'itāb kardan-e-ātish rā aañ bādshāh-e-jahūd
How the fire reproached the Jewish king.
rū ba-ātish kard shah-e-kai tund-ḳhū
aañ jahāñ soz-e-tabī'ī kHuut kū
The king turned his face to the fire, saying, O fierce-tempered one,
where is thy world-consuming natural disposition?
chuuñ namī suuzī che shud kHāsiyatat
yā za baḳht mā digar shud nīyatat
How art thou not burning? What has become of thy specific property?
Or has thy intention changed because of our fortune?
mī na-bakHshā.ī tū bar ātish-parast
āñ-ki na-parastad turā uu chuuñ barast
Thou hast no pity (even) on the fire-worshipper: how
(then) has he been saved who does not worship thee?
hargiz ai ātish tū sābir nīstī
chuuñ na-sozī chīst qādir nīstī
Never, O fire, art thou patient: how burnest thou not?
What is it? Hast thou not the power?
chashm bandast iiñ 'ajab yā hosh band
chuuñ na-sozad ātish-e-afroz buland
Is this a spell, I wonder, that binds the eye or the mind?
How does such a lofty flame not burn?
jā-e-kardat kase yā sīmiyāst
yā ḳhilāf-e-tab' tū az baḳht-e-māst
Has some one bewitched thee? Or is it magic,
or is thy unnatural behaviour from our fortune?
guft ātish man humā-nam ātisham
andar aa tā tū ba-bīnī tābisham
The fire said: I am the same, O idolator: come in,
that thou mayst feel my heat.
tab' man dīgar na-gasht-o-'unsuram
teġh-e-haqqam ham ba-dastūrī buram
My nature and element have not changed:
I am the sword of God and by (His) leave I cut.
bar dar-e-kHirgah sagān-e-turkamāñ
chāplūsī karda pesh-e-mehmāñ
The Turcoman dogs fawn at the
tent-door before the guest,
var ba-kHirga ba-guzrad be-gāna rū
hamla bīnad az sagāñ sherāna uu
But if any one having the face of a stranger pass by the tent,
he will see the dogs rushing at him like lions.
man za sag kam nīstam dar bandagī
kam za turke niist haq dar zindagī
I am not less than a dog in devotion,
nor is God less than a Turcoman in life (living power).
ātish-e-tabī'at agar ġhamgīñ kunad
sozish az amr-e-malīk-e-dīñ kunad
If the fire of your nature make you suffer pain,
it burns by command of the Lord of religion;
ātish-e-tabī'at agar shādī dehad
andarū shādī malīk-e-dīñ nehad
If the fire of your nature give you joy, (that is because)
the Lord of the Judgment puts joy therein.
chūñki ġham biinī tū istiġhfār kun
ġham ba-amr-e-kHāliq aamad kaar kun
When you feel pain, ask pardon of God: pain,
by command of the Creator, is efficacious.
chuuñ ba-kHvāhad 'ain-e-ġham shādī shavad
'ain-e-band-e-pā-e-āzādī shavad
When He pleases, pain itself becomes joy;
bondage itself becomes freedom.
bād-o-kHāk-o-āb-o-ātish banda and
bā-man-o-tū murda bā-haq zinda and
Air and earth and water and fire are (His) slaves:
with you and me they are dead, but with God they are alive.
pesh-e-haq ātish hamesha dar qiyām
ham-chu 'āshiq roz-o-shab pechāñ mudām
Before God, fire is always standing (ready to do His behest),
writhing continually day and night, like a lover.
sañg bar aahan zanī bairūñ jehad
ham ba-amar-e-haq qadam bairūñ nehad
If you strike stone on iron, it (the fire) leaps out:
’tis by God's command that it puts forth its foot.
