ناقهی صالح چو جسم صالحان ** شد کمینی در هلاک طالحان
The she-camel of Sálih became, like the bodies of righteous men, an ambush for the destruction of the wicked,
تا بر آن امت ز حکم مرگ و درد ** ناقة الله و سقیاها چه کرد
That (you may see) what (the Divine command), Let God's she-camel have her portion of water, wrought against that people, through the ordainment of death and woe.
The vengeance, which is God's minister, demanded from them an entire town as the blood-price of a single camel.
روح همچون صالح و تن ناقه است ** روح اندر وصل و تن در فاقه است2515
The spirit is like Sálih, and the body is the she-camel: the spirit is in union (with God), the body in want (distress).
روح صالح قابل آفات نیست ** زخم بر ناقه بود بر ذات نیست
The Sálih-spirit is not susceptible to afflictions: the blows fall on the camel (body), not on the essence (spirit).
کس نیابد بر دل ایشان ظفر ** بر صدف آمد ضرر نی بر گهر
No one gains victory over their (the saints') hearts: harm comes (only) to the oyster-shell, not to the pearl.
روح صالح قابل آزار نیست ** نور یزدان سغبهی کفار نیست
The Sálih-spirit is not capable of being hurt: the light of God is not subject to infidels.
حق از آن پیوست با جسمی نهان ** تاش آزارند و بینند امتحان
God became secretly united with a body, that they (the infidels) might hurt (it) and suffer tribulation,
بیخبر کآزار این آزار اوست ** آب این خم متصل با آب جوست2520
Not knowing that to hurt this (body) is to hurt (offend) Him: the water in this jar is joined with the water in the river.
ز آن تعلق کرد با جسمی اله ** تا که گردد جمله عالم را پناه
God connected (the spirit) with a body, in order that he (the prophet or saint) might become a refuge for the whole world.
ناقهی جسم ولی را بنده باش ** تا شوی با روح صالح خواجهتاش
Be a slave to the camel, which is the saint's body, that you may become the fellow servant of the Sálih-spirit.
گفت صالح چون که کردید این حسد ** بعد سه روز از خدا نقمت رسد
Sálih said (to the people of Thamúd), “Inasmuch as ye have shown this envy, after three days the punishment will arrive from God.
بعد سه روز دگر از جان ستان ** آفتی آید که دارد سه نشان
After three more days there will come from the Taker of life a calamity that hath three signs.
رنگ روی جمله تان گردد دگر ** رنگ رنگ مختلف اندر نظر2525
The colour of all your faces will be changed, (they will be of) colours different to look at.
روز اول رویتان چون زعفران ** در دوم رو سرخ همچون ارغوان
On the first day your faces will be like saffron, on the second your faces will be red like arghawán (flowers of the Judas-tree).
در سوم گردد همه روها سیاه ** بعد از آن اندر رسد قهر اله
On the third, all your faces will become black: after that, the vengeance of God will arrive.
گر نشان خواهید از من زین وعید ** کرهی ناقه به سوی که دوید
If ye desire from me the sign of this threatened chastisement, the she-camel's foal has run towards the mountains:
گر توانیدش گرفتن چاره هست ** ور نه خود مرغ امید از دام جست
If ye can catch him, there is help (for you); else the bird of hope hath surely escaped from the snare.”
کس نتانست اندر آن کره رسید ** رفت در کهسارها شد ناپدید2530
None was able to overtake the foal: he went into the mountains and vanished.
گفت دیدید آن قضا مبرم شده ست ** صورت اومید را گردن زده ست
Sálih said, “Ye see, the (Divine) destiny has been divulged and has beheaded the phantom of your hope.”
کرهی ناقه چه باشد خاطرش ** که بجا آرید ز احسان و برش
What is the she-camel's foal? His (the saint's) heart, which ye may bring back to its place (win again) by means of well-doing and piety.
گر بجا آید دلش رستید از آن ** ور نه نومیدید و ساعد را گزان
If his heart comes back (is reconciled), ye are saved from that (Divine punishment); otherwise ye are despairing and biting your fore-arms (in remorse).
چون شنیدند این وعید منکدر ** چشم بنهادند و آن را منتظر
When they heard this dark threat, they cast down their eyes and waited for it (to be fulfilled).
روز اول روی خود دیدند زرد ** میزدند از ناامیدی آه سرد2535
On the first day they saw their faces yellow: from despair they were sighing heavily.
سرخ شد روی همه روز دوم ** نوبت اومید و توبه گشت گم
On the second day the faces of all became red: the time for hope and repentance was (irretrievably) lost.