When the worm (of decay) has fallen upon thy tooth, it is not a tooth (any more): tear it out, O master.1335
چونک دندان تو کرمش در فتاد ** نیست دندان بر کنش ای اوستاد
In order that the rest of thy body may not be made miserable by it, become quit of it, although it was (once) thine.
تا که باقی تن نگردد زار ازو ** گرچه بود آن تو شو بیزار ازو
He (Noah) said, “I am quit of aught other than Thy Essence; he that has died in Thee is not other (than Thou).
گفت بیزارم ز غیر ذات تو ** غیر نبود آنک او شد مات تو
Thou knowest how I am to Thee: I am (to Thee) as the orchard to the rain, and twenty times as much—
تو همی دانی که چونم با تو من ** بیست چندانم که با باران چمن
Living by Thee, rejoicing because of Thee, a pauper receiving sustenance without any medium or intervention;
زنده از تو شاد از تو عایلی ** مغتذی بی واسطه و بی حایلی
Not united, not separated, O Perfection; nay, devoid of quality or description or causation.1340
متصل نه منفصل نه ای کمال ** بلک بی چون و چگونه و اعتلال
We are the fishes, and Thou the Sea of Life: we live by Thy favour, O Thou whose attributes are excellent.
ماهیانیم و تو دریای حیات ** زنده‌ایم از لطفت ای نیکو صفات
Thou art not contained in the bosom of any thought, nor art Thou joined with the effect, as a cause.
تو نگنجی در کنار فکرتی ** نی به معلولی قرین چون علتی
Before this Flood and after it, Thou hast been the object of my address in (every) colloquy.
پیش ازین طوفان و بعد این مرا ** تو مخاطب بوده‌ای در ماجرا
I was speaking with Thee, not with them, O Thou that art the Giver of speech (both) newly and of old.
با تو می‌گفتم نه با ایشان سخن ** ای سخن‌بخش نو و آن کهن
Is it not the case that the lover, day and night, converses now with the ruins (of the beloved's abode), now with the traces (of her habitation)?1345
نه که عاشق روز و شب گوید سخن ** گاه با اطلال و گاهی با دمن
To outward seeming, he has turned his face towards the ruins, (but) to whom is he (really) saying that song of praise, to whom?
روی با اطلال کرده ظاهرا ** او کرا می‌گوید آن مدحت کرا
Thanks (be to Thee)! Now Thou hast let loose the Flood and removed the ruins which stood between (me and Thee).
شکر طوفان را کنون بگماشتی ** واسطه‌ی اطلال را بر داشتی
(I thank Thee) because they were vile and evil ruins, uttering neither a cry nor an echo.
زانک اطلال لیم و بد بدند ** نه ندایی نه صدایی می‌زدند
I desire such ruins to speak with as answer back, like the mountain, by an echo,
من چنان اطلال خواهم در خطاب ** کز صدا چون کوه واگوید جواب
So that I may hear Thy name redoubled, (for) I am in love with Thy soul-soothing name.1350
تا مثنا بشنوم من نام تو ** عاشقم برنام جان آرام تو
That is why every prophet holds the mountains dear: (’tis) that he may hear Thy name redoubled.
هرنبی زان دوست دارد کوه را ** تا مثنا بشنود نام ترا
That low mountain, resembling stony ground, is suitable for a mouse, not for us, as a resting-place.
آن که پست مثال سنگ لاخ ** موش را شاید نه ما را در مناخ
(When) I speak, it does not join with me: the breath of my speech remains without (any) echo.
من بگویم او نگردد یار من ** بی صدا ماند دم گفتار من
’Tis better that thou level it with the earth; it is not in accord with thy breath (voice): thou shouldst join it with thy foot.”
با زمین آن به که هموارش کنی ** نیست همدم با قدم یارش کنی
He (God) said, “O Noah, if thou desire, I will assemble them all and raise them from (their graves in) the earth.1355
گفت ای نوح ار تو خواهی جمله را ** حشر گردانم بر آرم از ثری
I will not break thy heart for the sake of a Canaan, but I am acquainting (thee) with (their real) states.”
بهر کنعانی دل تو نشکنم ** لیکت از احوال آگه می‌کنم
He (Noah) said, “Nay, nay, I am content that Thou shouldst drown me too, if it behove Thee (to do so).
گفت نه نه راضیم که تو مرا ** هم کنی غرقه اگر باید ترا
Keep drowning me every instant, I am pleased: Thy ordinance is my (very) soul, I bear it (with me) as my soul.
هر زمانم غرقه می‌کن من خوشم ** حکم تو جانست چون جان می‌کشم
I do not look at any one (but Thee), and even if I do look at (any one), he is (only) a pretext, and Thou art the (real) object of my regard.
ننگرم کس را وگر هم بنگرم ** او بهانه باشد و تو منظرم
I am in love with Thy making (both) in (the hour of) thanksgiving and (in the hour of) patience; how should I be in love, like the infidel, with that which Thou hast made?”1360
عاشق صنع توم در شکر و صبر ** عاشق مصنوع کی باشم چو گبر
He that loves God's making is glorious; he that loves what He hath made is an unbeliever.
