“Hark, come, for I am a Messenger (Prophet) sent to call (the people to God): like Death, I am the slayer of lust, I am not given to lust.
هین بیا که من رسولم دعوتی ** چون اجل شهوتکشم نه شهوتی
And if there be lust (in me), I am the ruler of (my) lust: lam not captive to lust for the face of an idol.
ور بود شهوت امیر شهوتم ** نه اسیر شهوت روی بتم
My deepest nature is a breaker of idols, like (Abraham) the Friend of God and all the prophets.
بتشکن بودست اصل اصل ما ** چون خلیل حق و جمله انبیا
O slave, if I enter the idol-temple, the idol will prostrate itself, not I, in adoration.”815
گر در آییم ای رهی در بتکده ** بت سجود آرد نه ما در معبده
(Both) Ahmad (Mohammed) and Bú Jahl went into the idol- temple; (but) there is a great difference between this going and that going.
احمد و بوجهل در بتخانه رفت ** زین شدن تا آن شدن فرقیست زفت
This one (Mohammed) enters, the idols lay down their heads before him; that one (Bú Jahl) enters and lays down his head (before the idols), like the peoples (of old).
این در آید سر نهند او را بتان ** آن در آید سر نهد چون امتان
This world, (which is) associated with lust, is an idol-temple: it is a nest (abode) for the prophets and the infidels (alike),
این جهان شهوتی بتخانهایست ** انبیا و کافران را لانهایست
But lust is the slave of holy men: gold does not burn (in the fire), because it is sterling coin from the mine.
لیک شهوت بندهی پاکان بود ** زر نسوزد زانک نقد کان بود
The infidels are alloy, while the holy men are as (pure) gold: both these (classes of) persons are within this crucible.820
کافران قلباند و پاکان همچو زر ** اندرین بوته درند این دو نفر
When the alloy came (into the crucible), it became black at once; (when) the gold came in, its goldenness was made manifest.
قلب چون آمد سیه شد در زمان ** زر در آمد شد زری او عیان
The gold gladly cast (itself with) hands and feet into the crucible: its vein (original nature) laughs in the face of the fire.
دست و پا انداخت زر در بوته خوش ** در رخ آتش همی خندد رگش
Our body is our veil in the world: we are like a sea hidden beneath this straw.
جسم ما روپوش ما شد در جهان ** ما چو دریا زیر این که در نهان
O fool, do not regard the king of the (true) Religion as clay; for the accursed Iblís took this view (of Adam).
شاه دین را منگر ای نادان بطین ** کین نظر کردست ابلیس لعین
How is it possible to daub this sun with a handful of earth? Pray, tell me (that)!825
کی توان اندود این خورشید را ** با کف گل تو بگو آخر مرا
Though you pour earth and a hundred ashes over its light, it will come up above them.
گر بریزی خاک و صد خاکسترش ** بر سر نور او برآید بر سرش
Who (what) is straw that it should cover the face of the water? Who (what) is clay that it should cover the sun?
که کی باشد کو بپوشد روی آب ** طین کی باشد کو بپوشد آفتاب
O Bilqís arise royally, like (Ibráhím son of) Adham: raise the smoke from (consume utterly) this kingdom of two or three days’ duration.
خیز بلقیسا چو ادهم شاهوار ** دود ازین ملک دو سه روزه بر آر
The remainder of the story of Ibráhím son of Adham, may God sanctify his spirit.
باقی قصهی ابراهیم ادهم قدسالله سره
(Reclining) on a throne, that man of good name heard at night a noise of tramping and shrill cries from the roof.
بر سر تختی شنید آن نیکنام ** طقطقی و های و هویی شب ز بام
(He heard) loud footsteps on the roof of the palace, and said to himself, “Who dares to do this?”830
گامهای تند بر بام سرا ** گفت با خود این چنین زهره کرا
He shouted, at the palace-window, “Who is it? This is not a man, belike it is a genie.
بانگ زد بر روزن قصر او که کیست ** این نباشد آدمی مانا پریست
A wondrous folk put their heads down (from the roof), (saying), “We are going round by night for the purpose of search.”
سر فرو کردند قومی بوالعجب ** ما همی گردیم شب بهر طلب
“Eh, what are ye seeking?” “Camels,” they replied. He said, “Take heed! who ever sought camel on a roof?”
هین چه میجویید گفتند اشتران ** گفت اشتر بام بر کی جست هان
Then they said to him, “How art thou seeking to meet with God on the throne of state?”
پس بگفتندش که تو بر تخت جاه ** چون همی جویی ملاقات اله
That was all. None saw him again: he vanished like a genie from (the sight of) man. 835
خود همان بد دیگر او را کس ندید ** چون پری از آدمی شد ناپدید
His reality (real self) was hidden, though he was in people’s presence: how should the people see aught but beard and frock (of the dervish)?
معنیاش پنهان و او در پیش خلق ** خلق کی بینند غیر ریش و دلق
When he became far (disappeared) from his own and the people’s eyes, he became renowned in the world, like the ‘Anqá.
