He brings forth purity from defilements, He takes your acts of wrong as faithful performance (of duty).
او بر آرد از کدورتها صفا ** مر جفاهای ترا گیرد وفا
When you commit wrong, He sends chastisement, to the end that you may go back from imperfection towards perfection.
چون جفا آری فرستد گوشمال ** تا ز نقصان وا روی سوی کمال
When you have neglected a part of your orisons in the Way, there comes over you a painful and hot feeling of contraction.
چون تو وردی ترک کردی در روش ** بر تو قبضی آید از رنج و تبش
That is the corrective act (of God), meaning, “Do not make any change in the ancient covenant350
آن ادب کردن بود یعنی مکن ** هیچ تحویلی از آن عهد کهن
Before (the day when) this contraction shall become a chain, (and when) this which (now) grips the heart shall become a fetter gripping the foot.”
پیش از آن کین قبض زنجیری شود ** این که دلگیریست پاگیری شود
Your mental pain shall become perceptible to the senses and manifest. See (therefore) that you do not hold this indication as naught.
رنج معقولت شود محسوس و فاش ** تا نگیری این اشارت را بلاش
The (spiritual) contractions (which occur) in (the case of) sins affect (only) the heart; after death (these) contractions become (actual) chains.
در معاصی قبضها دلگیر شد ** قبضها بعد از اجل زنجیر شد
“Whosoever here (in this world) shall turn his back upon Our commemoration, We shall give him a straitened life (hereafter) and reward him with blindness.”
نعط من اعرض هنا عن ذکرنا ** عیشة ضنک و نجزی بالعمی
When a thief is carrying off people's property, contraction and straitness of heart prick his heart (conscience),355
دزد چون مال کسان را می‌برد ** قبض و دلتنگی دلش را می‌خلد
(And) he says, “I wonder what this contraction is”: (say), “The contraction (distress) of the injured person who wept at thy wickedness.”
او همی‌گوید عجب این قبض چیست ** قبض آن مظلوم کز شرت گریست
When he pays no regard to this contraction, the wind of perseverance (in evil) blows (fans) its (the evil's) fire.
چون بدین قبض التفاتی کم کند ** باد اصرار آتشش را دم کند
The contraction that grips the heart turns into the grip of the policeman: inevitably those ideas become sensible (materialised) and display themselves.
قبض دل قبض عوان شد لاجرم ** گشت محسوس آن معانی زد علم
The pangs have become prison and the cross (crucifixion): the pang is (as) the root, and the root produces boughs.
غصه‌ها زندان شدست و چارمیخ ** غصه بیخست و بروید شاخ بیخ
The root was hidden, it is (now) revealed. Consider (your) inward contraction and expansion as a root.360
بیخ پنهان بود هم شد آشکار ** قبض و بسط اندرون بیخی شمار
When it is a bad root, smite it quickly, so that an ugly thorn may not grow in the garden.
چونک بیخ بد بود زودش بزن ** تا نروید زشت‌خاری در چمن
You have felt the contraction: seek a remedy for it, because all heads (excrescences) grow from the bottom (root).
قبض دیدی چاره‌ی آن قبض کن ** زانک سرها جمله می‌روید ز بن
You have felt the expansion: water your expansion, and when the fruit appears, give it to your friends.
بسط دیدی بسط خود را آب ده ** چون بر آید میوه با اصحاب ده
The remainder of the Story of the people of Saba.
باقی قصه‌ی اهل سبا
Saba were folk given over to dalliance and foolish; ‘twas their practice to show ingratitude to the generous.
آن سبا ز اهل صبا بودند و خام ** کارشان کفران نعمت با کرام
By was of illustration, it would be ingratitude to dispute with your benefactor,365
باشد آن کفران نعمت در مثال ** که کنی با محسن خود تو جدال
Saying, “O do not want this kindness, I am annoyed by it: why art thou troubling me?
که نمی‌باید مرا این نیکوی ** من برنجم زین چه رنجم می‌شوی
Do (me) a favour, take away this kindness; I do not desire an eye: blind me at once!”
لطف کن این نیکوی را دور کن ** من نخواهم چشم زودم کور کن
Hence the people of Saba said, “ (O Lord), put a far distance between us: our blemish is better for us, take away our adornment.
پس سبا گفتند باعد بیننا ** شیننا خیر لنا خذ زیننا
We do not desire these palaces and orchards, nor fair women nor that safety and ease (which we now enjoy).
ما نمی‌خواهیم این ایوان و باغ ** نه زنان خوب و نه امن و فراغ
Towns near to each other are bad; the desert, where the wild beasts are, is good.”370
شهرها نزدیک همدیگر بدست ** آن بیابانست خوش کانجا ددست
Man craves winter in summer, and when winter comes, he likes it not,
یطلب الانسان فی الصیف الشتا ** فاذا جاء الشتا انکر ذا
For he is never content with any state (of things), neither with poverty nor with a life of plenty
فهو لا یرضی بحال ابدا ** لا بضیق لا بعیش رغدا
May Man be killed! How ungrateful he is!Whenever he obtains guidance, he spurns it.