عاشق صنع خدا با فر بود ** عاشق مصنوع او کافر بود
Reconciliation of these two Traditions: “To be satisfied with infidelity is an act of infidelity,” and “If any one is not satisfied with My ordainment, let him seek a lord other than Me.”
توفیق میان این دو حدیث کی الرضا بالکفر کفر و حدیث دیگر من لم یرض بقضایی فلیطلب ربا سوای
Yesterday an inquirer put a question to me, because he was fond of disputation.
دی سالی کرد سایل مر مرا ** زانک عاشق بود او بر ماجرا
He said, “This Prophet uttered the deep saying, ‘To be satisfied with infidelity is an act of infidelity’; his words are (conclusive like) a seal.
گفت نکته‌ی الرضا بالکفر کفر ** این پیمبر گفت و گفت اوست مهر
Again, he said that the Moslem must be satisfied (acquiesce) in every ordainment, must be satisfied.
باز فرمود او که اندر هر قضا ** مر مسلمان را رضا باید رضا
Is not infidelity and hypocrisy the ordainment of God? If I become satisfied with this (infidelity), ’twill be opposition (disobedience to God),1365
نه قضای حق بود کفر و نفاق ** گر بدین راضی شوم باشد شقاق
And if I am not satisfied, that too will be detrimental: between (these two alternatives), then, what means (of escape) is there for me?”
ور نیم راضی بود آن هم زیان ** پس چه چاره باشدم اندر میان
I said to him, “This infidelity is the thing ordained, it is not the ordainment; this infidelity is truly the effects of the ordainment.
گفتمش این کفر مقضی نه قضاست ** هست آثار قضا این کفر راست
Therefore know (distinguish), sire, the ordainment from the thing ordained, so that thy difficulty may be removed at once.
پس قضا را خواجه از مقضی بدان ** تا شکالت دفع گردد در زمان
I acquiesce in infidelity in that respect that it is the ordainment (of God), not in this respect that it is our contentiousness and wickedness.
راضیم در کفر زان رو که قضاست ** نه ازین رو که نزاع و خبث ماست
In respect of the ordainment, infidelity indeed is not infidelity. Do not call God ‘infidel,’ do not stand here.1370
کفر از روی قضا خود کفر نیست ** حق را کافر مخوان اینجا مه‌ایست
Infidelity is ignorance, and the ordainment of infidelity is knowledge: how, pray, should hilm (forbearance) and khilm (anger) both be one (and the same)?
کفر جهلست و قضای کفر علم ** هر دو کی یک باشد آخر حلم و خلم
The ugliness of the script is not the ugliness of the artist; nay, ’tis an exhibition of the ugly by him.
زشتی خط زشتی نقاش نیست ** بلک از وی زشت را بنمودنیست
The power (skill) of the artist is that he can make both the ugly and the beautiful.”
قوت نقاش باشد آنک او ** هم تواند زشت کردن هم نکو
If I develop the investigation of this (subject) methodically, so that question and answer become lengthy,
گر کشانم بحث این را من بساز ** تا سال و تا جواب آید دراز
The savour of Love's mystery will go from me, the form of piety will be deformed.1375
ذوق نکته‌ی عشق از من می‌رود ** نقش خدمت نقش دیگر می‌شود
A parable illustrating the fact that (mystical) bewilderment prevents investigation and consideration.
مثل در بیان آنک حیرت مانع بحث و فکرتست
A certain man, whose hair was of two colours, came in haste to a highly esteemed barber.
آن یکی مرد دومو آمد شتاب ** پیش یک آیینه دار مستطاب
He said, “Remove the hoariness from my beard, for I have chosen a new bride, O young man.”
گفت از ریشم سپیدی کن جدا ** که عروس نو گزیدم ای فتی
He cut off his beard and laid the whole of it before him, and said, “Do thou pick out (the white hairs), for it happens that I have some important business.”
ریش او ببرید و کل پیشش نهاد ** گفت تو بگزین مرا کاری فتاد
That “pick (them) out” is dialectic, for religious emotion has no care for these things (hair-splitting disputes).
این سال وآن جوابست آن گزین ** که سر اینها ندارد درد دین
A certain man slapped Zayd on the neck; he (Zayd) at once rushed at him with warlike purpose.1380
آن یکی زد سیلیی مر زید را ** حمله کرد او هم برای کید را
The assailant said, “I will ask thee a question, so answer me (first) and then strike me.
گفت سیلی‌زن سالت می‌کنم ** پس جوابم گوی وانگه می‌زنم
I struck the nape of thy neck, and there was the sound of a slap: at this point I have a question (to ask thee) in concord:
بر قفای تو زدم آمد طراق ** یک سالی دارم اینجا در وفاق
Was this sound caused by my hand or by the nape of thy neck, O pride of the noble?”
این طراق از دست من بودست یا ** از قفاگاه تو ای فخر کیا
He (Zayd) said, “On account of the pain I have no leisure to stop (occupy myself) in this reflection and consideration.
گفت از درد این فراغت نیستم ** که درین فکر و تفکر بیستم