If you have not firm belief in its being poisonous (and do not know) what (a deadly) poison it is, look at the people of ‘Ád.2750
گر نذاری زهریاش را اعتقاد ** کو چه زهر آمد نگر در قوم عاد
When one king gains the upper hand (prevails) over another. king, he kills him or confines him in a dungeon;
چونک شاهی دست یابد بر شهی ** بکشدش یا باز دارد در چهی
But if he find a fallen wounded man, the king will make a plaster for him and bestow gifts on him.
ور بیابد خستهی افتاده را ** مرهمش سازد شه و بدهد عطا
If that pride is not poison, then why did he kill the (vanquished) king without (his having committed any) crime or offence?
گر نه زهرست آن تکبر پس چرا ** کشت شه را بیگناه و بیخطا
And how did he treat this other (helpless) man (so) kindly without (his having performed any) service? From these two actions you may recognise (the poisonous nature of) pride.
وین دگر را بی ز خدمت چون نواخت ** زین دو جنبش زهر را شاید شناخت
No highwayman ever attacked a beggar: does a wolf ever bite a dead wolf?2755
راهزن هرگز گدایی را نزد ** گرگ گرگ مرده را هرگز گزد
Khizr made a breach in the boat in order that the boat might be saved from the wicked.
خضر کشتی را برای آن شکست ** تا تواند کشتی از فجار رست
Since the broken (contrite) one will be saved, be thou broken (contrite). Safety lies in poverty enter into poverty
چون شکسته میرهد اشکسته شو ** امن در فقرست اندر فقر رو
The mountain that possessed some cash in its mine was riven to pieces by the strokes of the pick-axe.
آن کهی کو داشت از کان نقد چند ** گشت پاره پاره از زخم کلند
The sword is for him who has a (high and proud) neck; no blow falls on the shadow that is thrown (flat upon the ground).
تیغ بهر اوست کو را گردنیست ** سایه که افکندست بر وی زخم نیست
Eminence is naphtha and fire, O misguided one: O brother, how (why) art thou going into the fire?2760
مهتری نفطست و آتش ای غوی ** ای برادر چون بر آذر میروی
How should anything that is level with the earth become a target for arrows? Consider!
هر چه او هموار باشد با زمین ** تیرها را کی هدف گردد ببین
(But if) it raise its head from the earth, then, like targets, it will suffer blows irremediable.
سر بر آرد از زمین آنگاه او ** چون هدفها زخم یابد بی رفو
This egoism is the ladder of (climbed by) the creatures (of God): they must fall from this ladder in the end.
نردبان خالق این ما و منیست ** عاقبت زین نردبان افتادنیست
The higher any one goes, the more foolish he is, for his bones will be worse broken.
هر که بالاتر رود ابلهترست ** که استخوان او بتر خواهد شکست
This is (constitutes) the derivatives (of the subject), and its fundamental principles are that to exalt one’s self is (to claim) copartnership with God.2765
این فروعست و اصولش آن بود ** که ترفع شرکت یزدان بود
Unless thou hast died and become living through Him, thou art an enemy seeking to reign in copartnership (with Him)
چون نمردی و نگشتی زنده زو ** یاغیی باشی به شرکت ملکجو
When thou hast become living through Him, that (which thou hast become) is in sooth He: it is absolute Unity; how is it co partnership?
چون بدو زنده شدی آن خود ویست ** وحدت محضست آن شرکت کیست
Seek the explanation of this in the mirror of (devotional) works, for thou wilt not gain the understanding of it from speech and discourse.
شرح این در آینهی اعمال جو ** که نیابی فهم آن از گفت و گو
If I tell that which I have within, many hearts will immediately be turned into blood,
گر بگویم آنچ دارم در درون ** بس جگرها گردد اندر حال خون
I will refrain; indeed, for the intelligent this (which has been said) is enough: I have shouted twice, if any one is in the village2770
بس کنم خود زیرکان را این بس است ** بانگ دو کردم اگر در ده کس است
To sum up, Hámán by means of those evil words waylaid Pharaoh in such a (terrible) way as this.
حاصل آن هامان بدان گفتار بد ** این چنین راهی بر آن فرعون زد
The morsel, felicity, had reached his (Pharaoh’s) mouth, (when) he (Hámán) suddenly cut his throat.
لقمهی دولت رسیده تا دهان ** او گلوی او بریده ناگهان
He gave Pharaoh’s stack to the wind (destroyed him): may no king have such a minister!
خرمن فرعون را داد او به باد ** هیچ شه را این چنین صاحب مباد
How Moses, on whom be peace, despaired of Pharaoh’s accepting the true faith, because the words of Hámán made an impression on Pharaoh’s heart.
نومید شدن موسی علیهالسلام از ایمام فرعون به تاثیر کردن سخن هامان در دل فرعون
Moses said, “We have shown kindness and generosity, (but) verily it was not the portion allotted to thy dominion
گفت موسی لطف بنمودیم وجود ** خود خداوندیت را روزی نبود
The dominion that is not righteous—regard it as having neither hand nor sleeve2775
آن خداوندی که نبود راستین ** مر ورا نه دست دان نه آستین
The dominion that is stolen (usurped) is without heart and without soul and without eye.
