This attribution of qualities is (only) an accident. Be silent: do not kill for sacrifice the goat's shadow!”
این صفت کردن عرض باشد خمش ** سایهی بز را پی قربان مکش
The slave said, “O King, the mind cannot but despair if you say that accidents are not carried over.
گفت شاها بیقنوط عقل نیست ** گر تو فرمایی عرض را نقل نیست
O King, there is nothing but despair for the servant (of God), if the accident that has gone is not coming back.
پادشاها جز که یاس بنده نیست ** گر عرض کان رفت باز آینده نیست
If there were no carrying over and resurrection of accidents, action would be vain and words (mere) babble.960
گر نبودی مر عرض را نقل و حشر ** فعل بودی باطل و اقوال فشر
These accidents are carried over in another guise: the resurrection of everything mortal is another (mode of) existence.
این عرضها نقل شد لونی دگر ** حشر هر فانی بود کونی دگر
The carrying over of everything is just as befits it: what befits the herd is its drover.
نقل هر چیزی بود هم لایقش ** لایق گله بود هم سایقش
At the time of the Resurrection every accident has a (particular) form, and the form of every accident has a turn (of appearing before God).
وقت محشر هر عرض را صورتی است ** صورت هر یک عرض را نوبتی است
Look on thyself. Wert not thou an accident—the movement of copulation, and copulation with a purpose?
بنگر اندر خود نه تو بودی عرض ** جنبش جفتی و جفتی با غرض
Look on houses and edifices: they were as tales in the (mind of) the architect.965
بنگر اندر خانه و کاشانهها ** در مهندس بود چون افسانهها
Such-and-such a house, which seemed to us beautiful, of which the hall, roof, and door were well-proportioned—
آن فلان خانه که ما دیدیم خوش ** بود موزون صفه و سقف و درش
(’Twas) the accident (design) and ideas (proceeding) from the architect (that) brought the tools (into existence) and the pillars (which come) from the forests.
از مهندس آن عرض و اندیشهها ** آلت آورد و ستون از بیشهها
What but some fancy and accident and idea is the origin and source of every handicraft?
چیست اصل و مایهی هر پیشهای ** جز خیال و جز عرض و اندیشهای
Look disinterestedly on all the (various) parts of the world: they are not the result of (anything) except accident.
جمله اجزای جهان را بیغرض ** درنگر حاصل نشد جز از عرض
The beginning, which is thought, comes to an end in action; know that in such wise was the construction of the world in eternity.970
اول فکر آخر آمد در عمل ** بنیت عالم چنان دان در ازل
The fruits are first in the mind's thought, (but only) at the last do they become manifest actually:
میوهها در فکر دل اول بود ** در عمل ظاهر به آخر میشود
When you have done work (and) planted the tree—at the end (when the fruit appears) you read the first words.
چون عمل کردی شجر بنشاندی ** اندر آخر حرف اول خواندی
Although its boughs, leaves, and roots are first, (yet) all those are sent for the sake of the fruit.
گر چه شاخ و برگ و بیخش اول است ** آن همه از بهر میوه مرسل است
Hence that hidden Thought which was the brain (core) of those (nine) heavens was in the end the lord of lawlák.
پس سری که مغز آن افلاک بود ** اندر آخر خواجهی لولاک بود
This discussion and talk are (involve) the carrying over of accidents; this lion and jackal are (examples of) the carrying over of accidents.975
نقل اعراض است این بحث و مقال ** نقل اعراض است این شیر و شگال
Indeed, all created beings were accidents (once), so that in this sense (the text) was revealed—Did there not come…?
جمله عالم خود عرض بودند تا ** اندر این معنی بیامد هل أتی
Whence arise these accidents? From ideas. And whence arise these ideas? From thoughts.
این عرضها از چه زاید از صور ** وین صور هم از چه زاید از فکر
This world is one thought (emanating) from the Universal Intellect: the Intellect is like a king, and the ideas (are his) envoys.
این جهان یک فکرت است از عقل کل ** عقل چون شاه است و صورتها رسل
The first world is the world of probation; the second world is the (world of) recompense for this and that.
عالم اول جهان امتحان ** عالم ثانی جزای این و آن
Thy servant, O King, commits a sin: that accident becomes (a substance, namely) chains and prison.980
چاکرت شاها جنایت میکند ** آن عرض زنجیر و زندان میشود
When thy slave performed goodly service, did not that accident become a robe of honour in the battle (between the flesh and the spirit)?
بندهات چون خدمت شایسته کرد ** آن عرض نه خلعتی شد در نبرد
This accident with the substance (belonging to it) is egg and bird: this is produced by that, and that by this, in succession.”
