Earth, from its grossness, settles beneath water; (but) see how earth has sped beyond the empyrean!
خاک از دردی نشیند زیر آب ** خاک بین کز عرش بگذشت از شتاب
Know, then, that the subtlety (of water) is not (derived) from the water: ’tis only the gift of the Bounteous Originator.
آن لطافت پس بدان کز آب نیست ** جز عطای مبدع وهاب نیست
If He make air and fire low (in place), and if He let the thorn surpass the rose,
گر کند سفلی هوا و نار را ** ور ز گل او بگذراند خار را
He is the Ruler and (the One who said) God doeth what He willeth: from the very self of pain He raises the remedy.
حاکم است و یفعل الله ما یشاء ** کاو ز عین درد انگیزد دوا
If He make air and fire low (in place), and make (them assume the qualities of) darkness and grossness and heaviness,1620
گر هوا و نار را سفلی کند ** تیرگی و دردی و ثقلی کند
And if He make earth and water high (in place), and make the path of heaven (to be) traversed by foot—
ور زمین و آب را علوی کند ** راه گردون را بپا مطوی کند
Then it has become certain that Thou exaltest whomso Thou wilt: He (God) said to an earthly creature, “Unfold thy wings.”
پس یقین شد که تعز من تشاء ** خاکیی را گفت پرها بر گشا
To the creature of fire He said, “Go, become Iblís: begone under the Seventh Earth with (thy) imposture!
آتشی را گفت رو ابلیس شو ** زیر هفتم خاک با تلبیس شو
O earthly Adam, go thou above (the star) Suhá; O fiery Iblís, go to (the bottom of) the Earth.
آدم خاکی برو تو بر سها ** ای بلیس آتشی رو تا ثری
I am not the four temperaments or the first cause, I am ever remaining in (absolute) control.1625
چار طبع و علت اولی نیام ** در تصرف دایما من باقیام
My action is uncaused and upright (independent): I have (the power of) predetermination, (I have) no cause, O infirm one.
کار من بیعلت است و مستقیم ** هست تقدیرم نه علت ای سقیم
I alter My custom at the time (I choose): at the time (I will) I lay the dust (that rises) in front.
عادت خود را بگردانم به وقت ** این غبار از پیش بنشانم به وقت
I say to the sea, ‘Hark, be full of fire!’ I say to the fire, ‘Go, be a rose-garden!’
بحر را گویم که هین پر نار شو ** گویم آتش را که رو گلزار شو
I say to the mountain, ‘Be light as wool!’ I say to heaven, ‘Be rent asunder before the eye!’
کوه را گویم سبک شو همچو پشم ** چرخ را گویم فرو در پیش چشم
I say, ‘O sun, be joined to the moon!’ I make them both like two black clouds.1630
گویم ای خورشید مقرون شو به ماه ** هر دو را سازم چو دو ابر سیاه
We make dry the fountain of the sun: by Our art We turn into musk the fountain of blood.”
چشمهی خورشید را سازیم خشک ** چشمهی خون را به فن سازیم مشک
Sun and moon (shall be) like two black oxen: God will fasten a yoke upon their necks.
آفتاب و مه چو دو گاو سیاه ** یوغ بر گردن ببنددشان اله
How a philosopher showed disbelief at the recitation of (the text), “if your water shall have sunk into the ground.”
انکار فلسفی بر قرائت إن أصبح ماؤکم غورا
A teacher of Qur’án-recitation was reading from the page of the Book, “(if) your water (shall have) sunk into the ground: (that is, if) I stop the water from (reaching) the spring,
مقریی میخواند از روی کتاب ** ماؤکم غورا ز چشمه بندم آب
And hide the water in the depths, and make the springs dry and a place of drought,
آب را در غورها پنهان کنم ** چشمهها را خشک و خشکستان کنم
Who shall bring the water to the spring again except Me who have no like, the Gracious, the Glorious?”1635
آب را در چشمه کی آرد دگر ** جز من بیمثل با فضل و خطر
A contemptible philosopher and logician was passing beside the school at that moment.
فلسفی منطقی مستهان ** میگذشت از سوی مکتب آن زمان
When he heard the verse (of the Qur’án), he said in disapproval, “We bring the water (back) with a mattock;
چون که بشنید آیت او از ناپسند ** گفت آریم آب را ما با کلند
With strokes of the spade and (with) the sharpness of the axe we bring the water up from below.”
ما بزخم بیل و تیزی تبر ** آب را آریم از پستی ز بر
At night he fell asleep and saw (in dream) a lion-hearted man (who) gave (him) a blow on the face and blinded both his eyes,
شب بخفت و دید او یک شیر مرد ** زد طپانچه هر دو چشمش کور کرد
And said, “O wretch, if you are speaking the truth, bring up some light with an axe from these two springs of vision.”1640
گفت زین دو چشمهی چشم ای شقی ** با تبر نوری بر آر ار صادقی
At (dawn of) day he jumped up and found (he had) two blind eyes: from both his eyes the overflowing light had vanished.