āhan-o-sañg sitam bar ham ma-zan
kiiñ do mī zāned ham-chūñ mard-o-zan
Do not strike together the iron and stone of injustice,
for these two generate like man and woman.
sañg-o-āhan ḳhud sabab āmad-o-lek
tū ba-bālā-tar nigar ai mard-e-nek
The stone and the iron are indeed causes,
but look higher, O good man!
kiiñ sabab rā aañ sabab āvurd pesh
be-sabab ke shud sabab hargiz za ḳhvesh
For this (external) cause was produced by that (spiritual)
cause:
when did a cause ever proceed from itself without a cause?
vaañ sabab-hā ki-ambiyā rā rahbarast
aañ sabab-hā ziiñ sabab-hā bartarast
And those causes which guide the prophets
on their way are higher than these (external) causes.
iiñ sabab rā aañ sabab aamil kunad
baaz gaahe be-bar-o-'ātil kunad
That (spiritual) cause makes this (external) cause operative;
sometimes, again, it makes it fruitless and ineffectual.
iiñ sabab rā mahram aamad ’aql-hā
vaañ sabab-hā raast mahram ambiyā
(Ordinary) minds are familiar with this (external) cause,
but the prophets are familiar with those (spiritual) causes.
iiñ sabab che buvad ba-tāzī go rasan
andarīñ che iiñ rasan aamad ba-fan
What is (the meaning of) this (word) cause (sabab) in Arabic?
Say: cord (rasan). This cord came into this well (the world) by (Divine) artifice.
gardish-e-charḳha rasan rā 'illatast
charḳh gardāñ rā na-dīdan zallatast
The revolution of the water-wheel causes the cord (to move),
(but) not to see the mover of the water-wheel is an error.
iiñ rasan-hā-e-sabab-hā dar jahāñ
hāñ-o-hāñ ziiñ charkH-e-sargardāñ madāñ
Beware, beware! Do not regard these cords of causation
in the world as (deriving their movement) from the giddy
wheel (of heaven),
tā numā.ī sifr-o-sargardāñ chu charḳh
tū na-sozī tū za be-maġhzī chū markH
Lest you remain empty and giddy like the (celestial) wheel,
lest through brainlessness you burn like markh wood.
bād-e-ātish mī shavad az amr-e-haq
har do sarmast āmdand az kHamr-e-haq
By the command of God the wind devours (extinguishes) fire:
both are drunken with the wine of God.
āb-e-hilm-o-ātish ḳhashm ai pisar
ham za haq-bīnī chū ba-gushā.ī basar
O son, when you open your eyes you will see that from
God too are the water of clemency and the fire of anger.
gar na-būde vāqif az haq jān-e-bād
farq ke karde miyān qaum-e-’ād
Had not the soul of the wind been informed by God, how would
it have distinguished (the believers and unbelievers) amongst the people of ‘Ád?
'itab kardan-e-atish ra aan baadshah-e-jahud
How the fire reproached the Jewish king.
ru ba-atish kard shah-e-kai tund-KHu
aan jahan soz-e-tabi'i kHut ku
The king turned his face to the fire, saying, O fierce-tempered one,
where is thy world-consuming natural disposition?
chun nami suzi che shud kHasiyatat
ya za baKHt ma digar shud niyatat
How art thou not burning? What has become of thy specific property?
Or has thy intention changed because of our fortune?
mi na-bakHshai tu bar aatish-parast
aan-ki na-parastad tura u chun barast
Thou hast no pity (even) on the fire-worshipper: how
(then) has he been saved who does not worship thee?
hargiz ai aatish tu sabir nisti
chun na-sozi chist qadir nisti
Never, O fire, art thou patient: how burnest thou not?
What is it? Hast thou not the power?
chashm bandast in 'ajab ya hosh band
chun na-sozad aatish-e-afroz buland
Is this a spell, I wonder, that binds the eye or the mind?
How does such a lofty flame not burn?
ja-e-kardat kase ya simiyast
ya KHilaf-e-tab' tu az baKHt-e-mast
Has some one bewitched thee? Or is it magic,
or is thy unnatural behaviour from our fortune?
guft aatish man huma-nam aatisham
andar aa ta tu ba-bini tabisham
The fire said: I am the same, O idolator: come in,
that thou mayst feel my heat.
tab' man digar na-gasht-o-'unsuram
tegh-e-haqqam hum ba-dasturi buram
My nature and element have not changed:
I am the sword of God and by (His) leave I cut.
bar dar-e-kHirgah sagan-e-turkaman
chaplusi karda pesh-e-mehman
The Turcoman dogs fawn at the
tent-door before the guest,
war ba-kHirga ba-guzrad be-gana ru
hamla binad az sagan sherana u
But if any one having the face of a stranger pass by the tent,
he will see the dogs rushing at him like lions.
