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
Their names the rapid torrent of death has borne away; his name and his puissant fortune are not dead. 2800 نامشان را سیل تیز مرگ برد ** نام او و دولت تیزش نمرد
For him the drum is always beaten five times (daily): on this wise every day till the Day of Resurrection. پنج نوبت می‌زنندش بر دوام ** هم‌چنین هر روز تا روز قیام
“If thou hast intelligence, (thou wilt see that) I have done kindnesses; and if thou art an ass, I have brought the rod for the ass. گر ترا عقلست کردم لطفها ** ور خری آورده‌ام خر را عصا
I will turn thee out of this stable in such wise that I will make thy ears and head bloody with (blows of) the rod. آنچنان زین آخرت بیرون کنم ** کز عصا گوش و سرت پر خون کنم
In this stable asses and men are getting no quarter from thy oppression. اندرین آخر خران و مردمان ** می‌نیابند از جفای تو امان
Lo, I have brought the rod, for correction's sake, for every ass that is not approved. 2805 نک عصا آورده‌ام بهر ادب ** هر خری را کو نباشد مستحب
It will become a dragon in subduing thee, for thou hast become a dragon in (thy) deeds and disposition. اژدهایی می‌شود در قهر تو ** که اژدهایی گشته‌ای در فعل و خو
Thou art a mountain-dragon without mercy; but look at the dragon of Heaven! اژدهای کوهیی تو بی‌امان ** لیک بنگر اژدهای آسمان
This rod comes as a taste (sample) from Hell, saying, ‘Ho! take refuge in the Light; این عصا از دوزخ آمد چاشنی ** که هلا بگریز اندر روشنی
Else thou wilt be left helpless in my teeth: there will be no escape for thee through my passes.’ ورنه در مانی تو در دندان من ** مخلصت نبود ز در بندان من
This was a rod; it is now a dragon, to the end that thou mayst not say, ‘Where is God's Hell?’” 2810 این عصایی بود این دم اژدهاست ** تا نگویی دوزخ یزدان کجاست
Explaining that one who knows the power of God will not ask, "Where are Paradise and Hell?" در بیان آنک شناسای قدرت حق نپرسد کی بهشت و دوزخ کجاست
God makes Hell to be wheresoever He will: He makes the zenith to be a snare and trap for the bird. هر کجا خدا دوزخ کند ** اوج را بر مرغ دام و فخ کند
Likewise from thy teeth arise pangs of pain, to the end that thou mayst say, “‘Tis Hell and the dragon.” هم ز دندانت برآید دردها ** تا بگویی دوزخست و اژدها
Or He makes the water of thy mouth to be (sweet as) honey, that thou mayst say, “’Tis Paradise and the robes (of Paradise).” یا کند آب دهانت را عسل ** که بگویی که بهشتست و حلل
He makes sugar to grow from the roots of the teeth, that thou mayst know the power of the ordinance of the (Divine) decree. از بن دندان برویاند شکر ** تا بدانی قوت حکم قدر
Do not, then, bite the innocent with thy teeth: bethink thee of the stroke that is not to be guarded against. 2815 پس به دندان بی‌گناهان را مگز ** فکر کن از ضربت نامحترز
God makes the Nile to be blood for the Egyptians; He makes the Israelites safe from calamity, نیل را بر قبطیان حق خون کند ** سبطیان را از بلا محصون کند
That thou mayst know that with God there is discrimination between the sober (traveller) on the Way and the intoxicated. تا بدانی پیش حق تمییز هست ** در میان هوشیار راه و مست
The Nile has learned from God to discriminate, for it opened (the door) for these (Israelites) and shut fast (the door) against those (Egyptians). نیل تمییز از خدا آموختست ** که گشاد آن را و این را سخت بست
His grace makes the Nile intelligent; His wrath makes Cain foolish. لطف او عاقل کند مر نیل را ** قهر او ابله کند قابیل را
He, from kindness, created intelligence in lifeless things; He, because of His wrath, cut off intelligence from the intelligent one. 2820 در جمادات از کرم عقل آفرید ** عقل از عاقل به قهر خود برید
