Verily, repentance does not spring forth from non-existence (does not show itself at all), when it sees the ardour of him whose presence brings fortune.
خود پشیمانی نروید از عدم ** چون ببیند گرمی صاحب‌قدم
How every animal knows the smell of its enemy and takes precaution. The folly and perdition of him that is the enemy of that One against whom precaution is impossible, and flight is impossible, and resistance is impossible.
شناختن هر حیوانی بوی عدو خود را و حذر کردن و بطالت و خسارت آنکس کی عدو کسی بود کی ازو حذر ممکن نیست و فرار ممکن نی و مقابله ممکن نی
The horse, though it is an animal, knows the roar and smell of the lion except in rare instances;
اسپ داند بانگ و بوی شیر را ** گر چه حیوانست الا نادرا
Nay, every animal indeed knows its own enemy by sign and mark.
بل عدو خویش را هر جانور ** خود بداند از نشان و از اثر
The little bat durst not fly in the daytime: it came out at night, like thieves, and pastured (got food for itself).3620
روز خفاشک نیارد بر پرید ** شب برون آمد چو دزدان و چرید
The bat (bat-like man) was more damned than all (others), because he was the enemy of the manifest Sun.
از همه محروم‌تر خفاش بود ** که عدو آفتاب فاش بود
He cannot be wounded in battle with him (the Sun), nor can he drive him (the Sun) away by cursing.
نه تواند در مصافش زخم خورد ** نه بنفرین تاندش مهجور کرد
The Sun who turns his back on account of the rage and violence of the bat—
آفتابی که بگرداند قفاش ** از برای غصه و قهر خفاش
’Tis the extreme of kindness and perfection on his part; otherwise, how should the bat prevent him (from exacting vengeance)?
غایت لطف و کمال او بود ** گرنه خفاشش کجا مانع شود
(If) you take (any one as) an enemy, take within your limit (capacity), so that it may be possible for you to make (him your) prisoner.3625
دشمنی گیری بحد خویش گیر ** تا بود ممکن که گردانی اسیر
When (one like) a drop of water contends with the Ocean, he is a fool: he is tearing out his own beard.
قطره با قلزم چو استیزه کند ** ابلهست او ریش خود بر می‌کند
His cunning does not pass beyond his moustache: how should it penetrate the vaulted chamber of the Moon?
حیلت او از سبالش نگذرد ** چنبره‌ی حجره‌ی قمر چون بر درد
This (preceding discourse) was a rebuke (addressed) to the enemy of the Sun, O enemy of the Sun of the Sun.
با عدو آفتاب این بد عتاب ** ای عدو آفتاب آفتاب
O enemy of the Sun at whose glory His sun and stars tremble,
ای عدو آفتابی کز فرش ** می‌بلرزد آفتاب و اخترش
You are not His enemy, you are the adversary of yourself: what does the Fire care that you have become firewood?3630
تو عدو او نه‌ای خصم خودی ** چه غم آتش را که تو هیزم شدی
Oh, marvellous! Shall He suffer defect through your burning, or shall He become full of sorrow for the pain of your burning?
ای عجب از سوزشت او کم شود ** یا ز درد سوزشت پر غم شود
His mercy is not the mercy of Adam, for sorrow is mingled with the mercy of Adam.
رحمتش نه رحمت آدم بود ** که مزاج رحم آدم غم بود
The mercy of the creature is anxious; the mercy of God is exempt from sorrow and anxiety.
رحمت مخلوق باشد غصه‌ناک ** رحمت حق از غم و غصه‌ست پاک
Know that the mercy of the Unconditioned (God) is like this, O father; naught but the effect thereof comes into the imagination (is conceivable to us).
رحمت بی‌چون چنین دان ای پدر ** ناید اندر وهم از وی جز اثر
The difference between knowing a thing by comparison and convention and knowing the quiddity of that thing.
فرق میان دانستن چیزی به مثال و تقلید و میان دانستن ماهیت آن چیز
The effects and fruit of His mercy are manifest, but how should any one except Him know its quiddity?3635
ظاهرست آثار و میوه‌ی رحمتش ** لیک کی داند جز او ماهیتش
None knows the quiddities of the attributes of (Divine) Perfection except through (their) effects and by means of comparison.
هیچ ماهیات اوصاف کمال ** کس نداند جز بثار و مثال
The child does not know the quiddity of concubitus, except that you say, “It is like sweetmeat to thee.” [The child does not know the quiddity of sexual intercourse, except that you say, “it is like sweetmeat to thee.”]
طفل ماهیت نداند طمث را ** جز که گویی هست چون حلوا ترا
How should the quiddity of the pleasure of sexual intercourse be like the quiddities of sweetmeat, O master?
کی بود ماهیت ذوق جماع ** مثل ماهیات حلوا ای مطاع
But, since you are childish, that intelligent man offered you the analogy respecting the sweetness (of it),
لیک نسبت کرد از روی خوشی ** با تو آن عاقل چو تو کودک‌وشی
In order that the child might know it by comparison, though he does not know the quiddity or essence of the matter.3640
تا بداند کودک آن را از مثال ** گر نداند ماهیت یا عین حال
Therefore, if you say “I know,” ’tis not far (from the truth); and if you say, “I do not know,” ’tis not a lie and a falsehood.
پس اگر گویی بدانم دور نیست ** ور ندانم گفت کذب و زور نیست