Saying (to himself), “Whence did He make me hopeful and whence did He shower money and profit upon me!
کر کجا اومیدوارم کرده بود ** وز کجا افشاند بر من سیم و سود
What wisdom was this, that the Object of (all) desire caused me to go forth from my home gladly on a fool's errand,
این چه حکمت بود که قبله‌ی مراد ** کردم از خانه برون گمراه و شاد
So that I was hastening to lose the way and at every moment was being farther removed from that which I sought—4340
تا شتابان در ضلالت می‌شدم ** هر دم از مطلب جداتر می‌بدم
And then God in His munificence made that very aberration the means of (my) reaching the right road and gaining wealth!”
باز آن عین ضلالت را به جود ** حق وسیلت کرد اندر رشد و سود
He maketh losing the way an avenue to (true) faith; He maketh going wrong a field for the harvest of righteousness,
گمرهی را منهج ایمان کند ** کژروی را محصد احسان کند
To the end that no righteous man may be without fear, and that no traitor (sinner) may be without hope.
تا نباشد هیچ محسن بی‌وجا ** تا نباشد هیچ خاین بی‌رجا
The Gracious One hath put an antidote in the poison in order that they may say He is the Lord of hidden grace.
اندرون زهر تریاق آن حفی ** کرد تا گویند ذواللطف الخفی
That (Divine) bounty is not mysterious in (the case of) piety; (but) the (Divine) Forgiveness bestows a robe of honour (even) in (the case of) sin.4345
نیست مخفی در نماز آن مکرمت ** در گنه خلعت نهد آن مغفرت
The unbelievers sought to abase those (the prophets) who were worthy of trust: (that) abasement became exaltation and (the cause of) miracles being displayed.
منکران را قصد اذلال ثقات ** ذل شده عز و ظهور معجزات
In their unbelief they attempted to abase the (true) religion: that very abasement was turned to glory for the prophets.
قصدشان ز انکار ذل دین بده ** عین ذل عز رسولان آمده
How should a judge require (a litigant to give) evidence until his disbelieving opponent has demanded proof of his veracity?
گر نه انکار آمدی از هر بدی ** معجزه و برهان چرا نازل شدی
How should a judge require (a litigant to give) evidence until his disbelieving, opponent has demanded proof of his veracity?
خصم منکر تا نشد مصداق‌خواه ** کی کند قاضی تقاضای گواه
The miracle (performed by a prophet) is like an honest witness to the indubitable veracity of the claimant.4350
Since they (the prophets) were being attacked by every ignoramus, God bestowed on them the gift of miracles and showed them favour.
طعن چون می‌آمد از هر ناشناخت ** معجزه می‌داد حق و می‌نواخت
The plots of Pharaoh were three-hundredfold: all (of them) became (the means to) his abasement and subjugation.
مکر آن فرعون سیصد تو بده ** جمله ذل او و قمع او شده
He brought magicians, good and bad, into his presence in order that he might invalidate the miracles of Moses,
ساحران آورده حاضر نیک و بد ** تا که جرح معجزه‌ی موسی کند
That he might nullify the rod (of Moses) and put it to shame and remove from (men's) hearts the respect (which they had) for it.
تا عصا را باطل و رسوا کند ** اعتبارش را ز دلها بر کند
Those very plots only serve to manifest the veracity of Moses: the prestige of his rod goes up.4355
عین آن مکر آیت موسی شود ** اعتبار آن عصا بالا رود
He (Pharaoh) leads his army betimes to the neighbourhood of the Nile in order to waylay Moses and his people;
لشکر آرد او پگه تا حول نیل ** تا زند بر موسی و قومش سبیل
(But) it only serves to ensure the safety of the followers of Moses, (while) he (Pharaoh) goes under the earth and the plain (of sand).
آمنی امت موسی شود ** او به تحت‌الارض و هامون در رود
If he (Moses) had stayed in Egypt, he (Pharaoh) would not have marched (against him): how, (then), would the Israelites have been relieved of dread?
گر به مصر اندر بدی او نامدی ** وهم از سبطی کجا زایل شدی
He marched and caused the Israelites to be consumed (with terror); for (you must) know that safety is concealed in danger.
آمد و در سبط افکند او گداز ** که بدانک امن در خوفست راز
The hidden grace consists in this, that the Lord shows unto him (the recipient of grace) a (terrible) fire, but it is really a (gracious) light.4360
آن بود لطف خفی کو را صمد ** نار بنماید خود آن نوری بود
There is nothing mysterious in (God's) rewarding piety, (but) look at the reward bestowed on the magicians (of Pharaoh) after their sin!
نیست مخفی مزد دادن در تقی ** ساحران را اجر بین بعد از خطا
There is nothing mysterious in the favour shown (by God) while cherishing (His lovers), (but) He bestowed His favour on the magicians in the amputation (of their hands and feet).
نیست مخفی وصل اندر پرورش ** ساحران را وصل داد او در برش
There is nothing mysterious in journeying with feet that move, but look at the journey of the magicians when their feet had been cut off!
نیست مخفی سیر با پای روا ** ساحران را سیر بین در قطع پا
The knowers of God are safe for ever because they have passed through a sea of blood.
