To the end that to-night all the Israelites might remain far away from meeting with their wives.
تا که امشب جمله اسرائیلیان ** دور ماندند از ملاقات زنان
Wealth and honour are gone, and all is done in vain: is this (true) friendship and (are these) the deeds of the noble?
مال رفت و آب رو و کار خام ** این بود یاری و افعال کرام
For years ye have been taking stipends and robes of honour and devouring kingdoms as ye pleased.
سالها ادرار و خلعت می‌برید ** مملکتها را مسلم می‌خورید
Was this (the only result of) your judgement and wisdom and astrology? Ye are lickspittles and deceivers and ill-omened.925
رایتان این بود و فرهنگ و نجوم ** طبل‌خوارانید و مکارید و شوم
I will rend you to pieces and set you ablaze, I will tear off your noses and ears and lips.
من شما را بر درم و آتش زنم ** بینی و گوش و لبانتان بر کنم
I will make you fuel for the fire, I will make your past pleasure unsweet to you.”
من شما را هیزم آتش کنم ** عیش رفته بر شما ناخوش کنم
They prostrated themselves and said, “O Khedive, if (this) one time the Devil has prevailed against us,
سجده کردند و بگفتند ای خدیو ** گر یکی کرت ز ما چربید دیو
(Yet) for years we have warded off afflictions: the imagination is dumbfounded by that which we have done.
سالها دفع بلاها کرده‌ایم ** وهم حیران زانچ ماها کرده‌ایم
(Now) it (the prevention of this calamity) has eluded us, and his conception has occurred: semen ejus exsiliit et in uterum irrepsit; [(Now) it (the prevention of this calamity) has eluded us, and his conception has occurred: his semen spurted forth and crept into the womb;]930
فوت شد از ما و حملش شد پدید ** نطفه‌اش جست و رحم اندر خزید
But (we crave) pardon for this, (and) we shall watch the day of birth, O King and Sovereign.
لیک استغفار این روز ولاد ** ما نگه داریم ای شاه و قباد
We shall observe (by the stars) the day of his nativity, that this event may not escape and evade us.
روز میلادش رصد بندیم ما ** تا نگردد فوت و نجهد این قضا
If we do not keep watch for this, kill us, O thou to whose judgement (our) thoughts and intelligence are slaves.”
گر نداریم این نگه ما را بکش ** ای غلام رای تو افکار و هش
For nine months he was counting day after day, lest the arrow of the Decree that transfixes its enemy should fly (from the bow).
تا بنه مه می‌شمرد او روز روز ** تا نپرد تیر حکم خصم‌دوز
When (the world of) space makes an assault upon (the world of) non-spatiality, it falls headlong and drinks its own blood.935
بر قضا هر کو شبیخون آورد ** سرنگون آید ز خون خود خورد
When the earth shows enmity to the sky, it becomes salty (barren) and presents a spectacle of death.
چون زمین با آسمان خصمی کند ** شوره گردد سر ز مرگی بر زند
(When) the picture (creature) struggles hand to hand with the Painter (Creator), it (only) tears out its own moustaches and beard.
نقش با نقاش پنجه می‌زند ** سبلتان و ریش خود بر می‌کند
How Pharaoh summoned the women who had new-born children to the maydán, (doing this) also for the sake of his plot (against Moses).
خواندن فرعون زنان نوزاده را سوی میدان هم جهت مکر
After nine months the King brought out his throne to the maydán and made a strict proclamation.
بعد نه مه شه برون آورد تخت ** سوی میدان و منادی کرد سخت
“O women, go with your babes to the maydán; go forth, all ye of Israel.
کای زنان با طفلکان میدان روید ** جمله اسرائیلیان بیرون شوید
Just as last year robes of honour were bestowed on the men, and every one of them bore away gold,940
آنچنانک پار مردان را رسید ** خلعت و هر کس ازیشان زر کشید
Hark, O women, this year it is your fortune, so that each one (of you) may obtain the thing she desires.
هین زنان امسال اقبال شماست ** تا بیابد هر یکی چیزی که خواست
He will give the women robes of honour and donations; on the children too he will put mitres of gold.
مر زنان را خلعت و صلت دهد ** کودکان را هم کلاه زر نهد
Take heed! Every one of you that has borne a child during this month shall receive treasures from the mighty King.”
هر که او این ماه زاییدست هین ** گنجها گیرید از شاه مکین
The women went forth with their babes: they came joyfully to the King's tent.
آن زنان با طفلکان بیرون شدند ** شادمان تا خیمه‌ی شه آمدند
Every woman that had newly given birth went forth from the city to the maydán, unsuspicious of guile and vengeance.945
هر زن نوزاده بیرون شد ز شهر ** سوی میدان غافل از دستان و قهر
When all the women were gathered around him, they (the King's officers) took away from the mothers whatever was male,
چون زنان جمله بدو گرد آمدند ** هرچه بود آن نر ز مادر بستدند
And cut off its head, saying, “This is a precaution, that the (King's) enemy may not grow up and that disorder may not increase.”
