بخش 84 - فرمودن شاه ایاز را کی اختیار کن از عفو و مکافات کی از عدل و لطف هر چه کنی اینجا صوابست و در هر یکی مصلحتهاست کی در عدل هزار لطف هست درج و لکم فی القصاص حیوة آنکس کی کراهت می‌دارد قصاص را درین یک حیات قاتل نظر می‌کند و در صد هزار حیات کی معصوم و محقون خواهند شدن در حصن بیم سیاست نمی‌نگرد

“O Ayáz, pass sentence on the culprits! O incorruptible Ayáz who takest infinite precautions (to keep thyself pure),

Though I boil (test) thee in practice two hundred times, I do not find any refuse in the foam of thy boiling.

A countless multitude of people are ashamed of (being put to) the test, (but) all tests are ashamed of (being tried on) thee.

It (thy knowledge) is a bottomless ocean: it is not (creaturely) knowledge alone; it (thy forbearance) is a mountain and a hundred mountains: indeed, it is not (creaturely) forbearance.”

He (Ayáz) replied, “I know that this is thy gift; otherwise I am (nothing except) those rustic shoon and that sheepskin jacket.”

Hence the Prophet expounded this (matter), (when he said), “Whoso knoweth himself knoweth God.”

The seed (from which you were conceived) is your shoon, and your blood is the sheepskin jacket: (all) the rest, O master, is His gift.

He hath given it to you in order that you may seek more: do not say, “He has only this amount (to give).”

The gardener shows a number of apples, to the end that you may know the trees and produce of the orchard.

He (the wheat-merchant) gives the purchaser a handful of wheat, in order that he may know (the quality of) the wheat in the granary.

The teacher explains a nice point in order that you may recognise that his knowledge exceeds (those limits);

And if you say, “This is all (the knowledge) he has,” he will cast you far (from him) as sticks and straws (are cast) from the beard.

“Now come, O Ayáz, and deal justice: lay the foundation of a rare justice in the world.

Those who have sinned against thee deserve to be killed, but in hope (of escaping death) they are attending (waiting upon) thy pardon and forbearance,

To see whether mercy will prevail or wrath, whether the water of Kawthar will prevail or the flames (of Hell).”

From the (ancient) Covenant of Alast (until now) both (these) boughs, (namely) forbearance and anger, are in existence for the purpose of carrying men (up to God).

Hence the perspicuous word Alast is (a case of) negation and affirmation joined in one word,

Because this (Alast) is an affirmative question, but (nevertheless) the word laysa is buried in it.

Leave off, and let this exposition remain incomplete: do not lay the bowl for the elect on the table of the vulgar.

(’Tis) a wrath and a mercy like the zephyr (sabá) and the plague (wabá): the former is (like) the iron- attracting (magnet) and the latter (like) the straw attracting (amber).

The truth draws the righteous to righteousness; the false class (of things) draws the false (the wicked).

(If) the belly be sweet, it draws sweets (to itself); (if) the belly be bilious (acid), it draws vinegar (to itself).

A burning (hot) carpet takes away coldness from one who sits (on it); a frozen (cold) carpet consumes (his) heat.

(When) you see a friend, mercy is aroused in you; (when) you see an enemy, violence is aroused in you.

“O Ayáz, finish this affair quickly, for expectation is a sort of vengeance.”