Saying, “My long-suffering is not from (the motive of) sensual desire; that (suspicion) is a vain fancy of your carnal soul: do not take that standpoint.
کان تحمل از هوای نفس نیست ** آن خیال نفس تست آنجا مه‌ایست
Unless my patience had endured the burden of (supporting) my wife, how should the fierce lion have endured the labour of (carrying) me?
گرنه صبرم می‌کشیدی بار زن ** کی کشیدی شیر نر بیگار من
I am (like) Bactrian camels, (speeding) in advance (of the caravan), intoxicated and beside myself under the panniers of God.
اشتران بختییم اندر سبق ** مست و بی‌خود زیر محملهای حق
I am not half-raw (imperfect) in (fulfilling) the (Divine) order and command, that I should take any thought of revilement by the public.2140
من نیم در امر و فرمان نیم‌خام ** تا بیندیشم من از تشنیع عام
My public and my private (object) is His command: my spirit is running on its face in search of Him.
عام ما و خاص ما فرمان اوست ** جان ما بر رو دوان جویان اوست
My being single or wedded is not on account of sensual desire: my spirit is like a die in the hand of God.
فردی ما جفتی ما نه از هواست ** جان ما چون مهره در دست خداست
I endure the disdain of that foolish (woman) and a hundred like her, neither from love of colour nor passion for scent.
ناز آن ابله کشیم و صد چو او ** نه ز عشق رنگ و نه سودای بو
This much, indeed, is (only) the lesson learned by my disciples; (but) unto what place (attains) the forward and backward movement of my battle!
این قدر خود درس شاگردان ماست ** کر و فر ملحمه‌ی ما تا کجاست
Unto what place? Unto the place where Place (itself) finds no admittance, and where nothing exists save the lightning-flash of the Moon of Allah.2145
تا کجا آنجا که جا را راه نیست ** جز سنابرق مه الله نیست
(’Tis) far beyond all conceptions and imaginations, (’tis) the Light of light of light of light of light of light.”
از همه اوهام و تصویرات دور ** نور نور نور نور نور نور
If I have made my discourse low for your sake, (it is) in order that you may put up with an ill-natured companion,
بهر تو ار پست کردم گفت و گو ** تا بسازی با رفیق زشت‌خو
And smilingly and cheerfully bear the burden of distress, because patience is the key to relief from pain.
تا کشی خندان و خوش بار حرج ** از پی الصبر مفتاح الفرج
When you put up with the vileness of these vile folk you will attain unto the light of the (Prophetic) sunnas (ways and practices);
چون بسازی با خسی این خسان ** گردی اندر نور سنتها رسان
For the prophets have often suffered affliction from the vile: often have they writhed in anguish on account of such snakes.2150
که انبیا رنج خسان بس دیده‌اند ** از چنین ماران بسی پیچیده‌اند
Since in eternity it was the will and decree of God, the Forgiver, to reveal and manifest Himself,
چون مراد و حکم یزدان غفور ** بود در قدمت تجلی و ظهور
(This involves contrariety, for) nothing can be shown without a contrary; and there was no contrary to that incomparable King.
بی ز ضدی ضد را نتوان نمود ** وان شه بی‌مثل را ضدی نبود
The (Divine) purpose in (saying), “Lo, I will place a viceroy in the earth.”
حکمت در انی جاعل فی الارض خلیفة
Therefore He made a viceroy, one having a heart, to the end that he might be a mirror for His sovereignty;
پس خلیفه ساخت صاحب‌سینه‌ای ** تا بود شاهیش را آیینه‌ای
So He endowed him with infinite purity (spiritual light), and then set up against him a contrary (in the form) of darkness.
بس صفای بی‌حدودش داد او ** وانگه از ظلمت ضدش بنهاد او
He made two banners, white and black: one (was) Adam, the other (was) the Iblís (Devil) of the Way (to Him).2155
دو علم بر ساخت اسپید و سیاه ** آن یکی آدم دگر ابلیس راه
Between those two mighty camps (there was) combat and strife, and there came to pass what came to pass.
در میان آن دو لشکرگاه زفت ** چالش و پیکار آنچ رفت رفت
Likewise in the second period Hábíl (Abel) arose, and Qábíl (Cain) became the antagonist of his pure light.
هم‌چنان دور دوم هابیل شد ** ضد نور پاک او قابیل شد
Even so (were) these two banners of justice and iniquity (continuing to be raised) till in the course of time the period of Nimrod arrived.
هم‌چنان این دو علم از عدل و جور ** تا به نمرود آمد اندر دور دور
He became the antagonist and adversary of Abraham, and those two armies waged war (against each other) and sought battle.
ضد ابراهیم گشت و خصم او ** وآن دو لشکر کین‌گزار و جنگ‌جو
(At last) when He was displeased with the prolongation of the strife, His fire became the (means of) decision between the twain.2160
چون درازی جنگ آمد ناخوشش ** فیصل آن هر دو آمد آتشش
So He caused a fire to be His arbiter and servant, in order that the difficulty (controversy) of those two persons might be solved.
