منتظر گشتند زخم قهر را ** قهر آمد نیست کرد آن شهر را

They (the people of Thamúd) were waiting for the stroke of vengeance: the vengeance came and annihilated that town.

صالح از خکوت بسوی شهر رفت ** شهر دید اندر میان دود و نفت

Sálih went from his solitude to the town: he beheld the town amidst (wrapt in) smoke and naphtha.

ناله از اجزای ایشان می‌‌شنید ** نوحه پیدا نوحه گویان ناپدید

He heard (the sound of) wailing from their limbs: the lamentation was plain (to hear), those who uttered it (were) invisible.

ز استخوانهاشان شنید او ناله‌‌ها ** اشک ریز از جانشان چون ژاله‌‌ها

He heard wailings from their bones: their spirits shedding tears, like hailstones.

صالح آن بشنید و گریه ساز کرد ** نوحه بر نوحه گران آغاز کرد 2545

Sálih heard that and set to weeping: he began to lament for them that made lamentation.

گفت ای قومی به باطل زیسته ** وز شما من پیش حق بگریسته‌‌

He said, “O people that lived in vanity, and on account of you I wept before God!

حق بگفته صبر کن بر جورشان ** پندشان ده بس نماند از دورشان‌‌

God said (to me), ‘Have patience with their iniquity: give them counsel, not much remains of their (allotted) period.’

من بگفته پند شد بند از جفا ** شیر پند از مهر جوشد وز صفا

I said, ‘Counsel is barred by ill-treatment: the milk of counsel gushes forth from love and joy.

بس که کردید از جفا بر جای من ** شیر پند افسرد در رگهای من‌‌

Much ill-treatment have ye bestowed on me, (so that) the milk of counsel is curdled in my veins.’

حق مرا گفته ترا لطفی دهم ** بر سر آن زخمها مرهم نهم‌‌ 2550

God said to me, ‘I will give thee a boon, I will lay a plaster on those wounds (of thine).’

صاف کرده حق دلم را چون سما ** روفته از خاطرم جور شما

God made my heart clear as the sky, He swept your oppression out of my mind.

در نصیحت من شده بار دگر ** گفته امثال و سخنها چون شکر

I went (back) once more to admonition, I spake parables and words (sweet) as sugar,

شیر تازه از شکر انگیخته ** شیر و شهدی با سخن آمیخته‌‌

I produced fresh milk from the sugar, I mingled milk and honey with my words.

در شما چون زهر گشته آن سخن ** ز آن که زهرستان بدید از بیخ و بن‌‌

In you those words became like poison, because ye were filled with poison from the root and foundation.

چون شوم غمگین که غم شد سر نگون ** غم شما بودید ای قوم حرون‌‌ 2555

How should I be grieved that grief is overthrown? Ye were grief (to me), O obstinate people.

هیچ کس بر مرگ غم نوحه کند ** ریش سر چون شد کسی مو بر کند

Does any one lament the death of grief? Does any one tear out his hair when the sore on his head is removed?”

رو به خود کرد و بگفت ای نوحه‌‌گر ** نوحه‌‌ات را می‌‌نیرزد آن نفر

(Then) he turned to himself and said, “O mourner, those folk are not worth thy mourning.”

کژ مخوان ای راست خواننده‌‌ی مبین ** کیف آسی قل لقوم ظالمین‌‌

Do not recite incorrectly, O thou who recitest correctly the perspicuous (Qur'án) “Say, how shall I be grieved for an unjust people?”

باز اندر چشم و دل او گریه یافت ** رحمتی بی‌‌علتی در وی بتافت‌‌

Again he felt a weeping in his eye and heart: an uncaused (involuntary) compassion shone forth in him.

قطره می‌‌بارید و حیران گشته بود ** قطره‌‌ی بی‌‌علت از دریای جود 2560

He was raining drops of water (shedding tears)—and he had become distraught— an uncaused drop from the Ocean of Bounty.

عقل او می‌‌گفت کین گریه ز چیست ** بر چنان افسوسیان شاید گریست‌‌

His intellect was saying, “Wherefore is this weeping? Ought one to weep for such scoffers?

بر چه می‌‌گریی بگو بر فعلشان ** بر سپاه کینه توز بدنشان‌‌

Tell me, what art thou weeping for? For their fraud? For the host of (their) ill-omened exactions of vengeance?

بر دل تاریک پر زنگارشان ** بر زبان زهر همچون مارشان‌‌

For their murky hearts full of rust? For their venomous snake-like tongues?

بر دم و دندان سگسارانه‌‌شان ** بر دهان و چشم کژدم خانه‌‌شان‌‌

For their sagsár-like breath and teeth? For their mouths and eyes teeming with scorpions?

بر ستیز و تسخر و افسوسشان ** شکر کن چون کرد حق محبوسشان‌‌ 2565

For their wrangling and sneering and scoffing? Give thanks, since God has imprisoned (restrained) them.