For the Divine Knowledge has made them (the souls) cognisant (of their bodies), as (happens with) the lamb and the ewe, at the hour of dawn.
که شناسا کردشان علم اله ** چونک بره و میش وقت صبحگاه
The foot knows its own shoe in the dark: how should not the soul know its own body, O worshipful one?
پای کفش خود شناسد در ظلم ** چون نداند جان تن خود ای صنم
Dawn is the little resurrection: O seeker of refuge (with God), judge from it what the greater resurrection will be like.1780
صبح حشر کوچکست ای مستجیر ** حشر اکبر را قیاس از وی بگیر
Even as the soul flies towards the clay (of its body), the scroll (of every one's good and evil actions) will fly into the left hand or the right.
آنچنان که جان بپرد سوی طین ** نامه پرد تا یسار و تا یمین
Into his hand will be put the scroll (register) of avarice and liberality, impiety and piety, and all the (good or evil) dispositions that he had formed yesterday.
در کفش بنهند نامه‌ی بخل و جود ** فسق و تقوی آنچ دی خو کرده بود
At dawn when he wakes from slumber, that good and evil will come back to him.
چون شود بیدار از خواب او سحر ** باز آید سوی او آن خیر و شر
If he has disciplined his moral nature, the same (purified) nature will present itself to him when he wakes;
گر ریاضت داده باشد خوی خویش ** وقت بیداری همان آید به پیش
And if yesterday he was ignorant and wicked and misguided, he will find his left hand black as a letter of mourning;1785
ور بد او دی خام و زشت و در ضلال ** چون عزا نامه سیه یابد شمال
But if yesterday he was (morally) clean and pious and religious, when he wakes he will gain the precious pearl.
ور بد او دی پاک و با تقوی و دین ** وقت بیداری برد در ثمین
Our sleep and waking are two witnesses which attest to us the significance of death and resurrection.
هست ما را خواب و بیداری ما ** بر نشان مرگ و محشر دو گوا
The lesser resurrection has shown forth the greater resurrection; the lesser death has illumined the greater death.
حشر اصغر حشر اکبر را نمود ** مرگ اصغر مرگ اکبر را زدود
But (in the present life) this scroll (of our good and evil actions) is a fancy and hidden (from our sight), though at the greater resurrection it will be very clearly seen.
لیک این نامه خیالست و نهان ** وآن شود در حشر اکبر بس عیان
Here this fancy is hidden, (only) the traces are visible; but there He (God) from this fancy will produce (actual) forms.1790
این خیال اینجا نهان پیدا اثر ** زین خیال آنجا برویاند صور
Behold in the architect the fancy (idea) of a house, (hidden) in his mind like a seed in a piece of earth.
در مهندس بین خیال خانه‌ای ** در دلش چون در زمینی دانه‌ای
That fancy comes forth from within (him), as the earth bears (plants) from the seed (sown) within.
آن خیال از اندرون آید برون ** چون زمین که زاید از تخم درون
Every fancy that makes its abode in the mind will become a (visible) form on the Day of Resurrection,
هر خیالی کو کند در دل وطن ** روز محشر صورتی خواهد شدن
Like the architect's fancy (conceived) in his thought; like the plant (produced) in the earth that takes the seed.
چون خیال آن مهندس در ضمیر ** چون نبات اندر زمین دانه‌گیر
My object in (speaking of) both these resurrections is (to tell) a story; (yet) in its exposition there is a moral for the true believers.1795
مخلصم زین هر دو محشر قصه‌ایست ** مومنان را در بیانش حصه‌ایست
When the sun of the Resurrection rises, foul and fair (alike) will leap up hastily from the grave.
چون بر آید آفتاب رستخیز ** بر جهند از خاک زشت و خوب تیز
They will be running to the Díwán (Chancery) of the (Divine) Decree: the good and bad coin will go into the crucible—
سوی دیوان قضا پویان شوند ** نقد نیک و بد به کوره می‌روند
The good coin joyously and with great delight; the false coin in anguish and melting (with terror).
