خاک را تصویر این کار از کجا ** نطفه را خصمی و انکار از کجا
Whence should clay have the (power of) imagining this thing? Whence should semen conceive opposition and denial?
چون در آن دم بی‌دل و بی‌سر بدی ** فکرت و انکار را منکر بدی895
(Nevertheless) since at that moment thou wert devoid of heart and spirit, thou wert (implicitly) denying (the faculty of) reflection and (the possibility of) denial.
از جمادی چونک انکارت برست ** هم ازین انکار حشرت شد درست
Since thy (former) denial arose from the state of lifelessness (irrationality), so by this (present) denial (the certainty of) thy resurrection is established.
پس مثال تو چو آن حلقه‌زنیست ** کز درونش خواجه گوید خواجه نیست
Hence the (appropriate) parable of thee is (a case) like (that of) the person who knocks at the door (of a house), and the master replies to him from within, saying, “The master is not (here).”
حلقه‌زن زین نیست دریابد که هست ** پس ز حلقه بر ندارد هیچ دست
From this “is not” the person knocking perceives that he is (there), and consequently does not take his hand off the door- ring at all.
پس هم انکارت مبین می‌کند ** کز جماد او حشر صد فن می‌کند
Therefore the very fact of thy denial is making it clear that He (God) brings about manifold resurrections from lifeless matter.
چند صنعت رفت ای انکار تا ** آب و گل انکار زاد از هل اتی900
How much (Divine) artifice passed (was expended), O thou denial (incarnate), till the water and clay (of thy original nature) produced denial from (the state signified by the words) Hal atá!
آب وگل می‌گفت خود انکار نیست ** بانگ می‌زد بی‌خبر که اخبار نیست
The water and clay was really saying, “There is no denial” (was really making an affirmation): it was crying, ‘There is no affirmation” (was uttering a denial), unaware (of the fact that its denial was an implicit affirmation).
من بگویم شرح این از صد طریق ** لیک خاطر لغزد از گفت دقیق
I would expound this (topic) in a hundred ways, but the (reader’s) mind would stumble at the subtle discourse.
چاره کردن سلیمان علیه‌السلام در احضار تخت بلقیس از سبا
How Solomon, on whom be peace, devised a plan for bringing the throne of Bilqís from Sabá.
گفت عفریتی که تختش را به فن ** حاضر آرم تا تو زین مجلس شدن
A certain ‘Ifrít (demon) said, “By (my) art I will bring her throne here before thy departure from this council.”
گفت آصف من به اسم اعظمش ** حاضر آرم پیش تو در یک دمش
Ásaf said, “By means of the greatest Name (of God) I will bring it here into thy presence in a single moment.”
گرچه عفریت اوستاد سحر بود ** لیک آن از نفخ آصف رو نمود905
Though the ‘Ifrít was a master of magic, yet that (miracle) was displayed by the breath (spiritual power) of Ásaf.
حاضر آمد تخت بلقیس آن زمان ** لیک ز آصف نه از فن عفریتیان
The throne of Bilqís came into the presence instantly, but through Ásaf, not through the art of them that have the (malignant) nature of ‘Ifríts.
گفت حمدالله برین و صد چنین ** که بدیدستم ز رب العالمین
He (Solomon) said, “Praise to God for this and a hundred such (favours) which I have seen (received) from the Lord of created beings.”
پس نظر کرد آن سلیمان سوی تخت ** گفت آری گول‌گیری ای درخت
Then Solomon turned his eyes towards the throne. “Yes,” he said, “thou art one that catches fools, O tree!”
پیش چوب و پیش سنگ نقش کند ** ای بسا گولان که سرها می‌نهند
Oh, many are the fools that lay down their heads before wood and graven stone.
ساجد و مسجود از جان بی‌خبر ** دیده از جان جنبشی واندک اثر910
(Both) the worshipper and the object of worship are ignorant of the spirit; (but) he (the worshipper) has felt a movement and a slight effect of the spirit.
دیده در وقتی که شد حیران و دنگ ** که سخن گفت و اشارت کرد سنگ
He has felt, at the moment when he became rapt (in devotion) and bewildered, that the stone spoke and made signs.
نرد خدمت چون بنا موضع بباخت ** شیر سنگین را شقی شیری شناخت
When the wretched man bestowed his devotion in the wrong place and deemed the lion of stone to be a (real) lion,
از کرم شیر حقیقی کرد جود ** استخوانی سوی سگ انداخت زود
The real Lion, from kindness, showed munificence and at once threw a bone to the dog,
گفت گرچه نیست آن سگ بر قوام ** لیک ما را استخوان لطفیست عام
And said, “Although the dog is not in (due) order, yet as regards me the bone is a bounty of which all partake.”
قصه‌ی یاری خواستن حلیمه از بتان چون عقیب فطام مصطفی را علیه‌السلام گم کرد و لرزیدن و سجده‌ی بتان و گواهی دادن ایشان بر عظمت کار مصطفی صلی‌الله علیه و سلم
Story of Halíma's asking help of the idols when she lost Mustafá (Mohammed)—on whom be peace—after he was weaned, and how the idols trembled and prostrated themselves and bore witness to the grandeur of Mohammed's estate—may God bless and save him!
قصه‌ی راز حلیمه گویمت ** تا زداید داستان او غمت915
I will tell you the story of Halíma's mystic experience, that her tale may clear away your trouble.
