He (the Prophet) said, “Ye are exceedingly bad-hearted and hostile. Hush, lest I tell your secret thoughts.”
گفت ای قوم دغل خامش کنید ** تا نگویم رازهاتان تن زنید
When he had declared (to them) a few indications of their inmost thoughts, they were in evil plight.
چون نشانی چند از اسرارشان ** در بیان آورد بد شد کارشان
Thereupon the envoys turned back from him crying, “God forfend! God forfend!”2870
قاصدان زو باز گشتند آن زمان ** حاش لله حاش لله دم زنان
Every Hypocrite, by way of fraud, brought a Qur’án under his arm to the Prophet,
هر منافق مصحفی زیر بغل ** سوی پیغمبر بیاورد از دغل
In order to take oaths—for oaths are a shield; (this they did) because (taking) oaths is a custom followed by the wicked.
بهر سوگندان که ایمان جنتی است ** ز انکه سوگندان کژان را سنتی است
Since the wicked man does not keep faith in (matters of) religion, he will break (his) oath at any time.
چون ندارد مرد کژ در دین وفا ** هر زمانی بشکند سوگند را
The righteous have no need of (taking) oath, because they have two clear (discerning) eyes.
راستان را حاجت سوگند نیست ** ز انکه ایشان را دو چشم روشنی است
Breach of compacts and covenants is (the result) of stupidity; keeping of oaths and faithfulness (to one's word) is the practice of him that fears God.2875
نقض میثاق و عهود از احمقی است ** حفظ ایمان و وفا کار تقی است
Said the Prophet, “Shall I take your oaths as true, or the oath of God?”
گفت پیغمبر که سوگند شما ** راست گیرم یا که سوگند خدا
Again those people, the Qur’án in their hands and the seal of fasting on their lips, swore another oath,
باز سوگند دگر خوردند قوم ** مصحف اندر دست و بر لب مهر صوم
Saying, “By the truth of this holy and true Word (we swear) that the building of the Mosque is for God's sake.
که به حق این کلام پاک راست ** کان بنای مسجد از بهر خداست
In that place there is no contrivance and deceit: in that place there is (only) commemoration (of God) and sincerity and calling unto the Lord.”
اندر آن جا هیچ مکر و حیله نیست ** اندر آن جا ذکر و صدق و یا ربی است
The Prophet answered, “The voice of God is coming into my ear like an echo.2880
گفت پیغمبر که آواز خدا ** میرسد در گوش من همچون صدا
God hath put a seal upon your ears, so that they make not haste to (hear) the voice of God.
مهر در گوش شما بنهاد حق ** تا به آواز خدا نارد سبق
Lo, the voice of God is coming to me distinctly: it is filtered clear for me, like the pure (liquor) from the dregs”—
نک صریح آواز حق میآیدم ** همچو صاف از درد میپالایدم
Even as Moses from the direction of the Bush heard the voice of God saying, “O thou of blessed fortune!”
همچنان که موسی از سوی درخت ** بانگ حق بشنید کای مسعود بخت
From the Bush he was hearing (the words), “Lo, I am Allah,” and together with the words there appeared (Divine) lights.
از درخت إنی أنا الله میشنید ** با کلام انوار میآمد پدید
Inasmuch as they (the Hypocrites) were left in the lurch by the light of (Divine) inspiration, they once more began to recite oaths anew.2885
چون ز نور وحی در میماندند ** باز نو سوگندها میخواندند
Since God calls an oath a shield, how should the quarreller lay down the shield from his hand?
چون خدا سوگند را خواند سپر ** کی نهد اسپر ز کف پیکارگر
Again the Prophet, giving (them) the lie direct, said to them in plain terms, “Ye have lied.”
باز پیغمبر به تکذیب صریح ** قد کذبتم گفت با ایشان فصیح
How one of the Companions—may God be well-pleased with them!—thought (to himself) disapprovingly, “Why does not the Prophet—God bless and save him!—throw a veil (over their hypocrisy)?”
اندیشیدن یکی از صحابه به انکار که رسول (ص) چرا ستاری نمیکند
(Their request was ignominiously refused), so that one of the Prophet's Companions conceived in his heart dislike of that recoilment,
تا یکی یاری ز یاران رسول ** در دلش انکار آمد ز آن نکول
Thinking, “Grey-haired and venerable old men like these— this Prophet is putting them to shame.
که چنین پیران با شیب و وقار ** میکندشان این پیمبر شرمسار
Where is generosity? Where cloaking (of sins)? Where modesty (respect for the feelings of others)? The prophets cover up hundreds of thousands of faults.”2890
کو کرم کو ستر پوشی کو حیا ** صد هزاران عیب پوشند انبیا
Quickly, again, in his heart he asked pardon of God, lest he should be disgraced for objecting (to the Prophet's behaviour).
باز در دل زود استغفار کرد ** تا نگردد ز اعتراض او روی زرد
The turpitude of befriending the Hypocrites made the true believer wicked and rebellious like them.
