There is no room in the Mathnawí to describe fully that chastisement whereat Heaven trembled.
آن سیاست را که لرزید آسمان ** مثنوی اندر نگنجد شرح آن
If, O icy wind, thou art doing this by (thine own) nature, (then) try to invade the line and circle drawn by Húd!
گر به طبع این میکنی ای باد سرد ** گرد خط و دایرهی آن هود گرد
O natural philosopher, perceive that this kingdom (of God) is above Nature, or else come and (if thou canst) wipe out this (narrative) from the Holy Book!
ای طبیعی فوق طبع این ملک بین ** یا بیا و محو کن از مصحف این
Prohibit those who recite the Qur’án (professionally) and impose a ban (upon them), or punish the teacher and put terror into him!
مقریان را منع کن بندی بنه ** یا معلم را به مال و سهم ده
Thou art helpless and unable to understand the cause of this helplessness: thy helplessness is a reflexion (foretaste) of the Day of Retribution.4825
عاجزی و خیره کن عجز از کجاست ** عجز تو تابی از آن روز جزاست
O perverse man, thou hast many a helpless plight before thee: (when) the hour comes, lo, the hide-aways will emerge!
عجزها داری تو در پیش ای لجوج ** وقت شد پنهانیان را نک خروج
Happy is he whose (spiritual) food is this helplessness and bewilderment and who in both worlds is sleeping in the shadow (protection) of the Beloved.
خرم آن کین عجز و حیرت قوت اوست ** در دو عالم خفته اندر ظل دوست
He (such an one) is conscious of being helpless both in the stable (of the present life) and in the last (future) state: he is dead (to self), he has adopted “the old women's religion.”
هم در آخر عجز خود را او بدید ** مرده شد دین عجایز را گزید
(He is) like Zalíkhá, (who), when Joseph beamed upon her, found the way from decrepitude to youth.
چون زلیخا یوسفش بر وی بتافت ** از عجوزی در جوانی راه یافت
Life depends on dying (to self) and on suffering tribulation: the Water of Life is in the (Land of) Darkness.4830
زندگی در مردن و در محنتست ** آب حیوان در درون ظلمتست
Resuming the Story of the most High God's bringing up Nimrod in his childhood without the intervention of mother and nurse.
رجوع کردن به قصهی پروردن حق تعالی نمرود را بیواسطهی مادر و دایه در طفلی
“In short, that garden, like the (spiritual) orchard of gnostics, was secure from the simoom and the sarsar wind.
حاصل آن روضه چو باغ عارفان ** از سموم صرصر آمد در امان
A leopardess (there) had newly given birth to cubs: I bade her give milk to him (Nimrod), and she obeyed.
یک پلنگی طفلکان نو زاده بود ** گفتم او را شیر ده طاعت نمود
So she gave him milk and tended him till he grew up and became strong and valiant.
پس بدادش شیر و خدمتهاش کرد ** تا که بالغ گشت و زفت و شیرمرد
When he was weaned, I told the peris (Jinn) to teach him how to discourse and deal justice.
چون فطامش شد بگفتم با پری ** تا در آموزید نطق و داوری
I gave him nourishment from that garden: how should (the description of) My artfulness be contained in words.4835
پرورش دادم مر او را زان چمن ** کی بگفت اندر بگنجد فن من
I bestowed on Job a father's love in order that he might entertain the worms hospitably and do them no harm.
داده من ایوب را مهر پدر ** بهر مهمانی کرمان بیضرر
I bestowed on the worms love for him like that of children for their father. Look, here is (a token of My) Power, here is (a token of My) Hand!
داده کرمان را برو مهر ولد ** بر پدر من اینت قدرت اینت ید
I have taught mothers to care (for their children): how (infinite) must be the kindness that I have kindled!
مادران را داب من آموختم ** چون بود لطفی که من افروختم
(Unto him) I showed a hundred favours and (knit) a hundred ties (of obligation), that he might experience My kindness directly,
صد عنایت کردم و صد رابطه ** تا ببیند لطف من بیواسطه
And not be distracted by any secondary cause, to the end that every call for help should be made by him to Me,4840
تا نباشد از سبب در کشمکش ** تا بود هر استعانت از منش
Or at least that he should have no excuse (for turning elsewhere) and no occasion to complain of any evil companion.
ورنه تا خود هیچ عذری نبودش ** شکوتی نبود ز هر یار بدش
He enjoyed this tender care (cemented) by a hundred ties, for I fostered him (Myself) without an intermediary.
این حضانه دید با صد رابطه ** که بپروردم ورا بیواسطه
His thanks, O honoured servant, were this, that he became Nimrod and the burner of Khalíl (Abraham)”—
شکر او آن بود ای بندهی جلیل ** که شد او نمرود و سوزندهی خلیل
Just as this prince, in return for the favours of the King, showed arrogance and sought to aggrandise himself,
همچنان کین شاهزاده شکر شاه ** کرد استکبار و استکثار جاه
Saying, “Why should I become the follower of another when I possess empire and new (splendid) fortune?”4845
که چرا من تابع غیری شوم ** چونک صاحب ملک و اقبال نوم