آن خداوندی که دزدیده بود ** بی دل و بی جان و بی دیده بود
The dominion which the vulgar have given to thee they will take back from thee as a debt.
آن خداوندی که دادندت عوام ** باز بستانند از تو همچو وام
Give up to God the dominion held on loan, that He may bestow on thee the dominion to which all consent.”
ده خداوندی عاریت به حق ** تا خداوندیت بخشد متفق
How the Amírs of the Arabs wrangled with Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, saying, "Share the kingdom with us, in order that there may be no contention"; and how Mustafá, on whom be peace, answered and said, "I am commanded (by God) in respect of this Amírate"; and the arguments on both sides.
منازعت امیران عرب با مصطفی علیهالسلام کی ملک را مقاسمت کن با ما تا نزاعی نباشد و جواب فرمودن مصطفی علیهالسلام کی من مامورم درین امارت و بحث ایشان از طرفین
The Amírs of the Arabs assembled and began to wrangle in the Prophet's presence,
آن امیران عرب گرد آمدند ** نزد پیغامبر منازع میشدند
Saying, “Thou art an Amír; every one of us is an Amír likewise: distribute this kingdom and take thy share.2780
که تو میری هر یک از ما هم امیر ** بخش کن این ملک و بخش خود بگیر
Each (of us) is seeking equity in regard to his share: do thou wash thy hands of our share.”
هر یکی در بخش خود انصافجو ** تو ز بخش ما دو دست خود بشو
He replied, “God hath given the Amírate to me: He hath given me the chief authority and the absolute command,
گفت میری مر مرا حق داده است ** سروری و امر مطلق داده است
Saying, ‘This is the epoch and cycle of Ahmad (Mohammed): hark, accept his command! Have fear (of God)!’”
کین قران احمدست و دور او ** هین بگیرید امر او را اتقوا
The party (of Amírs) said to him, “We too are (made) rulers by that (Divine) destiny, and God hath given the Amírate to us.”
قوم گفتندش که ما هم زان قضا ** حاکمیم و داد امیریمان خدا
He said, “(Yes), but to me God gave it as a possession, and to you (only) as a loan for the sake of (furnishing you with) provisions for the road.2785
گفت لیکن مر مرا حق ملک داد ** مر شما را عاریه از بهر زاد
My Amírate is lasting till the Resurrection; the Amírate held on loan will be shattered.”
میری من تا قیامت باقیست ** میری عاریتی خواهد شکست
The (opposing) party said, “O Amír, do not say too much (about this): what is thy argument for seeking more (than thy share)?”
قوم گفتند ای امیر افزون مگو ** چیست حجت بر فزونجویی تو
Forthwith, by the bitter command (of God), a cloud arose; (then) came the torrent: the countryside was filled (with the flood).
در زمان ابری برآمد ز امر مر ** سیل آمد گشت آن اطراف پر
The exceedingly frightful torrent set its face towards the town: the townsfolk (were) making loud lamentation, all (were) terrified.
رو به شهر آورد سیل بس مهیب ** اهل شهر افغانکنان جمله رعیب
The Prophet said, “Now the time is come for the test, in order that opinion may become ocular vision.”2790
گفت پیغامبر که وقت امتحان ** آمد اکنون تا گمارد گردد عیان
Each Amír flung his lance (into the flood), that in the test it might become a barrier against the torrent.
هر امیری نیزهی خود در فکند ** تا شود در امتحان آن سیلبند
Then Mustafá (Mohammed) cast his wand upon it—that sovereign wand that reduced (his foes) to helplessness.
پس قضیب انداخت در وی مصطفی ** آن قضیب معجز فرمان روا
The rapid water of the boiling tameless torrent swept away the lances like a bit of straw.
نیزهها را همچو خاشاکی ربود ** آب تیز سیل پرجوش عنود
All the lances disappeared, while that wand stood on the surface of the water like a sentry.
نیزهها گم گشت جمله و آن قضیب ** بر سر آب ایستاده چون رقیب
From anxious regard for that wand the mighty torrent turned its face away, and the flood-water departed.2795
ز اهتمام آن قضیب آن سیل زفت ** روبگردانید و آن سیلاب رفت
When they beheld that great matter wrought by him, those Amírs, (overcome) by dread, confessed—
چون بدیدند از وی آن امر عظیم ** پس مقر گشتند آن میران ز بیم
Save three persons, whose rancour was prevailing: they, from disbelief, called him a magician and soothsayer.
جز سه کس که حقد ایشان چیره بود ** ساحرش گفتند و کاهی از جحود
The kingship that has been tied on (artificially) is weak like that; the kingship that has grown up (naturally) is august like this.
ملک بر بسته چنان باشد ضعیف ** ملک بر رسته چنین باشد شریف
If thou didst not see the lances together with the wand, (yet) consider the names of them (the Amírs) and consider the name of him (Mohammed), O noble one!
نیزهها را گر ندیدی با قضیب ** نامشان بین نام او بین این نجیب