ناگهان چشمش سوی دریا فتاد ** چون شنید از سوی دریا داد داد

Of a sudden his eye turned towards the sea, because he heard (cries of) “Help! Help!” (coming) from the direction of the sea.

در میان موج دید او کشتیی ** در قضا و در بلا و زشتیی

He saw amidst the waves a ship in (the hour of its) fate, and in tribulation and an evil plight.

هم شب و هم ابر و هم موج عظیم ** این سه تاریکی و از غرقاب بیم 2180

(There were) both night and clouds and huge waves: these three darknesses, and (also) fear of (being drowned in) the whirlpool.

تند بادی همچو عزرائیل خاست ** موجها آشوفت اندر چپ و راست

A fierce wind, like ‘Azrá’íl, arose; the waves tossed on left and right.

اهل کشتی از مهابت کاسته ** نعره وا ویلها برخاسته

The people in the ship were faint with terror: cries of woe had arisen,

دستها در نوحه بر سر می‌زدند ** کافر و ملحد همه مخلص شدند

And in lamentation they were beating their heads with their hands: infidel and deist—they all had become sincere (in devotion to God),

با خدا با صد تضرع آن زمان ** عهدها و نذرها کرده بجان

Making heartfelt promises and vows to God with a hundred humble entreaties in that hour.

سر برهنه در سجود آنها که هیچ ** رویشان قبله ندید از پیچ پیچ 2185

Bare-headed in the prostrate attitude (of Divine worship) were those whose faces, because of (their) perversity, had never seen the qibla at all.

گفته که بی‌فایده‌ست این بندگی ** آن زمان دیده در آن صد زندگی

They (formerly) said, “This worship of God is useless”; (but) in that hour (of despair) they saw a hundred lives (precious advantages) therein.

از همه اومید ببریده تمام ** دوستان و خال و عم بابا و مام

They had entirely abandoned hope of all—of friends and maternal and paternal uncles and father and mother.