It is not conceivable: if it were conceivable, it would become non-existent, like (all) objects of conception.
نیست موهوم ار بدی موهوم آن ** همچو موهومان شدی معدوم آن
How should Hell conceive Paradise? Does a beauteous face shine (forth) at all from an ugly pig?2945
دوزخ اندر وهم چون آرد بهشت ** هیچ تابد روی خوب از خوک زشت
Hark, do not cut your own throat! Take heed, O despicable one, (when) such a morsel as this has reached your mouth.
هین گلوی خود مبر هان ای مهان ** این‌چنین لقمه رسیده تا دهان
We have brought the hard ways to an end; we have made the way easy for our own people.”
راههای صعب پایان برده‌ایم ** ره بر اهل خویش آسان کرده‌ایم
How the people (of Sabá) repeated their resistance to the (prophets') hope (of converting them and set themselves) against the prophets, on whom be peace.
مکرر کردن قوم اعتراض ترجیه بر انبیا علیهم‌السلام
The people (of Sabá) said, “If ye bring good luck to yourselves, ye are ill-starred for us and are opposed (to us) and rejected (by us).
قوم گفتند از شما سعد خودیت ** نحس مایید و ضدیت و مرتدیت
Our souls were free from cares: ye have cast us into grief and trouble.
جان ما فارغ بد از اندیشه‌ها ** در غم افکندید ما را و عنا
Through your evil presage the delightful concord and agreement that existed (amongst us) has been turned into a hundred separations.2950
ذوق جمعیت که بود و اتفاق ** شد ز فال زشتتان صد افتراق
(Formerly) we were parrots eating sugar for dessert; (now) through you we have become birds that meditate on death.
طوطی نقل شکر بودیم ما ** مرغ مرگ‌اندیش گشتیم از شما
Wheresoever is a grief-spreading tale, wheresoever is an odious rumour,
هر کجا افسانه‌ی غم‌گستریست ** هر کجا آوازه‌ی مستنکریست
Wheresoever in the world is an evil presage, wheresoever is a monstrous transformation, a terrible punishment, an infliction of chastisement—
هر کجا اندر جهان فال بذست ** هر کجا مسخی نکالی ماخذست
(All those things) are (contained) in the parable of your story and in your evil presage: ye have an appetite for rousing grief.”
در مثال قصه و فال شماست ** در غم‌انگیزی شما را مشتهاست
How the prophets, on whom be peace, answered them once more.
باز جواب انبیا علیهم السلام
The prophets said, “The foul and evil presage has its support from within your souls.2955
انبیا گفتند فال زشت و بد ** از میان جانتان دارد مدد
If you are asleep in a perilous place, and a dragon is approaching you from a spot close at hand,
گر تو جایی خفته باشی با خطر ** اژدها در قصد تو از سوی سر
And a kindly person has made you aware (of it), saying, ‘Jump up quickly, or else the dragon will devour you’—
مهربانی مر ترا آگاه کرد ** که بجه زود ار نه اژدرهات خورد
If you say, ‘Why are you uttering an evil presage?’ (he will reply), ‘What (evil) presage? Jump up and see in the light of day.
تو بگویی فال بد چون می‌زنی ** فال چه بر جه ببین در روشنی
I myself will deliver you from the midst of the evil presage and will take you home.’
از میان فال بد من خود ترا ** می‌رهانم می‌برم سوی سرا
He (such a person) is one that acquaints (you) with things hidden, like the prophet who has seen what the people of this world have not seen.2960
چون نبی آگه کننده‌ست از نهان ** کو بدید آنچ ندید اهل جهان
If a physician say to you, ‘Do not eat unripe grapes, for such an illness (as is caused by them) will produce (grave) trouble and mischief,’
گر طبیبی گویدت غوره مخور ** که چنین رنجی بر آرد شور و شر
And if you say, ‘Why are you uttering an evil presage?’— then you are making out your sincere adviser to be culpable.
تو بگویی فال بد چون می‌زنی ** پس تو ناصح را مثم می‌کنی
And if an astrologer say to you, ‘By no means set about such an affair to-day,’
Though you see the falsehood of the astrologer a hundred times, (yet if) it (the prediction) come true once or twice, you are eager to trust him.
صد ره ار بینی دروغ اختری ** یک دوباره راست آید می‌خری
These stars of ours are never at variance (with the truth): how does their truth remain concealed from you?2965
این نجوم ما نشد هرگز خلاف ** صحتش چون ماند از تو در غلاف
The physician and the astrologer inform (you) from (their own) opinion, and verily we (inform you) from clairvoyance:
آن طبیب و آن منجم از گمان ** می‌کنند آگاه و ما خود از عیان
We behold the smoke and fire rushing from afar towards the unbelievers.
دود می‌بینیم و آتش از کران ** حمله می‌آرد به سوی منکران
You are saying, ‘Be silent (and refrain) from these words, for the words of evil presage are hurtful to us.’”
تو همی‌گویی خمش کن زین مقال ** که زیان ماست قال شوم‌فال
O you who hearken not unto the admonition of the admonishers, the evil presage is with you wherever you go.