مصطفی را چون ز شیر او باز کرد ** بر کفش برداشت چون ریحان و ورد
When she parted Mustafá from (her) milk, she took him up on the palm of her hand as (tenderly as though he were) sweet basil and roses,
می‌گریزانیدش از هر نیک و بد ** تا سپارد آن شهنشه را به جد
Causing him to avoid every good or evil (hap), that she might commit that (spiritual) emperor to (the care of) his grandsire.
چون همی آورد امانت را ز بیم ** شد به کعبه و آمد او اندر حطیم
Since she was bringing the (precious) trust in fear (for its safety), she went to the Ka‘ba and came into the Hatím.
از هوا بشنید بانگی کای حطیم ** تافت بر تو آفتابی بس عظیم
From the air she heard a cry—“O Hatím, an exceedingly mighty Sun hath shone upon thee.
ای حطیم امروز آید بر تو زود ** صد هزاران نور از خورشید جود920
O Hatím, to-day there will suddenly come upon thee a hundred thousand beams from the Sun of munificence.
ای حطیم امروز آرد در تو رخت ** محتشم شاهی که پیک اوست بخت
O Hatím, to-day there will march into thee with pomp a glorious King, whose harbinger is Fortune.
ای حطیم امروز بی‌شک از نوی ** منزل جانهای بالایی شوی
O Hatím, to-day without doubt thou wilt become anew the abode of exalted spirits.
جان پاکان طلب طلب و جوق جوق ** آیدت از هر نواحی مست شوق
The spirits of the holy will come to thee from every quarter in troops and multitudes, drunken with desire.”
گشت حیران آن حلیمه زان صدا ** نه کسی در پیش نه سوی قفا
Halíma was bewildered by that voice: neither in front nor behind was any one (to be seen).
شش جهت خالی ز صورت وین ندا ** شد پیاپی آن ندا را جان فدا925
(All) the six directions were empty of (any visible) form, and this cry was continuous—may the soul be a ransom for that cry!
مصطفی را بر زمین بنهاد او ** تا کند آن بانگ خوش را جست و جو
She laid Mustafá on the earth, that she might search after the sweet sound.
چشم می‌انداخت آن دم سو به سو ** که کجا است این شه اسرارگو
Then she cast her eye to and fro, saying, “Where is that king that tells of mysteries?
کین چنین بانگ بلند از چپ و راست ** می‌رسد یا رب رساننده کجاست
For such a loud sound is arriving from left and right. O Lord, where is he that causes it to arrive?”
چون ندید او خیره و نومید شد ** جسم لرزان هم‌چو شاخ بید شد
When she did not see (any one), she became distraught and despairing: her body began to tremble like the willow-bough.
باز آمد سوی آن طفل رشید ** مصطفی را بر مکان خود ندید930
She came back towards that righteous child: she did not see Mustafá in his (former) place.
حیرت اندر حیرت آمد بر دلش ** گشت بس تاریک از غم منزلش
Bewilderment on bewilderment fell upon her heart: from grief her abode became very dark.
سوی منزلها دوید و بانگ داشت ** که کی بر دردانه‌ام غارت گماشت
She ran to the dwellings (hard by) and raised an outcry, saying, “Who has carried off my single pearl?”
مکیان گفتند ما را علم نیست ** ما ندانستیم که آنجا کودکیست
The Meccans said, “We have no knowledge: we knew not that a child was there.”
ریخت چندان اشک و کرد او بس فغان ** که ازو گریان شدند آن دیگران
She shed so many tears and made (so) much lamentation that those others began to weep because of her (grief).
سینه کوبان آن چنان بگریست خوش ** که اختران گریان شدند از گریه‌اش935
Beating her breast, she wept so well (mightily) that the stars were made to weep by her weeping.
حکایت آن پیر عرب کی دلالت کرد حلیمه را به استعانت به بتان
Story of the old Arab who directed Halíma to seek help from the idols.
پیرمردی پیشش آمد با عصا ** کای حلیمه چه فتاد آخر ترا
An old man with a staff approached her, saying, “Why, what hath befallen thee, O Halíma,
که چنین آتش ز دل افروختی ** این جگرها را ز ماتم سوختی
That thou didst let such a fire (of grief) blaze (forth) from thy heart and consume these bowels (of the bystanders) with mourning?”
گفت احمد را رضیعم معتمد ** پس بیاوردم که بسپارم به جد
She replied, “I am Ahmad's (Mohammed's) trusted foster-mother, so I brought him (back) to hand him over to his grandsire.
چون رسیدم در حطیم آوازها ** می‌رسید و می‌شنیدم از هوا
When I arrived in the Hatím, voices were coming (down) and I was hearing (them) from the air.
من چو آن الحان شنیدم از هوا ** طفل را بنهادم آنجا زان صدا940
When I heard from the air those melodious strains, because of that sound I laid down the infant there,
تا ببینم این ندا آواز کیست ** که ندایی بس لطیف و بس شهیست
To see whose voice is (the origin of) this cry, for it is a very beautiful cry and very delightful.
نه از کسی دیدم بگرد خود نشان ** نه ندا می منقطع شد یک زمان
I saw no sign of any one around me: the cry was not ceasing for one moment.
چونک واگشتم ز حیرتهای دل ** طفل را آنجا ندیدم وای دل
When I returned (to my senses) from the bewilderments of my heart, I did not see the child there (where I had left him): alas for my heart!”