The greater the crowd, the better goes the begging and contributing (of money).1035
مردم هنگامه افزون‌تر شود ** کدیه و توزیع نیکوتر رود
Myriads of idle babblers assembled, forming a ring, sole against sole.
جمع آمد صد هزاران ژاژخا ** حلقه کرده پشت پا بر پشت پا
Man took no heed of woman: on account of the throng they were mingled together like nobles and common folk at the Resurrection.
مرد را از زن خبر نه ز ازدحام ** رفته درهم چون قیامت خاص و عام
When he (the snake-catcher) began to move the cloth (which covered the dragon), the people in the crowd strained their throats (necks),
چون همی حراقه جنبانید او ** می‌کشیدند اهل هنگامه گلو
And (saw that) the dragon, which had been frozen by intense cold, was underneath a hundred kinds of coarse woollen cloths and coverlets.
و اژدها کز زمهریر افسرده بود ** زیر صد گونه پلاس و پرده بود
He had bound it with thick ropes: that careful keeper had taken great precaution for it.1040
بسته بودش با رسنهای غلیظ ** احتیاطی کرده بودش آن حفیظ
During the delay (interval) of expectation and coming together, the sun of ‘Iráq shone upon the snake.
در درنگ انتظار و اتفاق ** تافت بر آن مار خورشید عراق
The sun of the hot country warmed it; the cold humours went out of its limbs.
آفتاب گرم‌سیرش گرم کرد ** رفت از اعضای او اخلاط سرد
It had been dead, and it revived: from astonishment (at feeling the sun's heat) the dragon began to uncoil itself.
مرده بود و زنده گشت او از شگفت ** اژدها بر خویش جنبیدن گرفت
By the stirring of that dead serpent the people's amazement was multiplied a hundred thousand fold.
خلق را از جنبش آن مرده مار ** گشتشان آن یک تحیر صد هزار
With amazement they started shrieking and fled en masse from its motion.1045
با تحیر نعره‌ها انگیختند ** جملگان از جنبشش بگریختند
It set about bursting the bonds, and at that loud outcry (of the people) the bonds on every side went crack, crack.
می‌سکست او بند و زان بانگ بلند ** هر طرف می‌رفت چاقاچاق بند
It burst the bonds and glided out from beneath—a hideous dragon roaring like a lion.
بندها بسکست و بیرون شد ز زیر ** اژدهایی زشت غران همچو شیر
Many people were killed in the rout: a hundred heaps were made of the fallen slain.
در هزیمت بس خلایق کشته شد ** از فتاده و کشتگان صد پشته شد
The snake-catcher became paralysed with fear on the spot, crying, “What have I brought from the mountains and the desert?”
مارگیر از ترس بر جا خشک گشت ** که چه آوردم من از کهسار و دشت
The blind sheep awakened the wolf: unwittingly it went towards its ‘Azrá’íl (Angel of death).1050
گرگ را بیدار کرد آن کور میش ** رفت نادان سوی عزرائیل خویش
The dragon made one mouthful of that dolt: blood-drinking (bloodshed) is easy for Hajjáj.
اژدها یک لقمه کرد آن گیج را ** سهل باشد خون‌خوری حجاج را
It wound and fastened itself on a pillar and crunched the bones of the devoured man.
خویش را بر استنی پیچید و بست ** استخوان خورده را در هم شکست
The dragon is thy sensual soul: how is it dead? It is (only) frozen by grief and lack of means.
نفست اژدرهاست او کی مرده است ** از غم و بی آلتی افسرده است
If it obtain the means of Pharaoh, by whose command the water of the river (Nile) would flow,
گر بیابد آلت فرعون او ** که بامر او همی‌رفت آب جو
Then it will begin to act like Pharaoh and will waylay a hundred (such as) Moses and Aaron.1055
آنگه او بنیاد فرعونی کند ** راه صد موسی و صد هارون زند
That dragon, under stress of poverty, is a little worm, (but) a gnat is made a falcon by power and riches.
