Moses said, “O Lord of the Reckoning, Thou didst create the form: how didst Thou destroy it again?”
گفت موسی ای خداوند حساب ** نقش کردی باز چون کردی خراب
Thou hast made the form, male and female, that gives unto the spirit increase (of joy); and then Thou dost ruin it: why?”
نر و ماده نقش کردی جان‌فزا ** وانگهان ویران کنی این را چرا
God said, “I know that this question of thine is not from disbelief and heedlessness and idle fancy;
گفت حق دانم که این پرسش ترا ** نیست از انکار و غفلت وز هوا
Else I should have corrected and chastised thee: I should have afflicted thee on account of this question.
ورنه تادیب و عتابت کردمی ** بهر این پرسش ترا آزردمی
But (I know that) thou wishest to discover in My actions the wisdom and hidden meaning of (phenomenal) duration,3005
لیک می‌خواهی که در افعال ما ** باز جویی حکمت و سر بقا
That thou mayst acquaint the vulgar therewith and by this means make every raw (ignorant) person to become cooked.
تا از آن واقف کنی مر عام را ** پخته گردانی بدین هر خام را
Thou hast become a questioner on purpose to disclose (this matter) to the vulgar, albeit thou art acquainted with it;
قاصدا سایل شدی در کاشفی ** بر عوام ار چه که تو زان واقفی
For this questioning is the half of knowledge, and this ability (to ask questions) does not belong to every outsider.”
زآنک نیم علم آمد این سال ** هر برونی را نباشد آن مجال
Both question and answer arise from knowledge, just as the thorn and the rose from earth and water.
هم سال از علم خیزد هم جواب ** هم‌چنانک خار و گل از خاک و آب
Both perdition and salvation arise from knowledge, just as bitter and sweet (fruit) from moisture.3010
هم ضلال از علم خیزد هم هدی ** هم‌چنانک تلخ و شیرین از ندا
This hatred and love arise from acquaintance, and from wholesome food (arise both) sickness and (bodily) powers.
ز آشنایی خیزد این بغض و ولا ** وز غذای خویش بود سقم و قوی
That Kalím (Moses) became (like) an ignorant enquirer in order that he might make the ignorant acquainted with this mystery.
مستفید اعجمی شد آن کلیم ** تا عجمیان را کند زین سر علیم
Let us too feign ourselves to be ignorant thereof and elicit the answer to it (to the question) as (if we were) strangers (seeking information).
ما هم از وی اعجمی سازیم خویش ** پاسخش آریم چون بیگانه پیش
(Similarly) the ass-sellers became rivals to one another in order that they might open the way to the contract (of sale).
خرفروشان خصم یکدیگر شدند ** تا کلید قفل آن عقد آمدند
Then God spake unto him, saying, “O thou who possessest the most excellent (understanding), since thou hast asked (the question), come, hear the answer.3015
پس بفرمودش خدا ای ذولباب ** چون بپرسیدی بیا بشنو جواب
O Moses, sow some seed in the earth, that thou thyself mayst render justice to this (question).”
موسیا تخمی بکار اندر زمین ** تا تو خود هم وا دهی انصاف این
When Moses had sown and the seed-corn was complete (in growth) and its ears had gained beauty and symmetry,
چونک موسی کشت و شد کشتش تمام ** خوشه‌هااش یافت خوبی و نظام
He took the sickle and was cutting that (crop); then a voice from the Unseen reached his ear,
داس بگرفت و مر آن را می‌برید ** پس ندا از غیب در گوشش رسید
Crying, “Why dost thou sow and tend some seed-corn and (now) art cutting it when it has attained to perfection?”
که چرا کشتی کنی و پروری ** چون کمالی یافت آن را می‌بری
He replied, “O Lord, I destroy and lay it low because straw is here and (also) grain.3020
گفت یا رب زان کنم ویران و پست ** که درینجا دانه هست و کاه هست
The grain is not suitable (to be stored) in the straw-barn; the straw likewise is bad (for putting) in the corn-barn.
دانه لایق نیست درانبار کاه ** کاه در انبار گندم هم تباه
’Tis not wisdom to mix these twain: it (wisdom) makes necessary the separation (of them) in winnowing.”
نیست حکمت این دو را آمیختن ** فرق واجب می‌کند در بیختن
He (God) said, “From whom didst thou gain this knowledge, so that by means of the knowledge thou didst construct a threshing-floor?”
گفت این دانش تو از کی یافتی ** که به دانش بیدری بر ساختی
He replied, “Thou, O God, gavest me discernment.” He (God) said, “Then how should I not have discernment?”
گفت تمییزم تو دادی ای خدا ** گفت پس تمییز چون نبود مرا
Amongst the created beings are pure spirits; there are (also) spirits dark and muddy.3025
در خلایق روحهای پاک هست ** روحهای تیره‌ی گلناک هست
These shells are not in one grade: in one (of them) is the pearl and in another the (worthless) bead.
