God alone is the giver of aspiration: no base churl aspires to be a king.
واهب همت خداوندست و بس ** همت شاهی ندارد هیچ خس
God's assignment of a particular lot to any one does not hinder (him from exercising) consent and will and choice;
نیست تخصیص خدا کس را به کار ** مانع طوع و مراد و اختیار
But when He brings some trouble on an ill-fated man, he (that man) ungratefully packs off in flight;2915
لیک چون رنجی دهد بدبخت را ** او گریزاند به کفران رخت را
(Whereas), when God brings some trouble on a good-fortuned (blessed) man, he always (approaches and) abides nearer (to God).
نیکبختی را چو حق رنجی دهد ** رخت را نزدیکتر وا می‌نهد
In battle the pusillanimous from fear for their lives have chosen the means (resource) of flight,
بددلان از بیم جان در کارزار ** کرده اسباب هزیمت اختیار
(While) the courageous, also from fear for their lives, have charged towards the ranks of the enemy.
پردلان در جنگ هم از بیم جان ** حمله کرده سوی صف دشمنان
Rustams (heroes) are borne onward by (their) fear and pain; from fear, too, the man of infirm spirit dies within himself.
رستمان را ترس و غم وا پیش برد ** هم ز ترس آن بددل اندر خویش مرد
Tribulation and fear for one's life are like a touchstone: thereby the brave man is distinguished from every coward.2920
چون محک آمد بلا و بیم جان ** زان پدید آید شجاع از هر جبان
How God made a revelation to Moses, on whom be peace, saying, "O Moses, I who am the exalted Creator love thee."
وحی کردن حق به موسی علیه‌السلام کی ای موسی من کی خالقم تعالی ترا دوست می‌دارم
God spoke to Moses by inspiration of the heart, saying, “O chosen one, I love thee.”
گفت موسی را به وحی دل خدا ** کای گزیده دوست می‌دارم ترا
He (Moses) said, “O Bountiful One, (tell me) what disposition (in me) is the cause of that, in order that I may augment it.”
گفت چه خصلت بود ای ذوالکرم ** موجب آن تا من آن افزون کنم
He (God) said, “Thou art like a child in the presence of its mother: when she chastises it, it still lays hold of her.
گفت چون طفلی به پیش والده ** وقت قهرش دست هم در وی زده
It does not even know that there is any one in the world except her: it is both afflicted with headache (sorrow) by her and intoxicated (with joy) by her.
خود نداند که جز او دیار هست ** هم ازو مخمور هم از اوست مست
If its mother give it a slap, still it comes to its mother and clings to her.2925
مادرش گر سیلیی بر وی زند ** هم به مادر آید و بر وی تند
It does not seek help from any one but her: she is all its evil and its good.
از کسی یاری نخواهد غیر او ** اوست جمله شر او و خیر او
Thy heart, likewise, in good or evil (plight) never turns from Me to other quarters.
خاطر تو هم ز ما در خیر و شر ** التفاتش نیست جاهای دگر
In thy sight all besides Me are as stones and clods, whether (they be) boys or youths or old men.”
غیر من پیشت چون سنگست و کلوخ ** گر صبی و گر جوان و گر شیوخ
Just as Thee we worship in yearning entreaty, (so) in tribulation we ask help of none but Thee.
هم‌چنانک ایاک نعبد در حنین ** در بلا از غیر تو لانستعین
This Thee we worship is (used) idiomatically for the purpose of (expressing) appropriation, and that (appropriation) is for the purpose of negating hypocrisy.2930
هست این ایاک نعبد حصر را ** در لغت و آن از پی نفی ریا
Of Thee we ask help also is for the purpose of appropriation: he (who recites these words) appropriates and restricts the asking of help,
هست ایاک نستعین هم بهر حصر ** حصر کرده استعانت را و قصر
Meaning, “We perform worship to Thee alone; we have hope of help from Thee alone.”
که عبادت مر ترا آریم و بس ** طمع یاری هم ز تو داریم و بس
How a king was enraged with his boon-companion, and an intercessor interceded on behalf of the object of (the king's) anger and begged the king (to pardon the offender); and how (when) the king accepted his intercession, the boon-companion resented the action of the intercessor and asked, "Why did you intercede?"
خشم کردن پادشاه بر ندیم و شفاعت کردن شفیع آن مغضوب علیه را و از پادشاه درخواستن و پادشاه شفاعت او قبول کردن و رنجیدن ندیم از این شفیع کی چرا شفاعت کردی
A king was enraged with a boon-companion and was about to reduce him to smoke and dust.
پادشاهی بر ندیمی خشم کرد ** خواست تا از وی برآرد دود و گرد
The king drew his sword from the scabbard that he might inflict upon him the punishment for that disobedience.
کرد شه شمشیر بیرون از غلاف ** تا زند بر وی جزای آن خلاف
No one had the courage to utter a word nor any intercessor to venture on intercession,2935
هیچ کس را زهره نه تا دم زند ** یا شفیعی بر شفاعت بر تند
Except one amongst the courtiers named ‘Imádu ’l-Mulk, (who was) privileged in respect of intercession, like Mustafá (Mohammed).
