The people in the ship were faint with terror: cries of woe had arisen,
اهل کشتی از مهابت کاسته ** نعره وا ویلها برخاسته
And in lamentation they were beating their heads with their hands: infidel and deist—they all had become sincere (in devotion to God),
دستها در نوحه بر سر می‌زدند ** کافر و ملحد همه مخلص شدند
Making heartfelt promises and vows to God with a hundred humble entreaties in that hour.
با خدا با صد تضرع آن زمان ** عهدها و نذرها کرده بجان
Bare-headed in the prostrate attitude (of Divine worship) were those whose faces, because of (their) perversity, had never seen the qibla at all.2185
سر برهنه در سجود آنها که هیچ ** رویشان قبله ندید از پیچ پیچ
They (formerly) said, “This worship of God is useless”; (but) in that hour (of despair) they saw a hundred lives (precious advantages) therein.
گفته که بی‌فایده‌ست این بندگی ** آن زمان دیده در آن صد زندگی
They had entirely abandoned hope of all—of friends and maternal and paternal uncles and father and mother.
از همه اومید ببریده تمام ** دوستان و خال و عم بابا و مام
At that moment ascetic and reprobate (alike) had become God-fearing as a wicked man at the time of the death-agony.
زاهد و فاسق شد آن دم متقی ** همچو در هنگام جان کندن شقی
Neither on the left nor on the right was there any help for them: when (all) expedients are dead, (then) is the time to invoke God.
نه ز چپشان چاره بود و نه ز راست ** حیله‌ها چون مرد هنگام دعاست
They were (engaged) in invocation and lament and moaning: a black smoke went up from them to heaven.2190
در دعا ایشان و در زاری و آه ** بر فلک زیشان شده دود سیاه
Then the Devil cried in enmity, “Avaunt! Avaunt! O dog-worshippers, (ye shall be afflicted with) two maladies.
دیو آن دم از عداوت بین بین ** بانگ زد کای سگ‌پرستان علتین
Death and woe (to you)! O unbelievers and hypocrites, this will befall (you) in the end,
مرگ و جسک ای اهل انکار و نفاق ** عاقبت خواهد بدن این اتفاق
(That) after deliverance ye will rejoice to become peculiar devils for the sake of (gratifying) your lust,
چشمتان تر باشد از بعد خلاص ** که شوید از بهر شهوت دیو خاص
And will not remember that in the day of peril God took your hands (to save you) from His decree.”
یادتان ناید که روزی در خطر ** دستتان بگرفت یزدان از قدر
This cry was coming from the Devil; but these words are unheard except by a good ear.2195
این همی‌آمد ندا از دیو لیک ** این سخن را نشنود جز گوش نیک
Mustafá (Mohammed), the Pole and the Emperor and the Sea of Purity, has told us truly,
راست فرمودست با ما مصطفی ** قطب و شاهنشاه و دریای صفا
That what the ignorant will see in the end the wise see from the first step.
کانچ جاهل دید خواهد عاقبت ** عاقلان بینند ز اول مرتبت
If matters are hidden and secret at the beginning, the wise man sees at first, while that obstinate one (sees) at last.
کارها ز آغاز اگر غیبست و سر ** عاقل اول دید و آخر آن مصر
The beginning thereof is concealed, and both the wise man and the ignorant will see the end in (the moment of its) manifestation;
اولش پوشیده باشد و آخر آن ** عاقل و جاهل ببیند در عیان
(But) if you, O contumacious one, do not see the hidden event (before it comes to pass)—when did the torrent sweep away your prudence?2200
گر نبینی واقعه‌ی غیب ای عنود ** حزم را سیلاب کی اندر ربود
What is prudence? To think ill of the world. He (the prudent man) at every moment will (expect to) see a sudden calamity.
حزم چه بود بدگمانی بر جهان ** دم بدم بیند بلای ناگهان
The ideas of the prudent man.
تصورات مرد حازم
’Tis as when a lion has suddenly come up and seized a man and dragged him into the jungle.
آنچنانک ناگهان شیری رسید ** مرد را بربود و در بیشه کشید
At (the moment of) that carrying off, what will he think of? Consider (this), and think of the same thing, O thou who art learned in the (Mohammedan) Religion.
او چه اندیشد در آن بردن ببین ** تو همان اندیش ای استاد دین
The lion, Destiny, is dragging into the jungles (of death) our souls which are preoccupied with (worldly) business and trades.
می‌کشد شیر قضا در بیشه‌ها ** جان ما مشغول کار و پیشه‌ها
That (case) is like (the fact) that the people (of this world) have fear of poverty, plunged (as they are) up to their throats in the briny water.2205
آنچنانک از فقر می‌ترسند خلق ** زیر آب شور رفته تا به حلق
If they should fear the Creator of poverty, treasures would be opened to them on the earth.
گر بترسندی از آن فقرآفرین ** گنجهاشان کشف گشتی در زمین
Through fear of affliction they all are in the very essence of affliction: in their quest for (material) existence they have fallen into non-existence.