روز بر جست و دو چشم کور دید ** نور فایض از دو چشمش ناپدید
If he had moaned and asked pardon (of God), the departed light would have appeared (again) through (God's) kindness;
گر بنالیدی و مستغفر شدی ** نور رفته از کرم ظاهر شدی
But (the power of) asking pardon, also, is not in (our) hands: the savour of repentance is not the dessert of every inebriate.
لیک استغفار هم در دست نیست ** ذوق توبه نقل هر سر مست نیست
The wickedness of (his) actions and the disastrousness of (his) denial (of the Truth) had barred the way of repentance to his heart.
زشتی اعمال و شومی جحود ** راه توبه بر دل او بسته بود
His heart became in hardness as the face of a rock: how should repentance cleave it for sowing?1645
دل به سختی همچو روی سنگ گشت ** چون شکافد توبه آن را بهر کشت
Where is one like Shu‘ayb, that by prayer he may make the mountain earth (fit) for sowing?
چون شعیبی کو که تا او را دعا ** بهر کشتن خاک سازد کوه را
Through the supplication and (firm) belief of that Friend (Abraham) the thing that was hard and impossible became possible.
از نیاز و اعتقاد آن خلیل ** گشت ممکن امر صعب و مستحیل
Or, (to give another example), through the Muqawqis' begging the Prophet a stony ground became a goodly cornfield.
یا به دریوزهی مقوقس از رسول ** سنگلاخی مزرعی شد با اصول
So, contrariwise, a man's disbelief turns gold into copper and peace into war.
همچنین بر عکس آن انکار مرد ** مس کند زر را و صلحی را نبرد
This falseness draws after it an evil transformation: it turns ground capable (of tillage) into stones and pebbles.1650
کهربای مسخ آمد این دغا ** خاک قابل را کند سنگ و حصا
Nor is it granted to every heart to fall down in prayer: the wages of (Divine) mercy are not the (allotted) portion of every hireling.
هر دلی را سجده هم دستور نیست ** مزد رحمت قسم هر مزدور نیست
Beware! Do not commit crime and sin in reliance on (the thought), “I will repent and come to (take) refuge (with God).”
هین بپشت آن مکن جرم و گناه ** که کنم توبه در آیم در پناه
For (true) repentance, there must needs be a glow (of inward feeling) and a flood (of tears): (such) lightning and clouds are the condition indispensable to repentance.
میبباید تاب و آبی توبه را ** شرط شد برق و سحابی توبه را
There must needs be fire and water (rain) for the fruit: clouds and lightning are necessary for this accomplishment.
آتش و آبی بباید میوه را ** واجب آید ابر و برق این شیوه را
Until there is the lightning of the heart and the rain-clouds of the two eyes, how shall the fire of (Divine) menace and wrath be allayed?1655
تا نباشد برق دل و ابر دو چشم ** کی نشیند آتش تهدید و خشم
How shall the herbage grow, (the herbage) of the delight of union (with God)? How shall the fountains of clear water gush forth?
کی بروید سبزهی ذوق وصال ** کی بجوشد چشمهها ز آب زلال
How shall the rose-beds tell their secret to the garden? How shall the violet make an engagement with the jasmine?
کی گلستان راز گوید با چمن ** کی بنفشه عهد بندد با سمن
How shall a plane-tree open its hands (spread its leaves) in prayer? How shall any tree toss its head in the air (of love-desire)?
کی چناری کف گشاید در دعا ** کی درختی سر فشاند در هوا
How shall the blossoms begin to shake out their sleeves full of largesse in the days of Spring?
کی شکوفه آستین پر نثار ** بر فشاندن گیرد ایام بهار
How shall the cheeks of the anemone flame like blood? How shall the rose bring gold out of its purse?1660
کی فروزد لاله را رخ همچو خون ** کی گل از کیسه بر آرد زر برون
How shall the nightingale come and smell the rose? How shall the dove say “coo, coo,” as one that seeks?
کی بیاید بلبل و گل بو کند ** کی چو طالب فاخته کوکو کند
How shall the stork utter with (all) its soul the cry lak, lak? What is (the meaning of) lak? (It means) “Thine is the kingdom, O Thou whose help is invoked.”
کی بگوید لکلک آن لک لک به جان ** لک چه باشد ملک تست ای مستعان
How shall the earth show forth the secrets of its inmost mind? How shall the garden become radiant without the sky?
کی نماید خاک اسرار ضمیر ** کی شود بیآسمان بستان منیر
Whence have they fetched those garments (fair qualities)? (They have derived) all of them from One who is Bounteous and Merciful.
از کجا آوردهاند آن حلهها ** من کریم من رحیم کلها
Those graces are the signs of a Witness: they are the footprints of a man devoted to (God's) service.1665
آن لطافتها نشان شاهدی است ** آن نشان پای مرد عابدی است