سر بریدندش که اینست احتیاط ** تا نروید خصم و نفزاید خباط
How Moses was born and how the officers came to ‘Imrán's house and how it was divinely revealed to the mother of Moses that she should cast Moses into the fire.
بوجود آمدن موسی و آمدن عوانان به خانه‌ی عمران و وحی آمدن به مادر موسی کی موسی را در آتش انداز
‘Imrán's wife herself, who had brought Moses (with her), kept aloof from that turmoil and fume.
خود زن عمران که موسی برده بود ** دامن اندر چید از آن آشوب و دود
That villain (Pharaoh) sent the midwives into the houses for the purpose of spying.
آن زنان قابله در خانه‌ها ** بهر جاسوسی فرستاد آن دغا
They gave information of her, saying, “Here is a child: she (his mother) did not come to the maydán: (make inquiry), for she is under suspicion and doubt.950
غمز کردندش که اینجا کودکیست ** نامد او میدان که در وهم و شکیست
In this street there is a comely woman: she has a child, but she is an artful one.”
اندرین کوچه یکی زیبا زنیست ** کودکی دارد ولیکن پرفنیست
Then the officers came: she, by the command of God, cast the child into the stove.
پس عوانان آمدند او طفل را ** در تنور انداخت از امر خدا
From that omniscient One revelation came to the woman that this boy is of the stock of the Friend (of God),
وحی آمد سوی زن زان با خبر ** که ز اصل آن خلیلست این پسر
(And that) through the protection of (the Divine word), “O fire, be cool,” the fire will not be hot and untamed.
عصمت یا نار کونی باردا ** لا تکون النار حرا شاردا
In consequence of the revelation the woman cast him amidst the sparks: the fire produced no effect on the body of Moses.955
زن بوحی انداخت او را در شرر ** بر تن موسی نکرد آتش اثر
Then the officers went away without having attained their object, (but) again the informers, who were aware of it,
پس عوانان بی مراد آن سو شدند ** باز غمازان کز آن واقف بدند
Raised an altercation with the officers before Pharaoh for the sake of (earning) some petty coins,
با عوانان ماجرا بر داشتند ** پیش فرعون از برای دانگ چند
Saying, “O officers, go back thither, and look very carefully in the upper rooms.”
کای عوانان باز گردید آن طرف ** نیک نیکو بنگرید اندر غرف
How it was divinely revealed to the mother of Moses that she should throw Moses into the water.
وحی آمدن به مادر موسی کی موسی را در آب افکن
Once more the revelation came: “Throw him into the water; keep thy face in hope and do not tear thy hair.
باز وحی آمد که در آبش فکن ** روی در اومید دار و مو مکن
Throw him into the Nile and put trust (in Me): I will bring thee to him happily.”960
در فکن در نیلش و کن اعتماد ** من ترا با وی رسانم رو سپید
This discourse hath no end. All his (Pharaoh's) plots (only) entangled his (own) legs and feet.
این سخن پایان ندارد مکرهاش ** جمله می‌پیچید هم در ساق و پاش
He was killing hundreds of thousands of children outside, (whilst) Moses (remained) indoors in the upper part of the house.
صد هزاران طفل می‌کشت او برون ** موسی اندر صدر خانه در درون
Wherever were embryos (new-born children), in his frenzy that far-seeing blind man was killing them by cunning devices.
از جنون می‌کشت هر جا بد جنین ** از حیل آن کورچشم دوربین
The craft of the iniquitous Pharaoh was a dragon: it had devoured the craft of the kings of the world;
اژدها بد مکر فرعون عنود ** مکر شاهان جهان را خورده بود
But one that was a greater Pharaoh than it came into sight and swallowed both him and his craft.965
لیک ازو فرعون‌تر آمد پدید ** هم ورا هم مکر او را در کشید
It (Pharaoh's craft) was a dragon: the rod (of Moses) became a dragon, and this devoured that by the aid of God.
اژدها بود و عصا شد اژدها ** این بخورد آن را به توفیق خدا
Hand is above hand: how far is this (series)? Up to God, for unto Him is the end.
دست شد بالای دست این تا کجا ** تا بیزدان که الیه المنتهی
For that (Omnipotence) is a sea without bottom or shore: beside it all the seas together are (but) as a torrent.
کان یکی دریاست بی غور و کران ** جمله دریاها چو سیلی پیش آن
If (human) devices and expedients are a dragon, (yet) beside (there is no god) except Allah they all are naught.
حیله‌ها و چاره‌ها گر اژدهاست ** پیش الا الله آنها جمله لاست
Now that my exposition has reached this point, it lays down its head and expires; and God best knoweth the right course.970
چون رسید اینجا بیانم سر نهاد ** محو شد والله اعلم بالرشاد
That which was in Pharaoh, the same is in thee, but thy dragon is confined in the pit.
آنچ در فرعون بود اندر تو هست ** لیک اژدرهات محبوس چهست