By this unrighteousness he makes a hundred parties (of people) suspicious, he causes the generous and abstinent to be in ill repute.
کرده بدظن زین کژی صد قوم را ** کرده بدنام اهل جود و صوم را
(But) notwithstanding that he weaves crookedly, in the end the grace of God will purge him of all this (hypocrisy).195
فضل حق با این که او کژ می‌تند ** عاقبت زین جمله پاکش می‌کند
His (God's) mercy takes precedence (over His wrath) and bestows on that treachery (hypocrisy) a light that the full-moon does not possess.
سبق برده رحمتش وان غدر را ** داده نوری که نباشد بدر را
God cleanses his effort of this contamination: the (Divine) Mercy washes him clean of this folly.
کوششش را شسته حق زین اختلاط ** غسل داده رحمت او را زین خباط
In order that His great forgivingness may be made manifest, a helmet (of forgiveness) will cover his (the hypocrite's) baldness.
تا که غفاری او ظاهر شود ** مغفری کلیش را غافر شود
The water rained from heaven, that it might cleanse the impure of their defilement.
آب بهر این ببارید از سماک ** تا پلیدان را کند از خبث پاک
How the water cleanses all impurities and then is cleansed of impurity by God most High. Verily, God most High is exceeding holy.
پاک کردن آب همه پلیدیها را و باز پاک کردن خدای تعالی آب را از پلیدی لاجرم قدوس آمد حق تعالی
When the water had done battle (in its task of ablution) and had been made dirty and had become such that the senses rejected it,200
آب چون پیگار کرد و شد نجس ** تا چنان شد که آب را رد کرد حس
God brought it back into the sea of Goodness, that the Origin of the water might generously wash it (clean).
حق ببردش باز در بحر صواب ** تا به شستش از کرم آن آب آب
Next year it came sweeping proudly along. “Hey, where hast thou been?” “In the sea of the pure.
سال دیگر آمد او دامن‌کشان ** هی کجا بودی به دریای خوشان
I went from here dirty; I have come (back) clean. I have received a robe of honour, I have come to the earth (again).
من نجس زینجا شدم پاک آمدم ** بستدم خلعت سوی خاک آمدم
Hark, come unto me, O ye polluted ones, for my nature hath partaken of the nature of God.
هین بیایید ای پلیدان سوی من ** که گرفت از خوی یزدان خوی من
I will accept all thy foulness: I will bestow on the demon purity like (that of) the angel.205
در پذیرم جمله‌ی زشتیت را ** چون ملک پاکی دهم عفریت را
When I become defiled, I will return thither: I will go to the Source of the source of purities.
چون شوم آلوده باز آنجا روم ** سوی اصل اصل پاکیها رو
There I will pull the filthy cloak off my head: He will give me a clean robe once more.
دلق چرکین بر کنم آنجا ز سر ** خلعت پاکم دهد بار دگر
Such is His work, and my work is the same: the Lord of all created beings is the beautifier of the world.”
کار او اینست و کار من همین ** عالم‌آرایست رب العالمین
Were it not for these impurities of ours, how would the water have this glory?
گر نبودی این پلیدیهای ما ** کی بدی این بارنامه آب را
It stole purses of gold from a certain One: (then) it runs in every direction, crying, “Where is an insolvent?”210
کیسه‌های زر بدزدید از کسی ** می‌رود هر سو که هین کو مفلسی
Either it sheds (the treasure) on a blade of grass that has grown, or it washes the face of one whose face is unwashed,
یا بریزد بر گیاه رسته‌ای ** یا بشوید روی رو ناشسته‌ای
Or, porter-like, it takes on its head (surface) the ship that is without hand or foot (helplessly tossing) in the seas.
یا بگیرد بر سر او حمال‌وار ** کشتی بی‌دست و پا را در بحار
Hidden in it are myriads of salves, because every salve derives from it its nature and property.
صد هزاران دارو اندر وی نهان ** زانک هر دارو بروید زو چنان
The soul of every pearl, the heart of every grain, goes into the river (for healing) as (into) a shop of salves.
جان هر دری دل هر دانه‌ای ** می‌رود در جو چو داروخانه‌ای
From it (comes) nourishment to the orphans of the earth; from it (comes) movement (growth) to them that are tied fast, the parched ones.215
زو یتیمان زمین را پرورش ** بستگان خشک را از وی روش
When its stock (of spiritual grace) is exhausted, it becomes turbid: it becomes abject on the earth, as we are.
چون نماند مایه‌اش تیره شود ** هم‌چو ما اندر زمین خیره شود
How the water, after becoming turbid, entreats God Almighty to succour it.
استعانت آب از حق جل جلاله بعد از تیره شدن
(Then) from its interior it raises cries of lamentation, saying, “O God, that which Thou gavest (me) I have given (to others) and am left a beggar.
ناله از باطن برآرد کای خدا ** آنچ دادی دادم و ماندم گدا
I poured the (whole) capital over pure and impure (alike): O King who givest the capital, is there any more?”
ریختم سرمایه بر پاک و پلید ** ای شه سرمایه‌ده هل من مزید
He (God) saith to the cloud, “Bear it (the water) to the delectable place; and thou too, O sun, draw it up aloft.”
ابر را گوید ببر جای خوشش ** هم تو خورشیدا به بالا بر کشش
He maketh it to go diverse ways, that He may bring it unto the boundless sea.220
راههای مختلف می‌راندش ** تا رساند سوی بحر بی‌حدش
Verily, what is meant by this water is the spirit of the saints, which washes away your dark stains.
خود غرض زین آب جان اولیاست ** کو غسول تیرگیهای شماست
When it is stained dark by (washing) the treason of the inhabitants of the earth, it returns to Him who endows Heaven with purity.
چون شود تیره ز غدر اهل فرش ** باز گردد سوی پاکی بخش عرش
From yonder, trailing the skirt (of glory), it brings back to them lessons concerning the purities of the All-encompassing (God).
باز آرد زان طرف دامن کشان ** از طهارات محیط او درسشان
Through mingling with the people (of the world) it falls sick and desires (to make) that journey, saying, “Revive us, O Bilál!
ز اختلاط خلق یاید اعتدال ** آن اسفر جوید که ارحنا یا بلال
O melodious sweet-voiced Bilál, go up into the minaret, beat the drum of departure.”225
ای بلال خوش نوای خوش صهیل ** میذنه بر رو بزن طبل رحیل
Whilst the body is standing (in the ritual prayer), the spirit is gone on its journey: hence at the moment of return it says, “Salám!”
جان سفر رفت و بددن اندر قیام ** وقت رجعت زین سبب گوید سلام
(On its return to the world) it liberates all from performing the ablution with sand, and seekers of the qibla from endeavouring to ascertain the proper direction.
از تیمم وا رهاند جمله را ** وز تحری طالبان قبله را
This parable is like an intermediary in the discourse: an intermediary is required for the apprehension of the vulgar.
این مثل چون واسطه‌ست اندر کلام ** واسطه شرطست بهر فهم عام