If impudence concealed his fault, go, exert thyself in (showing) obstinacy and impudence!
سخت‌رویی گر ورا شد عیب‌پوش ** در ستیز و سخت‌رویی رو بکوش
Abu Jahl, like a vindictive Ghuzz Turcoman, demanded a miracle from the Prophet;350
آن ابوجهل از پیمبر معجزی ** خواست هم‌چون کینه‌ور ترکی غزی
But that Siddiq of God (Abu Bakr) did not crave a miracle: he said, ‘Verily, this face speaks naught but truth.’
لیک آن صدیق حق معجز نخواست ** گفت این رو خود نگوید جز که راست
How should it beseem one like thee, from egoism, to make trial of a beloved like me?”
کی رسد هم‌چون توی را کز منی ** امتحان هم‌چو من یاری کنی
How the Jew said to ‘Alí, may God honour his person, "If thou hast confidence in God's protection, cast thyself down from the top of this kiosk"; and how the Prince of the Faithful answered him.
گفتن آن جهود علی را کرم الله وجهه کی اگر اعتماد داری بر حافظی حق از سر این کوشک خود را در انداز و جواب گفتن امیرالمومنین او را
One day a contumacious man, who was ignorant of the reverence due to God, said to Murtazá (‘Alí),
مرتضی را گفت روزی یک عنود ** کو ز تعظیم خدا آگه نبود
On the top of an exceedingly high terrace or pavilion, “Art thou conscious of God's protection, O intelligent man?”
بر سر بامی و قصری بس بلند ** حفظ حق را واقفی ای هوشمند
“Yes,” he replied; “He is the Protector and the Self-sufficient for (preserving) my existence from (the time of) infancy and conception.”355
گفت آری او حفیظست و غنی ** هستی ما را ز طفلی و منی
He (the Jew) said, “Come, cast thyself down from the roof, put an entire confidence in the protection of God,
گفت خود را اندر افکن هین ز بام ** اعتمادی کن بحفظ حق تمام
So that thy sure faith and thy goodly proven conviction may become evident to me.”
تا یقین گرددمرا ایقان تو ** و اعتقاد خوب با برهان تو
Then the Prince said to him, “Be silent, go, lest for this boldness thy soul be pawned (given over to perdition).”
پس امیرش گفت خامش کن برو ** تا نگردد جانت زین جرات گرو
How is it right for a servant (of God) to venture on an experiment with God by making trial (of Him)?
کی رسد مر بنده را که با خدا ** آزمایش پیش آرد ز ابتلا
How should a servant (of God) have the stomach vaingloriously to put Him to the test, O mad fool?360
بنده را کی زهره باشد کز فضول ** امتحان حق کند ای گیج گول
To God (alone) belongs that (right), who brings forward a test for His servants at every moment,
آن خدا را می‌رسد کو امتحان ** پیش آرد هر دمی با بندگان
In order that He may show us plainly to ourselves (and reveal) what beliefs we hold in secret.
تا به ما ما را نماید آشکار ** که چه داریم از عقیده در سرار
Did Adam ever say to God, “I made trial of Thee in (committing) this sin and trespass,
هیچ آدم گفت حق را که ترا ** امتحان کردم درین جرم و خطا
That I might see the utmost limit of Thy clemency, O King?” Ah, who would be capable of (seeing) this, who?
تا ببینم غایت حلمت شها ** اه کرا باشد مجال این کرا
Forasmuch as your understanding is confused, your excuse is worse than your crime.365
عقل تو از بس که آمد خیره‌سر ** هست عذرت از گناه تو بتر
How can you make trial of Him who raised aloft the vault of heaven?
آنک او افراشت سقف آسمان ** تو چه دانی کردن او را امتحان
O you that have not known good and evil, (first) make trial of yourself, and then of others.
ای ندانسته تو شر و خیر را ** امتحان خود را کن آنگه غیر را
When you have made trial of yourself, O such-and-such, you will be unconcerned with making trial of others.
امتحان خود چو کردی ای فلان ** فارغ آیی ز امتحان دیگران
When you have come to know that you are a grain of sugar, then you will know that you belong to the sugar-house.
چون بدانستی که شکردانه‌ای ** پس بدانی کاهل شکرخانه‌ای
Know, then, without making any trial, that (if) you are sugar, God will not send you to the wrong place.370
پس بدان بی‌امتحانی که اله ** شکری نفرستدت ناجایگاه
Without making trial, know this of the King's (God's) knowledge: when you are a (spiritual) chief, He will not send you (down) to the vestibule.
این بدان بی‌امتحان از علم شاه ** چون سری نفرستدت در پایگاه
Does any intelligent man let a precious pearl fall into the midst of a privy full of ordure?
هیچ عاقل افکند در ثمین ** در میان مستراحی پر چمین
Inasmuch as a sagacious and attentive man will nowise send wheat to a straw-barn,
زانک گندم را حکیم آگهی ** هیچ نفرستد به انبار کهی
If a novice has made trial of the Shaykh who is the (spiritual) leader and guide, he is an ass.
شیخ را که پیشوا و رهبرست ** گر مریدی امتحان کرد او خرست
If you make trial of him in the way of religion, you will be tried (by tribulation), O man without faith.375
امتحانش گر کنی در راه دین ** هم تو گردی ممتحن ای بی‌یقین
Your audacity and ignorance will become naked and exposed to view: how should he be made naked by that scrutiny?
جرات و جهلت شود عریان و فاش ** او برهنه کی شود زان افتتاش
If the mote come and weigh the mountain, its scales will be shattered by the mountain, O youth;
گر بیاید ذره سنجد کوه را ** بر درد زان که ترازوش ای فتی
For he (the novice) applies the scales of his own judgement and puts the man of God in the scales;
کز قیاس خود ترازو می‌تند ** مرد حق را در ترازو می‌کند
(But) since he (the Shaykh) is not contained by the scales of intellect, consequently he shatters the scales of intellect.
چون نگنجد او به میزان خرد ** پس ترازوی خرد را بر درد
Know that to make trial (of him) is like exercising authority over him: do not seek to exercise authority over such a (spiritual) king.380
امتحان هم‌چون تصرف دان درو ** تو تصرف بر چنان شاهی مجو
What authority should the pictures (phenomenal forms) desire to exercise over such an Artist for the purpose of testing Him?
چه تصرف کرد خواهد نقشها ** بر چنان نقاش بهر ابتلا
If it (the picture) has known and experienced any trial, is it not the case that the Artist brought that (trial) upon it?
امتحانی گر بدانست و بدید ** نی که هم نقاش آن بر وی کشید
Indeed, this form that He fashioned—what is it worth in comparison with the forms which are in His knowledge?
چه قدر باشد خود این صورت که بست ** پیش صورتها که در علم ویست
When the temptation to make this trial has come to you, know that ill fortune has come and smitten your neck.
وسوسه‌ی این امتحان چون آمدت ** بخت بد دان کمد و گردن زدت
When you feel such a temptation, at once, at once turn unto God and begin the prostration (in prayer).385
چون چنین وسواس دیدی زود زود ** با خدا گرد و در آ اندر سجود