Find that feeble unjust old crone: hark, fetch a handful of clay and make haste!”1650
آن ضعیف زال ظالم را بیاب ** مشت خاکی هین بیاور با شتاب
Azrael, the captain of the (Divine) Decree, went off towards the terrestrial globe for the purpose of requisition.
رفت عزرائیل سرهنگ قضا ** سوی کره‌ی خاک بهر اقتضا
The Earth, according to rule, began lamenting loudly: she adjured him, she swore many an oath,
خاک بر قانون نفیر آغاز کرد ** داد سوگندش بسی سوگند خورد
Crying, “O favourite youth (page-of-honour), O bearer of the Throne, O thou whose command is obeyed in heaven and earth,
کای غلام خاص و ای حمال عرش ** ای مطاع الامر اندر عرش و فرش
Depart, for the sake of the mercy of the Merciful (God)! Depart, for the sake of Him who hath shown kindness unto thee!
رو به حق رحمت رحمن فرد ** رو به حق آنک با تو لطف کرد
(Depart), for the sake of that King who alone is worshipped and with whom no one's lamentation is rejected!”1655
حق شاهی که جز او معبود نیست ** پیش او زاری کس مردود نیست
He replied, “These conjurations cannot move me to avert my face from (disobey) the Giver of (all) commands secret or manifest.”
گفت نتوانم بدین افسون که من ** رو بتابم ز آمر سر و علن
She said, “After all, He hath commanded forbearance: both (severity and forbearance) are commanded: take (choose) the latter on the ground of knowledge.”
گفت آخر امر فرمود او به حلم ** هر دو امرند آن بگیر از راه علم
He replied, “That would be an interpretation or an inference: do not seek to confuse the plain meaning of the command.
گفت آن تاویل باشد یا قیاس ** در صریح امر کم جو التباس
If thou interpret (alter) thine own thought (so as to make it agree with the command), ’tis better than that thou shouldst interpret (pervert) this unequivocal (command).
فکر خود را گر کنی تاویل به ** که کنی تاویل این نامشتبه
My heart is burning (melting) at thy supplication, my bosom is filled with blood on account of thy salty tears.1660
دل همی‌سوزد مرا بر لابه‌ات ** سینه‌ام پر خون شد از شورابه‌ات
I am not pitiless; nay, I have greater pity than those three holy ones for the sorrow of the sorrowful.
نیستم بی‌رحم بل زان هر سه پاک ** رحم بیشستم ز درد دردناک
If I am slapping an orphan, while a mild-natured person may put halwá (sweetmeat) in his hand,
گر طبانجه می‌زنم من بر یتیم ** ور دهد حلوا به دستش آن حلیم
Those slaps (of mine) are better (for him) than the other's halwá; and if he be beguiled by the halwá, woe to him!
این طبانجه خوشتر از حلوای او ** ور شود غره به حلوا وای او
My heart is burning at thy lamentable cry, but God is teaching me (to know) a (great) kindness—
بر نفیر تو جگر می‌سوزدم ** لیک حق لطفی همی‌آموزدم
The kindness concealed amidst cruelties, the priceless cornelian hidden in filth.1665
لطف مخفی در میان قهرها ** در حدث پنهان عقیق بی‌بها
The cruelty done by God is better than a hundred clemencies of mine: to withhold the soul from God is agony to the soul.
قهر حق بهتر ز صد حلم منست ** منع کردن جان ز حق جان کندنست
His worst cruelty is better than the clemency of both worlds: how excellent is the Lord of created beings and how excellent (His) help!
بترین قهرش به از حلم دو کون ** نعم رب‌العالمین و نعم عون
In His cruelty there are secret kindnesses: to surrender the soul for His sake increases (the life of) the soul.
لطفهای مضمر اندر قهر او ** جان سپردن جان فزاید بهر او
Hark, dismiss suspicion and error: make thy head a foot (to hasten towards Him) since He hath bidden thee come.
هین رها کن بدگمانی و ضلال ** سر قدم کن چونک فرمودت تعال
His ‘Come’ will give (thee) exaltations; it will give (thee) intoxication and (spiritual) brides and couches.1670
آن تعال او تعالیها دهد ** مستی و جفت و نهالیها دهد
In short, never, never can I weaken (the force of) that sublime command and complicate it (by prevarication).”
باری آن امر سنی را هیچ هیچ ** من نیارم کرد وهن و پیچ پیچ
The wretched Earth heard all this (counsel), (but) in her ear was a plug arising from that evil suspicion.
این همه بشنید آن خاک نژند ** زان گمان بد بدش در گوش بند
Once more in another fashion the lowly Earth made entreaty and prostrated herself, like a drunken man.
باز از نوعی دگر آن خاک پست ** لابه و سجده همی‌کرد او چو مست
He said, “Nay, arise! There is no loss (to thee) from this (thing), I lay my head and life as a pledge and guarantee.
گفت نه برخیز نبود زین زیان ** من سر و جان می‌نهم رهن و ضمان
Do not think of entreating (me), do not make further entreaty except to that merciful and justice-dealing King.1675
لابه مندیش و مکن لابه دگر ** جز بدان شاه رحیم دادگر
I am a slave to (His) command, I dare not neglect His command which raised dust from the sea.
بنده فرمانم نیارم ترک کرد ** امر او کز بحر انگیزید گرد
Save from the Creator of ear and eye and head I will hear (accept) neither good nor evil—not even from my own soul.
جز از آن خلاق گوش و چشم و سر ** نشنوم از جان خود هم خیر و شر
My ear is deaf to all words but His: He is dearer to me than my sweet soul.