جمله‌شان از خوف غم در عین غم ** در پی هستی فتاده در عدم
Daqúqí's entreaty and intercession for the deliverance of the ship.
دعا و شفاعت دقوقی در خلاص کشتی
When Daqúqí beheld that turmoil, his pity was stirred and his tears flowed fast.
چون دقوقی آن قیامت را بدید ** رحم او جوشید و اشک او دوید
He said, “O Lord, do not look at their deeds! Take their hands (to succour them), O auspicious King!
گفت یا رب منگر اندر فعلشان ** دستشان گیر ای شه نیکو نشان
Bring them back well and safe to the shore, O Thou whose hand (power) reaches (both) sea and land!2210
خوش سلامتشان به ساحل با زبر ** ای رسیده دست تو در بحر و بر
O Gracious One, O Merciful and Everlasting One, pass over this wickedness committed by devisers of evil!
ای کریم و ای رحیم سرمدی ** در گذار از بدسگالان این بدی
O Thou who hast given, free of cost, a hundred eyes and ears, and, without bribe, hast dispensed intellect and understanding;
ای بداده رایگان صد چشم و گوش ** بی ز رشوت بخش کرده عقل و هوش
Who hast bestowed the gift before the merit (was existent), having suffered from us the whole (sum) of ingratitude and transgression:
پیش از استحقاق بخشیده عطا ** دیده از ما جمله کفران و خطا
O Almighty One, Thou art able to pardon our great sins in privacy.
ای عظیم از ما گناهان عظیم ** تو توانی عفو کردن در حریم
We have burnt ourselves from concupiscence and greed, and even this invocation we have learned from Thee.2215
ما ز آز و حرص خود را سوختیم ** وین دعا را هم ز تو آموختیم
(We beseech Thee) in reverence for Thy having taught (us) to invoke (Thee) and for having lighted the lamp (of invocation) amidst darkness like this.”
حرمت آن که دعا آموختی ** در چنین ظلمت چراغ افروختی
Thus was the invocation running on his tongue at that time, like (the words of) faithful mothers.
همچنین می‌رفت بر لفظش دعا ** آن زمان چون مادران با وفا
The tears were flowing from his eyes, and that invocation was going up to Heaven from him (while he was) beside himself (unconscious).
اشک می‌رفت از دو چشمش و آن دعا ** بی خود از وی می بر آمد بر سما
That unconscious invocation is, in truth, different: that invocation is not from him (the speaker), it is spoken by the (Divine) Judge.
آن دعای بی خودان خود دیگرست ** آن دعا زو نیست گفت داورست
God is making that invocation, since he (the speaker) is naughted (faná): the invocation and the answer (to it) are (both) from God.2220
آن دعا حق می‌کند چون او فناست ** آن دعا و آن اجابت از خداست
There is not present (at that time) the medium, namely, the created person: body and spirit (alike) are unaware of making that supplication.
واسطه‌ی مخلوق نه اندر میان ** بی‌خبر زان لابه کردن جسم و جان
The (chosen) servants of God are merciful and long-suffering: they possess the disposition of God in regard to putting things right.
بندگان حق رحیم و بردبار ** خوی حق دارند در اصلاح کار
They are kind and bribeless ones, helpers in the hard plight and the heavy (grievous) day.
مهربان بی‌رشوتان یاری‌گران ** در مقام سخت و در روز گران
Hark, seek this (saintly) company, O afflicted one! Hark, hold them (as) a prize before the (coming of) affliction.
هین بجو این قوم را ای مبتلا ** هین غنیمت دارشان پیش از بلا
Through the breath (prayer) of that (spiritual) hero the ship was saved, while the people in the ship thought (they were saved) by their own efforts,2225
رست کشتی از دم آن پهلوان ** واهل کشتی را بجهد خود گمان
(Supposing) that maybe in (the hour of) dread their arm had skilfully shot an arrow at the target.
که مگر بازوی ایشان در حذر ** بر هدف انداخت تیری از هنر
Foxes, in the chase, are saved by their legs, but the foxes inconsiderately deem that (safety to proceed) from their tails.
پا رهاند روبهان را در شکار ** و آن زدم دانند روباهان غرار
(Hence) they play fondly with their tails, thinking, “These save our lives in the ambuscade (of calamity).”
عشقها با دم خود بازند کین ** می‌رهاند جان ما را در کمین
O fox, preserve your legs from (being broken by) brickbats; when you have no legs, what use is your tail, O bold-eyed one?
روبها پا را نگه دار از کلوخ ** پا چو نبود دم چه سود ای چشم‌شوخ
We are like foxes, and the noble (saints) are (as) our legs: they save us from a hundred kinds of vengeance.2230
ما چو روباهان و پای ما کرام ** می‌رهاندمان ز صدگون انتقام
Our subtle contrivance is as our tails: we play fondly with our tails, left and right.
حیله‌ی باریک ما چون دم ماست ** عشقها بازیم با دم چپ و راست