If that is magic, inform us; and if it be divine, O spirit of our father,1180
آن اگر سحرست ما را ده خبر ** ور خدایی باشد ای جان پدر
(In that case) also inform us, so that we may bow down (before them) and bring ourselves in touch with an elixir.
هم خبر ده تا که ما سجده کنیم ** خویشتن بر کیمیایی بر زنیم
We are despairing, and a hope has come; we are banished, and Mercy has drawn us (towards favour).”
ناامیدانیم و اومیدی رسید ** راندگانیم و کرم ما را کشید
How the dead magician answered his sons.
جواب گفتن ساحر مرده با فرزندان خود
He said to them in (their) dream, "O my sons, it is not possible (to speak) openly: do not utter this (request)."
گفتشان در خواب کای اولاد من ** نیست ممکن ظاهر این را دم زدن
It is not permitted to me to speak openly and freely, yet the mystery is not far from mine eye.
فاش و مطلق گفتنم دستور نیست ** لیک راز از پیش چشمم دور نیست
But I will show unto you a sign, that this hidden thing may be made manifest to you.1185
لیک بنمایم نشانی با شما ** تا شود پیدا شما را این خفا
O light of mine eyes, when ye go thither, become acquainted with the place where he sleeps,
نور چشمانم چو آنجا گه روید ** از مقام خفتنش آگه شوید
And at the time when that Sage is asleep, make for the rod, abandon fear.
آن زمان که خفته باشد آن حکیم ** آن عصا را قصد کن بگذار بیم
If thou shalt steal it and art able (to do so), he is a magician; the means of dealing with a magician is present with thee;
گر بدزدی و توانی ساحرست ** چاره‌ی ساحر بر تو حاضرست
But if thou canst not (steal it), beware and beware! That (man) is of God: he is the messenger of the Glorious (God) and is (divinely) guided.
ور نتانی هان و هان آن ایزدیست ** او رسول ذوالجلال و مهتدیست
Though Pharaoh occupy the world, east and west, he will fall headlong: God and then war!1190
گر جهان فرعون گیرد شرق و غرب ** سرنگون آید خدا آنگاه حرب
I give (thee) this true sign, O soul of thy father: inscribe it (in thy heart): God best knoweth the right course.
این نشان راست دادم جان باب ** بر نویس الله اعلم بالصواب
O soul of thy father, when a magician sleeps, there is none to direct his magic and craft.
جان بابا چون بخسپد ساحری ** سحر و مکرش را نباشد رهبری
When the shepherd has gone to sleep, the wolf becomes unafraid: when he sleeps, his exertion ceases;
چونک چوپان خفت گرگ آمن شود ** چونک خفت آن جهد او ساکن شود
But the animal whose shepherd is God—how hath the wolf hope or way (of getting) there?
لیک حیوانی که چوپانش خداست ** گرگ را آنجا امید و ره کجاست
The sorcery which God practises is real and true: ’tis wrong to call that real thing sorcery.1195
جادوی که حق کند حقست و راست ** جادوی خواندن مر آن حق را خطاست
O soul of thy father, this is the decisive sign: even if he (a prophet) die, God exalteth him.”
جان بابا این نشان قاطعست ** گر بمیرد نیز حقش رافعست
Comparison of the sublime Qur’án to the rod of Moses, and the death of Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, to the sleep of Moses, and those who seek to alter the Qur’án to the two young magicians who attempted to carry off the rod of Moses when they found him asleep.
تشبیه کردن قرآن مجید را به عصای موسی و وفات مصطفی را علیه السلام نمودن بخواب موسی و قاصدان تغییر قرآن را با آن دو ساحر بچه کی قصد بردن عصا کردند چو موسی را خفته یافتند
The lovingkindnesses of God made a promise to Mustafá (Mohammed), saying, “If thou shalt die, (yet) this Lesson (the Qur’án) shall not die.
مصطفی را وعده کرد الطاف حق ** گر بمیری تو نمیرد این سبق
I am exalting thy Book and Miracle, I am defending the Qur’án from those who would make it more or less.
من کتاب و معجزه‌ت را رافعم ** بیش و کم‌کن را ز قرآن مانعم
I am exalting thee in both worlds, I am driving away the scoffers from thy Tidings.
من ترا اندر دو عالم حافظم ** طاعنان را از حدیثت رافضم
None shall be able to make additions or omissions therein. Do not thou seek another protector better than Me.1200
کس نتاند بیش و کم کردن درو ** تو به از من حافظی دیگر مجو
Day by day I will increase thy splendour, I will strike thy name on gold and on silver.
رونقت را روز روز افزون کنم ** نام تو بر زر و بر نقره زنم
For thy sake I will prepare pulpit and prayer-niche: in (My) love (for thee) thy vengeance hath become My vengeance.
