(The Divine Will uttered in) ‘Be, and it was’ hath bestowed the kingdom on Us, that the people may not cry out in lament to Heaven;
ملک زان دادست ما را کن فکان ** تا ننالد خلق سوی آسمان
That burning sighs may not soar upward; that the sky and the stars may not be shaken;4640
تا به بالا بر نیاید دودها ** تا نگردد مضطرب چرخ و سها
That the empyrean may not tremble at the orphan's wail; that no (living) soul may be marred by violence.
تا نلرزد عرش از ناله یتیم ** تا نگردد از ستم جانی سقیم
We established a law (of justice) throughout the kingdoms (of the earth), to the end that no (cry of) ‘O Lord!’ should go up to the skies.
زان نهادیم از ممالک مذهبی ** تا نیاید بر فلکها یا ربی
O oppressed one, do not look to Heaven, for thou hast a heavenly king in the temporal world.”
منگر ای مظلوم سوی آسمان ** کاسمانی شاه داری در زمان
The gnat said, “My appeal is against the hand (might) of the Wind, for he opened the two hands of oppression against us.
گفت پشه داد من از دست باد ** کو دو دست ظلم بر ما بر گشاد
Through his oppression we are in sore straits: with closed lips we are drinking blood (suffering torment) from him.”4645
ما ز ظلم او به تنگی اندریم ** با لب بسته ازو خون میخوریم
How Solomon, on whom be peace, commanded the plaintiff gnat to bring its adversary to the court of judgement.
امرکردن سلیمان علیه السلام پشهی متظلم را به احضار خصم به دیوان حکم
Then Solomon said, “O thou with the pretty voice, it behoves thee to hearken with (all thy) soul to the command of God.
پس سلیمان گفت ای زیبادوی ** امر حق باید که از جان بشنوی
God hath said to me, ‘Beware, O Judge! Do not hear one litigant without the other litigant.
حق به من گفتست هان ای دادور ** مشنو از خصمی تو بی خصمی دگر
Until both litigants come into the presence, the truth does not come to light before the judge.
تانیاید هر دو خصم اندر حضور ** حق نیاید پیش حاکم در ظهور
If the (one) litigant alone raise a hundred clamours, beware, beware! Do not accept his word without (hearing) his adversary.’
خصم تنها گر بر آرد صد نفیر ** هان و هان بی خصم قول او مگیر
I dare not avert my face from the (Divine) command. Go, bring thy adversary before me.”4650
من نیارم رو ز فرمان تافتن ** خصم خود را رو بیاور سوی من
It (the gnat) said, “Thy words are an argument (conclusive) and sound. My adversary is the Wind, and he is in thy jurisdiction.”
گفت قول تست برهان و درست ** خصم من بادست و او در حکم تست
The King shouted, “O East-wind, the gnat complains of thy injustice: come!
بانگ زد آن شه که ای باد صبا ** پشه افغان کرد از ظلمت بیا
Hark, come face to face with thy adversary and reply to thy adversary and rebut thy opponent.”
هین مقابل شو تو و خصم و بگو ** پاسخ خصم و بکن دفع عدو
When the Wind heard (the summons), he came very rapidly: the gnat at once took to flight.
باد چون بشنید آمد تیز تیز ** پشه بگرفت آن زمان راه گریز
Then Solomon said, “O gnat, where (art thou going)? Stop, that I may pass judgement on (you) both.”4655
پس سلیمان گفت ای پشه کجا ** باش تا بر هر دو رانم من قضا
It (the gnat) answered, “O King, my death is from his being: verily, this day of mine is black from his smoke.
گفت ای شه مرگ من از بود اوست ** خود سیاه این روز من از دود اوست
Since he has come, where shall I find rest? for he wrings the (vital) breath out of my body.”
او چو آمد من کجا یابم قرار ** کو بر آرد از نهاد من دمار
Even such is the seeker of the Court of God: when God comes, the seeker is naughted.
همچنین جویای درگاه خدا ** چون خدا آمد شود جوینده لا
Although that union (with God) is immortality on immortality, yet at first that immortality (baqá) consists in dying to self (faná).
گرچه آن وصلت بقا اندر بقاست ** لیک ز اول آن بقا اندر فناست
The reflexions that are seeking the Light are naughted when His Light appears.4660
سایههایی که بود جویای نور ** نیست گردد چون کند نورش ظهور
How should the reason remain when He bids it go?Everything is perishing except His Face.
عقل کی ماند چو باشد سرده او ** کل شیء هالک الا وجهه
Before His Face the existent and the non-existent perish: existence in nonexistence is in sooth a marvellous thing!
هالک آید پیش وجهش هست و نیست ** هستی اندر نیستی خود طرفهایست
In this place of presence (all) minds are lost beyond control; when the pen reaches this point, it breaks.
اندرین محضر خردها شد ز دست ** چون قلم اینجا رسیده شد شکست
How the Beloved caressed the senseless lover, that he might return to his senses.
