At their beck the mountain splits on itself into a hundred fissures; a sun is (enveloped) in a veil (of darkness) through the eclipse (occultation) of him (the perfect saint). 2815 کوه بر خود می‌شکافد صد شکاف ** آفتابی از کسوفش در شغاف
The wrath of (holy) men makes the clouds dry; the wrath of (saintly) hearts has laid worlds waste. خشم مردان خشک گرداند سحاب ** خشم دلها کرد عالمها خراب
Look, O ye unembalmed dead, upon the place where the city of Lot suffered punishment! بنگرید ای مردگان بی حنوط ** در سیاستگاه شهرستان لوط
What is the elephant even? for three flying birds crushed the bones of those wretched elephants. پیل خود چه بود که سه مرغ پران ** کوفتند آن پیلکان را استخوان
The abábíl is the weakest of birds, and (yet) it rent the elephant irreparably. اضعف مرغان ابابیلست و او ** پیل را بدرید و نپذیرد رفو
Who is there that has not heard of the Flood of Noah, or of the battle of Pharaoh's host with the Spirit? 2820 کیست کو نشنید آن طوفان نوح ** یا مصاف لشکر فرعون و روح
The Spirit routed them and cast them pell-mell into the water: the water was shattering them to atoms. روحشان بشکست و اندر آب ریخت ** ذره ذره آبشان بر می‌گسیخت
Who is there that has not heard what happened to Thamúd and how the sarsar wind swept the ‘Ádites away? کیست کو نشنید احوال ثمود ** و آنک صرصر عادیان را می‌ربود
Open thine eyes for once (and look) upon such elephants (mighty prophets), who were killers of elephants (tyrants) in war. چشم باری در چنان پیلان گشا ** که بدندی پیل‌کش اندر وغا
Such elephants and unjust kings as those are always in excommunication under the wrath of the (prophet's) heart. آنچنان پیلان و شاهان ظلوم ** زیر خشم دل همیشه در رجوم
Unto everlasting they go from a darkness to a darkness, and there is no succour, no mercy. 2825 تا ابد از ظلمتی در ظلمتی ** می‌روند و نیست غوثی رحمتی
Perchance ye have not heard the name of good and evil. All have seen, and ye are seeing not. نام نیک و بد مگر نشنیده‌اید ** جمله دیدند و شما نادیده‌اید
Ye feign not to see the visible, but death will open your eyes well. دیده را نادیده می‌آرید لیک ** چشمتان را وا گشاید مرگ نیک
Suppose the world is full of sun and light: when thou goest into a darkness like the grave, گیر عالم پر بود خورشید و نور ** چون روی در ظلمتی مانند گور
Thou becomest without (any) share in that great light; thou art window-shut to the bounteous moon. بی نصیب آیی از آن نور عظیم ** بسته‌روزن باشی از ماه کریم
Thou hast gone from the belvedere into the pit: how are the spacious worlds to blame (for their being invisible to thee)? 2830 تو درون چاه رفتستی ز کاخ ** چه گنه دارد جهانهای فراخ
The soul that has remained in the quality of wolfishness, how should it behold the face of Joseph? Say! جان که اندر وصف گرگی ماند او ** چون ببیند روی یوسف را بگو
The music of David reached (affected) rock and mountain, (but) the ears of those stony-hearted ones heard it not. لحن داودی به سنگ و که رسید ** گوش آن سنگین دلانش کم شنید
Blessing ever be on reason and justice!—and God best knoweth the right way. آفرین بر عقل و بر انصاف باد ** هر زمان والله اعلم بالرشاد
Believe noble Messengers, O Sabá! Believe a spirit made captive by Him who captured it. صدقوا رسلا کراما یا سبا ** صدقوا روحا سباها من سبا
Believe them—they are rising suns—and they will preserve thee from the ignominies of al-Qári‘a. 2835 صدقوهم هم شموس طالعه ** یومنوکم من مخازی القارعه
Believe them—they are shining full-moons—ere they confront thee with al- Sáhira. صدقوهم هم بدور زاهره ** قبل ان یلقوکم بالساهره
Believe them—they are the lamps of darkness; honour them— they are the keys of hope. صدقوهم هم مصابیح الدجی ** اکرموهم هم مفاتیح الرجا
Believe those who hope not for your bounty; do not go astray, do not turn others away (from the Truth). صدقوا من لیس یرجو خیرکم ** لا تضلوا لا تصدوا غیرکم
Let us speak Persian: come, abandon Arabic. Be the Hindú (slave) of that Turcoman (the Divine Beloved), O (man of) water and clay. پارسی گوییم هین تازی بهل ** هندوی آن ترک باش ای آب و گل
Hark, listen to the testimonies of the (spiritual) kings; the heavens have believed (them): believe ye! 2840 هین گواهیهای شاهان بشنوید ** بگرویدند آسمانها بگروید