این صدفها نیست در یک مرتبه ** در یکی درست و در دیگر شبه
It is necessary to make manifest (the difference between) this good and evil, just as (it is necessary) to make manifest (distinguish) the wheat from the straw.
واجبست اظهار این نیک و تباه ** هم‌چنانک اظهار گندمها ز کاه
(The creation of) these creatures of the world is for the purpose of manifestation, to the end that the treasure of (Divine) providences may not remain hidden.
بهر اظهارست این خلق جهان ** تا نماند گنج حکمتها نهان
He (God) said, “I was a hidden treasure”: hearken! Do not let thy (spiritual) substance be lost: become manifest!
Explaining that the animal spirit and the particular (discursive) reason and the imagination and the fancy may be compared to buttermilk, while the spirit, which is everlasting, is hidden in this buttermilk, like the butter.
بیان آنک روح حیوانی و عقل جز وی و وهم و خیال بر مثال دوغند و روح کی باقیست درین دوغ هم‌چون روغن پنهانست
Thy true substance is concealed in falsehood, like the taste of butter in the taste of buttermilk.3030
جوهر صدقت خفی شد در دروغ ** هم‌چو طعم روغن اندر طعم دوغ
Thy falsehood is this perishable body; thy truth is that lordly spirit.
آن دروغت این تن فانی بود ** راستت آن جان ربانی بود
(During many) years this buttermilk, (which is) the body, is visible and manifest, (while) the butter, (which is) the spirit, is perishing and naughted within it,
سالها این دوغ تن پیدا و فاش ** روغن جان اندرو فانی و لاش
Till God send a messenger (prophet), a (chosen) servant, a shaker of the buttermilk in the churn,
تا فرستد حق رسولی بنده‌ای ** دوغ را در خمره جنباننده‌ای
That he may shake (it) with method and skill, to the end that I may know that (my true) ego was hidden;
تا بجنباند به هنجار و به فن ** تا بدانم من که پنهان بود من
Or (till) the speech of a (chosen) servant, which is part is part of (the speech of) him (the prophet), enter into the ear of him who is seeking inspiration.3035
یا کلام بنده‌ای کان جزو اوست ** در رود در گوش او کو وحی جوست
The true believer's ear is retaining our inspiration: such an ear is closely linked to the caller (the perfect saint)—
اذن مومن وحی ما را واعیست ** آنچنان گوشی قرین داعیست
Just as (for example) the infant's ear is filled with its mother's words, (and then) it (the infant) begins to speak articulately;
هم‌چنانک گوش طفل از گفت مام ** پر شود ناطق شود او درکلام
And if the infant have not a right (rightly-hearing) ear, it does not hear its mother's words and becomes a mute.
ور نباشد طفل را گوش رشد ** گفت مادر نشنود گنگی شود
Every one born deaf has always been dumb: (only) that one who heard (speech) from his mother became a speaker.
دایما هر کر اصلی گنگ بود ** ناطق آنکس شد که از مادر شنود
Know that the deaf ear and the dumb man are the result of a certain defect; for it (the deaf ear) is not capable of (hearing) words and being taught.3040
دانک گوش کر و گنگ از آفتیست ** که پذیرای دم و تعلیم نیست
The (only) one that possessed speech without being taught is God, whose attributes are separated (exempt) from infirmities,
آنک بی‌تعلیم بد ناطق خداست ** که صفات او ز علتها جداست
Or one like Adam whom God instructed without the screen (mediation) of mother and nurse and necessaries,
یا چو آدم کرده تلقینش خدا ** بی‌حجاب مادر و دایه و ازا
Or the Messiah (Christ) who, through being taught by the Loving (God), at his birth came speaking into the world,
یا مسیحی که به تعلیم ودود ** در ولادت ناطق آمد در وجود
For the purpose of repelling the suspicion as to his birth (and proving) that he was not born of fornication and wickedness.
از برای دفع تهمت در ولاد ** که نزادست از زنا و از فساد
A (great) shaking was required in the effort that the buttermilk might render back that butter from its (inmost) heart.3045
جنبشی بایست اندر اجتهاد ** تا که دوغ آن روغن از دل باز داد
The butter in the buttermilk is (invisible) like non-existence; the buttermilk has raised its banner (has become manifest) in existence.
روغن اندر دوغ باشد چون عدم ** دوغ در هستی برآورده علم
That which seems to you to be (really) existent is (mere) skin, while that which seems to have perished—that (in reality) is the root.
The buttermilk has not (yet) taken (the form of) butter and is old: lay it (in store) and do not squander it till you pick out (the butter from it).
دوغ روغن ناگرفتست و کهن ** تا بنگزینی بنه خرجش مکن
Hark, turn it knowingly from hand to hand (side to side), that it may reveal that which it has hidden;
هین بگردانش به دانش دست دست ** تا نماید آنچ پنهان کرده است
For this perishable (body) is a proof of the everlasting (spirit): the maundering of the intoxicated is a proof of (the existence of) the Cupbearer.3050
زآنک این فانی دلیل باقیست ** لابه‌ی مستان دلیل ساقیست