جز عمادالملک نامی در خواص ** در شفاعت مصطفی‌وارانه خاص
He sprang up and at once prostrated himself: the king immediately put away from his hand the sword of vengeance,
بر جهید و زود در سجده فتاد ** در زمان شه تیغ قهر از کف نهاد
And said, “If he is the (very) Devil, I forgive him; and if he has done a satanic deed, I cover it up.
گفت اگر دیوست من بخشیدمش ** ور بلیسی کرد من پوشیدمش
Since thou hast intervened, I am satisfied, (even) if the culprit has committed a hundred acts of harm.
چونک آمد پای تو اندر میان ** راضیم گر کرد مجرم صد زیان
I can break (annul) a hundred thousand angers, seeing that thou hast such excellence and such worth;2940
صد هزاران خشم را توانم شکست ** که ترا آن فضل و آن مقدار هست
(But) nowise can I break (annul) thy supplication, because thy supplication is assuredly my supplication.
لابه‌ات را هیچ نتوانم شکست ** زآنک لابه‌ی تو یقین لابه‌ی منست
(Even) if he had thrown earth and heaven into confusion, this man would not have escaped from (my) vengeance;
گر زمین و آسمان بر هم زدی ** ز انتقام این مرد بیرون نامدی
And if (the whole world) atom by atom had become a suppliant (for his release), he would not have saved his head from the sword at this moment.
ور شدی ذره به ذره لابه‌گر ** او نبردی این زمان از تیغ سر
We confer no obligation on thee (by this), O noble one; but (on the contrary) ’tis (only) to explain thy honour (the honour in which I hold thee), O boon-companion.
بر تو می‌ننهیم منت ای کریم ** لیک شرح عزت تست ای ندیم
Thou didst not make this (intercession), for assuredly I made it, O thou whose qualities are buried in my qualities.2945
این نکردی تو که من کردم یقین ** ایی صفاتت در صفات ما دفین
In this (matter) thou art the one employed to do the work, not the (prime) doer (of it), inasmuch as thou art borne by me and art not (thyself) the bearer.
تو درین مستعملی نی عاملی ** زانک محمول منی نی حاملی
Thou hast become (the instrument of my action, according to the text) Thou didst not throw when thou threwest: like the foam, thou hast abandoned thyself in the wave.
ما رمیت اذ رمیت گشته‌ای ** خویشتن در موج چون کف هشته‌ای
Thou hast become ‘not’; (now) take up thy abode beside ‘except.’ This is wonderful, that thou art both a prisoner and a prince.
لا شدی پهلوی الا خانه‌گیر ** این عجب که هم اسیری هم امیر
Thou didst not give what thou gavest: the king gave it. He alone is. God best knoweth the right course.”
آنچ دادی تو ندای شاه داد ** اوست بس الله اعلم بالرشاد
And the boon-companion who had been delivered from the stroke of calamity was offended with this intercessor and drew back from (his former) fealty.2950
وآن ندیم رسته از زخم و بلا ** زین شفیع آزرد و برگشت از ولا
He cut off all (relations of) friendship with that sincere man, and turned his face to the wall in order that he might not give (him) the salaam.
دوستی ببرید زان مخلص تمام ** رو به حایط کرد تا نارد سلام
He became estranged from his intercessor; in astonishment at this the people began to talk,
زین شفیع خویشتن بیگانه شد ** زین تعجب خلق در افسانه شد
Saying, “(If) he is not mad, how did he cut off friendly relations with the person who redeemed his life?
که نه مجنونست یاری چون برید ** از کسی که جان او را وا خرید
He (the intercessor) redeemed (saved) him from beheading at that moment: he (the culprit) ought to have become the dust of his (the intercessor's) shoe.
وا خریدش آن دم از گردن زدن ** خاک نعل پاش بایستی شدن
He has gone the reverse way and has taken (the course of) renouncing (his friend): he has taken to cherishing enmity against a beloved like this.”2955
بازگونه رفت و بیزاری گرفت ** با چنین دلدار کین‌داری گرفت
Then a certain mentor reproached him, saying, “Why are you acting so unjustly towards a loyal friend?
پس ملامت کرد او را مصلحی ** کیین جفا چون می‌کنی با ناصحی
That elect beloved redeemed your life and saved you from beheading at that moment.
جان تو بخرید آن دلدار خاص ** آن دم از گردن زدن کردت خلاص
If he had done evil (towards you), you ought not to have turned away (from him; but) that praiseworthy friend was especially your benefactor.”
گر بدی کردی نبایستی رمید ** خاصه نیکی کرد آن یار حمید
He replied, “Life is freely given for the king's sake: why should he come as an intercessor between (us)?
گفت بهر شاه مبذولست جان ** او چرا آید شفیع اندر میان
At that moment mine was (the state described by the words) —‘I am with God in a state wherein no chosen prophet is my peer.’2960
لی مع‌الله وقت بود آن دم مرا ** لا یسع فیه نبی مجتبی
I desire no mercy but the blows of the king; I desire no refuge except that king.
من نخواهم رحمتی جز زخم شاه ** من نخواهم غیر آن شه را پناه
I have naughted all besides the king for the reason that I have devoted myself to the king.
غیر شه را بهر آن لا کرده‌ام ** که به سوی شه تولا کرده‌ام