perfect), why this molestation and annoyance?
گر کمالم با کمال انکار چیست ** ور نیم این زحمت و آزار چیست
I will not go forth from this seclusion, because I am occupied with inward experiences.”
من نخواهم شد از این خلوت برون ** ز آن که مشغولم به احوال درون
How the disciples raised objections against the vizier's secluding himself.
اعتراض مریدان در خلوت وزیر
They all said: “O vizier, it is not disbelief: our words are not as the words of strangers.595
جمله گفتند ای وزیر انکار نیست ** گفت ما چون گفتن اغیار نیست
The tears of our eyes are running because of our separation from thee; sigh after sigh is going (up) from the midst of our souls.
اشک دیدهست از فراق تو دوان ** آه آه است از میان جان روان
A babe does not contend with its nurse, but it weeps, although it knows neither evil nor good.
طفل با دایه نه استیزد و لیک ** گرید او گر چه نه بد داند نه نیک
We are as the harp and thou art striking (it with) the plectrum (playing on it): the lamentation is not from us, it is thou that art making lamentation.
ما چون چنگیم و تو زخمه میزنی ** زاری از ما نی تو زاری میکنی
We are as the flute, and the music in us is from thee; we are as the mountain, and the echo in us is from thee.
ما چو ناییم و نوا در ما ز تست ** ما چو کوهیم و صدا در ما ز تست
We are as pieces of chess (engaged) in victory and defeat: our victory and defeat is from thee, O thou whose qualities are comely!600
ما چو شطرنجیم اندر برد و مات ** برد و مات ما ز تست ای خوش صفات
Who are we, O thou soul of our souls, that we should remain in being beside thee?
ما که باشیم ای تو ما را جان جان ** تا که ما باشیم با تو در میان
We and our existences are (really) non-existences: thou art the absolute Being which manifests the perishable (causes phenomena to appear).
ما عدمهاییم و هستیهای ما ** تو وجود مطلقی فانی نما
We all are lions, but lions on a banner: because of the wind they are rushing onward from moment to moment.
ما همه شیران ولی شیر علم ** حملهشان از باد باشد دمبهدم
Their onward rush is visible, and the wind is unseen: may that which is unseen never fail!
حمله شان پیدا و ناپیداست باد ** آن که ناپیداست هرگز کم مباد
Our wind (that whereby we are moved) and our being are of thy gift; our whole existence is from thy bringing (us) into being.605
باد ما و بود ما از داد تست ** هستی ما جمله از ایجاد تست
Thou didst show the delightfulness of Being unto not-being, (after) thou hadst caused not-being to fall in love with thee.
لذت هستی نمودی نیست را ** عاشق خود کرده بودی نیست را
Take not away the delightfulness of thy bounty; take not away thy dessert and wine and wine-cup!
لذت انعام خود را وامگیر ** نقل و باده و جام خود را وامگیر
And if thou take it away, who will make inquiry of thee? How should the picture strive with the painter?
ور بگیری کیت جستجو کند ** نقش با نقاش چون نیرو کند
Do not look on us, do not fix thy gaze on us: look on thine own kindness and generosity.
منگر اندر ما، مکن در ما نظر ** اندر اکرام و سخای خود نگر
We were not, and there was no demand on our part, (yet) thy grace was hearkening to our unspoken prayer (and calling us into existence).”610
ما نبودیم و تقاضامان نبود ** لطف تو ناگفتهی ما میشنود
Before the painter and the brush the picture is helpless and bound like a child in the womb.
نقش باشد پیش نقاش و قلم ** عاجز و بسته چو کودک در شکم
Before Omnipotence all the people of the (Divine) court of audience (the world) are as helpless as the (embroiderer's) fabric before the needle.
پیش قدرت خلق جمله بارگه ** عاجزان چون پیش سوزن کارگه
Now He makes the picture thereon (one of) the Devil, now (of) Adam; now He makes the picture thereon (one of) joy, now (one of) grief.
گاه نقشش دیو و گه آدم کند ** گاه نقشش شادی و گه غم کند
There is no power (to any one) that he should move a hand in defence; no (right of) speech, that he should utter a word concerning injury or benefit.
