گفت از چوب خدا این بنده‌اش ** می‌زند بر پشت دیگر بنده خوش
He answered, ‘With God's cudgel this servant of His is soundly beating the back of another servant.
چوب حق و پشت و پهلو آن او ** من غلام و آلت فرمان او 3085
’Tis God's cudgel, and the back and sides belong to Him: I am (only) the slave and instrument of His command.’
گفت توبه کردم از جبر ای عیار ** اختیارست اختیارست اختیار
He (the thief) said, ‘O cunning knave, I make a recantation of Necessitarianism: there is free-will, there is free-will, (there is) free-will!’
اختیارات اختیارش هست کرد ** اختیارش چون سواری زیر گرد
His (God's universal) power of choice brought (our individual) powers of choice into existence: His power of choice is like a rider (hidden) beneath the dust (which he raises).
اختیارش اختیار ما کند ** امر شد بر اختیاری مستند
His (God's) power of choice makes our power of choice; His command is based on (is exercised in virtue of) a power of choice (in us).
حاکمی بر صورت بی‌اختیار ** هست هر مخلوق را در اقتدار
Every created being has it in his power to exercise authority over the form (that is) without free-will,
تا کشد بی‌اختیاری صید را ** تا برد بگرفته گوش او زید را 3090
So that he (who is in possession of that power) drags (whither he pleases) the (lifeless) prey devoid of will, (or) so that having seized Zayd by the ear, he leads him away.
لیک بی هیچ آلتی صنع صمد ** اختیارش را کمند او کند
But (it is) the action of the Lord (that), without (using) any instrument, makes his free-will a noose for him (to catch Zayd).
اختیارش زید را قدیش کند ** بی‌سگ و بی‌دام حق صیدش کند
His (God's) free-will makes him a fetter for Zayd: God makes him (Zayd's captor) His prey without (the help of) dog or snare.
آن دروگر حاکم چوبی بود ** وآن مصور حاکم خوبی بود
The carpenter has authority over a piece of wood, and the artist has authority over (the portrait of) a beauty;