- The explanation of (the attributes of) God, like God (Himself), hath no limit. Take heed, close thy mouth and turn over a (new) leaf.”
- شرح حق پایان ندارد همچو حق ** هین دهان بربند و برگردان ورق
- The reply of Pharaoh to Moses, on whom be peace.
- پاسخ فرعون موسی را علیه السلام
- Pharaoh said to him, “The leaf is under my authority; the book and register of authority is mine at this moment.
- گفت فرعونش ورق درحکم ماست ** دفتر و دیوان حکم این دم مراست
- The people of the world have chosen me: art thou wiser than all, O fellow?
- مر مرا بخریدهاند اهل جهان ** از همه عاقلتری تو ای فلان
- O Moses, thou hast vaunted thyself. Hark, begone! Have less regard for thyself, be not self-deluded.
- موسیا خود را خریدی هین برو ** خویشتن کم بین به خود غره مشو
- I will assemble the magicians of the world, that I may exhibit thy foolishness to the city. 1085
- جمع آرم ساحران دهر را ** تا که جهل تو نمایم شهر را
- (But) this will not be done in a day or two: give me time (and wait) till the forty days (which end in the month) of Tamúz.”
- این نخواهد شد بروزی و دو روز ** مهلتم ده تا چهل روز تموز
- The answer of Moses, on whom be peace, to Pharaoh.
- جواب موسی فرعون را
- Moses said, “This is not permitted to me: I am the slave (of God): the giving of time to thee is not commanded.
- گفت موسی این مرا دستور نیست ** بندهام امهال تو مامور نیست
- If thou art powerful and I in sooth have no ally, (yet) I am subject to His command: I have nothing to do with that.
- گر تو چیری و مرا خود یار نیست ** بنده فرمانم بدانم کار نیست
- I will combat thee with all my might so long as I live; what have I to do with helping (God)? I am a slave.
- میزنم با تو بجد تا زندهام ** من چه کارهی نصرتم من بندهام
- I will fight till the decision of God comes to pass: He (alone) separates every adversary from an adversary.” 1090
- میزنم تا در رسد حکم خدا ** او کند هر خصم از خصمی جدا
- The reply of Pharaoh to Moses, and the coming of a Divine revelation to Moses, on whom be peace.
- جواب فرعون موسی را و وحی آمدن موسی را علیهالسلام
- He (Pharaoh) said, “Nay, nay, thou must appoint a certain respite: do not give cajoleries, do not talk vain things.”
- گفت نه نه مهلتم باید نهاد ** عشوهها کم ده تو کم پیمای باد
- At once the high God made a revelation to him, saying, “Give him an ample respite: be not afraid of that.
- حق تعالی وحی کردش در زمان ** مهلتش ده متسع مهراس از آن
- Willingly give him these forty days, that he may bethink him of divers plots.
- این چهل روزش بده مهلت بطوع ** تا سگالد مکرها او نوع نوع
- Let him endeavour, for I am not asleep; bid him advance quickly, (for) I have barred the way in front (of him).
- تا بکوشد او که نی من خفتهام ** تیز رو گو پیش ره بگرفتهام
- I will confound all their devices, and I will reduce to little that which they increase. 1095
- حیلههاشان را همه برهم زنم ** و آنچ افزایند من بر کم زنم
- Let them fetch water, and I will make (it) fire; let them get honey and sweets and I will make (it) bitter.
- آب را آرند من آتش کنم ** نوش و خوش گیرند و من ناخوش کنم
- Let them join in a bond of love, and I will destroy it; I will do that which they conceive not.
- مهر پیوندند و من ویران کنم ** آنک اندر وهم نارند آن کنم
- Have thou no fear, and give him a lengthy respite; bid him bring together his host and prepare a hundred devices.”
- تو مترس و مهلتش ده دمدراز ** گو سپه گرد آر و صد حیلت بساز
- How Moses, on whom be peace, gave Pharaoh a respite, that he might assemble the magicians from the cities.
- مهلت دادن موسی علیهالسلام فرعون را تا ساحران را جمع کند از مداین
- He (Moses) said, “The (Divine) command hath come. Go, the respite is (granted) to thee. I depart to my dwelling-place: thou art delivered from me.”
- گفت امر آمد برو مهلت ترا ** من بجای خود شدم رستی ز ما
- He was going (on his way), and at his heels (went) the dragon wise and loving, like the hunter's dog. 1100
- او همیشد و اژدها اندر عقب ** چون سگ صیاد دانا و محب
- Like the hunter's dog, wagging its tail: it made the stones (crumble as) sand beneath its hoof.
- چون سگ صیاد جنبان کرده دم ** سنگ را میکرد ریگ او زیر سم
- With its breath it drew in stone and iron (to its jaws) and visibly chewed the iron into small fragments.
- سنگ و آهن را بدم در میکشید ** خرد میخایید آهن را پدید
- In the air it was making itself (rise) above the zodiac, so that Greeks and Georgians would flee from it in panic.
- در هوا میکرد خود بالای برج ** که هزیمت میشد از وی روم و گرج
- From its palate it cast out foam, like a camel: whomsoever a drop hit, he was smitten with tubercular leprosy.