پس حکم کرد آتشی را و نکر ** تا شود حل مشکل آن دو نفر
These two (contrary) parties (carried on the struggle) from period to period and from generation to generation, down to (the time of) Pharaoh and God-fearing Moses,
دور دور و قرن قرن این دو فریق ** تا به فرعون و به موسی شفیق
Between whom there was war for (many) years. When it passed (all) bounds and was causing excessive weariness,
سالها اندر میانشان حرب بود ** چون ز حد رفت و ملولی می‌فزود
God made the water of the sea His arbiter, that it might be left (to the sea to decide) which of these two should prevail.
آب دریا را حکم سازید حق ** تا که ماند کی برد زین دو سبق
So (it went on) till the period and time of Mustafá (Mohammed), (who contended) with Abú Jahl, the general of the army of iniquity.2165
هم‌چنان تا دور و طور مصطفی ** با ابوجهل آن سپهدار جفا
Moreover He (God) appointed a servant for (the destruction of) Thamúd, (namely), the (awful) Cry that took away their lives.
هم نکر سازید از بهر ثمود ** صیحه‌ای که جانشان را در ربود
Moreover He appointed a servant for (the destruction of) the people of ‘Ád, one that rises quickly and moves rapidly, that is (to say), the Wind.
هم نکر سازید بهر قوم عاد ** زود خیزی تیزرو یعنی که باد
Moreover He appointed a discerning servant for (the destruction of) Qárún (Korah): He endued the graciousness of the Earth with enmity,
هم نکر سازید بر قارون ز کین ** در حلیمی این زمین پوشید کین
So that the graciousness of the Earth turned entirely to wrath, and she bore Qárún and his treasure down to the abyss.
تا حلیمی زمین شد جمله قهر ** برد قارون را و گنجش را به قعر
In the case of the food that is a pillar (support) for this body, bread is like a breastplate to repel the sword of hunger;2170
لقمه‌ای را که ستون این تنست ** دفع تیغ جوع نان چون جوشنست
(Yet) when God puts a (motive of) wrath into your bread, that bread will stick in your gullet (and choke you) like a quinsy.
چونک حق قهری نهد در نان تو ** چون خناق آن نان بگیرد در گلو
This garment that protects you from the cold—God gives it the temperature of intense frost,
این لباسی که ز سرما شد مجیر ** حق دهد او را مزاج زمهریر
So that this greatcoat on your body becomes cold as ice and biting as snow.
تا شود بر تنت این جبه‌ی شگرف ** سرد هم‌چون یخ گزنده هم‌چو برف
(This He does) in order that you may flee from the fox-fur and silk and take refuge from them with the intense cold.
تا گریزی از وشق هم از حریر ** زو پناه آری به سوی زمهریر
You are not the (statutory) two qullas (ewers), you are (only) one ewer: you have forgotten the (Divine) chastisement inflicted by an overshadowing cloud.2175
تو دو قله نیستی یک قله‌ای ** غافل از قصه‌ی عذاب ظله‌ای
In town and village, to (every) house and wall came the command of God, “Give no shade!
امر حق آمد به شهرستان و ده ** خانه و دیوار را سایه مده
Do not ward off the rain and the (heat of the) sun!” so that the people went in haste to that Apostle (Shu‘ayb),
مانع باران مباش و آفتاب ** تا بدان مرسل شدند امت شتاب
Crying, “We are dead for the most part: mercy, O Prince!” Read the rest of it in the book of commentary (on the Qur’án).
که بمردیم اغلب ای مهتر امان ** باقیش از دفتر تفسیر خوان
Since that deft-handed One made the rod (of Moses) a serpent, that instance is enough if you have any intelligence.
چون عصا را مار کرد آن چست‌دست ** گر ترا عقلیست آن نکته بس است
You possess (the faculty of) consideration, but it does not go deep (into the subject): it is a frozen spring and has stopped (flowing).2180
تو نظر داری ولیک امعانش نیست ** چشمه‌ی افسرده است و کرده ایست
Hence the (Divine) Artist who depicts thoughts is saying, “Consider deeply, O (My) servant.”
زین همی گوید نگارنده‌ی فکر ** که بکن ای بنده امعان نظر
He does not mean (to say), “Beat cold iron,” but (what He means is) “O (thou who art hard as) steel, devote thyself to David.”
آن نمی‌خواهد که آهن کوب سرد ** لیک ای پولاد بر داود گرد
If your body is dead, resort to Isráfíl; if your heart is frozen, repair to the sun of the Spirit.
تن بمردت سوی اسرافیل ران ** دل فسردت رو به خورشید روان
Inasmuch as you have wrapped yourself in the garment of phantasy, lo, you will (soon) reach (the position of) the evil-minded sophist (sceptic).
در خیال از بس که گشتی مکتسی ** نک بسوفسطایی بدظن رسی
Verily he was dispossessed of the kernel (which is) Reason: he was dispossessed of (true) perception and deprived of (immediate) experience.2185
او خود از لب خرد معزول بود ** شد ز حس محروم و معزول از وجود
Hark, O mouther, ’tis the hour for mumbling: if thou speak (clearly) to the people, ’tis a shameful exposure.
هین سخن‌خا نوبت لب‌خایی است ** گر بگویی خلق را رسوایی است