گوش من از گفت غیر او کرست ** او مرا از جان شیرین جان‌ترست
The soul came from Him, not He from the soul: He bestows a hundred thousand souls free of cost.
جان ازو آمد نیامد او ز جان ** صدهزاران جان دهم او رایگان
Who is the soul that I should prefer her to the Gracious (God)? What is a flea that I should burn the blanket on account of it?1680
جان کی باشد کش گزینم بر کریم ** کیک چه بود که بسوزم زو گلیم
I know no good but His good: I am deaf and dumb and blind to all but Him.
من ندانم خیر الا خیر او ** صم و بکم و عمی من از غیر او
My ear is deaf to those who make lamentation, for I am as the spear in His hand.
گوش من کرست از زاری‌کنان ** که منم در کف او هم‌چون سنان
[Explaining that when injury befalls you from a creature of God, he in reality is like an instrument. The gnostic is he that refers (all action) to God, not to the instrument; and if he refer it to the instrument formally, he does so not in ignorance but for a purpose. Thus Abú Yazíd, may God sanctify his spirit, said, “During all these years I have never spoken to any creature or heard any creature speak to me; but people fancy that I am speaking and listening to them, because they do not see the Most Great Speaker, of whom they in relation to me are (only) the echo.” The intelligent hearer pays no heed to the echo. There is a well-known proverb to this effect, (namely), “The wall said to the nail, ‘Why are you splitting me?’ The nail replied, ‘Look at him who is hitting me.’”]
بیان آنک مخلوقی کر ترا ازو ظلمی رسد به حقیقت او هم‌چون آلتیست عارف آن بود کی بحق رجوع کند نه به آلت و اگر به آلت رجوع کند به ظاهر نه از جهل کند بلک برای مصلحتی چنانک ابایزید قدس الله سره گفت کی چندین سالست کی من با مخلوق سخن نگفته‌ام و از مخلوق سخن نشنیده‌ام ولیکن خلق چنین پندارند کی با ایشان سخن می‌گویم و ازیشان می‌شنوم زیرا ایشان مخاطب اکبر را نمی‌بینند کی ایشان چون صدااند او را نسبت به حال من التفات مستمع عاقل به صدا نباشد چنانک مثل است معروف قال الجدار للوتد لم تشقنی قال الوتد انظر الی من یدقنی
Do not foolishly beg the spear for mercy: beg (mercy) of the King in whose hand it (the spear) is (held).
احمقانه از سنان رحمت مجو ** زان شهی جو کان بود در دست او
How shouldst thou supplicate the spear and sword which are captives in the hand of that Exalted One?
باسنان و تیغ لابه چون کنی ** کو اسیر آمد به دست آن سنی
He is (like) Ázar in craftsmanship, and I am the idol (made by Him): whatever instrument He may make of me, I become that.1685
او به صنعت آزرست و من صنم ** آلتی کو سازدم من آن شوم
If He make me a cup, I become a cup; and if He make me a dagger, I become a dagger.
گر مرا ساغر کند ساغر شوم ** ور مرا خنجر کند خنجر شوم
If He make me a fountain, I give water; and if He make me fire, I give heat.
گر مرا چشمه کند آبی هم ** ور مرا آتش کند تابی دهم
If He make rain of me, I give a cornstack; and if He make an arrow of me, I dart into the body.
گر مرا باران کند خرمن دهم ** ور مرا ناوک کند در تن جهم
If He make me a snake (márí), I emit venom; and if He make me a friend (yárí), I do (kindly) service.
گر مرا ماری کند زهر افکنم ** ور مرا یاری کند خدمت کنم
I am as a pen between His two fingers: I am not a waverer in the ranks of obedience (to Him).”1690
من چو کلکم در میان اصبعین ** نیستم در صف طاعت بین بین
He (Azrael) engaged the Earth in (this) discourse, (and meanwhile) he snatched from the old Earth a handful (of clay).
خاک را مشغول کرد او در سخن ** یک کفی بربود از آن خاک کهن
(Deftly) like a magician he snatched it from the Earth, (whilst) the Earth was absorbed, like those beside themselves, in (listening to) his words.
ساحرانه در ربود از خاکدان ** خاک مشغول سخن چون بی‌خودان
He brought the inconsiderate clay to God: (he brought) the runaway (back) to school.
برد تا حق تربت بی‌رای را ** تا به مکتب آن گریزان پای را
God said, “(I swear) by My resplendent knowledge, I will make thee the executioner of these (My) creatures.”
گفت یزدان که به علم روشنم ** که ترا جلاد این خلقان کنم
He replied, “O Lord, Thy creatures will regard me as their enemy when I strangle them at death.1695
گفت یا رب دشمنم گیرند خلق ** چون فشارم خلق را در مرگ حلق
Dost Thou deem it right, O exalted Lord, to make me hated and like a foe in appearance?”
تو روا داری خداوند سنی ** که مرا مبغوض و دشمن‌رو کنی
He (God) said, “I will bring into clear view certain causes, (such as) fever and dysentery and phrenitis and spear(-wounds);
گفت اسبابی پدید آرم عیان ** از تب و قولنج و سرسام و سنان
For (so) I will turn their attention from thee to the diseases and threefold causes (of death).”
که بگردانم نظرشان را ز تو ** در مرضها و سببهای سه تو
He (Azrael) replied, “O Lord, there are also servants (of Thine) who rend (shatter the illusion of) causes, O Almighty.”
گفت یا رب بندگان هستند نیز ** که سببها را بدرند ای عزیز