man za sag kam nistam dar bandagi
kam za turke nist haq dar zindagi
I am not less than a dog in devotion,
nor is God less than a Turcoman in life (living power).
aatish-e-tabi'at agar ghamgin kunad
sozish az amr-e-malik-e-din kunad
If the fire of your nature make you suffer pain,
it burns by command of the Lord of religion;
aatish-e-tabi'at agar shadi dehad
andaru shadi malik-e-din nehad
If the fire of your nature give you joy, (that is because)
the Lord of the Judgment puts joy therein.
chunki gham bini tu istighfar kun
gham ba-amr-e-kHaliq aamad kar kun
When you feel pain, ask pardon of God: pain,
by command of the Creator, is efficacious.
chun ba-kHwahad 'ain-e-gham shadi shawad
'ain-e-band-e-pa-e-azadi shawad
When He pleases, pain itself becomes joy;
bondage itself becomes freedom.
baad-o-kHak-o-ab-o-atish banda and
ba-man-o-tu murda ba-haq zinda and
Air and earth and water and fire are (His) slaves:
with you and me they are dead, but with God they are alive.
pesh-e-haq aatish hamesha dar qiyam
ham-chu 'ashiq roz-o-shab pechan mudam
Before God, fire is always standing (ready to do His behest),
writhing continually day and night, like a lover.
sang bar aahan zani bairun jehad
hum ba-amar-e-haq qadam bairun nehad
If you strike stone on iron, it (the fire) leaps out:
’tis by God's command that it puts forth its foot.
aahan-o-sang sitam bar hum ma-zan
kin do mi zaned ham-chun mard-o-zan
Do not strike together the iron and stone of injustice,
for these two generate like man and woman.
sang-o-ahan KHud sabab aamad-o-lek
tu ba-baala-tar nigar ai mard-e-nek
The stone and the iron are indeed causes,
but look higher, O good man!
kin sabab ra aan sabab aawurd pesh
be-sabab ke shud sabab hargiz za KHwesh
For this (external) cause was produced by that (spiritual)
cause:
when did a cause ever proceed from itself without a cause?
wan sabab-ha ki-ambiya ra rahbarast
aan sabab-ha zin sabab-ha bartarast
And those causes which guide the prophets
on their way are higher than these (external) causes.
in sabab ra aan sabab aamil kunad
baz gahe be-bar-o-'atil kunad
That (spiritual) cause makes this (external) cause operative;
sometimes, again, it makes it fruitless and ineffectual.
in sabab ra mahram aamad ’aql-ha
wan sabab-ha rast mahram ambiya
(Ordinary) minds are familiar with this (external) cause,
but the prophets are familiar with those (spiritual) causes.
in sabab che buwad ba-tazi go rasan
andarin che in rasan aamad ba-fan
What is (the meaning of) this (word) cause (sabab) in Arabic?
Say: cord (rasan). This cord came into this well (the world) by (Divine) artifice.
gardish-e-charKHa rasan ra 'illatast
charKH gardan ra na-didan zallatast
The revolution of the water-wheel causes the cord (to move),
(but) not to see the mover of the water-wheel is an error.
in rasan-ha-e-sabab-ha dar jahan
han-o-han zin charkH-e-sargardan madan
Beware, beware! Do not regard these cords of causation
in the world as (deriving their movement) from the giddy
wheel (of heaven),
ta numai sifr-o-sargardan chu charKH
tu na-sozi tu za be-maghzi chu markH
Lest you remain empty and giddy like the (celestial) wheel,
lest through brainlessness you burn like markh wood.
baad-e-atish mi shawad az amr-e-haq
har do sarmast aamdand az kHamr-e-haq
By the command of God the wind devours (extinguishes) fire:
both are drunken with the wine of God.
aab-e-hilm-o-atish KHashm ai pisar
hum za haq-bini chu ba-gushai basar
O son, when you open your eyes you will see that from
God too are the water of clemency and the fire of anger.
gar na-bude waqif az haq jaan-e-baad
farq ke karde miyan qaum-e-’ad
Had not the soul of the wind been informed by God, how would
it have distinguished (the believers and unbelievers) amongst the people of ‘Ád?
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