When they became her foes on account of the water (which she shared with them), they were blind to bread and blind to water (ungrateful for the blessings of God).2510
از برای آب چون خصمش شدند ** نان کور و آب کور ایشان بدند
God's she-camel drank water from brook and cloud: they (really) withheld God's water from God.
ناقة الله آب خورد از جوی و میغ ** آب حق را داشتند از حق دریغ
The she-camel of Sálih became, like the bodies of righteous men, an ambush for the destruction of the wicked,
ناقهی صالح چو جسم صالحان ** شد کمینی در هلاک طالحان
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.
تا بر آن امت ز حکم مرگ و درد ** ناقة الله و سقیاها چه کرد
The vengeance, which is God's minister, demanded from them an entire town as the blood-price of a single camel.
The spirit is like Sálih, and the body is the she-camel: the spirit is in union (with God), the body in want (distress).2515
روح همچون صالح و تن ناقه است ** روح اندر وصل و تن در فاقه است
The Sálih-spirit is not susceptible to afflictions: the blows fall on the camel (body), not on the essence (spirit).
روح صالح قابل آفات نیست ** زخم بر ناقه بود بر ذات نیست
No one gains victory over their (the saints') hearts: harm comes (only) to the oyster-shell, not to the pearl.
کس نیابد بر دل ایشان ظفر ** بر صدف آمد ضرر نی بر گهر
The Sálih-spirit is not capable of being hurt: the light of God is not subject to infidels.
روح صالح قابل آزار نیست ** نور یزدان سغبهی کفار نیست
God became secretly united with a body, that they (the infidels) might hurt (it) and suffer tribulation,
حق از آن پیوست با جسمی نهان ** تاش آزارند و بینند امتحان
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.2520
بیخبر کآزار این آزار اوست ** آب این خم متصل با آب جوست
God connected (the spirit) with a body, in order that he (the prophet or saint) might become a refuge for the whole world.
ز آن تعلق کرد با جسمی اله ** تا که گردد جمله عالم را پناه
Be a slave to the camel, which is the saint's body, that you may become the fellow servant of the Sálih-spirit.
ناقهی جسم ولی را بنده باش ** تا شوی با روح صالح خواجهتاش
Sálih said (to the people of Thamúd), “Inasmuch as ye have shown this envy, after three days the punishment will arrive from God.
گفت صالح چون که کردید این حسد ** بعد سه روز از خدا نقمت رسد
After three more days there will come from the Taker of life a calamity that hath three signs.
بعد سه روز دگر از جان ستان ** آفتی آید که دارد سه نشان
The colour of all your faces will be changed, (they will be of) colours different to look at.2525
رنگ روی جمله تان گردد دگر ** رنگ رنگ مختلف اندر نظر
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).
روز اول رویتان چون زعفران ** در دوم رو سرخ همچون ارغوان
On the third, all your faces will become black: after that, the vengeance of God will arrive.
در سوم گردد همه روها سیاه ** بعد از آن اندر رسد قهر اله
If ye desire from me the sign of this threatened chastisement, the she-camel's foal has run towards the mountains:
گر نشان خواهید از من زین وعید ** کرهی ناقه به سوی که دوید
If ye can catch him, there is help (for you); else the bird of hope hath surely escaped from the snare.”
گر توانیدش گرفتن چاره هست ** ور نه خود مرغ امید از دام جست
None was able to overtake the foal: he went into the mountains and vanished.2530
کس نتانست اندر آن کره رسید ** رفت در کهسارها شد ناپدید
Sálih said, “Ye see, the (Divine) destiny has been divulged and has beheaded the phantom of your hope.”
گفت دیدید آن قضا مبرم شده ست ** صورت اومید را گردن زده ست
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.
کرهی ناقه چه باشد خاطرش ** که بجا آرید ز احسان و برش
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).
گر بجا آید دلش رستید از آن ** ور نه نومیدید و ساعد را گزان
When they heard this dark threat, they cast down their eyes and waited for it (to be fulfilled).
چون شنیدند این وعید منکدر ** چشم بنهادند و آن را منتظر