But (the command) to call (the people to God) comes down from the Maker: what has he (the prophet or saint) to do with (their) acceptance or non-acceptance?
لیک دعوت واردست از کردگار ** با قبول و ناقبول او را چه کار
Noah continued to call (the people to God) for nine hundred years: the unbelief of his folk was increasing from moment to moment.10
نوح نهصد سال دعوت می‌نمود ** دم به دم انکار قومش می‌فزود
Did he ever pull back the rein of speech? Did he ever creep into the cave of silence?
هیچ از گفتن عنان واپس کشید ** هیچ اندر غار خاموشی خزید
He said (to himself), “Does a caravan ever turn back from a journey on account of the noise and clamour of dogs?
گفت از بانگ و علالای سگان ** هیچ واگردد ز راهی کاروان
Or on a night of moonlight is the running of the full-moon in its course retarded by the dog's outcry?
یا شب مهتاب از غوغای سگ ** سست گردد بدر را در سیر تگ
The moon sheds light and the dog barks: every one proceeds according to his nature.
مه فشاند نور و سگ عو عو کند ** هر کسی بر خلقت خود می‌تند
(The Divine) Destiny hath allotted to every one a certain service, suitable to his essential nature, (to be performed) in (the way of) probation.15
هر کسی را خدمتی داده قضا ** در خور آن گوهرش در ابتلا
Since the dog will not leave off his pestilent howling, I (who) am the moon, how should I abandon my course?”
چونک نگذارد سگ آن نعره‌ی سقم ** من مهم سیران خود را چون هلم