Rumi's Masnavi - From the air she heard a cry—“O Hatím, an exceedingly mighty Sun hath shone upon thee.

From the air she heard a cry—“O Hatím, an exceedingly mighty Sun hath shone upon thee.

از هوا بشنید بانگی کای حطیم ** تافت بر تو آفتابی بس عظیم

O Hatím, to-day there will suddenly come upon thee a hundred thousand beams from the Sun of munificence. 920

ای حطیم امروز آید بر تو زود ** صد هزاران نور از خورشید جود

O Hatím, to-day there will march into thee with pomp a glorious King, whose harbinger is Fortune.

ای حطیم امروز آرد در تو رخت ** محتشم شاهی که پیک اوست بخت

O Hatím, to-day without doubt thou wilt become anew the abode of exalted spirits.

ای حطیم امروز بی‌شک از نوی ** منزل جانهای بالایی شوی

The spirits of the holy will come to thee from every quarter in troops and multitudes, drunken with desire.”

جان پاکان طلب طلب و جوق جوق ** آیدت از هر نواحی مست شوق

Halíma was bewildered by that voice: neither in front nor behind was any one (to be seen).

گشت حیران آن حلیمه زان صدا ** نه کسی در پیش نه سوی قفا

(All) the six directions were empty of (any visible) form, and this cry was continuous—may the soul be a ransom for that cry! 925

شش جهت خالی ز صورت وین ندا ** شد پیاپی آن ندا را جان فدا

She laid Mustafá on the earth, that she might search after the sweet sound.

مصطفی را بر زمین بنهاد او ** تا کند آن بانگ خوش را جست و جو

Then she cast her eye to and fro, saying, “Where is that king that tells of mysteries?

چشم می‌انداخت آن دم سو به سو ** که کجا است این شه اسرارگو

For such a loud sound is arriving from left and right. O Lord, where is he that causes it to arrive?”

کین چنین بانگ بلند از چپ و راست ** می‌رسد یا رب رساننده کجاست

When she did not see (any one), she became distraught and despairing: her body began to tremble like the willow-bough.

چون ندید او خیره و نومید شد ** جسم لرزان هم‌چو شاخ بید شد

She came back towards that righteous child: she did not see Mustafá in his (former) place. 930

باز آمد سوی آن طفل رشید ** مصطفی را بر مکان خود ندید

Bewilderment on bewilderment fell upon her heart: from grief her abode became very dark.

حیرت اندر حیرت آمد بر دلش ** گشت بس تاریک از غم منزلش

She ran to the dwellings (hard by) and raised an outcry, saying, “Who has carried off my single pearl?”

سوی منزلها دوید و بانگ داشت ** که کی بر دردانه‌ام غارت گماشت

The Meccans said, “We have no knowledge: we knew not that a child was there.”

مکیان گفتند ما را علم نیست ** ما ندانستیم که آنجا کودکیست

She shed so many tears and made (so) much lamentation that those others began to weep because of her (grief).

ریخت چندان اشک و کرد او بس فغان ** که ازو گریان شدند آن دیگران

Beating her breast, she wept so well (mightily) that the stars were made to weep by her weeping. 935

سینه کوبان آن چنان بگریست خوش ** که اختران گریان شدند از گریه‌اش

Story of the old Arab who directed Halíma to seek help from the idols.

حکایت آن پیر عرب کی دلالت کرد حلیمه را به استعانت به بتان

An old man with a staff approached her, saying, “Why, what hath befallen thee, O Halíma,

پیرمردی پیشش آمد با عصا ** کای حلیمه چه فتاد آخر ترا

That thou didst let such a fire (of grief) blaze (forth) from thy heart and consume these bowels (of the bystanders) with mourning?”

که چنین آتش ز دل افروختی ** این جگرها را ز ماتم سوختی

She replied, “I am Ahmad's (Mohammed's) trusted foster-mother, so I brought him (back) to hand him over to his grandsire.

گفت احمد را رضیعم معتمد ** پس بیاوردم که بسپارم به جد

When I arrived in the Hatím, voices were coming (down) and I was hearing (them) from the air.

چون رسیدم در حطیم آوازها ** می‌رسید و می‌شنیدم از هوا

When I heard from the air those melodious strains, because of that sound I laid down the infant there, 940

من چو آن الحان شنیدم از هوا ** طفل را بنهادم آنجا زان صدا

To see whose voice is (the origin of) this cry, for it is a very beautiful cry and very delightful.

تا ببینم این ندا آواز کیست ** که ندایی بس لطیف و بس شهیست

I saw no sign of any one around me: the cry was not ceasing for one moment.

نه از کسی دیدم بگرد خود نشان ** نه ندا می منقطع شد یک زمان

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!”

چونک واگشتم ز حیرتهای دل ** طفل را آنجا ندیدم وای دل