آب دیده پیش تو با قدر بود ** من نتانستم که آرم ناشنود
Tears were (ever) precious with Thee: I could not feign not to have heard.
آه و زاری پیش تو بس قدر داشت ** من نتانستم حقوق آن گذاشت
Moaning and wailing (ever) had great value with Thee: I could not leave their rights unheeded.
پیش تو بس قدر دارد چشم تر ** من چگونه گشتمی استیزه‌گر
With Thee the moist eye is much prized: how should I have become quarrelsome in resisting (her)?”
دعوت زاریست روزی پنج بار ** بنده را که در نماز آ و بزار
There is a summons to the servant (of God) to lamentation five times a day— “come to (perform) the ritual prayer, and make lament.”
نعره‌ی مذن که حیا عل فلاح ** وآن فلاح این زاری است و اقتراح 1600
The muezzin's cry is “hasten to welfare,” and that welfare is this lamentation and petitioning.
آن که خواهی کز غمش خسته کنی ** راه زاری بر دلش بسته کنی
He whom Thou wishest to make sorrow-stricken—Thou dost bar against his heart the way to lamentation,
تا فرو آید بلا بی‌دافعی ** چون نباشد از تضرع شافعی
In order that affliction may descend (upon him) without (there being) anything to repel it, when there is no intercessor (in the form) of humble entreaty;
وانک خواهی کز بلااش وا خری ** جان او را در تضرع آوری
And (on the other hand) Thou dost lead to humble entreaty the spirit of him whom Thou wishest to redeem from affliction.
گفته‌ای اندر نبی که آن امتان ** که بریشان آمد آن قهر گران
Thou hast said in the Qur’án that (as regards) those peoples on which that heavy vengeance fell,
چون تضرع می‌نکردند آن نفس ** تا بلا زیشان بگشتی باز پس 1605
’Twas because at that moment they would not make humble entreaty that the affliction might be averted from them;
لیک دلهاشان چون قاسی گشته بود ** آن گنههاشان عبادت می‌نمود
But since their hearts had been hardened, their sins appeared (to them) as obedient service (rendered to God).
تا نداند خویش را مجرم عنید ** آب از چشمش کجا داند دوید
Until the sinner deems himself rebellious, how can tears run from his eye?
قصه‌ی قوم یونس علیه‌السلام بیان و برهان آنست کی تضرع و زاری دافع بلای آسمانیست و حق تعالی فاعل مختارست پس تضرع و تعظیم پیش او مفید باشد و فلاسفه گویند فاعل به طبع است و بعلت نه مختار پر تضرع طبع را نگرداند
The Story of the people of Yúnus (Jonah), on whom be peace, is a demonstration and manifest proof that humble entreaty and lamentation avert affliction sent from Heaven. And God most High acts by free choice: therefore humble entreaty and reverence avail with Him. The philosophers, however, say that He acts by (the necessity of His) nature and as a cause, not by free choice: therefore humble entreaty (is useless, for it) cannot alter nature.
قوم یونس را چو پیدا شد بلا ** ابر پر آتش جدا شد از سما
When the affliction became visible to the people of Yúnus, a cloud full of fire departed (descended) from heaven.
برق می‌انداخت می‌سوزید سنگ ** ابر می‌غرید رخ می‌ریخت رنگ
It was shooting (flashes of) lightning, the rocks were burning; the cloud was roaring, cheeks were shedding colour.
جملگان بر بامها بودند شب ** که پدید آمد ز بالا آن کرب 1610
All (the people) were on the roofs at night, when that woe came into view from on high.
جملگان از بامها زیر آمدند ** سر برهنه جانب صحرا شدند
All came down from the roofs and went bare-headed towards the open country.
مادران بچگان برون انداختند ** تا همه ناله و نفیر افراختند
Mothers cast out their children, that all might raise wailing and distressful cries.
از نماز شام تا وقت سحر ** خاک می‌کردند بر سر آن نفر
From (the time of) the evening prayer till the hour of dawn, those folk were throwing dust on their heads.
جملگی آوازها بگرفته شد ** رحم آمد بر سر آن قوم لد
(Then) all voices were hushed: the (Divine) mercy came upon that perverse people.
بعد نومیدی و آه ناشکفت ** اندک‌اندک ابر وا گشتن گرفت 1615
After despair and unrestrained lamentation, little by little the cloud began to turn back.
قصه‌ی یونس درازست و عریض ** وقت خاکست و حدیث مستفیض
The story of Yúnus is long and broad: it is time (to speak) of the Earth and (resume) the far-spread tale.
چون تضرع را بر حق قدرهاست ** وآن بها که آنجاست زاری را کجاست
Since humble entreaty has (such) value with God—and where (else) has lamentation the price (reward) that it has there?—
هین امید اکنون میان را چست بند ** خیز ای گرینده و دایم بخند
Oh, (take) hope! Now (to-day) gird thy loins tight! Arise, O weeper, and laugh continually,
که برابر می‌نهد شاه مجید ** اشک را در فضل با خون شهید
For the glorious King is ranking tears as equal in merit to the blood of the martyr.
فرستادن اسرافیل را علیه‌السلام به خاک کی حفنه‌ای بر گیر از خاک بهر ترکیب جسم آدم علیه‌السلام
The sending of Isráfíl (Seraphiel), on whom be peace, to the Earth with orders to take a handful of clay for moulding the body of Adam, on whom be peace.
گفت اسرافیل را یزدان ما ** که برو زان خاک پر کن کف بیا 1620
Our God said to Seraphiel, “Go, fill thy hand with that clay and come (back).”