By (His) grace an intelligence appeared in lifeless matter, and through (His) chastisement knowledge fled from the intelligent. در جماد از لطف عقلی شد پدید ** وز نکال از عاقلان دانش رمید
There, by (His) command the rain-like intelligence poured down; here, intelligence saw God's anger and took to flight. عقل چون باران به امر آنجا بریخت ** عقل این سو خشم حق دید و گریخت
Clouds and sun and moon and lofty stars, all come and go according to arrangement. ابر و خورشید و مه و نجم بلند ** جمله بر ترتیب آیند و روند
None comes but at its appointed hour, so that it neither lags behind the time nor (arrives) before. هر یکی ناید مگر در وقت خویش ** که نه پس ماند ز هنگام و نه پیش
How hast not thou understood this from the prophets? They brought knowledge into stone and rod, 2825 چون نکردی فهم این را ز انبیا ** دانش آوردند در سنگ و عصا
That thou, (judging) by analogy, might’st undoubtingly deem the other lifeless things to be like rod and stone (in this respect). تا جمادات دگر را بی لباس ** چون عصا و سنگ داری از قیاس
The obedience (to God) of stone and rod is made manifest and gives information concerning the other lifeless things, طاعت سنگ و عصا ظاهر شود ** وز جمادات دگر مخبر شود
That (they say), “We are cognisant of God and obedient (to Him): we all are (bearing witness to His wisdom) not by chance and in vain. که ز یزدان آگهیم و طایعیم ** ما همه نی اتفاقی ضایعیم
As (for example) the water of the Nile: thou knowest that at the time of drowning it made a distinction between the two peoples; هم‌چو آب نیل دانی وقت غرق ** کو میان هر دو امت کرد فرق
(And) as the earth: thou knowest it to be possessed of knowledge, at the time of (its) sinking, in regard to Qárún whom He subdued and swept away; 2830 چون زمین دانیش دانا وقت خسف ** در حق قارون که قهرش کرد و نسف
(And) as the moon, which heard the (Divine) command and hastened (to obey) and then became two halves in the sky and split; چون قمر که امر بشنید و شتافت ** پس دو نیمه گشت بر چرخ و شکافت
(And) as the trees and stones which everywhere overtly made the salaam to Mustafá (Mohammed). چون درخت و سنگ کاندر هر مقام ** مصطفی را کرده ظاهرالسلام
Reply to the materialist who disbelieves in the Deity and says that the world is eternal. جواب دهری کی منکر الوهیت است و عالم را قدیم می‌گوید
Yesterday some one was saying, “The world is originated in time: this heaven is passing away, and God is its inheritor.” دی یکی می‌گفت عالم حادثست ** فانیست این چرخ و حقش وارثست
A philosopher said, “How do you know (its) temporal origin? How should the rain know the temporality of the cloud? فلسفیی گفت چون دانی حدوث ** حادثی ابر چون داند غیوث
You are not even a mote of the (celestial) revolution: how should you know the temporality of the sun? 2835 ذره‌ای خود نیستی از انقلاب ** تو چه می‌دانی حدوث آفتاب
The little worm that is buried in filth—how should it know the end and beginning of the earth? کرمکی کاندر حدث باشد دفین ** کی بداند آخر و بدو زمین
You have heard this by rote from your father: through foolishness you have become involved in this (belief). این به تقلید از پدر بشنیده‌ای ** از حماقت اندرین پیچیده‌ای
What is the demonstrative argument for its temporality? Tell (me) or else keep silence and do not seek (indulge in) excessive talk.” چیست برهان بر حدوث این بگو ** ورنه خامش کن فزون گویی مجو
He said, “One day I saw two parties searching in this deep sea, گفت دیدم اندرین بحث عمیق ** بحث می‌کردند روزی دو فریق