ای سلیمان مسجد اقصی بساز ** لشکر بلقیس آمد در نماز
(God said) “O Solomon, build the Farther Mosque, the army of Bilqís has come into (has adopted) the (ritual) prayer.”
چونک او بنیاد آن مسجد نهاد ** جن و انس آمد بدن در کار داد
When he laid the foundation of that Mosque, genies and men came and threw themselves into the work,
یک گروه از عشق و قومی بیمراد ** همچنانک در ره طاعت عباد1115
One party from love, and another company unwillingly, just as God’s servants (do) in the way of obedience (to Him).
خلق دیوانند و شهوت سلسله ** میکشدشان سوی دکان و غله
The folk (of the world) are (like) demons, and desire is the chain dragging them to shop and crops.
هست این زنجیر از خوف و وله ** تو مبین این خلق را بیسلسله
This chain is (the result) of being afraid (of poverty) and crazed (with worldliness): do not regard these folk as unchained.
میکشاندشان سوی کسب و شکار ** میکشاندشان سوی کان و بحار
It drags them to earning and hunting; it drags them to the mine and the seas.
میکشدشان سوی نیک و سوی بد ** گفت حق فی جیدها حبل المسد
It drags them to good and to evil: God hath said, “On her neck a cord of palm-fibre.
قد جعلنا الحبل فی اعناقهم ** واتخذنا الحبل من اخلاقهم1120
We have put the cordon their necks: We have made the cord (to consist) of their natural dispositions.
لیس من مستقذر مستنقه ** قط الا طایره فی عنقه
There is none ever, (be he) defiled or (be he) recovered (from foul disease), but his fortune is on his neck
حرص تو در کار بد چون آتشست ** اخگر از رنگ خوش آتش خوشست
Your greed for evil-doing is like fire: the live coal (the evil deed) is (made) pleasing by the fire’s pleasing hue.
آن سیاهی فحم در آتش نهان ** چونک آتش شد سیاهی شد عیان
The blackness of the coal is hidden in the fire: when the fire is gone, the blackness becomes evident.
اخگر از حرص تو شد فحم سیاه ** حرص چون شد ماند آن فحم تباه
By your greed the black coal is made live: when the greed is gone, that vicious coal remains.
آن زمان آن فحم اخگر مینمود ** آن نه حسن کار نار حرص بود1125
At that (former) time the coal appeared to be live; that was not (owing to) the goodness of (your) action: it was (owing to) the fire of greed.
حرص کارت را بیاراییده بود ** حرص رفت و ماند کار تو کبود
Greed had embellished your action: greed departed, and your action was left in squalor
غولهای را که بر آرایید غول ** پخته پندارد کسی که هست گول
(Only) one who is foolish will think ripe (and sweet) the ghawla which the ghouls deck out (describe as being attractive).
آزمایش چون نماید جان او ** کند گردد ز آزمون دندان او
When his soul makes trial (of it), its teeth are blunted by the experiment.
از هوس آن دام دانه مینمود ** عکس غول حرص و آن خود خام بود
From vain desire, the reflexion (distorting influence) of the ghoul, (which is) greed, was causing the trap to appear a (delicious) berry, though in truth it was unripe.
حرص اندر کار دین و خیر جو ** چون نماند حرص باشد نغزرو1130
Seek greed (seek to be eager) in the practice of religion and in good works: they are (still) beautiful, (even) when the greed (eagerness) remains not.
خیرها نغزند نه از عکس غیر ** تاب حرص ار رفت ماند تاب خیر
Good works are beautiful (in themselves), not through the re flexion of any other thing: if the glow of greed is gone, the glow of good remains;
تاب حرص از کار دنیا چون برفت ** فحم باشد مانده از اخگر بتفت
(But) when the glow of greed is gone from worldly work, of the red-hot coal (only) the black ashes are left.
کودکان را حرص میآرد غرار ** تا شوند از ذوق دل دامنسوار
Folly excites greed (for amusement) in children, so that from gleefulness of heart they ride a cock-horse
چون ز کودک رفت آن حرص بدش ** بر دگر اطفال خنده آیدش
When that evil greed of his is gone from the child, he begins to laugh at the other children,
که چه میکردم چه میدیدم درین ** خل ز عکس حرص بنمود انگبین1135
Saying, “What was I doing? What was I seeing in this?” From the reflexion of greed the vinegar appeared to be honey.
آن بنای انبیا بی حرص بود ** زان چنان پیوسته رونقها فزود
That edifice of the prophets was (raised) without greed (self- interest); hence the splendours (of its renown) increased so uninterruptedly.
ای بسا مسجد بر آورده کرام ** لیک نبود مسجد اقصاش نام
Oh, many a mosque have the noble (prophets) erected, but “the Farther mosque” is not its name.