The meaning of prudence, and a parable of the prudent man. معنی حزم و مثال مرد حازم
Either consider what happened to the former (peoples), or fly with a (great) prudence towards the latter end. یا به حال اولینان بنگرید ** یا سوی آخر بحزمی در پرید
What is prudence? Precaution in (the case of) two (alternative) plans: of the two you will take that one which is far from craziness. حزم چه بود در دو تدبیر احتیاط ** از دو آن گیری که دورست از خباط
One person may say, “On this road there is no water for seven days, and there is foot-scorching sand.” آن یکی گوید درین ره هفت روز ** نیست آب و هست ریگ پای‌سوز
Another may say, “This is false: push on, for you will find a running fountain every night.” آن دگر گوید دروغست این بران ** که بهر شب چشمه‌ای بینی روان
It is prudence that you take water (with you), so that you may be saved from dread and may be on the right (side). 2845 حزم آن باشد که بر گیری تو آب ** تا رهی از ترس و باشی بر صواب
If there be water (on the road), spill this (water which you have taken with you); and if there be none, alas for the obstinate man! گر بود در راه آب این را بریز ** ور نباشد وای بر مرد ستیز
O children of the Vicegerent (Adam), deal justly: act with prudence for the sake of the Day of Tryst (Judgement). ای خلیفه‌زادگان دادی کنید ** حزم بهر روز میعادی کنید
That enemy who took vengeance upon your father and dragged him from ‘Illiyyín to prison, آن عدوی کز پدرتان کین کشید ** سوی زندانش ز علیین کشید
And checkmated that king of the spiritual chessboard and made him, (cast out) from Paradise, a thrall to calamities— آن شه شطرنج دل را مات کرد ** از بهشتش سخره‌ی آفات کرد
How often in combat did he seize him by sleight, that he might wrestle with him and throw him (to the ground) in disgrace! 2850 چند جا بندش گرفت اندر نبرد ** تا بکشتی در فکندش روی‌زرد
Thus hath he done to that paladin (Adam): do not regard him with contempt, O ye others! اینچنین کردست با آن پهلوان ** سست سستش منگرید ای دیگران
That envious one nimbly snatched away our mother's and father's crown and ornament. مادر و بابای ما را آن حسود ** تاج و پیرایه بچالاکی ربود
There he made them naked and wretched and despicable: (many) years did Adam weep bitterly, کردشان آنجا برهنه و زار و خوار ** سالها بگریست آدم زار زار
So that (sweet) herbs grew from the tears of his eyes: (he wept, wondering) why he was inscribed in the scroll of lá (negation). که ز اشک چشم او رویید نبت ** که چرا اندر جریده‌ی لاست ثبت
Judge thou of his (the Devil's) impudent cheatery from the fact that on account of him such a prince (as Adam) rends his beard (in sorrow). 2855 تو قیاسی گیر طراریش را ** که چنان سرور کند زو ریش را
Beware, O clay-worshippers, of his malice: smite the sword of lá hawl on his head! الحذر ای گل‌پرستان از شرش ** تیغ لا حولی زنید اندر سرش
For he sees you from ambush, so that ye see him not. Take care! کو همی‌بیند شما را از کمین ** که شما او را نمی‌بینید هین
The fowler scatters grain incessantly: the grain is visible, but the deceit is hidden. دایما صیاد ریزد دانه‌ها ** دانه پیدا باشد و پنهان دغا
Wherever you see the grain, beware, lest the trap confine your wings and pinions, هر کجا دانه بدیدی الحذر ** تا نبندد دام بر تو بال و پر
Because the bird that takes leave of (relinquishes) the grain (bait), eats grain from the spacious field (of Reality) that is without imposture. 2860 زانک مرغی کو بترک دانه کرد ** دانه از صحرای بی تزویر خورد
With that (grain) it is contented, and escapes the trap: no trap confines its wings and pinions. هم بدان قانع شد و از دام جست ** هیچ دامی پر و بالش را نبست
The banefulness of the action of the bird that abandons prudence from (motives of) greed and vain desire. وخامت کار آن مرغ کی ترک حزم کرد از حرص و هوا
Again, a bird settles on a wall and fastens its eyes upon the grain in a trap. باز مرغی فوق دیواری نشست ** دیده سوی دانه دامی ببست
Now it looks towards the open country, (while) now its greed leads it to look at the grain. یک نظر او سوی صحرا می‌کند ** یک نظر حرصش به دانه می‌کشد
This look struggles with that look and suddenly makes it (the bird) empty of wisdom. این نظر با آن نظر چالیش کرد ** ناگهانی از خرد خالیش کرد