کرمکست آن اژدها از دست فقر ** پشه‌ای گردد ز جاه و مال صقر
Keep the dragon in the snow of separation (from its desires); beware, do not carry it into the sun of ‘Iráq.
اژدها را دار در برف فراق ** هین مکش او را به خورشید عراق
So long as that dragon of thine remains frozen, (well and good); thou art a mouthful for it, when it gains release.
تا فسرده می‌بود آن اژدهات ** لقمه‌ی اویی چو او یابد نجات
Mortify it and become safe from (spiritual) death; have no mercy: it is not one of them that deserve favours;
مات کن او را و آمن شو ز مات ** رحم کم کن نیست او ز اهل صلات
For (when) the heat of the sun of lust strikes upon it, that vile bat of thine flaps its wings.1060
کان تف خورشید شهوت بر زند ** آن خفاش مردریگت پر زند
Lead it manfully to the (spiritual) warfare and battle: God will reward thee with access (to Him).
می‌کشانش در جهاد و در قتال ** مردوار الله یجزیک الوصال
When that man brought the dragon into the hot air, the insolent brute became well (again),
چونک آن مرد اژدها را آورید ** در هوای گرم خوش شد آن مرید
Inevitably it wrought those mischiefs, my dear friend, (and others) too, twenty times as many as we have told.
لاجرم آن فتنه‌ها کرد ای عزیز ** بیست همچندان که ما گفتیم نیز
Dost thou hope, without using violence, to keep it bound in quiet and faithfulness?
تو طمع داری که او را بی جفا ** بسته داری در وقار و در وفا
How should this wish be fulfilled for any worthless one? It needs a Moses to kill the dragon.1065
هر خسی را این تمنی کی رسد ** موسیی باید که اژدرها کشد
By his dragon hundreds of thousands of people were killed in the rout, as he had designed.
صدهزاران خلق ز اژدرهای او ** در هزیمت کشته شد از رای او
How Pharaoh threatened Moses, on whom be peace.
تهدید کردن فرعون موسی را علیه السلام
Pharaoh said to him, “Why didst thou, O Kalím, kill the people and cause fear to fall (on them)?
گفت فرعونش چرا تو ای کلیم ** خلق را کشتی و افکندی تو بیم
The people were put to flight and rout by thee; in the rout the folk were killed through slipping (and being crushed to death).
در هزیمت از تو افتادند خلق ** در هزیمت کشته شد مردم ز زلق
Necessarily, the folk have come to regard thee as their enemy; (both) men and women have conceived hatred of thee in their breasts.
لاجرم مردم ترا دشمن گرفت ** کین تو در سینه مرد و زن گرفت
Thou wert calling the people to (follow) thee, (but) it has turned out contrariwise: the folk cannot but resist thee.1070
خلق را می‌خواندی بر عکس شد ** از خلافت مردمان را نیست بد
I too, though I am creeping (shrinking) back from thy malice, am concocting a plan to requite thee.
من هم از شرت اگر پس می‌خزم ** در مکافات تو دیگی می‌پزم
Put away from thine heart the thought that thou wilt deceive me or that thou wilt get any follower but thy shadow.
دل ازین بر کن که بفریبی مرا ** یا بجز فی پس‌روی گردد ترا
Be not deluded by that which thou hast contrived: thou hast (only) cast terror into the hearts of the people.
تو بدان غره مشو کش ساختی ** در دل خلقان هراس انداختی
Thou mayst bring (forward) a hundred such (devices), and thou wilt be exposed in the same way; thou wilt become despicable and the laughing-stock of the mob.
صد چنین آری و هم رسوا شوی ** خوار گردی ضحکه‌ی غوغا شوی
Many have been impostors like thee, (but) in our Egypt they have been brought to disgrace in the end.”1075
همچو تو سالوس بسیاران بدند ** عاقبت در مصر ما رسوا شدند
The answer of Moses to Pharaoh concerning the threats which he made against him.
جواب موسی فرعون را در تهدیدی کی می‌کردش
He (Moses) said, “I admit nothing as co-partner with the command of God: if His command shall shed my blood, there is no fear (on my part).