Ere the (bodily) form of Ahmad (Mohammed) displayed its glory, the description of him (in the Pentateuch and the Gospel) was a phylactery for every infidel.
پیش از آنک نقش احمد فر نمود ** نعت او هر گبر را تعویذ بود
“There is some one like this” (they said): “(let us wait) till he shall appear”; and their hearts were throbbing at the imagination of (seeing) his face.
کین چنین کس هست تا آید پدید ** از خیال روش دلشان می‌طپید
They were prostrating themselves (in prayer), crying, “O Lord of mankind, wilt Thou bring him before our eyes as quickly as may be?”
سجده می‌کردند کای رب بشر ** در عیان آریش هر چه زودتر
(This they did) in order that, by asking (God) to grant them victory in the name of Ahmad, their enemies might be overthrown.
تا به نام احمد از یستفتحون ** یاغیانشان می‌شدندی سرنگون
Whenever a formidable war arose, Ahmad's pertinacity in onset was always their succour;3840
هر کجا حرب مهولی آمدی ** غوثشان کراری احمد بدی
Wherever there was a chronic sickness, mention (invocation) of him (Ahmad) was always their healing medicine.
هر کجا بیماری مزمن بدی ** یاد اوشان داروی شافی شدی
In (all) their way his form was coming into their hearts and into their ears and into their mouths.
نقش او می‌گشت اندر راهشان ** در دل و در گوش و در افواهشان
How should every jackal perceive his (real) form? Nay, (they perceived only) the derivative of his form, that is to say, the imaginal idea (of it).
نقش او را کی بیابد هر شعال ** بلک فرع نقش او یعنی خیال
If his (real) form should fall on the face of a wall, heart's blood would trickle from the heart of the wall;
نقش او بر روی دیوار ار فتد ** از دل دیوار خون دل چکد
And his form would be so auspicious for it (would bestow such blessing on it) that the wall would at once be saved from having a double face.3845
آنچنان فرخ بود نقشش برو ** که رهد در حال دیوار از دو رو
Beside the single-facedness (sincerity) of the pure (in spirit), that double-facedness has become a fault (even) in the wall.
گشته با یک‌رویی اهل صفا ** آن دورویی عیب مر دیوار را
All this veneration and magnification and affection (which they had shown towards the Prophet) the wind swept away, as soon as they saw him in (bodily) form.
این همه تعظیم و تفخیم و وداد ** چون بدیدندش به صورت برد باد
The false coin saw the fire and immediately became black: when has there (ever) been a way for the false coin (of hypocrisy) to enter the (pure) heart?
قلب آتش دید و در دم شد سیاه ** قلب را در قلب کی بودست راه
The false coin was talking boastfully of its desire for the touchstone, that it might cast the (sincere) disciples into doubt.
قلب می‌زد لاف اشواق محک ** تا مریدان را دراندازد به شک
A worthless one falls into the snare of its deceit; (for) from every base fellow the thought pops up,3850
افتد اندر دام مکرش ناکسی ** این گمان سر بر زند از هر خسی
That if this were not genuine coin, how should it have become eager for the touchstone?
کین اگر نه نقد پاکیزه بدی ** کی به سنگ امتحان راغب شدی
It desires the touchstone, but one of such a kind that its falseness will not be clearly exposed thereby.
او محک می‌خواهد اما آنچنان ** که نگردد قلبی او زان عیان
The touchstone that keeps hidden the quality (of that which is tested) is not a (true) touchstone, nor (is it) the (discriminating) light of knowledge.
آن محک که او نهان دارد صفت ** نی محک باشد نه نور معرفت
The mirror that keeps hidden the defects of the face to flatter every cuckold
آینه کو عیب رو دارد نهان ** از برای خاطر هر قلتبان
Is not a (true) mirror; it is hypocritical. Do not seek such a mirror so long as you can (help).3855
آینه نبود منافق باشد او ** این چنین آیینه تا توانی مجو