Predestination Does Not Annul Free Will
From Rumi’s Masnavi (مثنوی معنوی), Book 5, section 129 of 175: A Story illustrating and confirming the view that mankind have the power of choice (حکایت هم در بیان تقریر اختیار خلق و بیان آنک تقدیر و قضا سلب کننده‌ی اختیار نیست). Below, each of its 19 couplets is given in Persian, followed by R. A. Nicholson’s English translation.
A Story illustrating and confirming the view that mankind have the power of choice, and showing that Pre-ordination and Predestination do not annul the power of choice. حکایت هم در بیان تقریر اختیار خلق و بیان آنک تقدیر و قضا سلب کننده‌ی اختیار نیست
گفت دزدی شحنه را کای پادشاه آنچ کردم بود آن حکم اله
A thief said to the magistrate, ‘O (my) king, that which I have done was decreed by God.’
گفت شحنه آنچ من هم می‌کنم حکم حقست ای دو چشم روشنم
The magistrate replied, ‘That which I am doing is also decreed by God, O light of my eyes.’
از دکانی گر کسی تربی برد کین ز حکم ایزدست ای با خرد
If any one take a radish from a (greengrocer’s) shop, saying, ‘This is decreed by God, O man of understanding,’
بر سرش کوبی دو سه مشت ای کره حکم حقست این که اینجا باز نه
You (the greengrocer) will give him two or three blows on the head with your fist, (as though to say), ‘O detestable man, this (beating) is God’s decree that you put it (the radish) back here.’
در یکی تره چو این عذر ای فضول می‌نیاید پیش بقالی قبول
Since this excuse, O trifler, is not accepted (even) by a greengrocer in the case of (stealing) a single vegetable,
چون بدین عذر اعتمادی می‌کنی بر حوالی اژدهایی می‌تنی
How are you placing (such) a reliance on this excuse and frequenting the neighbourhood of (such) a dragon?
از چنین عذر ای سلیم نانبیل خون و مال و زن همه کردی سبیل
By (making) an excuse like this, O ignoble simpleton, you sacrifice all your life, your property, and your wife;
هر کسی پس سبلت تو بر کند عذر آرد خویش را مضطر کند
(For) afterwards every one will pluck your moustache and offer (the same) excuse and make himself out to be acting under compulsion.
حکم حق گر عذر می‌شاید ترا پس بیاموز و بده فتوی مرا
If ‘the decree of God’ seems to you a proper excuse, then instruct me and give me a canonical decision (on the point);
که مرا صد آرزو و شهوتست دست من بسته ز بیم و هیبتست
For I have a hundred desires and lusts, (but) my hand is tied by fear and awe (of God).
پس کرم کن عذر را تعلیم ده برگشا از دست و پای من گره
Do me a favour, then: teach me the excuse, untie the knots from my hands and feet!
اختیاری کرده‌ای تو پیشه‌ای که اختیاری دارم و اندیشه‌ای
You have chosen a handicraft, (thereby) saying (virtually), ‘I have a (certain) choice and a (certain) thought.’
ورنه چون بگزیده‌ای آن پیشه را از میان پیشه‌ها ای کدخدا
Otherwise, how have you chosen that (particular) handicraft out of all the rest, O master of the house?
چونک آید نوبت نفس و هوا بیست مرده اختیار آید ترا
When the hour comes for the flesh and the passions (to be indulged), there comes to you as great a power of choice as is possessed by twenty men;
چون برد یک حبه از تو یار سود اختیار جنگ در جانت گشود
When your friend deprives you of a farthing of profit, the power to pick a quarrel (with him) is (at once) developed in your soul;
چون بیاید نوبت شکر نعم اختیارت نیست وز سنگی تو کم
(But) when the hour comes for thanksgiving on account of (God’s) benefactions, you have no power of choice and are inferior to a stone.
دوزخت را عذر این باشد یقین که اندرین سوزش مرا معذور بین
Assuredly this will be the excuse of your Hell, (namely), ‘Consider me excused for this burning!’
کس بدین حجت چو معذورت نداشت وز کف جلاد این دورت نداشت
Since no one holds you excusable on this plea, and (since) this (plea) does not keep you out of the hands of the executioner,
پس بدین داور جهان منظوم شد حال آن عالم همت معلوم شد
(Clearly), then, the (present) world is arranged according to this rule, and the state of things in yonder world too is made known to you.
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by: Reza about (category: Masnavi, Persian Poetry)
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