دست نه تا دست جنباند به دفع ** نطق نه تا دم زند در ضر و نفع
Recite from the Qur’án the interpretation of (i.e. a text which interprets) the (preceding) verse: God said, Thou didst not throw when thou threwest.615
تو ز قرآن باز خوان تفسیر بیت ** گفت ایزد ما رميت إذ رمیت
If we let fly an arrow, that (action) is not from us: we are (only) the bow, and the shooter of the arrow is God.
گر بپرانیم تیر آن نه ز ماست ** ما کمان و تیر اندازش خداست
This is not jabr (compulsion); it is the meaning of jabbárí (almightiness): the mention of almightiness is for the sake of (inspiring us with) humility.
این نه جبر این معنی جباری است ** ذکر جباری برای زاری است
Our humility is evidence of necessity, (but) our sense of guilt is evidence of freewill.
زاری ما شد دلیل اضطرار ** خجلت ما شد دلیل اختیار
If there were not freewill, what is this shame? And what is this sorrow and guilty confusion and abashment?
گر نبودی اختیار این شرم چیست ** وین دریغ و خجلت و آزرم چیست
Why is there chiding between pupils and masters? Why is the mind changing (so as to depart) from plans (already formed)?620
زجر استادان و شاگردان چراست ** خاطر از تدبیرها گردان چراست
And if you say that he (the assertor of free-will) takes no heed of the (Divine) compulsion, (and that) God's moon (majesty) hides its face (from him) in the cloud (of his own blindness),
ور تو گویی غافل است از جبر او ** ماه حق پنهان کند در ابر رو
There is a good answer to this; if you hearken, you will relinquish unbelief and incline towards the (true) religion.
هست این را خوش جواب ار بشنوی ** بگذری از کفر و در دین بگروی
Remorse and humility occur at the time of illness: the time of illness is wholly wakefulness (of conscience).
حسرت و زاری گه بیماری است ** وقت بیماری همه بیداری است
At the time when you are becoming ill, you pray God to forgive your trespass;
آن زمان که میشوی بیمار تو ** میکنی از جرم استغفار تو
The foulness of your sin is shown to you, you resolve to come back to the (right) way;625
مینماید بر تو زشتی گنه ** میکنی نیت که باز آیم به ره
You make promises and vows that henceforth your chosen course (of action) will be nothing but obedience (to God):
عهد و پیمان میکنی که بعد از این ** جز که طاعت نبودم کار گزین
Therefore it has become certain that illness gives to you conscience and wakefulness.
پس یقین گشت این که بیماری ترا ** میببخشد هوش و بیداری ترا
Note, then, this principle, O thou that seekest the principle; every one who suffers pain has caught the scent (thereof):
پس بدان این اصل را ای اصل جو ** هر که را درد است او برده ست بو
The more wakeful any one is, the more full of suffering he is; the more aware (of God) he is, the paler he is in countenance.
هر که او بیدارتر پر دردتر ** هر که او آگاهتر رخ زردتر
If you are aware of His jabr (compulsion), where is your humility? Where is your feeling of (being loaded with) the chain of His jabbárí (almightiness)?630
گر ز جبرش آگهی زاریت کو ** بینش زنجیر جباریت کو
How should one make merry who is bound in chains? When does the captive in prison behave like the man who is free?
بسته در زنجیر چون شادی کند ** کی اسیر حبس آزادی کند
And if you consider that your foot is shackled (and that) the king's officers are sitting (as custodians) over you,
ور تو میبینی که پایت بستهاند ** بر تو سرهنگان شه بنشستهاند
Then do not act like an officer (tyrannously) towards the helpless, inasmuch as that is not the nature and habit of a helpless man.
پس تو سرهنگی مکن با عاجزان ** ز آن که نبود طبع و خوی عاجز آن
Since you do not feel His compulsion, do not say (that you are compelled); and if you feel it, where is the sign of your feeling?
چون تو جبر او نمیبینی مگو ** ور همیبینی نشان دید کو
In every act for which you have inclination, you are clearly conscious of your power (to perform it),635
در هر آن کاری که میل استت بدان ** قدرت خود را همیبینی عیان
(But) in the act for which you have no inclination and desire, you make yourself a necessitarian, saying, “This is from God.”
و اندر آن کاری که میلت نیست ** و خواست خویش را جبری کنی کاین از خداست