ای که نصح ناصحان را نشنوی ** فال بد با تست هر جا می‌روی
A viper is walking on your back: he (the admonisher) sees it from a roof and makes (you) aware;2970
افعیی بر پشت تو بر می‌رود ** او ز بامی بیندش آگه کند
You say to him, “Hush! do not vex me”: he says, “Be happy! Truly, the words have gone (have been spoken).”
گوییش خاموش غمگینم مکن ** گوید او خوش باش خود رفت آن سخن
When the viper darts its mouth at your neck, all your desire for happiness is made bitter.
چون زند افعی دهان بر گردنت ** تلخ گردد جمله شادی جستنت
Then you say to him, “O so-and-so, was this all (the warning you gave me)? Why didn't you tear your collar in outcry,
پس بدو گویی همین بود ای فلان ** چون بندریدی گریبان در فغان
Or why weren't you throwing a stone at me from above, in order that that grave calamity and misfortune might be shown to me (plainly)?”
یا ز بالایم تو سنگی می‌زدی ** تا مرا آن جد نمودی و بدی
He says, “(I refrained) because you were annoyed”; you say (ironically), “You have made me very happy!”2975
او بگوید زآنک می‌آزرده‌ای ** تو بگویی نیک شادم کرده‌ای
He says, “I bestowed counsel generously, that I might deliver you from this sterile (unprofitable) bondage.
گفت من کردم جوامردی بپند ** تا رهانم من ترا زین خشک بند
From vileness you acknowledged no obligation for that (generosity): you made (it) a source of injury and insolence.”
از لیمی حق آن نشناختی ** مایه‌ی ایذا و طغیان ساختی
This is the nature of base villains: he (such a one) does evil to thee when thou doest good (to him).
این بود خوی لیمان دنی ** بد کند با تو چو نیکویی کنی
As for the fleshly soul, bend it double (mortify it) by means of this renunciation, for it is vile, and kindness suiteth it not.
نفس را زین صبر می‌کن منحنیش ** که لیمست و نسازد نیکویش
If thou show beneficence to a noble man, ’tis fitting: he will give seven hundred (benefits) in exchange for every one (conferred upon him);2980
با کریمی گر کنی احسان سزد ** مر یکی را او عوض هفصد دهد
(But be merciless to the ignoble): when thou treatest a villain with violence and cruelty, he becomes a very faithful servant to thee.
با لیمی چون کنی قهر و جفا ** بنده‌ای گردد ترا بس با وفا
The infidels in (their) prosperity sow (the seed of) cruelty; again (afterwards) in Hell their cry is “O Lord, (deliver us)!”
کافران کارند در نعمت جفا ** باز در دوزخ نداشان ربنا
The wisdom of (God's) having created Hell in the world hereafter and the prison of (tribulation in) the present world to the end that they may be places of worship for the arrogant (evil-doers): “Come ye willingly or unwillingly.”
حکمت آفریدن دوزخ آن جهان و زندان این جهان تا معبد متکبران باشد کی ائتیا طوعا او کرها
For in (suffering) cruelty the vile are purified; when they receive kindness, they themselves become cruel.
که لیمان در جفا صافی شوند ** چون وفا بینند خود جافی شوند
Therefore Hell is the mosque where they perform their devotions: a trap is the (only) fetter for a wild bird.
مسجد طاعاتشان پس دوزخست ** پای‌بند مرغ بیگانه فخست
Prison is the cloister of the thief and villain, that there he may be constantly mindful of God.2985
هست زندان صومعه‌ی دزد و لیم ** کاندرو ذاکر شود حق را مقیم
Inasmuch as Divine worship was the object (in the creation) of mankind, Hellfire was made the place of worship for the rebellious.
چون عبادت بود مقصود از بشر ** شد عبادتگاه گردن‌کش سقر
Man hath the power (of action) in everything, but this service (of God) has (ever) been the (final) object of him.
آدمی را هست در هر کار دست ** لیک ازو مقصود این خدمت بدست
“I did not create the Jinn and mankind (save that they might serve Me).” Recite this (text). The (final) object of the world is naught but Divine worship.
ما خلقت الجن و الانس این بخوان ** جز عبادت نیست مقصود از جهان
Though the (final) object of a book is the science (which it contains), (yet) if you make it a pillow (to rest on), it will become (serve as) that too;
گرچه مقصود از کتاب آن فن بود ** گر توش بالش کنی هم می‌شود
But this (function of being a) pillow was not its (final) object: it (the final object) was learning and knowledge and right guidance and profit.2990
لیک ازو مقصود این بالش نبود ** علم بود و دانش و ارشاد سود
If you have made the sword a tent-pin, you have preferred defeat to victory.
گر تو میخی ساختی شمشیر را ** برگزیدی بر ظفر ادبار را
Although the (final) object of Man is knowledge (of God) and to be rightly directed (in religion), (yet) every man hath a particular place of worship.
گرچه مقصود از بشر علم و هدیست ** لیک هر یک آدمی را معبدیست
The place where (the means whereby) the noble man worships is your treating him with kindness; the place where (the means whereby) the vile man worships is your making him sick (your maltreating him).