From fear of the outcry of that accursed Devil you flee away from certain truth into error,
تو ز بیم بانگ آن دیو لعین ** وا گریزی در ضلالت از یقین
Saying, “Ho, to-morrow is mine and after to-morrow: I will run in the Way of religion, I have (plenty of) time.”4330
که هلا فردا و پس فردا مراست ** راه دین پویم که مهلت پیش ماست
Then again you see Death killing your neighbours on left and right, so that the cry (of lamentation) is raised.
مرگ بینی باز کو از چپ و راست ** می‌کشد همسایه را تا بانگ خاست
Now, in fear of (your) life, you resolve to be religious: for a while, you make yourself a (true) man;
باز عزم دین کنی از بیم جان ** مرد سازی خویشتن را یک زمان
So you put on the armour of knowledge and wisdom, saying, “I will not shrink from any danger.”
پس سلح بر بندی از علم و حکم ** که من از خوفی نیارم پای کم
Again he (the Devil) deceitfully cries out at you—“Be afraid and turn away from the sword of poverty!”
باز بانگی بر زند بر تو ز مکر ** که بترس و باز گرد از تیغ فقر
Once more you flee from the Way of Light and cast off that armour of knowledge and virtue.4335
باز بگریزی ز راه روشنی ** آن سلاح علم و فن را بفکنی
(For many) years, you are a slave to him because of a cry: you have laid down the blanket (have lain down to rest) in such darkness as this!
سالها او را به بانگی بنده‌ای ** در چنین ظلمت نمد افکنده‌ای
Dread of the cry of the devils has bound the people and taken hold of their throats,
هیبت بانگ شیاطین خلق را ** بند کردست و گرفته حلق را
Till their souls have become as hopeless of the Light as the spirits of the infidels who dwell in the tombs.
تا چنان نومید شد جانشان ز نور ** که روان کافران ز اهل قبور
Such is the terror of the cry of that accursed one: how (great) must be the dread of the Divine cry!
این شکوه بانگ آن ملعون بود ** هیبت بانگ خدایی چون بود
Dread of the falcon is (falling) upon the noble partridge: the fly hath no portion of that dread,4340
هیبت بازست بر کبک نجیب ** مر مگس را نیست زان هیبت نصیب
Because the falcon is not a hunter of flies: only spiders catch flies.
زانک نبود باز صیاد مگس ** عنکبوتان می مگس گیرند و بس
The spider, (which is) the Devil, hath dominion over flies like you, not over the partridge and the eagle.
عنکبوت دیو بر چون تو ذباب ** کر و فر دارد نه بر کبک و عقاب
The cry of the devils is the drover of the damned; the cry of the Lord is the guardian of the (blessed) saints,
بانگ دیوان گله‌بان اشقیاست ** بانگ سلطان پاسبان اولیاست
To the end that, by reason of these two cries (being) far distant (from each other), not a drop of the sweet sea may mingle with the briny sea.
تا نیامیزد بدین دو بانگ دور ** قطره‌ای از بحر خوش با بحر شور
How the talismanic cry came at midnight to (the ears of) the guest in the mosque.
رسیدن بانگ طلسمی نیمشب مهمان مسجد را
Now hear the tale of the terrible cry, by which that good-fortuned man was not dismayed.4345
بشنو اکنون قصه‌ی آن بانگ سخت ** که نرفت از جا بدان آن نیکبخت
He said, “How should I fear? for this is the drum of the Festival. Let the drum fear, since blows belong to it.
گفت چون ترسم چو هست این طبل عید ** تا دهل ترسد که زخم او را رسید
O empty drums without hearts, your share in the festival of the spirit is (naught but) blows of the (drum-)stick.
ای دهلهای تهی بی قلوب ** قسمتان از عید جان شد زخم چوب
The Resurrection is the Festival, and the irreligious are the drum: we, like the festive folk, are laughing as the rose.”
شد قیامت عید و بی‌دینان دهل ** ما چو اهل عید خندان همچو گل
Now hear how, when this drum boomed, he (the guest) cooks the pot containing the broth of felicity.
بشنو اکنون این دهل چون بانگ زد ** دیگ دولتبا چگونه می‌پزد
When that man of insight heard the drum, he said, “How should my heart be afraid of the drum of the Festival?”4350
چونک بشنود آن دهل آن مرد دید ** گفت چون ترسد دلم از طبل عید
He said to himself, “Beware, do not let thy heart tremble, for (only) the souls of the faint-hearted who lack faith have died at this (noise of the drum).
گفت با خود هین ملرزان دل کزین ** مرد جان بددلان بی‌یقین