نقد نیکو شادمان و ناز ناز ** نقد قلب اندر زحیر و در گداز
At every moment the (Divine) probations will be arriving (coming into action): the thoughts concealed in the heart will be appearing in the body,
لحظه لحظه امتحانها می‌رسد ** سر دلها می‌نماید در جسد
As when the water and oil in a lamp are exposed to view, or like a piece of earth from which grow up the (seeds) deposited within.1800
چون ز قندیل آب و روغن گشته فاش ** یا چو خاکی که بروید سرهاش
From onion, leek, and poppy the hand of Spring reveals the secret of Winter—
از پیاز و گندنا و کوکنار ** سر دی پیدا کند دست بهار
One (party) fresh and green, saying, “We are the devout”; and the other drooping their heads like the violet,
آن یکی سرسبز نحن المتقون ** وآن دگر هم‌چون بنفشه سرنگون
Their eyes starting out (of the sockets) from (dread of) the danger, and streaming like ten fountains from fear of the appointed end;
چشمها بیرون جهید از خطر ** گشته ده چشمه ز بیم مستقر
Their eyes remaining in (fearful) expectation, lest the scroll (of their deeds) come (to them) from the left side;
باز مانده دیده‌ها در انتظار ** تا که نامه ناید از سوی یسار
Their eyes rolling to right and left, because the fortune of the scroll (that comes) from the right (side) is not easy (to win).1805
چشم گردان سوی راست و سوی چپ ** زانک نبود بخت نامه‌ی راست زپ
(Then) there comes into the hand of (such) a servant (of God) a scroll headed with black and cram-full of crime and wickedness;
نامه‌ای آید به دست بنده‌ای ** سر سیه از جرم و فسق آگنده‌ای
Containing not a single good deed or act of saving grace— nothing but wounds inflicted on the hearts of the saintly;
اندرو یک خیر و یک توفیق نه ** جز که آزار دل صدیق نه
Filled from top to bottom with foulness and sin, with mockery and jeering at the followers of the Way,
پر ز سر تا پای زشتی و گناه ** تسخر و خنبک زدن بر اهل راه
(With all) his rascalities and thieveries and Pharaoh-like expressions of self-glorification.
آن دغل‌کاری و دزدیهای او ** و آن چو فرعونان انا و انای او
When that odious man reads his scroll, he knows that he is (virtually) on the road to prison.1810
چون بخواند نامه‌ی خود آن ثقیل ** داند او که سوی زندان شد رحیل
Then he sets out, like robbers going to the gallows; his crime manifest, and the way (possibility) of excusing himself barred.
پس روان گردد چو دزدان سوی دار ** جرم پیدا بسته راه اعتذار
The thousands of bad pleas and (false) speeches (made during his life) have become like an evil nail (seal) on his mouth.
آن هزاران حجت و گفتار بد ** بر دهانش گشته چون مسمار بد
The stolen property has been discovered on his person and in his house: his (plausible) story has vanished.
رخت دزدی بر تن و در خانه‌اش ** گشته پیدا گم شده افسانه‌اش
He sets out, therefore, to the prison of Hell; for thorns have no means of escape from (being burnt in) the fire.
پس روان گردد به زندان سعیر ** که نباشد خار را ز آتش گزیر
The angels that (formerly) were hidden, (whilst they walked) as custodians before and behind (him), have (now) become visible like policemen.1815
چون موکل آن ملایک پیش و پس ** بوده پنهان گشته پیدا چون عسس
They take him along, prodding him with the goad and saying, “Begone, O dog, to thy own kennels!”
می‌برندش می‌سپوزندش به نیش ** که برو ای سگ به کهدانهای خویش
He drags his feet (lingers) on every road, that perchance he may escape from the pit (of Hell).
می‌کشد پا بر سر هر راه او ** تا بود که بر جهد زان چاه او
He stands expectantly, keeping silence and turning his face backward in a (fervent) hope,
منتظر می‌ایستد تن می‌زند ** در امیدی روی وا پس می‌کند
Pouring tears like autumn rain. A mere hope—what has he except that?
اشک می‌بارد چون باران خزان ** خشک اومیدی چه دارد او جز آن
(So) at every moment he is looking back and turning his face to the Holy Court (on high).1820
هر زمانی روی وا پس می‌کند ** رو به درگاه مقدس می‌کند
Then from God in the realm of light comes the command— “Say ye to him, ‘O ne’er-do-well destitute (of merit),
پس ز حق امر آید از اقلیم نور ** که بگوییدش کای بطال عور
What art thou expecting, O mine of mischief? Why art thou looking back, O giddy-headed man?
انتظار چیستی ای کان شر ** رو چه وا پس می‌کنی ای خیره‌سر
Thy scroll (record) is that which came into thy hand, O offender against God and worshipper of the Devil.
نامه‌ات آنست کت آمد به دست ** ای خدا آزار و ای شیطان‌پرست
Since thou hast seen the scroll of thy deeds, why dost thou look back? Behold the reward of thy works!
چون بدیدی نامه‌ی کردار خویش ** چه نگری پس بین جزای کار خویش
Why art thou tarrying in vain? Where is hope of light in such a (deep) pit as this?1825
بیهده چه مول مولی می‌زنی ** در چنین چه کو امید روشنی
Neither outwardly hast thou any act of piety (to thy credit), nor inwardly and in thy heart an intention (to perform one);
نه ترا از روی ظاهر طاعتی ** نه ترا در سر و باطن نیتی
No nightly orisons and vigils, no abstinence and fasting in the daytime;
نه ترا شبها مناجات و قیام ** نه ترا در روز پرهیز و صیام