این عرض با جوهر آن بیضه است و طیر ** این از آن و آن از این زاید به سیر
The King said, “Take the meaning (to be) so: (why then) have these accidents of yours not produced any substance?”
گفت شاهنشه چنین گیر المراد ** این عرضهای تو یک جوهر نزاد
“(Divine) Wisdom,” replied the slave, “has kept it concealed, in order that this world of good and evil may be a mystery,
گفت مخفی داشته ست آن را خرد ** تا بود غیب این جهان نیک و بد
Because, if the (substantial) forms of thought were to become manifest, infidel and believer (alike) would speak naught but praise (of God).985
ز انکه گر پیدا شدی اشکال فکر ** کافر و مومن نگفتی جز که ذکر
Then, were this clearly seen, O King, not hidden, and were the mark of religion or infidelity (visible) on the forehead,
پس عیان بودی نه غیب ای شاه این ** نقش دین و کفر بودی بر جبین
How would there be idol and idolater in this world? How would any one have the stomach to mock (at holy things)?
کی درین عالم بت و بتگر بدی ** چون کسی را زهرهی تسخر بدی
Then this world of ours would be (like) the Resurrection: who commits sin and wrong at the Resurrection?”
پس قیامت بودی این دنیای ما ** در قیامت کی کند جرم و خطا
The King said, “God has veiled the retribution of evil, but (only) from the vulgar, not from His own elect.
گفت شه پوشید حق پاداش بد ** لیک از عامه نه از خاصان خود
If I entrap one Amír, I keep it hidden from the (other) Amírs, (but) not from the Vizier.990
گر به دامی افکنم من یک امیر ** از امیران خفیه دارم نه از وزیر
God, then, has shown to me the retribution of work and myriads of the (substantial) forms of actions.
حق به من بنمود پس پاداش کار ** وز صورهای عملها صد هزار
Give a sign (outwardly), for I know all: the cloud does not veil the moon from me.”
تو نشانی ده که من دانم تمام ** ماه را بر من نمیپوشد غمام
The slave said, “Then what is the object of my speaking, since thou knowest what is (the real nature of) that which has been?”
گفت پس از گفت من مقصود چیست ** چون تو میدانی که آن چه بود چیست
The King said, “The wisdom (of God) in making the world manifest (was) that the (thing) known should come forth (to be seen) plainly.
گفت شه حکمت در اظهار جهان ** آن که دانسته برون آید عیان
Until He made visible that which He knew, He did not lay upon the world the pain of parturition and the throes (thereof).995
آن چه میدانست تا پیدا نکرد ** بر جهان ننهاد رنج طلق و درد
You cannot sit inactive for one moment: (you cannot rest) till some badness or goodness has issued from you.
یک زمان بیکار نتوانی نشست ** تا بدی یا نیکیی از تو نجست
These demands (cravings) for action were appointed in order that your inward consciousness should come clearly into (outward) view.
این تقاضاهای کار از بهر آن ** شد موکل تا شود سرت عیان
How, then, should the reel, which is the body, become still, when the thread's end, which is the mind, is pulling it?
پس کلابهی تن کجا ساکن شود ** چون سر رشتهی ضمیرش میکشد
The sign of that pulling is your anguish: to be inactive is to you like the death-agony.
تاسهی تو شد نشان آن کشش ** بر تو بیکاری بود چون جان کنش
This world and that world are for ever giving birth: every cause is a mother, the effect is the child (born) from it.1000
این جهان و آن جهان زاید ابد ** هر سبب مادر اثر از وی ولد
When the effect was born, that too became a cause, so that it might give birth to wondrous effects.
چون اثر زایید آن هم شد سبب ** تا بزاید او اثرهای عجب
These causes are generation on generation, but it needs a very well illumined eye (to see all the links in their chain).”
این سببها نسل بر نسل است لیک ** دیدهای باید منور نیک نیک
The King, in conversation with him, arrived at this point: he either saw or did not see a sign.
شاه با او در سخن اینجا رسید ** یا بدید از وی نشانی یا ندید
If that searching King saw (such a sign), ’tis not strange; but we are not permitted to mention it.
گر بدید آن شاه جویا دور نیست ** لیک ما را ذکر آن دستور نیست
When that (other) slave came from the warm bath, that King and lofty personage called him to his presence,1005
چون ز گرمابه بیامد آن غلام ** سوی خویشش خواند آن شاه و همام
(And) said, “Health (to you)! Lasting happiness be yours! You are very fine and elegant and good-looking.