Húd drew a line round the believers: the wind would become soft (subside) when it reached that place,
هر که بیرون بود ز آن خط جمله را ** پاره پاره می‌‌گسست اندر هوا855
(Although) it was dashing to pieces in the air all who were outside of the line.
همچنین شیبان راعی می‌‌کشید ** گرد بر گرد رمه خطی پدید
Likewise Shaybán the shepherd used to draw a visible line round his flock
چون به جمعه می‌‌شد او وقت نماز ** تا نیارد گرگ آن جا ترک تاز
Whenever he went to the Friday service at prayer-time, in order that the wolf might not raid and ravage there:
هیچ گرگی در نرفتی اندر آن ** گوسفندی هم نگشتی ز آن نشان
No wolf would go into that (circle), nor would any sheep stray beyond that mark;
باد حرص گرگ و حرص گوسفند ** دایره‌‌ی مرد خدا را بود بند
The wind of the wolf's and sheeps' concupiscence was barred because of (by) the circle of the man of God.
همچنین باد اجل با عارفان ** نرم و خوش همچون نسیم یوسفان860
Even so, to those who know God (‘árifán) the wind of Death is soft and pleasant as the breeze (that wafts the scent) of (loved) ones like Joseph.
آتش ابراهیم را دندان نزد ** چون گزیده‌‌ی حق بود چونش گزد
The fire did not set its teeth in Abraham: how should it bite him, since he is the chosen of God?
ز آتش شهوت نسوزد اهل دین ** باقیان را برده تا قعر زمین
The religious are not burned by the fire of lust which bore all the rest down to the bottom of the earth.
موج دریا چون به امر حق بتاخت ** اهل موسی را ز قبطی واشناخت
The waves of the sea, when they charged on by God's command, discriminated the people of Moses from the Egyptians.
خاک قارون را چو فرمان در رسید ** با زر و تختش به قعر خود کشید
The earth, when the (Divine) command came, drew Qárún (Korah) with his gold and throne into its lowest depth.
آب و گل چون از دم عیسی چرید ** بال و پر بگشاد مرغی شد پرید865
The water and clay, when it fed on the breath of Jesus, spread wings and pinions, became a bird, and flew.
هست تسبیحت بخار آب و گل ** مرغ جنت شد ز نفخ صدق دل
Your glorification (of God) is an exhalation from the water and clay (of your body): it became a bird of Paradise through the breathing (into it) of your heart's sincerity.
کوه طور از نور موسی شد به رقص ** صوفی کامل شد و رست او ز نقص
Mount Mount Sinai, from (seeing) the radiance of Moses, began to dance, became a perfect Súfí, and was freed from blemish.
چه عجب گر کوه صوفی شد عزیز ** جسم موسی از کلوخی بود نیز
What wonder if the mountain became a venerable Súfí? The body of Moses also was (formed) from a piece of clay.
طنز و انکار کردن پادشاه جهود و قبول نکردن نصیحت خاصان خویش
How the Jewish king scoffed and denied and would not accept the counsel of his intimates.
این عجایب دید آن شاه جهود ** جز که طنز و جز که انکارش نبود
The king of the Jews beheld these marvellous things, (but) he had naught (to say) except mockery and denial.
ناصحان گفتند از حد مگذران ** مرکب استیزه را چندین مران870
His counsellors said, “Do not let (this injustice) go beyond bounds, do not drive the steed of obstinacy so far.”
ناصحان را دست بست و بند کرد ** ظلم را پیوند در پیوند کرد
He handcuffed the counsellors and confined them, he committed one injustice after another.
بانگ آمد کار چون اینجا رسید ** پای دار ای سگ که قهر ما رسید
When the matter reached this pass, a shout came—“Hold thy foot (stop), O cur! For Our vengeance is come.”
بعد از آن آتش چهل گز بر فروخت ** حلقه گشت و آن جهودان را بسوخت
After that, the fire blazed up forty ells high, became a ring, and consumed those Jews.
اصل ایشان بود آتش ابتدا ** سوی اصل خویش رفتند انتها
From fire was their origin in the beginning: they went (back) to their origin in the end.