قتل الانسان ما اکفره ** کلما نال هدی انکره
The carnal soul is of this sort, hence it ought to be killed : that Exalted One hath said, “Kill yourselves.”
نفس زین سانست زان شد کشتنی ** اقتلوا انفسکم گفت آن سنی
It is a triagonal thorn: however you may place it, it will pierce, and how will you escape from its stab?375
خار سه سویست هر چون کش نهی ** در خلد وز زخم او تو کی جهی
Set the thorn on fire with renunciation of sensual passion, and cling to the righteous friend.
آتش ترک هوا در خار زن ** دست اندر یار نیکوکار زن
When the people of Saba carried (their ingratitude) beyond bounds, saying, “In our opinion, pestilence is better than the zephyr,”
چون ز حد بردند اصحاب سبا ** که بپیش ما وبا به از صبا
Their counselors began to admonish (them) and restrain (them) from impiety and ingratitude;
ناصحانشان در نصیحت آمدند ** از فسوق و کفر مانع می‌شدند
(But) they sought to take the lives of their counselors, and sowed the seed of impiety and unthankfulness.
قصد خون ناصحان می‌داشتند ** تخم فسق و کافری می‌کاشتند
When the (Divine) decree comes to pass, this (whole) world becomes cramped (so that there is no escape); by the (Divine) decree sweetmeat becomes anguish to the mouth.380
چون قضا آید شود تنگ این جهان ** از قضا حلوا شود رنج دهان
He ( the Prophet) said, “When the Decree comes, the (widest) expanse is narrow; when the Decree comes, the eyes are veiled.”
گفت اذا جاء القضا ضاق الفضا ** تحجب الابصار اذ جاء القضا
The eye is bandaged at the time if the Decree, so that the eye does not see the eye’s collyrium.
چشم بسته می‌شود وقت قضا ** تا نبیند چشم کحل چشم را
When the cunning of that Horseman has raised the dust, the dust keeps thee off from calling for aid.
مکر آن فارس چو انگیزید گرد ** آن غبارت ز استغاثت دور کرد
Go towards the Horseman, go not towards the dust; else the cunning of the Rider will beat upon thee.
سوی فارس رو مرو سوی غبار ** ورنه بر تو کوبد آن مکر سوار
God said, “He whom this wolf devoured, he saw the wolf’s dust; how did not he make piteous moan?”385
گفت حق آن را که این گرگش بخورد ** دید گرد گرگ چون زاری نکرد
Did not he know the wolf’s dust? (Then), with such knowledge, why did he graze?
او نمی‌دانست گرد گرگ را ** با چنین دانش چرا کرد او چرا
Sheep know the smell of the harmful wolf and creep away in every direction.
گوسفندان بوی گرگ با گزند ** می‌بدانند و بهر سو می‌خزند
The brain of animals knows the smell of the lion and bids farewell to grazing.
مغز حیوانات بوی شیر را ** می‌بداند ترک می‌گوید چرا
Thou hast smelt the lion of (God’s) wrath. Turn back! Consort with prayer and dread!
بوی شیر خشم دیدی باز گرد ** با مناجات و حذر انباز گرد
That multitude (of Saba) did not turn back from the wolf’s dust, and after the dust the wolf of tribulation came on his might.390
وا نگشتند آن گروه از گرد گرگ ** گرگ محنت بعد گرد آمد سترگ
In wrath he tore to pieces those sheep which shut their eyes to the shepherd, Wisdom.
بر درید آن گوسفندان را بخشم ** که ز چوپان خرد بستند چشم
How oft did the shepherd call them! And they came not: they were throwing the dust of resentment in the eyes of the shepherd,
چند چوپانشان بخواند و نامدند ** خاک غم در چشم چوپان می‌زدند
Saying, “Begone: we ourselves are better shepherds than thou. How should we become (thy) followers? We are chieftains, every one (of us).
که برو ما از تو خود چوپان‌تریم ** چون تبع گردیم هر یک سروریم
We are food for the wolf, and we are not for the Friend; we are fuel for the Fire, and we are not for dishonour.”
طعمه‌ی گرگیم و آن یار نه ** هیزم ناریم و آن عار نه
A heathen pride was in their brains: the raven croaked disaster over the traces of their habitation.395
حمیتی بد جاهلیت در دماغ ** بانگ شومی بر دمنشان کرد زاغ
They were digging a pit for the oppressed” they (themselves) fell into the pit, crying “Alas!”
بهر مظلومان همی‌کندند چاه ** در چه افتادند و می‌گفتند آه