عارفان زانند دایم آمنون ** که گذر کردند از دریای خون
Safety appeared to them from the very midst of terror; consequently they are always in a state of increase (of safety).4365
امنشان از عین خوف آمد پدید ** لاجرم باشند هر دم در مزید
You have seen that safety is concealed in a (state of) fear (danger): O excellent man, observe also that fear (danger) is (lurking) in a (state of) hope.
امن دیدی گشته در خوفی خفی ** خوف بین هم در امیدی ای حفی
A certain Amír cunningly shadows Jesus: Jesus hides himself in the house.
آن امیر از مکر بر عیسی تند ** عیسی اندر خانه رو پنهان کند
He (the Amír) enters in order that he may (seize him and) wear the crown (of sovereignty): because of his likeness to Jesus he himself becomes the crown of the gibbet.
اندر آید تا شود او تاجدار ** خود ز شبه عیسی آید تاجدار
(He cries out), “Oh, do not hang me: I am not Jesus, I am the Amír, I am well-disposed to the Jews.”
هی می‌آویزید من عیسی نیم ** من امیرم بر جهودان خوش‌پیم
“Hang him on the gibbet,” (cry the Jews), “with all speed, for he is Jesus: (he is) seeking to escape from our hands by personating another.”4370
زوترش بردار آویزید کو ** عیسی است از دست ما تخلیط‌جو
How often does an army march (hoping) to enjoy the fruits (of victory): its equipment becomes spoil (for the enemy), and it is overthrown.
چند لشکر می‌رود تا بر خورد ** برگ او فی گردد و بر سر خورد
How often does a merchant go (from home) in hope of gain: he thinks it will be a feast ('íd), but he is consumed like aloeswood ('úd).
چند بازرگان رود بر بوی سود ** عید پندارد بسوزد همچو عود
How often in the world does it happen contrariwise to this: (for example) one fancies (something to be bitter as) poison when it is (really sweet as) honey.
چند در عالم بود برعکس این ** زهر پندارد بود آن انگبین
Often, (when) soldiers have made up their minds to die, the splendours (of triumph) and victory appear.
بس سپه بنهاده دل بر مرگ خویش ** روشنیها و ظفر آید به پیش
Abraha came with the elephant to dishonour the House (of Allah), that he might throw down the living (and leave them lying) as though dead,4375
ابرهه با پیل بهر ذل بیت ** آمده تا افکند حی را چو میت
And destroy the holy Ka‘ba and cause all (the inhabitants) to wander forth from that place,
تا حریم کعبه را ویران کند ** جمله را زان جای سرگردان کند
In order that all the pilgrims might gather round him and might all turn in worship to his Ka‘ba,
تا همه زوار گرد او تنند ** کعبه‌ی او را همه قبله کنند
And that he might take vengeance on the Arabs for the injury (inflicted by them), for “why,” said he, “should they set my Ka‘ba on fire?”
وز عرب کینه کشد اندر گزند ** که چرا در کعبه‌ام آتش زنند
His efforts only turned to glory for the Ka‘ba: they caused the (holy) House to be glorified.
عین سعیش عزت کعبه شده ** موجب اعزاز آن بیت آمده
(Formerly) the glory of the Meccans had been one: (now) it became a hundred: their glory was now extending to the Resurrection.4380
مکیان را عز یکی بد صد شده ** تا قیامت عزشان ممتد شده
He (Abraha) and his Ka‘ba were eclipsed more (and more). Whence is this? From the favours of the (Divine) Decree.
او و کعبه‌ی او شده مخسوف‌تر ** از چیست این از عنایات قدر
Those poor Arabs were enriched by the equipment and baggage of (the host of) Abraha, (who was) like a wild beast.
از جهاز ابرهه هم‌چون دده ** آن فقیران عرب توانگر شده
He thought that he was bringing an army (against the Ka‘ba): (in fact) he was bringing gold for the defenders of the House.
او گمان برده که لشکر می‌کشید ** بهر اهل بیت او زر می‌کشید
He (the treasure-seeker) was (occupied), every step of the way, in contemplating this (wondrous) annulment of fixed purposes and ambitions.
اندرین فسخ عزایم وین همم ** در تماشا بود در ره هر قدم
(When) he came home, he discovered the treasure: by Divine grace his fortune was restored.4385
خانه آمد گنج را او باز یافت ** کارش از لطف خدایی ساز یافت
How the (two) brothers repeated their advice to the eldest, and how he was unable to endure it and ran away from them and went off, frenzied and beside himself, and rushed into the King's audience-chamber without asking permission; but (this was) from excess of passionate love, not from disrespect and recklessness, etc.
مکرر کردن برادران پند دادن بزرگین را و تاب ناآوردن او آن پند را و در رمیدن او ازیشان شیدا و بی‌خود رفتن و خود را در بارگاه پادشاه انداختن بی‌دستوری خواستن لیک از فرط عشق و محبت نه از گستاخی و لاابالی الی آخره
The two (brothers) said to him, “In our souls are answers (to thy arguments), like stars in the sky.
آن دو گفتندش که اندر جان ما ** هست پاسخ‌ها چو نجم اندر سما
Unless we (answer and) speak, the game will not come out right; and if we speak, thy heart will be grieved.
گر نگوییم آن نیاید راست نرد ** ور بگوییم آن دلت آید به درد