هم ز آتش زاده بودند آن فریق ** جزوها را سوی کل باشد طریق875
That company were born of fire: the way of particulars is towards the universal.
آتشی بودند مومن سوز و بس ** سوخت خود را آتش ایشان چو خس
They were only a fire to consume the true believers: their fire consumed itself like rubbish.
آن که بوده ست امه الهاویه ** هاویه آمد مر او را زاویه
He whose mother is Háwiya (Hell-fire)—Háwiya shall become his cell (abode).
مادر فرزند جویان وی است ** اصلها مر فرعها را در پی است
The mother of the child is (always) seeking it: the fundamentals pursue the derivatives.
آب اندر حوض اگر زندانی است ** باد نشفش می‌‌کند کار کانی است
If water is imprisoned in a tank, the wind sucks it up, for it (the wind) belongs to the original (source):
می‌‌رهاند می‌‌برد تا معدنش ** اندک اندک تا نبینی بردنش880
It sets it free, it wafts it away to its source, little by little, so that you do not see its wafting;
وین نفس جانهای ما را همچنان ** اندک اندک دزدد از حبس جهان
And our souls likewise this breath (of ours) steals away, little by little, from the prison of the world.
The perfumes of our (good) words ascend even unto Him, ascending from us whither God knoweth.
ترتقی أنفاسنا بالمنتقی ** متحفا منا إلی دار البقا
Our breaths soar up with the choice (words), as a gift from us, to the abode of everlastingness;
ثم تاتینا مکافات المقال ** ضعف ذاک رحمة من ذی الجلال
Then comes to us the recompense of our speech, a double (recompense) thereof, as a mercy from (God) the Glorious;
ثم یلجینا الی امثالها ** کی ینال العبد مما نالها885
Then He causes us to repair to (makes us utter) good words like those (already uttered), that His servant may obtain (something more) of what he has obtained.
هکذا تعرج و تنزل دایما ** ذا فلا زلت علیه قائما
Thus do they (our good words) ascend while it (the Divine mercy) descends continually: mayst thou never cease to keep up that (ascent and descent)!
پارسی گوییم یعنی این کشش ** ز آن طرف آید که آمد آن چشش
Let us speak Persian: the meaning is that this attraction (by which God draws the soul towards Himself) comes from the same quarter whence came that savour (spiritual delight experienced in and after prayer).
چشم هر قومی به سویی مانده است ** کان طرف یک روز ذوقی رانده است
The eyes of every set of people remain (turned) in the direction where one day they satisfied a (longing for) delight.
ذوق جنس از جنس خود باشد یقین ** ذوق جزو از کل خود باشد ببین
The delight of (every) kind is certainly in its own kind (congener): the delight of the part, observe, is in its whole;
یا مگر آن قابل جنسی بود ** چون بدو پیوست جنس او شود890
Or else, that (part) is surely capable of (attachment to) a (different) kind and, when it has attached itself thereto, becomes homogeneous with it,
همچو آب و نان که جنس ما نبود ** گشت جنس ما و اندر ما فزود
As (for instance) water and bread, which were not our congeners, became homogeneous with us and increased within us (added to our bulk and strength).
نقش جنسیت ندارد آب و نان ** ز اعتبار آخر آن را جنس دان
Water and bread have not the appearance of being our congeners, (but) from consideration of the end (final result) deem them to be homogeneous (with us).
ور ز غیر جنس باشد ذوق ما ** آن مگر مانند باشد جنس را
And if our delight is (derived) from something not homogeneous, that (thing) will surely resemble the congener.
آن که مانند است باشد عاریت ** عاریت باقی نماند عاقبت
That which (only) bears a resemblance is a loan: a loan is impermanent in the end.
مرغ را گر ذوق آید از صفیر ** چون که جنس خود نیابد شد نفیر895
Although the bird is delighted by (the fowler's) whistle, it takes fright when it (sees him and) does not find its own congener.
تشنه را گر ذوق آید از سراب ** چون رسد در وی گریزد جوید آب
Although the thirsty man is delighted by the mirage, he runs away when he comes up to it, and seeks for water.