When he laid the foundation of that Mosque, genies and men came and threw themselves into the work,
چونک او بنیاد آن مسجد نهاد ** جن و انس آمد بدن در کار داد
One party from love, and another company unwillingly, just as God’s servants (do) in the way of obedience (to Him).1115
یک گروه از عشق و قومی بیمراد ** همچنانک در ره طاعت عباد
The folk (of the world) are (like) demons, and desire is the chain dragging them to shop and crops.
خلق دیوانند و شهوت سلسله ** میکشدشان سوی دکان و غله
This chain is (the result) of being afraid (of poverty) and crazed (with worldliness): do not regard these folk as unchained.
هست این زنجیر از خوف و وله ** تو مبین این خلق را بیسلسله
It drags them to earning and hunting; it drags them to the mine and the seas.
میکشاندشان سوی کسب و شکار ** میکشاندشان سوی کان و بحار
It drags them to good and to evil: God hath said, “On her neck a cord of palm-fibre.
میکشدشان سوی نیک و سوی بد ** گفت حق فی جیدها حبل المسد
We have put the cordon their necks: We have made the cord (to consist) of their natural dispositions.1120
قد جعلنا الحبل فی اعناقهم ** واتخذنا الحبل من اخلاقهم
There is none ever, (be he) defiled or (be he) recovered (from foul disease), but his fortune is on his neck
لیس من مستقذر مستنقه ** قط الا طایره فی عنقه
Your greed for evil-doing is like fire: the live coal (the evil deed) is (made) pleasing by the fire’s pleasing hue.
حرص تو در کار بد چون آتشست ** اخگر از رنگ خوش آتش خوشست
The blackness of the coal is hidden in the fire: when the fire is gone, the blackness becomes evident.
آن سیاهی فحم در آتش نهان ** چونک آتش شد سیاهی شد عیان
By your greed the black coal is made live: when the greed is gone, that vicious coal remains.
اخگر از حرص تو شد فحم سیاه ** حرص چون شد ماند آن فحم تباه
At that (former) time the coal appeared to be live; that was not (owing to) the goodness of (your) action: it was (owing to) the fire of greed.1125
آن زمان آن فحم اخگر مینمود ** آن نه حسن کار نار حرص بود
Greed had embellished your action: greed departed, and your action was left in squalor
حرص کارت را بیاراییده بود ** حرص رفت و ماند کار تو کبود
(Only) one who is foolish will think ripe (and sweet) the ghawla which the ghouls deck out (describe as being attractive).
غولهای را که بر آرایید غول ** پخته پندارد کسی که هست گول
When his soul makes trial (of it), its teeth are blunted by the experiment.
آزمایش چون نماید جان او ** کند گردد ز آزمون دندان او
From vain desire, the reflexion (distorting influence) of the ghoul, (which is) greed, was causing the trap to appear a (delicious) berry, though in truth it was unripe.
از هوس آن دام دانه مینمود ** عکس غول حرص و آن خود خام بود
Seek greed (seek to be eager) in the practice of religion and in good works: they are (still) beautiful, (even) when the greed (eagerness) remains not.1130
حرص اندر کار دین و خیر جو ** چون نماند حرص باشد نغزرو
Good works are beautiful (in themselves), not through the re flexion of any other thing: if the glow of greed is gone, the glow of good remains;
خیرها نغزند نه از عکس غیر ** تاب حرص ار رفت ماند تاب خیر
(But) when the glow of greed is gone from worldly work, of the red-hot coal (only) the black ashes are left.
تاب حرص از کار دنیا چون برفت ** فحم باشد مانده از اخگر بتفت
Folly excites greed (for amusement) in children, so that from gleefulness of heart they ride a cock-horse
کودکان را حرص میآرد غرار ** تا شوند از ذوق دل دامنسوار
When that evil greed of his is gone from the child, he begins to laugh at the other children,
چون ز کودک رفت آن حرص بدش ** بر دگر اطفال خنده آیدش
Saying, “What was I doing? What was I seeing in this?” From the reflexion of greed the vinegar appeared to be honey.1135
که چه میکردم چه میدیدم درین ** خل ز عکس حرص بنمود انگبین
That edifice of the prophets was (raised) without greed (self- interest); hence the splendours (of its renown) increased so uninterruptedly.
آن بنای انبیا بی حرص بود ** زان چنان پیوسته رونقها فزود
Oh, many a mosque have the noble (prophets) erected, but “the Farther mosque” is not its name.
ای بسا مسجد بر آورده کرام ** لیک نبود مسجد اقصاش نام
The grandeur which at every moment accrued to the Ka’ba— that (grandeur) was (derived) from the acts done in pure de voti on by Abraham.
کعبه را که هر دمی عزی فزود ** آن ز اخلاصات ابراهیم بود