منبر و محراب سازم بهر تو ** در محبت قهر من شد قهر تو
They (thy followers), from fear, are uttering thy name covertly and hiding when they perform their prayers;
نام تو از ترس پنهان می‌گوند ** چون نماز آرند پنهان می‌شوند
From terror and dread of the accursed infidels thy Religion is being hidden underground;
از هراس وترس کفار لعین ** دینت پنهان می‌شود زیر زمین
(But) I will fill the world, from end to end, with minarets; I will make blind the eyes of the recalcitrant.1205
من مناره پر کنم آفاق را ** کور گردانم دو چشم عاق را
Thy servants will occupy cities and (seize) power: thy Religion will extend from the Fish to the Moon.
چاکرانت شهرها گیرند و جاه ** دین تو گیرد ز ماهی تا به ماه
We shall keep it living until the Resurrection: be not thou afraid of the annulment of the Religion, O Mustafá.
تا قیامت باقیش داریم ما ** تو مترس از نسخ دین ای مصطفی
O My Messenger, thou art not a sorcerer: thou art truthful, thou wearest the mantle of Moses.
ای رسول ما تو جادو نیستی ** صادقی هم‌خرقه‌ی موسیستی
To thee the Qur’án is even as the rod (of Moses): it swallows up (all) infidelities, like a dragon.
هست قرآن مر تو را همچون عصا ** کفرها را در کشد چون اژدها
If thou sleepest beneath a sod, (yet) deem as his rod that which thou hast spoken (My Word).1210
تو اگر در زیر خاکی خفته‌ای ** چون عصایش دان تو آنچ گفته‌ای
Assailants have no power over his rod. Do thou (then) sleep, O King, a blessed sleep!
قاصدان را بر عصایش دست نی ** تو بخسپ ای شه مبارک خفتنی
(Whilst) thy body is asleep (in the tomb), thy Light in Heaven hath strung a bow for thy war (against the infidels).
تن بخفته نور تو بر آسمان ** بهر پیکار تو زه کرده کمان
The philosopher and that which his mouth doeth—the bow of thy Light is piercing him (and it) with arrows.”
فلسفی و آنچ پوزش می‌کند ** قوس نورت تیردوزش می‌کند
Thus He did, and (even) more than He said: he (the Prophet) slept (the sleep of death), but his fortune and prosperity slumbered not.
آنچنان کرد و از آن افزون که گفت ** او بخفت و بخت و اقبالش نخفت
“O soul of thy father, when a magician goes to sleep, his work becomes tarnished and dim.”1215
جان بابا چونک ساحر خواب شد ** کار او بی رونق و بی‌تاب شد
Both (the magician's sons) kissed his grave and turned away (and came) to Egypt for the purpose of this mighty struggle.
هر دو بوسیدند گورش را و تفت ** تا بمصر از بهر آن پیگار زفت
When they came to Egypt for the sake of that enterprise, they sought after Moses and his house.
چون به مصر از بهر آن کار آمدند ** طالب موسی و خانه‌ی او شدند
It chanced that on the day of their arrival Moses was asleep under a palm-tree,
اتفاق افتاد کان روز ورود ** موسی اندر زیر نخلی خفته بود
So the folk gave them a clue to him, saying, “Go, seek yonder in the direction of the palm-grove.”
پس نشان دادندشان مردم بدو ** که برو آن سوی نخلستان بجو
When he (the magician's son) came (thither), he espied amongst the date trees a sleeper who was the wake fullest man in the world.1220
چون بیامد دید در خرمابنان ** خفته‌ای که بود بیدار جهان
For pleasure's sake he had shut the two eyes of his head, (but) all Heaven and Earth were under his gaze.
بهر نازش بسته او دو چشم سر ** عرش و فرشش جمله در زیر نظر
Oh, (there is) many a one whose eye is awake and whose heart is asleep: what, in truth, should be seen by the eyes of creatures of water and clay?
ای بسا بیدارچشم و خفته‌دل ** خود چه بیند دید اهل آب و گل
(But) he that keeps his heart awake—though the eye of his head may sleep, it (his heart) will open a hundred eyes.
آنک دل بیدار دارد چشم سر ** گر بخسپد بر گشاید صد بصر
If you are not one of (illumined) heart, be awake (keep vigil), be a seeker of the (illumined) heart, and be (always) in strife (with your fleshly soul);
گر تو اهل دل نه‌ای بیدار باش ** طالب دل باش و در پیکار باش
But if your heart hath been awakened, sleep sound: thy (spiritual) eye is not absent from the seven (heavens) and the six (directions).1225
ور دلت بیدار شد می‌خسپ خوش ** نیست غایب ناظرت از هفت و شش
The Prophet said, “Mine eye slumbers, but when doth my heart slumber in drowsiness?”
گفت پیغامبر که خسپد چشم من ** لیک کی خسپد دلم اندر وسن
The King is awake: suppose the guardsman is asleep, (what does it matter?). May (my) soul be sacrificed to the sleepers whose hearts are seeing!
شاه بیدارست حارس خفته گیر ** جان فدای خفتگان دل‌بصیر
The description of the heart's wakefulness, O spiritual man, would not be contained in thousands of rhymed couplets.
وصف بیداری دل ای معنوی ** در نگنجد در هزاران مثنوی
When they (the magicians) saw that he was sleeping outstretched, they made preparations for stealing the rod.
چون بدیدندش که خفتست او دراز ** بهر دزدی عصا کردند ساز