چون ز چشم خویش و خلقان دور شد ** همچو عنقا در جهان مشهور شد
Whenever the soul of any (spiritual) bird has come to (Mount) Qáf, all the world boast and brag on account of it.
جان هر مرغی که آمد سوی قاف ** جملهی عالم ازو لافند لاف
When this orient light (from Solomon) reached Sabá, a tumult arose in Bilqís and her people.
چون رسید اندر سبا این نور شرق ** غلغلی افتاد در بلقیس و خلق
All the dead spirits took wing: the dead put forth their heads from the grave, (which is) the body.840
روحهای مرده جمله پر زدند ** مردگان از گور تن سر بر زدند
They gave the good news to one another, saying, “Hark! Lo, a voice is coming from Heaven.”
یک دگر را مژده میدادند هان ** نک ندایی میرسد از آسمان
At (the sound of) that voice (men’s) religions wax great; the leaves and boughs of the heart become green.
Like the blast of the trumpet (on Judgement-Day) that breath from Solomon delivered the dead from the tombs.
از سلیمان آن نفس چون نفخ صور ** مردگان را وا رهانید از قبور
May (such) felicity be thine after this (epoch of Solomon)! This (epoch) is past. God best knoweth the certain truth.
مر ترا بادا سعادت بعد ازین ** این گذشت الله اعلم بالیقین
The rest of the story of the people of Sabá, and of the admonition and guidance given by Solomon, on whom be peace, to the kinsfolk of Bilqís—to every one (the particular guidance) suitable to his religious and spiritual difficulties; and how he caught (decoyed) each sort of conceptional bird with the whistle and bait proper for that sort of bird.
بقیهی قصهی اهل سبا و نصیحت و ارشاد سلیمان علیهالسلام آل بلقیس را هر یکی را اندر خور خود و مشکلات دین و دل او و صید کردن هر جنس مرغ ضمیری به صفیر آن جنس مرغ و طعمهی او
I will tell the story of Sabá in lover’s style. When the Zephyr came towards the tulip-field,845
قصه گویم از سبا مشتاقوار ** چون صبا آمد به سوی لالهزار
The bodies met (experienced) the day of their union (with the spirits which dwell in them)’: the children turned again in the direction of their home.
لاقت الاشباح یوم وصلها ** عادت الاولاد صوب اصلها
Amongst the communities the community of secret Love is like a liberality surrounded by the meanness of (spiritual) distemper.
Come, O (master of the) bird-speech of Solomon, sing the song of every bird that comes.
منطقالطیر سلیمانی بیا ** بانگ هر مرغی که آید میسرا
Since God hath sent thee to the birds, He hath instructed thee in the note of every bird.
چون به مرغانت فرستادست حق ** لحن هر مرغی بدادستت سبق
To the necessitarian bird speak the language of necessitarianism ; to the bird whose wings are broken speak of patience (quietism).
مرغ جبری را زبان جبر گو ** مرغ پر اشکسته را از صبر گو
Keep the patient bird happy and free from harm; to the bird (resembling the) ‘Anqá recite the descriptions of (Mount) Qáf.
مرغ صابر را تو خوش دار و معاف ** مرغ عنقا را بخوان اوصاف قاف
Bid the pigeon beware of the falcon; to the falcon speak of forbearance and being on its guard (against acting unjustly).855
مر کبوتر را حذر فرما ز باز ** باز را از حلم گو و احتراز
And as for the bat that is left destitute (of spiritual illumination), make it to consort and to be familiar with the Light.
وان خفاشی را که ماند او بینوا ** میکنش با نور جفت و آشنا
Cause the warlike partridge to learn peace; to the cocks display the signs of dawn.
کبک جنگی را بیاموزان تو صلح ** مر خروسان را نما اشراط صبح
Even so proceed from the hoopoe to the eagle, and show the way. And God best knoweth the right course.
همچنان میرو ز هدهد تا عقاب ** ره نما والله اعلم بالصواب
How Bilqís was freed from her kingdom and was intoxicated with longing for the Faith, and how at the moment of her (spiritual) emigration the regard of her desire became severed from the whole of her kingdom except from her throne.
آزاد شدن بلقیس از ملک و مست شدن او از شوق ایمان و التفات همت او از همهی ملک منقطع شدن وقت هجرت الا از تخت
When Solomon uttered a single whistling note to the birds of Sabá he ensnared them all,
چون سلیمان سوی مرغان سبا ** یک صفیری کرد بست آن جمله را
Except, maybe, the bird that was without spirit or wings, or was dumb and deaf, like a fish, from the beginning.860
جز مگر مرغی که بد بیجان و پر ** یا چو ماهی گنگ بود از اصل کر
Nay, I have spoken wrongly, for if the deaf one lay his head before the inspiration of the Divine Majesty, it will give to him (the power of) hearing.
نی غلط گفتم که کر گر سر نهد ** پیش وحی کبریا سمعش دهد