نواختن معشوق عاشق بیهوش را تا به هوش باز آید
The Sadr-i Jahán, from kindness, was drawing him little by little from senselessness into (the capacity for) clear expression.
میکشید از بیهشیاش در بیان ** اندک اندک از کرم صدر جهان
The Prince cried into his ear, “O beggar, I bring gold to scatter o’er thee; spread out thy skirt.4665
بانگ زد در گوش او شه کای گدا ** زر نثار آوردمت دامن گشا
Thy spirit, which was quivering (with distress) in separation. from me—since I have come to protect it, how has it fled?
جان تو کاندر فراقم میطپید ** چونک زنهارش رسیدم چون رمید
O thou who hast suffered heat and cold in separation from me, come to thyself from selflessness and return!”
ای بدیده در فراقم گرم و سرد ** با خود آ از بیخودی و باز گرد
The domestic fowl, in the manner of a host, foolishly brings a camel to her house.
مرغ خانه اشتری را بی خرد ** رسم مهمانش به خانه میبرد
When the camel set foot in the hen’s house, the house was destroyed and the roof fell in.
چون به خانه مرغ اشتر پا نهاد ** خانه ویران گشت و سقف اندر فتاد
The hen’s house is our (weak) intelligence and understanding the good intelligence is a seeker of God’s she-camel4670
خانهی مرغست هوش و عقل ما ** هوش صالح طالب ناقهی خدا
When the she-camel put her head into its water and clay, neither its clay remained there (in existence) nor its soul and heart.
ناقه چون سر کرد در آب و گلش ** نه گل آنجا ماند نه جان و دلش
Pre-eminence in love made Man overweening: because of this desire for excess he is very unjust and very ignorant.
کرد فضل عشق انسان را فضول ** زین فزونجویی ظلومست و جهول
He is ignorant, and in this difficult chase the hare is clasping a lion in his arms.
جاهلست و اندرین مشکل شکار ** میکشد خرگوش شیری در کنار
How would he clasp the lion in his arms, if he knew and saw the lion?
کی کنار اندر کشیدی شیر را ** گر بدانستی و دیدی شیر را
He is unjust to himself and to his own soul: behold an injustice that bears away the ball (the palm) from (all) justices!4675
ظالمست او بر خود و بر جان خود ** ظلم بین کز عدلها گو میبرد
His ignorance is the teacher to (all) knowledges, his injustice has become the right way for (all) justices.
جهل او مر علمها را اوستاد ** ظلم او مر عدلها را شد رشاد
He (the Sadr-i Jahán) took his (the lover’s) hand, saying, “This man whose breath has departed will (only) then come (to life) when I give him (spiritual) breath.
دست او بگرفت کین رفته دمش ** آنگهی آید که من دم بخشمش
When this man whose body is dead shall become living through Me (then) it will be My spirit that turns its face towards me.
چون به من زنده شود این مردهتن ** جان من باشد که رو آرد به من
By means of this spirit I make him possessed of high estate: (only) the spirit that I give sees (experiences) My bounty.
من کنم او را ازین جان محتشم ** جان که من بخشم ببیند بخششم
The unfamiliar (unprivileged) spirit does not see the face of the Beloved: (none sees it) except that spirit whose origin is from His dwelling-place.4680
جان نامحرم نبیند روی دوست ** جز همان جان کاصل او از کوی اوست
Butcher-like, I breathe upon this dear friend, in order that his goodly inward part may leave the skin.”
در دمم قصابوار این دوست را ** تا هلد آن مغز نغزش پوست را
He said, “O spirit that hast fled from tribulation, We have opened the door to union with Us; welcome!
گفت ای جان رمیده از بلا ** وصل ما را در گشادیم الصلا
O thou whose selflessness and intoxication is (caused by) Our Self, O thou whose being is incessantly (derived) from Our Being,
ای خود ما بیخودی و مستیات ** ای ز هست ما هماره هستیات
Now, without lip, I tell thee the old mysteries anew: hearken!
با تو بی لب این زمان من نو بنو ** رازهای کهنه گویم میشنو
(I tell thee silently) because those (bodily) lips are fleeing from (are unable to apprehend) this Breath (Word); it is breathed forth on the lip (bank) of the hidden River.4685
زانک آن لبها ازین دم میرمد ** بر لب جوی نهان بر میدمد
At this moment open the ear of earlessness for the sake of (hearing) the mystery of God doeth what He willeth.”
گوش بیگوشی درین دم بر گشا ** بهر راز یفعل الله ما یشا
When he began to hear the call to union, little by little, the dead man began to stir.
چون صلای وصل بشنیدن گرفت ** اندک اندک مرده جنبیدن گرفت
He (the lover of God) is not less than the earth which at the zephyr’s blandishments puts on (a garment of) green and lifts up it head from death;
نه کم از خاکست کز عشوهی صبا ** سبز پوشد سر بر آرد از فنا