- کفک میانداخت چون اشتر ز کام ** قطرهای بر هر که زد میشد جذام
- The gnashing of its teeth would break the heart; the souls of black lions would be distraught (with terror). 1105
- ژغژغ دندان او دل میشکست ** جان شیران سیه میشد ز دست
- When that chosen one (Moses) reached his kinsfolk, he took hold of the corner of its mouth, and it became again a staff.
- چون به قوم خود رسید آن مجتبی ** شدق او بگرفت باز او شد عصا
- He leaned upon it, saying, “O wonder! to me (’tis clear as) the sun, to my enemy (’tis dark as) night.
- تکیه بر وی کرد و میگفت ای عجب ** پیش ما خورشید و پیش خصم شب
- O wonder! How doth this host not see a whole world filled with the morning sun?
- ای عجب چون مینبیند این سپاه ** عالمی پر آفتاب چاشتگاه
- Eyes open, and ears open, and this sun! I am amazed at God's eye-bandaging.
- چشم باز و گوش باز و این ذکا ** خیرهام در چشمبندی خدا
- I am amazed at them, and they too at me: (we are) from one springtime, (but) they are thorns and I am jasmine. 1110
- من ازیشان خیره ایشان هم ز من ** از بهاری خار ایشان من سمن
- I bore to them many a cup of pure wine: its juice turned to stone before this company.
- پیششان بردم بسی جام رحیق ** سنگ شد آبش به پیش این فریق
- I twined a handful of roses and carried it to them: every rose became as a thorn, and the honey turned to poison.
- دسته گل بستم و بردم به پیش ** هر گلی چون خار گشت و نوش نیش
- That (pure wine) is the portion allotted to the selfless: since they are with themselves (not freed from self), how should it be shown (to them)?
- آن نصیب جان بیخویشان بود ** چونک با خویشاند پیدا کی شود
- With us, one must needs be a waking sleeper, that in the state of wakefulness he may dream dreams.”
- خفتهی بیدار باید پیش ما ** تا به بیداری ببیند خوابها
- Thought of created things is an enemy to this sweet (waking) sleep: until his (any one's) thought is asleep, his throat is shut. 1115
- دشمن این خواب خوش شد فکر خلق ** تا نخسپد فکرتش بستست حلق
- A (mystical) bewilderment is needed to sweep (such) thought away: bewilderment devours (all) thought and recollection.
- حیرتی باید که روبد فکر را ** خورده حیرت فکر را و ذکر را
- The more perfect he is in (worldly) science, the more backward he is in reality and the more forward in appearance.
- هر که کاملتر بود او در هنر ** او بمعنی پس بصورت پیشتر
- He (God) hath said, “(Verily, to Him we are) returning”; and the return is in the same wise as a herd turns back and goes home.
- راجعون گفت و رجوع این سان بود ** که گله وا گردد و خانه رود
- When the herd has turned back from (after) going down to water, the goat that was the leader (now) falls behind (becomes the hindmost),
- چونک واگردید گله از ورود ** پس فتد آن بز که پیش آهنگ بود
- And the lame hindmost goat is now in front: the return caused the faces to laugh of them that were frowning (before). 1120
- پیش افتد آن بز لنگ پسین ** اضحک الرجعی وجوه العابسین
- How did this party (the prophets and saints) become lame and give up glory and purchase ignominy in vain?
- از گزافه کی شدند این قوم لنگ ** فخر را دادند و بخریدند ننگ
- This party go on the pilgrimage (to Reality) with broken legs, (because) there is a secret way from straitness to ease.
- پا شکسته میروند این قوم حج ** از حرج راهیست پنهان تا فرج
- This company washed their hearts (clean) of (the exoteric) kinds of knowledge, because this knowledge does not know that Way.
- دل ز دانشها بشستند این فریق ** زانک این دانش نداند آن طریق
- (In order to tread this Way) one needs a knowledge whereof the root is Yonder, inasmuch as every branch is a guide to its root.
- دانشی باید که اصلش زان سرست ** زانک هر فرعی به اصلش رهبرست
- How should every wing fly across the breadth of the Sea? (Only) the esoteric knowledge will bear (thee) to the Presence (of God). 1125
- هر پری بر عرض دریا کی پرد ** تا لدن علم لدنی میبرد
- Why, then, should you teach a man the knowledge of which it behoves him to purify his breast?
- پس چرا علمی بیاموزی به مرد ** کش بباید سینه را زان پاک کرد
- Therefore do not seek to be in front: be lame on this side, and be the leader at the moment of return.
- پس مجو پیشی ازین سر لنگ باش ** وقت وا گشتن تو پیش آهنگ باش
- O clever one, be thou (according to the Prophet's saying, “We are) the hindmost and the foremost”: the fresh fruit is prior to the tree.
- آخرون السابقون باش ای ظریف ** بر شجر سابق بود میوهی طریف
- Although the fruit comes last into being, it is the first, because it was the object.
- گرچه میوه آخر آید در وجود ** اولست او زانک او مقصود بود
- Say, like the angels, “We have no knowledge,” to the end that “Thou hast taught us” may take thy hand (come to thy aid). 1130
- چون ملایک گوی لا علم لنا ** تا بگیرد دست تو علمتنا