God made the prophets the medium (between Him and His creatures) in order that feelings of envy should be displayed in the agitation (produced by something that rankles in the mind).
انبیا را واسطه ز آن کرد حق ** تا پدید آید حسدها در قلق
Inasmuch as no one was disgraced by (inferiority to) God, no one was (ever) envious of God;
ز انکه کس را از خدا عاری نبود ** حاسد حق هیچ دیاری نبود
(But) the person whom he deemed like himself—he would bear envy against him for that reason.
آن کسی کش مثل خود پنداشتی ** ز آن سبب با او حسد برداشتی
(Now), as the grandeur of the Prophet has become established, none feels envy (of him), since he is accepted (by all the Faithful);
چون مقرر شد بزرگی رسول ** پس حسد ناید کسی را از قبول
Therefore in every epoch (after Mohammed) a saint arises (to act as his vicegerent): the probation (of the people) lasts until the Resurrection.815
پس به هر دوری ولیی قایم است ** تا قیامت آزمایش دایم است
Whosoever has a good disposition is saved; whosoever is of frail heart is broken.
هر که را خوی نکو باشد برست ** هر کسی کاو شیشه دل باشد شکست
That saint, then, is the living Imám who arises (in every age), whether he be a descendant of ‘Umar or of ‘Alí.
پس امام حی قایم آن ولی است ** خواه از نسل عمر خواه از علی است
He is the Mahdí (the God-guided one) and the Hádí (the Guide), O seeker of the (right) way: he is both hidden (from you) and seated before your face.
مهدی و هادی وی است ای راه جو ** هم نهان و هم نشسته پیش رو
He is as the Light (of Mohammed), and (Universal) Reason is his Gabriel; the saint that is lesser than he is his lamp (and receives illumination from him).
او چو نور است و خرد جبریل اوست ** و آن ولی کم از او قندیل اوست
That (saint) who is lesser than this lamp is our lamp-niche: the Light has gradations in degree,820
و انکه زین قندیل کم مشکات ماست ** نور را در مرتبه ترتیبهاست