- When I was being caught in (the toils of) sin, and drowning (therein) was clutching at straws––
- چون گرفتار گنه میآمدم ** غرقه دست اندر حشایش میزدم
- (Whilst) there was coming from thee to sinners a threat and menace of punishment exceedingly severe–– 2465
- از تو تهدید و وعیدی میرسید ** مجرمان را از عذاب بس شدید
- (And) I was becoming agitated, and there was no help (for me), (since) there were chains made fast and a lock not (to be) opened:
- مضطرب میگشتم و چاره نبود ** بند محکم بود و قفل ناگشود
- Neither room for patience nor means of flight, neither hope of repenting nor opportunity for rebelling
- نی مقام صبر و نه راه گریز ** نی امید توبه نه جای ستیز
- I, like Hárút and Márút was crying in sorrow, ‘Alas!’ and saying, ‘O my Creator!’”
- من چو هاروت و چو ماروت از حزن ** آه میکردم که ای خلاق من
- Because of the dangers (of the Last Judgement) Hárút and Márút openly chose the pit of Babylon,
- از خطر هاروت و ماروت آشکار ** چاه بابل را بکردند اختیار
- So that they might suffer here (in this world) the punishment of the world to come; and they are cunning and intelligent and magician-like. 2470
- تا عذاب آخرت اینجا کشند ** گربزند و عاقل و ساحروشاند
- They acted well, and ‘twas fitly done: the pain of smoke is lighter than (that of) fire.
- نیک کردند و بجای خویش بود ** سهلتر باشد ز آتش رنج دود
- The pain of that (future) world is beyond description; light is the pain of this world beside it.
- حد ندارد وصف رنج آن جهان ** سهل باشد رنج دنیا پیش آن
- Oh, happy he that wages a holy war (of self-mortification), and puts a restraint upon the body and deals justice (against it),
- ای خنک آن کاو جهادی میکند ** بر بدن زجری و دادی میکند
- And, in order that he may be delivered from the pain of that world, lays upon himself this pain of serving God.
- تا ز رنج آن جهانی وارهد ** بر خود این رنج عبادت مینهد
- “I was saying, ‘O Lord, quickly inflict on me in this world that punishment, 2475
- من همیگفتم که یا رب آن عذاب ** هم در این عالم بران بر من شتاب
- So that I may have exemption (from it) in yonder world.’ About such-like a request was I knocking at the door .
- تا در آن عالم فراغت باشدم ** در چنین درخواست حلقه میزدم
- (Thereupon) such a (painful) sickness as this appeared in me: through pain my soul was deprived of rest.
- این چنین رنجوریی پیدام شد ** جان من از رنج بیآرام شد
- I have been left without power to perform my dhikr (commemoration of God) and litanies: I have become unconscious of myself and of (all) good and ill.
- ماندهام از ذکر و از اوراد خود ** بیخبر گشتم ز خویش و نیک و بد
- If I had not now beheld thy face, O thou whose scent is fortunate and blessed,
- گر نمیدیدم کنون من روی تو ** ای خجسته وی مبارک بوی تو
- I should have passed altogether from the bondage (of this life). Thou in kingly fashion hast bestowed on me this sympathy.” 2480
- میشدم از دست من یک بارگی ** کردیم شاهانه این غم خوارگی
- Said the Prophet, “Hey! do not offer this prayer again: do not dig yourself up from root and base.
- گفت هیهی این دعا دیگر مکن ** بر مکن تو خویش را از بیخ و بن
- What strength have you, O wretched ant, to endure that He should lay on you such a lofty mountain?”
- تو چه طاقت داری ای مور نژند ** که نهد بر تو چنان کوه بلند
- He answered, “O Sultan, I repent (and vow) that in no wise will I (henceforth) brag recklessly.
- گفت توبه کردم ای سلطان که من ** از سر جلدی نه لافم هیچ فن
- This world is the Desert (of the Israelites), and thou art Moses, and we because of (our) sin remain in the Desert in tribulation.
- این جهان تیه است و تو موسی و ما ** از گنه در تیه مانده مبتلا
- We are wayfaring for years, and at the end we are still held captive in the first stage (of the journey). 2485
- سالها ره میرویم و در اخیر ** همچنان در منزل اول اسیر
- If the heart of Moses were pleased with us, there would be shown (to us) the way through the Desert and the (farthest) border (thereof);
- گر دل موسی ز ما راضی بدی ** تیه را راه و کران پیدا شدی
- And if he were wholly disgusted with us, how by any means would trays of food come to us from heaven?
- ور به کل بیزار بودی او ز ما ** کی رسیدی خوانمان هیچ از سما
- How would springs gush from a rock, (and how) would there be security for our lives in the desert?
- کی ز سنگی چشمهها جوشان شدی ** در بیابانمان امان جان شدی