شومی یاری اصحاب نفاق ** کرد مومن را چو ایشان زشت و عاق
Again he was crying in supplication, “O Thou who knowest the inmost consciousness, do not leave me persisting in unbelief!
باز میزارید کای علام سر ** مر مرا مگذار بر کفران مصر
My heart is not in my control, as (my) eyesight (is); else I would at this moment burn my heart in anger.”
دل به دستم نیست همچون دید چشم ** ور نه دل را سوزمی این دم به خشم
(Whilst he was) in this thought, slumber seized him. To him (dreaming), their mosque seemed full of dung:2895
اندر این اندیشه خوابش در ربود ** مسجد ایشانش پر سرگین نمود
A corrupted place, its stones (steeped) in filth: from the stones floated up black smoke.
سنگهاش اندر حدث جای تباه ** میدمید از سنگها دود سیاه
The smoke went into his throat and made it smart: terrified by the bitter smoke, he sprang from sleep.
دود در حلقش شد و حلقش بخست ** از نهیب دود تلخ از خواب جست
Forthwith he fell on his face and wept, saying, “O God, these things are the sign of (their) disbelief.
در زمان در رو فتاد و میگریست ** کای خدا اینها نشان منکری است
Wrath (against them) is better, O God, than such forbearance (as mine), which separates me from the light of Faith.”
خلم بهتر از چنین حلم ای خدا ** که کند از نور ایمانم جدا
If you scrutinise the labour of them that follow falsehood, (you will se that) it is stinking, coat upon coat, like an onion—2900
گر بکاوی کوشش اهل مجاز ** تو به تو گنده بود همچون پیاز
Every one (of their efforts) more pithless than another, (while), in the case of the sincere, (every effort) is more excellent than the other.
هر یکی از یکدیگر بیمغزتر ** صادقان را یک ز دیگر نغزتر
Those folk (the Hypocrites) tied a hundred belts on their mantles in order to destroy the Mosque of the people of Qubá—
صد کمر آن قوم بسته بر قبا ** بهر هدم مسجد اهل قبا
Even as the Lords of the Elephant (who abode) in Abyssinia made a Ka‘ba, (but) God set it afire;
همچو آن اصحاب فیل اندر حبش ** کعبهای کردند حق آتش زدش
(And then) they (the Abyssinians) made an attempt on the Ka‘ba in revenge: read from the Word (of God) how they fared!
قصد کعبه ساختند از انتقام ** حالشان چون شد فرو خوان از کلام
The reprobates of the Religion have indeed no equipment but cunning and deceit and contentiousness.2905
مر سیه رویان دین را خود جهیز ** نیست الا حیلت و مکر و ستیز
Every Companion saw plainly (in sleep) some vision of that Mosque, so that the secret (purpose) of it became to them certain knowledge.
هر صحابی دید ز آن مسجد عیان ** واقعه تا شد یقینشان سر آن
If I should relate the visions, one by one, then the purity (of the Companions) would become certain to them that doubt;
واقعات ار باز گویم یک به یک ** پس یقین گردد صفا بر اهل شک
But I am afraid of revealing their mystery: they are the disdainful loved ones (of God), and disdain beseems them.
لیک میترسم ز کشف رازشان ** نازنینانند و زیبد نازشان
They have received the (religious) Law (directly from God) without mechanical imitation (of others): they have taken that (unadulterated) coin without (applying) the touchstone.
شرع بیتقلید میپذرفتهاند ** بیمحک آن نقد را بگرفتهاند
The Wisdom of the Qur’án is like the true believer's stray camel: every one has certain (intuitive) knowledge of his own stray.2910
حکمت قرآن چو ضالهی مومن است ** هر کسی در ضالهی خود موقن است
Story of the person who was seeking after his stray camel and inquiring about it.
قصهی آن شخص که اشتر ضالهی خود میجست و میپرسید
(If) you have lost a camel and sought it busily, how should you not know,when you find it, that it is yours?
اشتری گم کردی و جستیش چست ** چون بیابی چون ندانی کان تست
What is the stray? You have lost a she-camel: (she has) fled from your herd into a veil (of concealment).
ضاله چه بود ناقهای گم کردهای ** از کفت بگریخته در پردهای
The caravaneers have begun to load, (but) your camel has disappeared from the midst (of the caravan).
آمده در بار کردن کاروان ** اشتر تو ز آن میان گشته نهان
You are running to and fro with parched lips; the caravan is (now) far away, and night is near.
میدوی این سو و آن سو خشک لب ** کاروان شد دور و نزدیک است شب
Your baggage is left on the ground, (lying) on the road of peril, (whilst) you are running about in search of the camel,2915
رخت مانده بر زمین در راه خوف ** تو پی اشتر دوان گشته به طوف
Crying, “O Moslems, who has seen a camel which this morning escaped from a stable?
کای مسلمانان که دیده ست اشتری ** جسته بیرون بامداد از آخوری
Whoever will tell (me) a clue to my camel, I will give so many dirhems as a reward (for the information).”
هر که بر گوید نشان از اشترم ** مژدگانی میدهم چندین درم